What Is A Good Home Defense Shotgun Ammo???

[Glock Fan]

Originally Posted by Jes

Before anyone here uses slugs thinking they will not penetrate because they are hollowpoint, you might want to take a look at this site: The Box O' Truth #3 - The Shotgun Meets the Box O' Truth - Page 1

12ga buckshot actually penetrates drywall less than just about any handgun and WAAAAY less than slugs.

If you are worried about overpenetration use 00buck or drop down to a #4 tactical shot. Birdshot may or may not work especially if your attacker is determined. If it can't kill a goose, what makes you think it will stop the BG.

Good point Jes. I used to hunt with #6 bird shot. After seeing several phesants fly away, I've since switched to #4 bird shot for everything from dove all the way up to peafowel. Haven't hit any birds and watched them fly away since.

On a more serious note, 00 buck shot is an excellent ammuniton choice for HD. There's a reason why many LE agencies use a combinaiton of 00 buch shot and slugs. The slugs are mainly for breaching, and the 00 buck shot is for clearing. If you think about your basic LE tactics, there are often officers on either side and many times in very close quarters. The 00 buck shot does a great job stopping the BG, yet doesn't over penetrate as much as many handgun rounds and the slugs would.

Don't take my word for it, check it out on sites like "Box O Truth" and see for yourself. Unfortunately there are some folks on this site that would rather believe what they read in some study or on the internet, rather than results that are experienced first hand.




gf

[upanchor]

...makes a mess at 30 feet. Your average house-shot won't be longer than that. We shot the #7 bird at a two-inch thick phone book at about 30-40 feet and those little pellets ripped a hole right thru the center of it you could put your hand through. If I were on the receiving end of that, I would hate it!

I'm talkin' a 20 gauge here! right thru the middle....daylight!

[mudpuppy]

I use 12g 3" mag. #4 buckshot. I patterned my 500 with an 18" barrel and all the pellets filled a 24" circle at twenty feet. All I have to do is center it on a doorway or hallway and I am going to get a piece of the perp.

[Dafey]

Originally Posted by mudpuppy

I use 12g 3" mag. #4 buckshot. I patterned my 500 with an 18" barrel and all the pellets filled a 24" circle at twenty feet. All I have to do is center it on a doorway or hallway and I am going to get a piece of the perp.

I dont think Id shoot through a door at someone I cant SEE who it is 100% for sure...

Also is 00 good enough against some one in a thick coat? Since it is winter. Even in NM it gets cold some times Its 2am and 61 F out :doah:

[Glock Fan]

Originally Posted by Dafey

I dont think Id shoot through a door at someone I cant SEE who it is 100% for sure...

Also is 00 good enough against some one in a thick coat? Since it is winter. Even in NM it gets cold some times Its 2am and 61 F out :doah:

I have no doubt that 00 buckshot will be effective against a threat in a heavy coat. The blast alone would be enough to knock your average man down. Once on the ground, cycle the action and take a follow up shot if necessary. There's a reason why many LE agencies use 00 buckshot as a standard load.



gf

[mudpuppy]

Originally Posted by Dafey

I dont think Id shoot through a door at someone I cant SEE who it is 100% for sure..

I never said the door was closed. I was commenting on the coverage pattern and the ability to cover a target with enough lead to stop the threat in less than ideal conditions.

[toreskha]

Originally Posted by Dafey

Also is 00 good enough against some one in a thick coat? Since it is winter. Even in NM it gets cold some times Its 2am and 61 F out :doah:

You can hit someone wearing a Level III vest with 00 through a door, and the next thing they know, they're at least going to be lying on the ground wondering what happened. They'll probably be dead or severely injured though. Those pellets will drill right through a winter coat like tissue paper - and even the coat doesn't cover everything.

Even ceramic plates will protect against penetration, but they won't stop internal damage from the blunt force trauma. If they have a preexisting condition or are already injured, the impact could possibly kill them. It's like a pipe bomb going off nearby.

Imagine being in their shoes - you're burglarizing a house at 2 AM, trying to be as quiet as possible. Suddenly you see a flash of light, feel a massive impact, and you're out cold before you hit the ground. Next thing you know, you wake up on the ground surrounded by paramedics and cops, lying in a pool of blood, with your entire body hurting. You were fortunate enough to take a 12 ga load of buckshot through a double-paned window, and no body parts were entirely severed by the flying glass, except for a few fingers.

As long as you put the pattern on them, a round of buckshot is Game Over in most situations.

[pianomistro]

Originally Posted by toreskha

You can hit someone wearing a Level III vest with 00 through a door, and the next thing they know, they're at least going to be lying on the ground wondering what happened. They'll probably be dead or severely injured though. Those pellets will drill right through a winter coat like tissue paper - and even the coat doesn't cover everything.

Even ceramic plates will protect against penetration, but they won't stop internal damage from the blunt force trauma. If they have a preexisting condition or are already injured, the impact could possibly kill them. It's like a pipe bomb going off nearby.

Imagine being in their shoes - you're burglarizing a house at 2 AM, trying to be as quiet as possible. Suddenly you see a flash of light, feel a massive impact, and you're out cold before you hit the ground. Next thing you know, you wake up on the ground surrounded by paramedics and cops, lying in a pool of blood, with your entire body hurting. You were fortunate enough to take a 12 ga load of buckshot through a double-paned window, and no body parts were entirely severed by the flying glass, except for a few fingers.

As long as you put the pattern on them, a round of buckshot is Game Over in most situations.

I agree. 00 buck is plenty of power for simple home protection. I keep mine loaded with #2 shot, and have no worries at night. even something as small as #8 will put a hell of a punch into anyone within 20 feet. Jacket or not. Make them turn around and bust @$$ to get away from you for sure.

[toreskha]

Originally Posted by pianomistro

I agree. 00 buck is plenty of power for simple home protection. I keep mine loaded with #2 shot, and have no worries at night. even something as small as #8 will put a hell of a punch into anyone within 20 feet. Jacket or not. Make them turn around and bust @$$ to get away from you for sure.

I'd like to see what the reactions are of perpetrators who have been hit with a nonfatal shotgun blast. I'm guessing it's not the same as getting shot by multiple handgun or rifle rounds, which people are able to process. An intense explosion resulting in dozens of tiny lead pellets flying at high speeds is far more disorienting, and if they don't die, the individual being shot would probably simply lose consciousness.

[whiskey]

alternate load low recoil 00 buck/slug