Believer now---changing to buckshot

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Xrayeyes

Inactive
I am fairly new to gun ownership, my husband and I have owned a 12 g shotgun for a few years, but don't shoot it much. It's purely for home defense.

I've been reading the pros and cons of birdshot vs. buckshot and after this weekend, have been convinced that buckshot it probably the way to go if you are serious about stopping someone. We have an old farmhouse with tongue in groove walls, so I don't think penetration is much of an issue for us.

I am an x-ray tech and this weekend I radiographed a patient that had been shot in the hand at 4ft with a sawed off shotgun. I am not sure of the guage. Although it messed up his hand--he lost his index finger, I was amazed at how much of the birdshot was still embedded in the tissue of his hand.

Some did go throw the webbing between his thumb and index finger and hit him in the chest, but did not penetrate very far--certainly not into his chest cavity.

I am going to switch to buckshot now..I'm convinced!
 
I know what you mean. One time I took the metal panel off the side of a computer tower and shot it with birdshot, then with buckshot.

I haven't even considered birdshot in a self-defense application since.
 
Congrats on making the move to the "dark side" of shot shell capabilities... Birdshot is for the birds... buck is for big critters!
Now get out with some poster board and master the point of aim, point of impact coordination required to maximize the effectiveness of the shot gun in general. Informal clay shooting with just a "red slinger" will greatly improve the quick use of a shot gun when needed...
BTW:Use birdshot for that...;):D
Brent
 
shooting wife

I saw a guy who accidently shot his wife at room distance with birdshot.
It hit her upper arm and did not penetrate through.
He woke up and heard the "burglar" stealing the "Jewelry" (getting a pill)
from the dresser.
He reached over and located his wife in the bed(Pillows and comforter).
And shot her with grandpa's 2O GAUGE pump.
Looking at angle buckshot would have taken out heart and both lungs.
Hallmark does not make a "sorry I shot You"
Put a light on your gun.
 
Former Paramedic and ER nurse here. Your experience mimics mine... and also all the ballistic testing conducted by major departments and the advise of all the tactical instructors.

I've seen a couple of point blank birdshot (admittedly probably 7-8 shot) to the neck and head that caused some disfigurement but were completely superficial wouldn't have stopped a determined/drug-crazed attacker. At that point I had been keeping birdshot in my HD SG, because my cop father said it was the best for inside the house.

Old wives tales die hard.
 
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I know a man who was shot with birdshot (#8) at about 10 feet. Direct frontal shot to the chest. It very nearly penetrated his chest. The plastic wadding was on the spine.
 
bcarver said:
I saw a guy who accidently shot his wife at room distance with birdshot.
It hit her upper arm and did not penetrate through.
He woke up and heard the "burglar" stealing the "Jewelry" (getting a pill)
from the dresser.
He reached over and located his wife in the bed(Pillows and comforter).
And shot her with grandpa's 2O GAUGE pump.
Looking at angle buckshot would have taken out heart and both lungs.
Hallmark does not make a "sorry I shot You"
Put a light on your gun.
Click to expand...

+10 on the light - Very important I have one on all my HD weapons (pictured) except for the pistol grip, which is not used for HD...

shotguns.jpg


1911.jpg
 
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I got to read a very detailed police report on a contact-distance shooting with a 12-gauge 870. The bad guy was running from the police, and a cop was chasing him on foot with an 870. The bad guy rounded a corner, then turned 180 degrees and attempted to disarm the officer by grabbing the shotguns barrel...and took a load of magnum 00 just to one side of the navel, and was DRT.

The photos from the scene were about as anti-climactic as possible. He had a nickel-sized entry wound with a small trickle of blood, and no exit wound at all.
 
That does it. If a plastic wad can kill a man and penetrate all the way to his spine, I'm switching to plastic wad loads. Those probably won't penetrate my drywall either. Even better. Finally, the ultimate home defense load.
 
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well, I am sticking with #4 birdshot Remington STS Nitro. At the very least I believe it will turn a robber around. I am not increasing the chance of injuring a neighbor b/c send the BG to the ER wasn't good enough for some. Anyone who thinks it will cause superficial wounds can come rob me and we will find out.
 
buckshot for bad guys - birdshot for birdies - repeat

I applaud this thread ;)


@ you guys concerned about overpenetration, use #4 buckshot....

buckshot for bad guys - birdshot for birdies - repeat
 
Rampant_Colt said:
I applaud this thread


@ you guys concerned about overpenetration, use #4 buckshot....

buckshot for bad guys - birdshot for birdies - repeat
Click to expand...

Thats exactly whats in mine...the first shot is a less lethal bean bag round. Living in the great state of NJ, courts here love to prosecute home owners defending themselves. I feel if I shoot a less lethal round first at least I gave the BG a warning, if he doesn't get the hint after that, all my follow up shots are 27 pellet 4 buck.
 
Thats exactly whats in mine...the first shot is a less lethal bean bag round. Living in the great state of NJ, courts here love to prosecute home owners defending themselves. I feel if I shoot a less lethal round first at least I gave the BG a warning, if he doesn't get the hint after that, all my follow up shots are 27 pellet 4 buck.
Click to expand...
There is some talk about people not having a right to maim in self defense. Some say these less than lethal rounds are likely to maim and that would not be easy to defed in court. I think that whole line of thought is ridiculous, but I thought I might bring it to your attention.
 
Not sure I understand what you are saying. Perhaps you can dumb it down for me a little. Are you saying less lethal rounds are more lethal than buckshot? Or are you saying its stupid for me to use a less lethal round as my first shot giving me a false sense of security (in court)? Either way, I do not agree. Live in this state, and listen to the news and you will soon be educated on what an anti-gun state really is and how the courts view lawful gun owners.
 
Chad said:
Thats exactly whats in mine...the first shot is a less lethal bean bag round. Living in the great state of NJ, courts here love to prosecute home owners defending themselves. I feel if I shoot a less lethal round first at least I gave the BG a warning, if he doesn't get the hint after that, all my follow up shots are 27 pellet 4 buck.
Click to expand...
My friend, if your opponent is armed and shoots back, you're in deeeeep water!
Don't let the idea of being prosecuted for defending yourself against a home invader or burglar dictate the use of an inadequate defensive load.

The old adage "i'd rather be judged by twleve than carried by six" is applicable in your situation. Less-lethal bean bags and rubber buckshot are a bad idea.

You may only get one shot off--make it count! Buckshot or slugs
 
It takes under one second to chamber the next round. My ultimate goal is to not kill someone. If I can make an attacker retreat using a less lethal round I will. I think people who live in 'free' states become jaded on how easy it is for you to defend your family. You dont have to think twice. People in NJ are going to JAIL for MURDER for simply defending themselves during home invasions / robberies or the like. More and more gun owners here are switching to less lethal rounds for their first and even second shots due to over-zealous prosecutors. My wife and kids are no better off with me sitting in a jail cell for murder then they are if I'm dead.
 
And have you any clue how fast a guy can empty 16 rounds from an autoloader pistol?
Over penetration risk is highly mitigated when it has been slowed by the squishy mass of a torso!
As for the use of LTL loads... From my less than stellar education I have gleaned this little tidbit of trivia, "When you are justified in the use of a firearm you are justified in using lethal force to stop the threat." I have also heard from many internet legal consultants (no guarantee there of course) that less than lethal loads can be more trouble than they were worth....
For me and my home, we are defended by #3 buck in 20 gauge and for the 12 gauge in the closet I have 00 buck.
Brent
 
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