Best home defense shot?
- Thread starter mr00jimbo
- Start date
The larger the pellets the deeper the penetration but you get fewer pellets per load. Smaller pellets penetrate less but cause massive shallow damage because there are more of them. Magum loads have more pellets than a standard load but also have less velocity and pentration. Basically the larger the shot size the better, but even game loads will do significant damage to a human.
At the distances in a home the shot will not spread very much. At extremely close ranges the shot will not spread at all and will act like a prefragmented slug. And contrary to popular belief you can miss with a shotgun.
I do not feel the shotgun is the ultimate combat weapon but is more suited for special situations. And home defense is one of those situation. Good luck.
At the distances in a home the shot will not spread very much. At extremely close ranges the shot will not spread at all and will act like a prefragmented slug. And contrary to popular belief you can miss with a shotgun.
I do not feel the shotgun is the ultimate combat weapon but is more suited for special situations. And home defense is one of those situation. Good luck.
banditt007
New member
reduced recoil if you can get it #1 to 00 aught buckshot, 2 3/4" is top choice IMO.
bird shot is for birds.
bird shot is for birds.
I certainly wouldn't keep coming, but a 6'2 300lb. meth addict may. And even if I wouldn't keep coming, with all my vitals intact, I certainly could shoot back. Seems like a bad situation to be in when #1 buck would have done the job a lot beter, but that's just my opinion.
Or even better yet, what's the judge gonna say when you had to shoot the BG multiple times at near point blank range with birdshot to get the job done? Sure would have "looked" (because we're not talking about effectiveness here, we're talking about appearances, right?) a lot better to be the John Q. Public who had to shoot a home invader once, effectively, to defend his family, rather than be the Rambo who blasted away until there was less flesh than clothing.
Not trying to be hostile or get into some huge debate here, but I'm curious what job you have or what prior experiences have put you in a court room after self-defense shootings. Perhaps you could enlighten us all, having been there and done that.
Recommending bird shot as a home defense round as a the right answer for the "typical situation" is bad advice. Is it possible to stop and attack with bird shot? Sure. For a given situation, it may work just fine. However, for the majority of situations, can you guarantee stopping a bad guy with bird shot? Not necessarily.
Bird shot has penetration problems for many home defense situations. Yes at extremely close ranges, it penetrates pretty impressively; however, I would like to dispatch the problem before it becomes a close encounter.
In much the same line of thinking, we should all carry .22 pistols for our CCW guns. They can also stop the aggressive bad guy some times. However, I think you would agree that most people should carry a more effective rounds to up their chances of survival.
Although the legal concerns are real, you need to take care of the immediate threat to make sure you are around to worry about the legal problems.
Bird shot has penetration problems for many home defense situations. Yes at extremely close ranges, it penetrates pretty impressively; however, I would like to dispatch the problem before it becomes a close encounter.
In much the same line of thinking, we should all carry .22 pistols for our CCW guns. They can also stop the aggressive bad guy some times. However, I think you would agree that most people should carry a more effective rounds to up their chances of survival.
Although the legal concerns are real, you need to take care of the immediate threat to make sure you are around to worry about the legal problems.
gunslinger555
New member
just about any kind of shot will do.
apartment:#4- #8
house:00 buck-#8
But I highly recomend federal 00 buck tactical loads (9 pellets) or if you have a bouble barrel salt loads.
apartment:#4- #8
house:00 buck-#8
But I highly recomend federal 00 buck tactical loads (9 pellets) or if you have a bouble barrel salt loads.
I too would like to see real facts about people being taken to court for shooting some one (rightfully) in their home. (a stranger, that broke in that is. -- to keep things clear)
It seems like most of that issue is just hype. It comes down to if the LAW was broken or not. If not, than nothing else matters. Not the ammo or how tactical your gun is or if it has magnum on it some where.
By the way at close ranges the spread of shot is not going to be more than 3 or 4 inches wide, so you still have to aim.
It seems like most of that issue is just hype. It comes down to if the LAW was broken or not. If not, than nothing else matters. Not the ammo or how tactical your gun is or if it has magnum on it some where.
By the way at close ranges the spread of shot is not going to be more than 3 or 4 inches wide, so you still have to aim.
Mannlicher
New member
I prefer an AR rifle for HD, over shotguns, but I have some shotties. The one most often loaded is an older Wingmaster, with some mods. I prefer slugs to any sort of shot.
Death from Afar
New member
This thread has been thrashed to death time and time and time again. You need to carefully evalute your needs aginst the shot choice. If penetration is an issue, or you are concerned about a zealous DA you might consider smaller shot. If meth fiends or zombie hordes are your concern, you might look at buckshot. Hate recoil? Look at reduced recoil Buck or a smaller buck load. Need to terminate a cyborg? then you might want to look at slugs. As they say at gunsite, shotguns are a thinking mans weapon, as you do have such a wide variety of options.
I will say that the best gun and best ammo are useless with out familiarity with the weapon which includes patterning, fail to fire drills, unload and load drills etc and the mind set to use it.
I will say that the best gun and best ammo are useless with out familiarity with the weapon which includes patterning, fail to fire drills, unload and load drills etc and the mind set to use it.
Judge: What type of round did you use?
AA: Low-recoil Buckshot, Sir.
Judge: Was your intent to kill the perp?
AA: No Sir. I was forced into a position where I had to stop the attack. I thought he was going to kill me. I wish I could have avoided the situation but he left me no choice.
Judge: Why did you pick that round?
AA: I called several police departments, including our city police and they said they use low-recoil buckshot in the shotguns they carry.
AA: Low-recoil Buckshot, Sir.
Judge: Was your intent to kill the perp?
AA: No Sir. I was forced into a position where I had to stop the attack. I thought he was going to kill me. I wish I could have avoided the situation but he left me no choice.
Judge: Why did you pick that round?
AA: I called several police departments, including our city police and they said they use low-recoil buckshot in the shotguns they carry.
In my opinion this mindset of "if it aint 00, then it aint nothin'" has gone to far. I dont get it, actually. When I bought my first shotgun 4 years ago, I read up on these forums, and it was hard not to stumble upon a post that praised 00 buckshot to skies, like its the ultimate deathray and everything less than 00 is BS. So I bought some Rem 00 Buck to try it, and surely, it made holes in stuff. Woho. Very few, moderately sized holes. And they costed me a bundle compared to cheaper shells.
I've since patterned my gun with #2 and #4 shot, and would much rather use #2 for HD, IMO, in my house. I don't get why I should buy more expensive 00 buck when dead is dead all the same. Fired at 30 meters, with modified choke, and #2, one shell gave 23 hits in a headsized target. Thats dead right there. Alot of deer has been taken with #2 around where I live, and if it drops a deer, I'll trust it to drop BG's aswell. Heck, the person in charge of my local clayrange has dropped deer with #5 and #6.
Sorry for the rant,
just a little tired of the "if it aint 00 Buck, then it ain't notin'" attitudes.
Flamesuit, activated!
I've since patterned my gun with #2 and #4 shot, and would much rather use #2 for HD, IMO, in my house. I don't get why I should buy more expensive 00 buck when dead is dead all the same. Fired at 30 meters, with modified choke, and #2, one shell gave 23 hits in a headsized target. Thats dead right there. Alot of deer has been taken with #2 around where I live, and if it drops a deer, I'll trust it to drop BG's aswell. Heck, the person in charge of my local clayrange has dropped deer with #5 and #6.
Sorry for the rant,
just a little tired of the "if it aint 00 Buck, then it ain't notin'" attitudes.
Flamesuit, activated!
While 00 Buck is great and all, I have to agree. #8 is sufficient to stop most people. If not, go ahead and get a buddy and get him to allow you blast him like you would a perp. Not so willing to, huh? Though it's obvious 00 Buck would do more damage, at a near-point blank range like in a home, Bird shot should do the trick. As for the slugs, are you Sarah Conner or Kyle Reese? I admit I'm probably going to buy some #4 after I get my 590 A1, that and a good bayonet. Nothing scares a perp away than the prospect of getting a Marine special in the neck. Sadistic? No, just a stickler for effieciency.
Keep in mind if you use buckshot and you have children in the next room, it does penetrate dry wall like nobody's business. I've seen countless footage of testing in my Ag Class (Ag Wildlife is really a paramilitary class) regarding shots that penetrate homes.
Call me the Human Torch because FLAME ON!!!!
Keep in mind if you use buckshot and you have children in the next room, it does penetrate dry wall like nobody's business. I've seen countless footage of testing in my Ag Class (Ag Wildlife is really a paramilitary class) regarding shots that penetrate homes.
Call me the Human Torch because FLAME ON!!!!