How many #1 buckshot pellets...

[adad]

will fit in a two-inch, 20 ga. shotgun shell?

My goal is to reduce the recoil of the 20 ga. for my wife (and, well, me too!) and still have an effective HD shell. I like what I've heard about the capabilities of the #1 buck for self-defense.

I have a Rem. 870 Youth 20 ga. Do you think the 2-inch shells would cycle properly? If not, what about 2 1/4-inch? And how many #1 pellets would it hold?

Thanks!

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Wound ballistics is the study of effects on the body produced by penetrating projectiles:
Wound Ballistics

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[This message has been edited by adad (edited January 21, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by adad (edited January 21, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by adad (edited January 21, 2000).]

 

[muleshoe]

If it's just for self-defense, then I believe that I would want the full charge. Ask your wife about the recoil after the perp has a grapefruit size vent in his chest. I doubt there will be any complaints unless your having to shoot 4 or 5 a night. I've never been in the situation but I can imagine that the recoil is something you will not remember.
I load my bedroom shotgun with a pheasant load 4 or 6 shot. I figure if the guy lives through it it'll be mighty painful picking out all them itty bitty pellets. My house isn't that big, so a long shot is gonna be 15 yds tops, don't need a lot of carry.

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bullet placement is gun control

 

[adad]

Good point. However, I want us both to practice with the shotgun and even #8 birdshot is too much for her.

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Wound ballistics is the study of effects on the body produced by penetrating projectiles:
Wound Ballistics

Great daily commentary from a thoughtful Christian perspective:
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[muleshoe]

Maybe you should invest in a used .410 pump. I'm sure you could find one in an 870, which by the way is a fine shotgun. It sounds like you are going to be rolling your own, so you could back of on a powder charge for practice shooting. Whatever you decide to have loaded while in the self-defense mode should be the real thing, for reasons stated previously. It would be a good excuse to buy a new gun though. Can't have too many of those.

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bullet placement is gun control

 

[adad]

Yes, actually I had thought about the .410. As you said, its a great excuse! Just thought I'd see what could be done with 20 ga. shells as well.

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Wound ballistics is the study of effects on the body produced by penetrating projectiles:
Wound Ballistics

Great daily commentary from a thoughtful Christian perspective:
Daily Commentary

 

[Oleg Volk]

I would recommend 20ga as .410 shot loads looked all too slight. If 20ga recoil is tolerable, make sure you don't let any 20ga shells find their way into the chamber of the 12ga. I found that I was unwilling to fire a 12ga pump but do fine with a 20. However, with a .410 I would actually do well because recoil wasn't a concern at all. Also, some autoloaders have noticably less kick that pumps of the same gauge.