Low recoil 12ga slugs for home defense?

M

Mokumbear

New member
A Firing Line member was recently kind enough to send me two PM's
regarding my questions as a shotgun newbie (but not at all new to handguns).

I was going to ask him this question, but I think he is busy, since his
responses were a month apart.

So... let me toss the questions out here for your consideration.

He recommended slugs for self defense.
I am wondering, is this a good choice, and if so, why?

He didn't specify low-recoil slugs, but that is all you can fire at my
local indoor range, so I am particularly interested if I could train there with
the low recoil slugs and then use them for home defense.

Using shot for practice would require a much further drive, and I am not fond of spending my weekends driving for a number of reasons.
(Mainly I don't like spending money on gas that goes to countries that
sponsor terrorism!) :mad:

So what do y'all think, can a low recoil 12ga 2 3/4" slug round be effective
for self defense? I like the idea of the 2 3/4" shell because it increases
the magazine's capacity, unless I hear other compelling ideas here.

Thanks! :D
 
2.75 in shells will work fine for HD, I don't see any need for the 3 or 3+ shells for HD.

As for slugs, I wouldn't do it in a HD situation. I like to keep shot size to a level that it won't overpenetrate in the structure I'm in. Slugs are going to overpenetrate in most cases. Also, I don't think they are as lethal as say 00 buck at close range.

Since I live in a built up area I don't want to risk putting a slug into another person's house. Shot won't travel as far which is good in this case.

The low recoil stuff is nice if you decide to go that way, but it's expensive and won't function some autoloaders (my Beretta didn't like it.)

Bottom line, I wouldn't use a slug for HD. It defeats a lot of the gains of a shotgun in my mind.
 
Btw...

Just to give this some context, the shotgun we were discussing in the
PM's was a pump action Remington 870.
 
I'll have to agree with ohen cepel on this one. Slugs do tend to overpenetrate. Big wad of lead so it retains its velocity well regardless of what stands in its way. That being said, it is probably one of the most lethal rounds possible to shoot someone with. If you are limited to practice with slugs at the range that is OK, you can still shoot buckshot for HD. What you'll need to do is find a place to shoot the buckshot once to pattern the load from your barrel. That will give you an idea of the spread of your shot at the ranges you are likely to engage targets. In most cases inside a home you won't have to worry much about the pattern though as you'll be so close that all pellets will hit. An example:

Rem870.2.JPG


This target was shot with Remington Low Recoil 00 buckshot at 7 yards with a Remington 870 with 20inch IC barrel with rifle sights. The big hole to the lower left is where the wad hit.

The same barrel shoots slugs at 25 yds like this:


Rem870.1.JPG


So my advice is pattern the buckshot and then practice your shooting of the shotgun with slugs. The slugs will recoil a bit harder than comparable buckshot loads, but that shouldn't be an issue with your training.
 
+1 on the above advice to use buckshot for home defense.

You can use 00 Buck in 2 3/4" shells and that will be more than adequate if you need to stop an intruder. Since I live in a townhome and have neighbors close by, I'm using #4 buckshot as the first two, then progress to 00 buck and the last round it a slug (for blowing through furniture he might hide behind or through the corner of the wall. The sling has a 50-50 mix of buckshot and slugs in case things get really stinkin' bad.
 
Another good consideration for slugs as HD use, is them mini shells from Aguila. They do make slug loads. I know people say they have cycling problems on some pumps, but my Mossberg cycles them perfectly.
 
The simple answer is...it probably doesn't matter

At HD ranges you will be no more or less likely to hit your target with slugs vs. buck

Look at the 7 yard pattern

So...21 ft. distance

And the weapon is about 3ft long:D

So...24 ft....at least

Unless the bad guy is standing with his back agianst the far wall or you have some really big rooms you are not going to have much "pattern"
 
I use Hornady TAP reduced recoil 00 buck for HD. Faster follow ups and at HD distances it is very effective in my 870.

It has a knoxx specops stock, so recoil is very manageable. I will soon be putting a limbsaver pad on it to reduce even more for even faster follow ups. As of now, I am just a hair behind what I was with my Benelli that I traded in years ago.

I also keep an adequate supply of the full power TAP rounds and slugs for a shtf scenario.
 
If you rely exclusively on slugs with a shotgun, you are giving up a great deal of the benefit of a shotgun and you should probably be considering a rifle instead. Shotguns make pretty poor rifles.

I agree with the use of buckshot for home defense, along with the option to use a slug. Unfortunately, all of these may have overpenetration issues. However, to resolve that problem may dramatically reduce your ability to effectively deal with a life-threatening situation. Low-recoil tactical loads are a pretty good trade-off.
 
I live in a rural environment so I am not worrying about bullets hitting somebody next door. I have no kids at home. That said I use all Remington reduced recoil slugs in my 'go to war defensive shotties', and have buck for a quick selection on the side saddles. I DO have shotties for ranch use which I use buck (and birdshot) in for different varmint use.
But for sheer confidence in ANY circumstance (like a perp with a gun to my wifes head 15 yards away) those accurate Remington 'tactical' slugs do it for me. My guns are sighted in at 25 yards with them and I know the offset from 3 to 100 yards with them. From my testing and training with them I Know that that 1200fps 1 oz SOFT (softer than any other slug) flat point 3/4" slug is gonna penetrate about a foot in flesh and open to over an inch in diameter-everytime;) I really don't think there is gonna be much left to do any damage after a sternum or face hit with one, and the energy is PLENTY to destroy a head or upper chest. A lot better deal than hoping enough little round balls randomly hit a vital organ.Yeah in bear country I'd use Brenneke hard slugs.
 
In a HD situation you are not going to be shooting with a level "fine bead" shot. If you were then you might as well use a good pistol or rifle. In most HD situations you may have dim lighting or almost completely dark (at home after going to bed) and you may be facing someone who is already poised to shoot. If that is the case you wont have time to shoulder the shotgun and take a fine bead and you will have to take a shot with the shotgun at your side. If you suddenly find yourself in a quick shoot or be shot situation then you will not want to chance missing the target with a slug and will be gratefull that you have 00 buckshot loaded. Thus the need for a shotgun in the first place. With a shotgun you "point" and shoot not "aim" and shoot. Open choke and 00 shot is the only way to go in a HD situation. Prisons and many police forces use pumps because the sound of chambering a shell is often all that is needed to end violent situations with no shots having to be fired.

Yes I am new to this forum but I have been shooting and hunting for OVER 25 of my 38 years.
 
SpeedySB, While I agree that a pump shotgun with 00Buck is the way to go, you will still have to aim. That target I posted was shot with a 20 inch barrel IC choked barrel at 7 yards (21ft.) as someone posted above, if you add the three feet of gun to that that's 24 feet which is longer than most home defense situations will allow you to shoot unless you have a REALLY big house. My hallway is about 15 feet from foyer to master bedroom. That's about the max length of any shooting I'll be doing inside my home. As you can see at 24 ft. the buckshot doesn't spread much. At 15 feet its likely still just a big wad of lead. Almost as easy to miss with that as it is with slugs.
 
buckshot can be very affective for mid range shots too. I think about 25 yards youll get the best pattern with a 28" open choked barrel, as my 835 does its best there and also a friend of mine shot a deer at that yardage, and it was DONE before it hit the ground. Deer and people are different animals for the most part, but comparing the ballistic information can be good. You do have to aim that trench broom though, but you can be alot more loose on where you place your shots compared to rifles, generally speaking of course if you keep it near c.o.m. Get some good american standard pressure 00 buck to start, that is the golden standard for defense loads. Also take your shotgun out, pattern it at various ranges and do drills in the woods with birdshot loads to stay in practice. Also try sports like trap shooting, as you have to be pretty handy with your shotgun to do any good, and its real fun. Buckshot can be really expensive for box's of 5 so i would say just pattern it, keep that in mind and if you get bored once a month go pattern it some more.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top