Mixing loads for home defense & chokes

P

Pecos Bill

Inactive
Hi All,

I would greatly appreciate your advice and opinions. I read in some posts on this board that some folks like to mix loads in their shotguns for home defense, starting with a couple of rounds of #8 or #6, then a couple of #4 or buck shot, and sometimes even slugs.

What choke do you recommend for home defense if you mix loads? Is a wide spread better than a narrow one at 15 feet? I.e. more chance to hit the target verses less shot hitting the target or does it even matter at 15 feet whether you use a cylinder or full choke. Say you like the nice tight pattern you get with a full choke at 15 feet but what happens if the BG is outside, 50 yards away taking pop shots at you? Is it OK to pump out the #8 and fire a slug through a full choke from a smooth bore gun?

What do you guys think?

Thanks in advance.

Bill
 
Wow, you've asked questions that entire books have been written on. I am a novice myself , so I'll answer what I can. Others can expound. Most tactical shotguns would be cylinder or modified cylinder. The shotgun is the best tactical home defense gun you can have.(period)I consider myself a pistol shooter. The different shells give you the tactical advantage to change to the right shell you might need. Sounds like you know that 00 Buck is widely used and respected. But it also has a 15 yard range of effectiveness. Patterning, shot size and penetration all become factors. I have an old police Remington 870 with side saddle. I keep #00, #4, and rifled slugs. A fifty yard shot with rifled slug can be made. Others I'm sure have their favorite loads they keep. Some may keep 00 Buck, #2, and slugs (12 gauge).I'm not sure of results of rifled slug through full choke. Mine is cylinder bore.

[This message has been edited by Ned Roundtree (edited December 30, 1999).]
 
At 15 feet,shot spread is minimal regardless of choke.So's shot size. Choke and shot size become more crucial as distances lengthen, tho there's going to be much greater chances of a 15 foot confrontation than a 50 yd one, unless we get into urban disturbances, not HD.

For those 50 yd shots, I'm more likely to reach for a rifle,tho my 870s will do the job.

The thing about mixing ammo is less chance of overpenetration at close range w/ small shot. Slugs are very penetrative,so their use may/may not be a good idea, depending on location and geography.
 
In our Mosberg 500 with cylinder bore I've got 4 00 buck low recoil rounds first followed up by 3 low recoil slugs. If the 00 buck is not enough then the slug will hopefully come to the rescue.
 
My 870 stays loaded with Federal Tactical 9 pellet buckshot with buttcuff holding four more shells plus two 1oz rifled slugs.
 
At 1600 fps, that rifled slug will stop a bad guy or scare him away. Is he okay to shoot rifled slugs through his full choke then??
 
Those ribs on the rifled slug will collapse a bit when forced through a full choke. Yes, you can shoot slugs thru a full choke.
 
Careful with the Remington Solid Coppers. Says on the box not to shoot thru screw-in or fixed choke model shotgun (any choke) as they were designed for use in rifled bbls or rifled screw-ins. May damage shotgun or, etc ... usual disclaimer.

Haven't contacted Rem about it but says so on the box. Can't think of why it would make any difference, but ...
 
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