would you use S&b buck for home defense?
- Thread starter 1911greg
- Start date
It's what I carry in my HD shotgun. I haven't fired a lot of S&B shotgun ammo but I've fired several thousand rounds of S&B in pistol and rifle calibers. I've never had a failure to fire with any of it.
If it makes you feel any better S&B is fairly well regarded in Europe, where it's been available for a while. Here in the US it's only been readily available since the fall of the iron curtain and hasn't established a name for itself. But I feel it's better than most of the US made "price point" ammunition.
Tom
If it makes you feel any better S&B is fairly well regarded in Europe, where it's been available for a while. Here in the US it's only been readily available since the fall of the iron curtain and hasn't established a name for itself. But I feel it's better than most of the US made "price point" ammunition.
Tom
Folks I know say that they get similar results from US made Generic buck(Like most depts and agencies use) and the S&B. A couple have mentioned it shoots dirty, a possible glitch with autos.
It's probably good practice ammo, for those just getting into the Joys of Buckshot.
For HD, just about anything will do. So, this stuff'll work.
One caveat,since there are some rare ammo/shotgun incompatibilities, shoot a few boxes of ANY ammo before trusting your life to it....
It's probably good practice ammo, for those just getting into the Joys of Buckshot.
For HD, just about anything will do. So, this stuff'll work.
One caveat,since there are some rare ammo/shotgun incompatibilities, shoot a few boxes of ANY ammo before trusting your life to it....
Sounds exactly like my HD setup. Except I use the 2 3/4" S&B 00 Buck rounds. At $2.50 for ten rounds you can't hardly go wrong. Plus you get the
clear hulls!BTW, with the folding stock, my Mossburg will fit inside the Ford behind-the-seat boxes on my F-150 XLT. With the divided seat on my standard cab, if I put the gun in the box behind the passenger seat I can get it out easily from the driver's seat without folding either seatback forward. Not a bad arrangement for a truck gun!
Tom
S&B? Plinking, practicing, and fooling around ammo ONLY. Not reliable enough for SD. Look at it this way, just how much are you going to shoot in a HD situation? CASES of ammo? No. So what's the price difference between one box of S&B vs. one box of a high quality ammo?
I'm hurting financially right now, but I can afford one box of decent stuff for serious social use.
YMMV.
I'm hurting financially right now, but I can afford one box of decent stuff for serious social use.
YMMV.
I've never heard any claims that S&B was unreliable. Just that it was dirty (I agree).
Actually, I have never experienced any failures in any name brand of 12ga 00, 000 or slug ammo I have tried in close to 20 years. -
People like Dave MCC have fired hundreds of thousands (?) of rounds of shells and if he says it's acceptable, it probably is.
Actually, I have never experienced any failures in any name brand of 12ga 00, 000 or slug ammo I have tried in close to 20 years. -
People like Dave MCC have fired hundreds of thousands (?) of rounds of shells and if he says it's acceptable, it probably is.
I've shot a bit of the S&B buck, and it leaves nasty lead streaks in my bore which are really hard to scrub out. Presumably, this is because S&B doen't use a full-length shot cup to protect the pellets from the barrel, or vice versa.
Other loads I have tried use a full-length shot cup, and leave my bore much cleaner.
The S&B patterns wider in my gun, too. Based on the width of the lead streaks in my bore, this is because those pellets are seeing some notable deformation.
So I switched to a different brand (Federal) because I wanted the tighter pattern and cleaner bore. But I don't see any reason why S&B couldn't work. The 12 pellets vs. 9 pellets could be an advantage, I suppose.
Other loads I have tried use a full-length shot cup, and leave my bore much cleaner.
The S&B patterns wider in my gun, too. Based on the width of the lead streaks in my bore, this is because those pellets are seeing some notable deformation.
So I switched to a different brand (Federal) because I wanted the tighter pattern and cleaner bore. But I don't see any reason why S&B couldn't work. The 12 pellets vs. 9 pellets could be an advantage, I suppose.
Price and quality oft disrelated.
Some of the Eastern Bloc ammo is good, and inexpensive.
Other of it is less than good.
Just like everywhere.
Twister....
In 94 I had a customer who wanted a decent sized amount of primers. At that time we had the primer crunch. 18-20 bucks a thousand and very limited quantitys available.
I found American made primers in Israel for under $5.00/thousand....shipped. (Rifle + Pistol primers.)
The crunch didn't exist except at the U.S. level.
Just like at the pumps.
Sam
Some of the Eastern Bloc ammo is good, and inexpensive.
Other of it is less than good.
Just like everywhere.
Twister....
In 94 I had a customer who wanted a decent sized amount of primers. At that time we had the primer crunch. 18-20 bucks a thousand and very limited quantitys available.
I found American made primers in Israel for under $5.00/thousand....shipped. (Rifle + Pistol primers.)
The crunch didn't exist except at the U.S. level.
Just like at the pumps.
Sam
Mike Irwin
Staff
I've shot a bunch of it, too, and have never had a problem.
I keep Remington No. 4 buck in the gun, but I have 5 rounds of S&B 00 on the buttstock carrier if things require it.
I keep Remington No. 4 buck in the gun, but I have 5 rounds of S&B 00 on the buttstock carrier if things require it.
Denny Hansen
Staff Emeritus
It's been my experience that S&B buck will start throwing terrbible patterns at around 15 yards regardless of shotgun brand name. However, 45 feet is a long distance for HD use. Unless your address happens to be Buckingham Palace, and if S&B is reliable in your smoke-pole, I don't see a problem.
Denny
Denny
lockandrock
New member
I've used the S&B also and it sucks with patterning but I guess it would be okay if you know for a fact that all of you're shooting would be at 7-10yrds or less.
S&B Shutgun ammo is okay for one thing, practive/training for will cheap!
I'll stick to something a little bit better and reliable when it comes to protecting my ass.
S&B Shutgun ammo is okay for one thing, practive/training for will cheap!
I'll stick to something a little bit better and reliable when it comes to protecting my ass.
I prefer S&B buckshot to other loads for defense against two legged predators. IMO it is superior to other buckshot shells for home defense where maximum spread is needed. Most buckshot has a shot cup, buffering material, and copper plating to insure the pellets hold a decent pattern out to 40 or so yards. This is great for hunting animals which you will never get closer than 40 yards to. S&B has no buffering, only a "waifer" of cardboard, and unplated shot. This translates into a maximum pellet deformation, excellent spread at a closer range, and a wonderful lead spattering effect on hard tissue such as bone. The price of S&B has nothing to do with quality. Because they do away with the afore mentioned costs, they can produce cheaper. I have never seen it fail in thousands of rounds. Perhaps the best testament is I carry it in my duty shotgun daily.
That's a pretty small sample, in my book!