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Mario and Luigi... The Benelli Twins.
(I'm a bit biased... so...)

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Ive been debating on this style for along time for home defence with some mini shells but feel it might be useless with some full load buck?

I can shoot it fine with high brass 2-3/4" buck or slugs, up at eye level with arms extended... I wouldn't expect everyone to be able to do the same though.

Shoots high until you put on a taller front bead, or red dot sight.

Pretty portable too - OP mentioned wilderness travel.
 
I have two older Wingmaster shotguns...
One in 12 gauge and the other in 20 gauge.
The 2 3/4 000 buck works fine in my 20 gauge...I wouldn't have any doubts about it working for a two or four legged threat...if placed correctly .
Andy

"The 2 3/4 000 buck works fine in my 20 gauge."
I suspect you meant to say:
The 2 3/4 000B works fine in my 12 gauge.
 
Ask yourself, "What do the cops use?" and get that.

You going to carry it around on trails or off trail, might get a 20ga and alternate slug and buck. If worried about bears, I like a load of #8 first to mess up their sight and smell so they can't find/track me, then the slug and buck.

For campsite or RV defense: I like the full blown lethality of extra ounces of lead. That means 12ga. You can use larger buck and still get a good spread of pellets. Larger slugs are real smashers and the PDX1 slugs are pre-fragmented and low recoil.

I have a Mossberg 500 pump 12ga with 18" barrel and a combat tube mag that takes 7 standard 2 3/4" shells, which IMO have plenty of poop. I have a side saddle shell holder that takes 6. I also have a combat pistol grip with a recoil absorbing stock, because those express buck loads are wicked punishing to shoot!!!
 
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"The 2 3/4 000 buck works fine in my 20 gauge."
I suspect you meant to say:
The 2 3/4 000B works fine in my 12 gauge.
Nope...
20 gauge ,000 Buck , 2 3/4 is what is says on both the box and the shells.....
Its my first shotgun and I've been shooting it since I was around 8 or so...
I would think that I know just what shells work in it by now....:D
Andy
 
Nope...
20 gauge ,000 Buck , 2 3/4 is what is says on both the box and the shells.....
Its my first shotgun and I've been shooting it since I was around 8 or so...
I would think that I know just what shells work in it by now....:D
Andy

You have piqued my curiosity.

What brand are your 20 gauge 000B shotshells, what is the measured diameter of the pellets and how many pellets are in the 2 3/4 inch load?
 
Federal buffered 20 gauge #3 buck 2 3/4
# 3 buck....20 count pellet
Shells and box do not say the diameter of the pellets
Andy

Andy,

I thought that might be the case.

It seems like the old Western Buckshot system has been conflated with Eastern/American* Buckshot sizes.

Western 3 Buck is indeed the same as Eastern 00B, nominally .33" in diameter, (.34" acording to some sources). These are listed under the "Gauge" system at 130 per pound of lead.

000B is the same as Western 2 Buck. Measuring a nominal .36" under both systems and listed at 112 per pound.

Western 9 Buck is the same as Eastern #3B.
That is nominally .25" in diameter weighing in at 299 pellets per pound.

To the best of my knowledge, no current commercial buckshot cartridges are labeled using the old Western Buck system.

Lawrence brand shot listed buckshot pellets under both systems well into the 1970s as shown in link below:

Such is the arcane world of shotshells!

* "American" shot moniker was adopted by the industry in 1960.
 
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20ga 1oz =6 pellets. I've heard people pushing a 000 buck thru a sizing die to make a "bunny fart" 38 spl bullet using a wooden dowel. Crimp on the "flat".
20ga makes a great HD shotgun, look at the mag extensions from Nordic they come with a spring....
 
I have an 18" SLP and have Mesa Tactical side saddle, a tri rail and a TLR-1HL light. I use LE127 9 pellet 00 buckshot for HD. I have shot slugs and also shot Brenneke KO and Black Magic slugs. The indoor range has 20 yard limit but I shot a few boxes of black magic and it wasn't that bad. Black Magic are 3" shell I can only load 5 of them.

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I stick with my Mossy 500 A1 with a receiver mounted 6 round carriage. It is built to last. As long as you don't have to pack it, then I would go with a 590 Shockwave and maybe magazine fed. #4 and 00 Buckshot and slugs. Nice to have a variety of ammo choices and having them in a magazine allows quick change over.
 
Would 20 guage "000" buck shot work in this situation? I think these are 2 3/4" shells and they are loaded with 20 pellets. There is a 3" shell available as well.
Mainstream 20 gauge ammo is never loaded with "Triple Aught Buck".
It's too big for the 20.
Those loads are probably "#3 Buck" and that would be (20) .25 caliber lead balls being launched with each 2-3/4" shell.

I'm a 12 gauge guy, so I'm goin' with that, although the 20 if built on a true 20 gauge frame, would be lighter to pack around, and still do a nice job with the proper loads.
I would go with an iteration of either Rem 870 or Mossberg 500.
Honorable mention goes to Ithaca Model 37 and Winchester Model 12.

Hmmm...those are the Hall of Fame pump action shotguns right there.
All seeing action as military weapons as well.

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NOT TO SCALE
 
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I'd take a Maverick 88 over an 870 express. The 500 or 590 is even better and ambidextrous. I don't consider the 590A1 as necessary if you're not real hard on your guns. For a semi-auto, 930s are a great value. A little more money gets you into an FN.



I'll follow along with the trend that a good riot gun need not be a semi auto and the Maverick 88 is a great choice. I have one of the 20", long mag versions. Purchased on sale at Big 5 4-5 years ago plus I had another coupon for a few more dollars off. I think I walked out the door with it for $210. It has performed without a hitch since day one. I trust it 100%. These days it stays loaded with alternating buckshot and slugs and is ready for a trip into the great outdoors. Mav88.jpg
 
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