Suggested Shotgun Shells for Home Defense?

[bbbass]

Surviving BGs often sue.

 

[KKG]

Average expansion is 1"/yard from a smooth bore is what I keep seeing.

That why I was suggesting the use of the Rifled Slug Choke Tube. It does open up the pattern a bit faster than a Cylinder Choke Tube and it's also a good choice for the Slug you "might" need at some point.

 

[Argonaut]

At the few feet distance within most homes......(15 or 20) the shot hasn't left the cup yet. Anything will be adaquate. I use mostly birdshot but have some buckshot in the tube as well because the chance of having to shoot a coyote or cougar in the back yard here at the ranch is higher than using it on an intruder. I don't know anyone that could make it past 500 lbs of Akbash dogs that live with me to get into the house.

 

[Silver Hand]

Here's a thought.

Since you are in such a constrained residence, you need to be damn sure you are not going to penetrate those walls and take out your neighbors.

Take a good look at the construction of your commonly shared walls and then make a trip to the hardware store. Buy some scrap material that will duplicate your walls. Make a "wall" and go take it out and shoot it with a variety of ammo/weapons. This will graphically show you without a doubt what you can and cannot get away with.

You need to be confident on this point. If not, you may hesitate, thinking about whats on the other side of that wall....when a split second means everything.

Don't leave your junk behind if you chose to do so.

 

[BigCityHunter]

Just to jump on what OB1 said but make sure you don't leave anything out. I made a whole bunch of walls from interior to exterior a couple of times because i kept leaving items out that at the time didn't seem important but in the end made a difference and changed my home defense plan greatly not only in tactic but choice of weapon and round.
Here is a list of my mistake
1. Studs to far apart
2. didn't use the correct drywall (this includes sound damping material)
3. Didn't use insulation
4. Didn't use paint/texture (no impact to bullets but some to shot)
5. Shooting the same wall with different rounds and weapons
6. least but not last the biggest impact was firing every round into the wall pretending I missed every shot.

 

[ob1]

Don't leave your junk behind if you chose to do so.

Thank's for adding that. Common sense tip's are always a good idea.

Here's another one for the OP...don't discuss your firearm defense plans with your neighbors, unless you want to be looking for a new place to live.

 

[DeanMk]

Hey ya'll! I've got a 12 gauge shotgun that is for home defense. I live in a "apartment", where i am connected to 2 other houses. Suggested rounds to use?

There's gonna be some that will disagree with me, but I still suggest the use of a high base upland load...or a similar magnum load.
Plaster and fiberglass make for a poor back stop and the bigger pellets, like the buckshot rounds, will go through that stuff like its nothing.
The birdshot rounds will be less likely to penetrate the walls, but the density of the shot charge, coupled with the increased powder charge (high base vs low base) will still do some damage.
A ounce and a quarter of #4's or #6's will definitely inform the intruder that they've entered the wrong premises.


Dean

 

[BillGabby1]

At the few feet distance within most homes......(15 or 20) the shot hasn't left the cup yet. Anything will be adaquate. I use mostly birdshot but have some buckshot in the tube as well because the chance of having to shoot a coyote or cougar in the back yard here at the ranch is higher than using it on an intruder. I don't know anyone that could make it past 500 lbs of Akbash dogs that live with me to get into the house.

Good choice of dogs!

 

[Hemlock]

I think Argonuat has the right idea. You don't need 3" high brass multi double ought monster bore. Any shotgun blast of any load from any gauge will get an intruders attention inside of a dwelling.

 

[Geardo]

This particular article is a couple years old, but still a good read that should be helpful (don't miss some of the comments at the article end). In an apartment setting your shot distances are quite limited and you "do" have potential unseen collateral targets on either side of you. Not to mention the very real possibility of ricochet's off of various angled surfaces found in a close quarter setting impacting unwanted targets (like yourself or family members). Personally, I would feel perfectly comfortable with #7-1/2 to #4 shot.

That being said... my goal is not to kill instantly or cut a would be attacker in half with my first shot. I want to decisively deter a would be attacker with the "option" to excercise deadly force still on the table. Let's face it... just about any shot size to the head at less than 5' will have absolute devastating affect. There is also no reason to stop firing after shot 1. If the first load of #7-1/2 doesn't convince an attacker that they are making a huge error in judgement... #2 coming right behind #1 just might.

Additionally... you are in no way limited from loading one... and only one... shot size in your people popper. In a 6+1 you could have a #7-1/2 in the chamber as well as shell 1 in the tube. #2&3 could be #4 shot and the last 3 your... "I'm done d***ing around" loads... or... longer distance in open space loads.

Doing so gives you "options". You may cycle past the #7 1/2's and go right to the #4's. Not that I'm encourageing folks to be loose with their trigger finger, but it's human nature for many to hesitate when exercising the right to use deadly force. If you already have it firmly fixing in your mind, "the first shot probably ain't gonna kill em anyhow"... you, in part, diminish that internal fraction of a heartbeat's hesitation and are much more likely to shoot when you should vs. just a tad bit too late to do you or your loved ones any good.

Solely my own opinons in the specific situation as outlined in the OP... such as they are. Just to say too... it certainly never hurts to carry a few additional "options" in your sidesaddle.

If you don't have to shoot em, then DON'T shoot em, and if you do HAVE to shoot em, then you probably want deadly force, not "scare em away force" what if one shot is all you get?

Drywall make piss poor cover, if he dumps his "glawk fortay" at you after you just winged him with birdbubblegum, he might kill you and then kill your whole family for good measure.

Don't take half measures in deadly games.

 

[Geardo]

Lots of misinformation in this thread. I am trying to be polite since the rules say "be excellent to each other"

Birdshot is not deadly. There are a ton of youtube videos you can search for yourself on this. It does not reach the min. FBI distance. Usually only penetrating 8" or so, with skin accounting for 4" of that.

Get some #4buck and don't miss, or buy an AR and load it with fragmenting ammo. Like mk262mod1.

 

[DirectDrive]

Hmmm...#4 Buck
27 pellets at .24 caliber per each
That would work...would penetrate walls though

 

[Geardo]

Hmmm...#4 Buck
27 pellets at .24 caliber per each
That would work...would penetrate walls though

Any round worth shooting someone is going to also penetrate a wall. Just physics and the limits of gun powder. There are a couple solutions for this .

A) practice a ton to reduce the # of complete misses.

B) with proper ammo selection over penetration and pass through will be minimized.

C) even with misses, the shot is usually less than lethal once it has passed a couple walls. It will still wound. #4 slows down. 5.56 ammo sheds energy through fragmentation. Pistol ammo chugs along through a bunch of walls .

 

[Argonaut]

My daughter shot one of our recent toys at a 55 gallon steel burn barrel last night testing the Steiner light. She used #6 high base 2 3/4 inch Remington shells, not Magnum. She was 20 feet(?). It penetrated both sides and caved the side of the barrel in with a cylinder choke. It didn't knock the barrel over and wasn't a fresh barrel but was very effective. Wherever the light went the shot followed and was very effective. I was curious about the energy of the round, it looks like well over 2000 Ft lbs. A heavy buckshot load exceeds 3000 ft lbs. the author of one of the articles I read illustrated it like this, 9 pellet 00 buck is about 32 caliber, if only one pellet strikes it exerts over 300 ft lbs of energy more than most 32 caliber handgun rounds. I remember one year 5 or so decades ago I was by myself hunting grouse mid December with my 12 gauge. I spied a tree that would mage a great Christmas tree for the folks but all I had was a hunting knife. It took 3 shots from the 12 ga to sever the 3-4 inch solid trunk from a foot or so.

 

[Cerberus Group]

From actual autopsies I've attended and assisted with some years back...#4 or #6 is very effective, much better than 00 Buck.

The problem with studies and research on anything other than you're intended target, they will not be accurate.

I started a thread over on another forum about my short and non-definitive study on ballistics, I can start a thread on here if folks are interested.

 

[DirectDrive]

My daughter shot one of our recent toys at a 55 gallon steel burn barrel last night testing the Steiner light. She used #6 high base 2 3/4 inch Remington shells, not Magnum. She was 20 feet(?). It penetrated both sides and caved the side of the barrel in with a cylinder choke.View attachment 455756 It didn't knock the barrel over and wasn't a fresh barrel but was very effective. Wherever the light went the shot followed and was very effective. I was curious about the energy of the round, it looks like well over 2000 Ft lbs. A heavy buckshot load exceeds 3000 ft lbs. the author of one of the articles I read illustrated it like this, 9 pellet 00 buck is about 32 caliber, if only one pellet strikes it exerts over 300 ft lbs of energy more than most 32 caliber handgun rounds. I remember one year 5 or so decades ago I was by myself hunting grouse mid December with my 12 gauge. I spied a tree that would mage a great Christmas tree for the folks but all I had was a hunting knife. It took 3 shots from the 12 ga to sever the 3-4 inch solid trunk from a foot or so.

I've shot somewhere north of 20,000 rounds of 12 gauge.
I never measured the distances, but birdshot acts like a slug for several feet.
And if it's buffered (extended range waterfowl loads), it sticks together even longer.

How 'bout copper plated #2's, buffered ?
Can I see a show of hands ?

 

[Geardo]

From actual autopsies I've attended and assisted with some years back...#4 or #6 is very effective, much better than 00 Buck.

The problem with studies and research on anything other than you're intended target, they will not be accurate.

I started a thread over on another forum about my short and non-definitive study on ballistics, I can start a thread on here if folks are interested.

Can you provide more details? Distance to target, shot # to incapacitation, penetration?

 

[Cerberus Group]

I will dig up my notes and see what some of the specifics are. As I recall, all the victims were from short distance shots.

As the title states, this is for home defense. Depending on your home, the shots are not going to have much distance. As I've paced off the distance within my home, taking in account furniture placement etc., the longest shot I would have would be a bit less than 30 feet, with most being 20 feet and under. At those distances, the above is more effective.

I routinely carried and still carry #4 Buck.

 

[Cerberus Group]

#4 Buck defense type has 34 pellets, and the regular has 41...with no reason why you can't use either for home defense.

I always carried Federal stuff...their performance from my own experience has always been consistent.

 

[Certaindeaf]

.#6 high base 2 3/4 inch Remington shells, not Magnum. She was 20 feet(?). It penetrated both sides and caved the side of the barrel in with a cylinder choke..

It sounds like you mistook a pop can for a steel barrel..