Suggested Shotgun Shells for Home Defense?

[Joe13]

I can see both sides but my instinct is to lawyer up and say as little as possible.

You can not unsay something that is said and it will be the prosecutor that is at your trial heading things up - the LEO will just be in the witness stand repeating what you may or may not have said.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I thought this thread was about shotgun shells.
Speaking of which, legend has it Rube Goldberg was a proponent of the "cup a soup defense" and dime loads in his house filled with payphones.
true story

 

[bbbass]

This is the real defense in my house. He weighs close to 150 lbs.....and there are 3 of them......always on duty. If needed, I will back them up. No one gets through my gate unchallenged. View attachment 456033View attachment 456034

Kudos for having bookcases. Civilized living what?

We have several. My wife and I both love books. She has a collection of classics (and what she considers to be "her" classics, you know like John Saul, Dean Koontz, etc. Ha.)

 

[Joe13]

Kudos for having bookcases. Civilized living what?

We have several. My wife and I both love books. She has a collection of classics (and what she considers to be "her" classics, you know like John Saul, Dean Koontz, etc. Ha.)

I made shelves 25' long on an 8' wall at the end of our house for the wife's, mine and my daughters books. It's filled.


There are still several dozen boxes of them still up in the attic.


I jokingly refer to it as my bad guy back stop since that's what I will hit if I shoot down the hallway from my room.


There are some 1st editions and a lot of memories on that wall though so I hope it never happens for that and many other reasons.

 

[Kruel J]

I own one book. It's a Hornady reloading guide.

True story.

Back on topic.

 

[Argonaut]

I own one book. It's a Hornady reloading guide.

True story.

Back on topic.

You might want to expand your library a little......there is a lot of interesting stuff in the world.

 

[Kruel J]

You might want to expand your library a little......there is a lot of interesting stuff in the world.

I read. A lot. But I don't read physical books.

 

[bbbass]

I made shelves 25' long on an 8' wall at the end of our house for the wife's, mine and my daughters books. It's filled.


There are still several dozen boxes of them still up in the attic.


I jokingly refer to it as my bad guy back stop since that's what I will hit if I shoot down the hallway from my room.


There are some 1st editions and a lot of memories on that wall though so I hope it never happens for that and many other reasons.

Back-off topic!!

Until we started using B&N Nook e-readers, we had to cull our books once in awhile... it was either that or buy an additional house every few years just to keep the library going.

 

[Argonaut]

I read. A lot. But I don't read physical books.

I was teasing off course. You seem like a literate guy. I am getting so it is easier to read on my IPad as well......I can expand the text so it is easier to see.

 

[bbbass]

IMO what load is best only depends on your living situation.... some folks live in town with close neighbors, some on a farm with nobody around for miles, some in apartments, some have kids, some don't.

Personally, I have a pump 12ga with spare barrel, one for hunting, one 18" for defense. Note i didn't say Home Defense because I don't use it for that (although I could because it is ready to go). Instead my purpose for it is if I need to go outside. SHTF or measure 43 or whatever. The 8rd magazine is loaded with alternating 000buck (because it is what I had), and Winchester PDX1 pre-scored slugs. Because of my bad eyesight, I have a reflex optic on it, zeroed for 100yds. I also have a mega-bright undermounted tactical light, and a side mounted laser light.

Rack that slide Joe Biden style and put one thru the door to scare em off!!!

 

[bbbass]

My wife's firearm in the back office is this:



Loaded with these (but 3")

 

[SnapShot]

Re: Legalities and talking to the cops after the fact...

Honesty is your best friend.



Dean

if you guys haven't seen this video... or read the book ... its worth a watch.

thats the first part, with a lawyer telling you why not, the second part is the continuation of the class with an ex cop telling you why not to talk to the police.

 

[oli700]

If you don't use the most devastating ammo possible then buy a bat . Firearms are for killing , make it leathal as possible . If you have problems with people too close by , then a firearm might not be the best for you , if you aren't sure of what is in the background, no ammo choice, from any gun ,is going to make a good decision for you .
If you don't plan to use the most lethal option you have , plan a gun fight with a wounded bad guy .This question is as old as defensive shotgunning, the answer is always the same .

 

[Geardo]

IMO what load is best only depends on your living situation.... some folks live in town with close neighbors, some on a farm with nobody around for miles, some in apartments, some have kids, some don't.

Personally, I have a pump 12ga with spare barrel, one for hunting, one 18" for defense. Note i didn't say Home Defense because I don't use it for that (although I could because it is ready to go). Instead my purpose for it is if I need to go outside. SHTF or measure 43 or whatever. The 8rd magazine is loaded with alternating 000buck (because it is what I had), and Winchester PDX1 pre-scored slugs. Because of my bad eyesight, I have a reflex optic on it, zeroed for 100yds. I also have a mega-bright undermounted tactical light, and a side mounted laser light.

Rack that slide Joe Biden style and put one thru the door to scare em off!!!

Not sure i would alternate. A slug can do everything buckshot can do. Maybe load up with slugs, but toss in some buck if going into a tight structure, however with the limited spread it doesn't make much of a difference.

I really like 12 ga slugs.

 

[MrMillspecer]

I use 00 buck and slugs but also live out of town. If I lived in an apartment complex I would use #6 shot, duck and pheasant load. I never thought birdshot would be a good choice, but then saw a program on prison guards and they used birdshot to stop prisoners. The main reason was the close quarters and less harmful ricochets.

 

[bbbass]

Not sure i would alternate.

Then don't!

Edit: I alternate because my intended use is outside... in the yard or in the street. My yard is maybe 60' across and the 000buck would give me a bit of spread. My street is a cul-de-sac and the cross street is maybe 75yds away... a slug gives me more confidence at that range. YMMV

I really like 12 ga slugs.

Don't we all...

 

[DeanMk]

I use 00 buck and slugs but also live out of town. If I lived in an apartment complex I would use #6 shot, duck and pheasant load. I never thought birdshot would be a good choice, but then saw a program on prison guards and they used birdshot to stop prisoners. The main reason was the close quarters and less harmful ricochets.

...be nice...

 

[Joe13]

If you don't use the most devastating ammo possible then buy a bat . Firearms are for killing , make it leathal as possible . If you have problems with people too close by , then a firearm might not be the best for you , if you aren't sure of what is in the background, no ammo choice, from any gun ,is going to make a good decision for you .
If you don't plan to use the most lethal option you have , plan a gun fight with a wounded bad guy .This question is as old as defensive shotgunning, the answer is always the same .

I live in the suburbs so I should not own a gun, much less a shotgun unless I use slugs???

Granted knowing what's behind your target is very important but the thread is about what to use if you don't have that luxury.

Sorry, I don't see your logic and honestly think it's possibly the worst advice on this thread...

 

[Geardo]

I live in the suburbs so I should not own a gun, much less a shotgun unless I use slugs???

Granted knowing what's behind your target is very important but the thread is about what to use if you don't have that luxury.

Sorry, I don't see your logic and honestly think it's possibly the worst advice on this thread...

He didn't say slugs. Based on the "ballistics" thread, and posts here, seems like #4 buck or maybe #4 bird is the way to go, which also has limited wall penetration compared to 00 buck, or slugs. Basically just don't use 6 or 8 bird shot thinking you are going to scare the guy off.

 

[MrMillspecer]

From a Nevada Corrections Institute

About 30 feet away, another officer was manning the control room—a trainee named John-Raynaldo Ramos. His job was to remotely open the cell doors from "the bubble," the glass room overlooking the floor. The elevated booth is equipped with a 12-gauge shotgun loaded with 7 1/2-birdshot—the same tiny pellets that sport shooters use to blow apart clay pigeons and that hunters use to kill birds and rabbits. The windows of the bubble, which are reinforced with security bars, can be opened to aim a gun through. "Get on the ground," Ramos ordered the two men.
Ramos fired a warning shot, but the prisoners kept scuffling. Then he fired three live rounds. When he stopped, the left side of Arevalo's body was loaded with shots. Perez lay motionless and bleeding on the floor, near a shower bag and a towel. He had at least 30 pellets in his face, 30 in his neck and as many as 200 in his chest and arms. Ramos asked another officer, Isaiah Smith, to call the prison medical staff while he tried to reload his gun.

About an hour after being released from his cell, Perez was pronounced dead. Arevalo was taken to the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas, where staff recorded that he had retained "extensive" shots to the "left face, left neck, left arm, left chest, left flank."

I agree hi base 4 shot would be a better choice. The guards were using 7 1/2 shot. Possibly like trap loads. I wouldn't recommend that.