What do you use?

[salmonriverjohn]

What home defence shot size would you choose for your 12 ga. shotgun?

Read More

 

[billdeserthills]

I like to mix it up, more fun that way. I load a slug, a OO Buck and a #4 Buck over & over in that way till whole gun is full... I guess it looks like more ammo when you have Saiga-12 & some 10 & 12 rd stick mags, heh heh

 

[jordanvraptor]

I live in a cul de sac where over penetration would be a serious issue if I missed the bad guy. So right now I have #4 Buck loads in my home defense shotgun. At hallway distances, I think it would tear a bloody hole in a bad guy. If I had to shoot through cover then I would choose OO Buck or I would have grabbed a rifle.

 

[madcratebuilder]

First two are #4 buck for "Home Defense" followed by all 00 buck.

 

[NUCLEARMJ]

what would everyone load if they had the new keltec ksg? im thinkin of getting one and doing different mixes in either tubes, maybe a tear gas round, rubber bullets or bean bags, maybe bird shot in one tube while the other would be hornady sst slugs or some nasty buckshot. What do you think?

 

[HahnsXD]

3" Magnum BB shot.

 

[Spitpatch]

Stoeger Coach Gun, 3", outfitted with African Express sights (like a close-range stopping rifle), and good ol' Remington Express 3" Double Aught Buckshot. Nearest neighbor is 100 yards away, so I don't need to worry much about collateral damage. Sorry: the express sights idea I got from an identical gun I saw at a Montana Gun Show. It was the owner's "fishing gun". He was from Alaska. Bear issue. Man, those express sights look so friggin' cool!

 

[mjbskwim]

what would everyone load if they had the new keltec ksg? im thinkin of getting one and doing different mixes in either tubes, maybe a tear gas round, rubber bullets or bean bags, maybe bird shot in one tube while the other would be hornady sst slugs or some nasty buckshot. What do you think?

Sorry,I would never buy a Kel Tec,let alone spend almost a grand on one.Then risk my life in a KelTec?
Nope

I look at it different than others here.ANY load you put in your shot gun,at indoor ranges,will stop the intruder NOW.
What will the bird shot pattern be at 20 feet? 1'? So the whole pattern is in the chest?
How could this be good for anyone,except the shooter?
And the fact that any wild bbs won't be going very far.

I believe anything except slugs are a good option,unless you are very good with the gun and know you can plant the slug perfect.

 

[boxer13]

00 buck all the way, if it came down to me needing to use my shotty to defend myself or the people I love then I really can't trust anything but what I feel is going to protect myself and them the most.

 

[NoAim]

I look at it different than others here.ANY load you put in your shot gun,at indoor ranges,will stop the intruder NOW.
What will the bird shot pattern be at 20 feet? 1'? So the whole pattern is in the chest?
How could this be good for anyone,except the shooter?
And the fact that any wild bbs won't be going very far.

< 6" of penetration (typical about 4") with birdshot. Insufficient to reach nearly any vital organ in the human body. About the equivalent of those .22LR powderless rounds.

Ballistic gelatin test results : 7 1/2 birdshot (UPDATE: #8 shot, Post 75, 7/22/09) - THR

Unless you hit some very specific places, it won't stop the threat, but just hurt them instead.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Thanks all! I've been stuffing the old pump with #4 buck for years. A very dear old friend who has long since passed away advised me to use this set up for 30yds and under. In his words "son when things get a little intense, you wont miss", and I was curious to know what others thought. Thanks

 

[BillyDa59]

Someone above mentioned they like to "mix it up." I have a similar idea that I like to refer to as a "12 gauge fiesta." Basically, you buy a bunch of that exotic ammo, and maybe even load up a few 'homebrew shells.' Every time you pull the trigger, you get a fun (and decidedly morbid) surprise. First shot sets the intruder's clothes on fire with an incendiary, the next shot pelts him with 16 dimes, the shot after that fills 'em with razor sharp fletchettes, and the last shell blows a bunch of confetti down your hallway to celebrate a successful home defense.

In all seriousness, though, I live back o' beyond and recently sold my shotgun. Nowadays, I have a Winchester Model 70 within arms reach of my bed. It may be just a bolt action, but like riverjohn up above said, "when things get a little intense, you won't miss." Every one of those one-hundred-and-fifty grains is gonna land in the chest of an intruder if they come sneaking in through a window or busting in through the door.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

< 6" of penetration (typical about 4") with birdshot. Insufficient to reach nearly any vital organ in the human body. About the equivalent of those .22LR powderless rounds.

Ballistic gelatin test results : 7 1/2 birdshot (UPDATE: #8 shot, Post 75, 7/22/09) - THR

Unless you hit some very specific places, it won't stop the threat, but just hurt them instead.

good link and info, convincing case for them little #4 bucks. Thanks!

 

[mjbskwim]

< 6" of penetration (typical about 4") with birdshot. Insufficient to reach nearly any vital organ in the human body. About the equivalent of those .22LR powderless rounds.

Ballistic gelatin test results : 7 1/2 birdshot (UPDATE: #8 shot, Post 75, 7/22/09) - THR

Unless you hit some very specific places, it won't stop the threat, but just hurt them instead.

A full load of bird shot to anyone's chest will stop them from moving.Maybe not kill them,but it will stop them (no your mileage may vary depending on the amount of drugs that you local thieves ingest)
That's all I was saying.It will drop them. So the second one at about 10 feet will finish the job.

Wait a minute,6 inches ISN'T deep enough to reach any organs????
Now I'm kinda thick in the chest cavity and even with some added fat over the years,I'm only a foot tall laying down.
6 inches of penatration will surely reach my heart,that is centered in my chest cavity.

Impact Velocity : 1317 ± 0.5 feet/second
Deepest Penetration Depth : 5.9 ± 0.05 Inch
Maximum Crack Diameter : 4.5 ± 0.05 Inch
Max Crack Diameter Location : 2.3 ± 0.05 Inch
Cavitation Depth : 0.0-5.9 ± 0.05 Inch

YES there are better rounds,but if the first box you find is the bird shot it will work.
Does this sell the more expensive rounds? No to much.

I personally don't think wielding a shotgun is the best idea for me,anyway

 

[Mark W.]

I'm 5'11" I weigh 290 I have a BIG chest it measures 52" and at my tits there is less then 2.5" of meat and ribs before you reach the hollow my lungs and hert sit in.

If a 1 ounce #7.5 load of brid shot will have a penatration of 5.9" on a solid block of Ballistic's gell then ONLY say 3" of that is taken up by my chest wall. They would then easily have the energy to do dramatic damage to the lungs and Heart. Not to mention the energy 1.25 ounces at 1000fps would have when it hit.
With 437 #7.5 shot in a 1.25 ounce load and that is one **** of a lot of wound channels if only a couple inches deep.

without going throw the wall into the neighbors house.

Granted clothing etc. would have some effect on this.


Granted I would be much more inclined to use a #4 1.25 ounce Goose load then something designed for Quail or cotton tails. But I have no doubt that a hit to the body mass at under 30' would be devistating.

 

[deen_ad]

Win 1300, folding stock with 13 rds of Aguila mini shells.

80 MILLION gun owners didn't shoot anyone today, a few criminals did!!

----------------------------------------------------------

The "Feedback Score" is low by 4, not everyone posts it I guess.

Deen
NRA Benefactor/Recruiter
Washington Arms Collector member
South West Washington Arms Collector member

 

[NoAim]

I'm 5'11" I weigh 290 I have a BIG chest it measures 52" and at my tits there is less then 2.5" of meat and ribs before you reach the hollow my lungs and hert sit in.

If a 1 ounce #7.5 load of brid shot will have a penatration of 5.9" on a solid block of Ballistic's gell then ONLY say 3" of that is taken up by my chest wall. They would then easily have the energy to do dramatic damage to the lungs and Heart. Not to mention the energy 1.25 ounces at 1000fps would have when it hit.
With 437 #7.5 shot in a 1.25 ounce load and that is one **** of a lot of wound channels if only a couple inches deep.

without going throw the wall into the neighbors house.

Granted clothing etc. would have some effect on this.


Granted I would be much more inclined to use a #4 1.25 ounce Goose load then something designed for Quail or cotton tails. But I have no doubt that a hit to the body mass at under 30' would be devistating.

If I "blade at 45" I present more mass. If I hold my hand and arm out in front of me. And I have a thick sternum, clothes, and ribs in the way.

4-6" is really crap. Yes, you MIGHT be able to stop someone. But then you need to actually penetrate to do massive damage to organs or CNS. Birdshot likely won't do that unless it's to the head.

If I have to shoot someone, I'm not screwing around. #4-00 buck gets it done.

Think of it this way...deer around here are small...say 200 pounds. Would you use birdshot to take a deer down if it was charging at you from 15 feet away? Think it would stop before it gored you?

This is a picture of 12" in the human body: <broken link removed>

 

[mattg521]

#4 Buck

 

[Oregon Rob]

#1 or 2 3" Duck Load with a full or modified choke. Why? because I have multiple boxes of it at all times. It WILL stop anyone at 15' and I am pretty good with the gun because i have been shooting it at moving targets (often in low light) for the last 15 years.

 

[andy*]

I use #1 buck in my shotgun as it patterns best out to 25 yards. Buckshot of some sort would be better for "social" work than birdshot I think.
Birdshot was made for birds and buckshot made for bigger things that could "bite" back. Now would I volunteer to stand in front of you while you shot your favorite grouse or duck load at me, no I would not. Birdshot would work, but bigger is better this time and my vote goes for the buckshot that patterns best from your gun. Andy