What is the Best 12 Gauge Shotgun Ammo for Home Defense?

[Flopsweat]

Imagine that inside a dark, warm 4'x6' fish-house, with a big hole in the floor going into the lake! Sneaky bugger made his home in the corner and claimed it as his own!

Bad badgy, my fish house.

 

[Stomper]

 

[BanjoGeek]

Just Jim is pretty much spot on. I am a student of Mel Tappin and the #4 buck is his reccomendation but a lot of new loads have come out since his day. His advice is still good paired up with the rubber thing. I need a rubber load Jim.

 

[Stomper]

I need a rubber load Jim.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

View attachment 238995

Fascinating set of ivorys there!!! Nice kitty........er..Weasle!

 

[Flopsweat]

Fascinating set of ivorys there!!! Nice kitty........er..Weasle!

It's looking more like a wolverine to me today, but I wouldn't pet it either.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

I was thinking it looked a lot like my Monster-in law, old broadzilla, the nagabagasaurous.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Latin name for the entire weasle family from the Wolverine to the weasle- Mustelidae, meaning "stinky",,,probably in reference to additude.
Latin for wolverine- glutton glutton.
Yep, I'm convinced now, that's her!

 

[Tony617]

For practice I use Rio Royal 9 pellet 00 buckshot or Remington 9 pellet 00 buckshot. It does really matter for practice I use whatever is cheaper. You should shoot your shotgun quite a bit to get comfortable with the recoil and get use to the pump action. A lot of users under stress will short stroke a pump shotgun.

For HD I use Federal XM127 9 pellet 00 buckshot or Hornady 8 pellet 00 buckshot. If you are uncomfortable with the recoil then get low recoil 00 buckshot instead. But even low recoil still has some some kick. I bought a LimbSaver recoil pad and it reduces the felt quite a bit.

http://www.rem870.com/2013/02/14/how-to-avoid-a-short-stroke-on-your-pump-action-shotgun/

 

[Flopsweat]

For practice I use Rio Royal 9 pellet 00 buckshot or Remington 9 pellet 00 buckshot. It does really matter for practice I use whatever is cheaper. You should shoot your shotgun quite a bit to get comfortable with the recoil and get use to the pump action. A lot of users under stress will short stroke a pump shotgun.

For HD I use Federal XM127 9 pellet 00 buckshot or Hornady 8 pellet 00 buckshot. If you are uncomfortable with the recoil then get low recoil 00 buckshot instead. But even low recoil still has some some kick. I bought a LimbSaver recoil pad and it reduces the felt quite a bit.

<broken link removed>

Fiocchi makes a nice low recoil cooper plated buffered 2 3/4 inch 00 buckshot round that's been very comfortable to shoot in the 6 or 8 guns I've tried it in.

 

[Just Jim]

Just Jim is pretty much spot on. I am a student of Mel Tappin and the #4 buck is his reccomendation but a lot of new loads have come out since his day. His advice is still good paired up with the rubber thing. I need a rubber load Jim.

I will get you a few sir, try some out to make sure they will work for you before you buy a box.

 

[Flopsweat]

I will get you a few sir, try some out to make sure they will work for you before you buy a box.

We're still talking about ammo, right?

 

[Just Jim]

We're still talking about ammo, right?

I hope so...

 

[Tony617]

I have some LE132 9 pellet 00 buckshot with flitecontrol but at HD distances it is like shooting slugs. Even without flitecontrol, Federal XM127 at HD the pellets really don't open up that much either.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

I have some LE132 9 pellet 00 buckshot with flitecontrol but at HD distances it is like shooting slugs. Even without flitecontrol, Federal XM127 at HD the pellets really don't open up that much either.

THIS^^^ is why I have in the past and continue to use #4 buck for MY personal choice as a HD load. regardless of what I may choose to use for Deer or other critters out at hunting distances the #4 is one mean load for the question posed by the OP.
This mind you, is just personal opinion based on my own trials and tests at distances of 25 yards and in, and unless you live in a warehouse these are realistic HD distances.

Yes, there's no doubt that 00's, 1's 2's and 3'00 all have their place, but from room to room the #4 is pure poison, but then again what the heck do I know, I'm just a squirrel hunter

 

[Tony617]

THIS^^^ is why I have in the past and continue to use #4 buck for MY personal choice as a HD load. regardless of what I may choose to use for Deer or other critters out at hunting distances the #4 is one mean load for the question posed by the OP.
This mind you, is just personal opinion based on my own trials and tests at distances of 25 yards and in, and unless you live in a warehouse these are realistic HD distances.

Yes, there's no doubt that 00's, 1's 2's and 3'00 all have their place, but from room to room the #4 is pure poison, but then again what the heck do I know, I'm just a squirrel hunter

I have some Federal, 27 pellet #4 buckshot and I can shoot quite well too but I am using 00 buckshot for HD. If I lived in an apartment then I would be using #4 buckshot or possibly steel shot.

 

[DunRanull]

I'm sorry to be asking such basic questions on this forum, but that's what happens when you're a beginner to firearms. I live in a 2 story house with my wife & 2 very young children in a suburban area. I have a 12 gauge Mossberg 590 shotgun for the primary purpose of home defense. What is the best ammo for self defense? Researching this on Google and on YouTube has been majorly confusing. I do want something strong enough to stop the offender but not over-penetrate where it may kill my neighbor in the house next door. Right now, I have guessed/estimated/settled on 2 3/4in 4 buck maximum 27 pellets buckshot (Federal) to hit this balance but I'd love to hear your opinions. Thanks in advance for all your feedback.

Good choice IMO!