Poll: What 12 gauge round for home defense

[katfishinking]

00 buck is, IMO, the way to go. it will surely do the job in a high stress situation.

 

[churchmouse]

Remington #2 Hypersonic steel in 3"
These are rated at 1750 FPS and kick like 3 1/2"
This is my 930 Mossberg and the 590 pump gun that shares HD duty's with the same loads.



Edit...yes, it was Christmas when the pic was taken.................

 

[ModernGunner]

00, 1, 4 buck. Keep some slugs if that sort of thing is needed.

Personally, I'm not much for using a shotgun for home defense. But it's there as a 'just in case'.

And I wouldn't have even bought it had 'Shotgun Joe' not kept screaming at me to "buy a shotgun...buy a shotgun"!

 

[PKendall317]

And I wouldn't have even bought it had 'Shotgun Joe' not kept screaming at me to "buy a shotgun...buy a shotgun"!

+1 to this!

 

[goldtrigger]

I alternate shells with 00 buckshot, then slugs.
That was the advice from the seller at LGS.
After reading this thread, I may go to straight 00 buck

 

[inlineman]

I posted other on the poll because I use hornady critical defense oo buck,its pretty pricey but if you need it its probably worth it.

 

[churchmouse]

I alternate shells with 00 buckshot, then slugs.
That was the advice from the seller at LGS.
After reading this thread, I may go to straight 00 buck

I fear a slug could get outside the house and into a car or the neighbors house.
Not sure if this is realistic but still a concern.

 

[g00n24]

00 or #1. I used to have a tube full of #4 buck shot since I live in an apartment and was worried about over penetration. After patterning the #4 I saw that from the longest shot possible in my apartment I could not keep all the pellets on a piece of computer paper which I figured was not good enough, as I want to keep all pellets on target.

00 buck loads I have all patterned much tighter than #4. And really from the angles I would be able to engage someone in my apartment any pass throughs would be going towards a large empty parking lot or into a brick wall.

 

[Hookeye]

Bird shot loses energy quickly and will only penetrate skin deep, will sting your attacker like all get out and will only serve to further **** him off. 00 buck shot is like being hit with as many as nine 9mm bullets all at once. A center mass hit with buck will take out heart and lungs. Don't know much of anything about slugs as of yet, though I imagine that unless they expand and lose energy quickly enough, they'll blow right through and continue on (unless your attacker is major obese).

Too many people think of "bird shot" as being all the same.
And in that, 7.5 or 8 shot clay/dove loads

10 yard #4 and BB load testing........anybody got some data?

 

[Hookeye]

Entertaining, and not using a turkey load (which would do more damage).

[ame]http://youtu.be/gq3RVvL9ZjU[/ame]

 

[Hookeye]

Interesting. I'd like to see the test repeated at 20 and 30 feet.

[ame]http://youtu.be/97sjv11yesc[/ame]

 

[goldtrigger]

I fear a slug could get outside the house and into a car or the neighbors house.
Not sure if this is realistic but still a concern.

Good point Churchmouse!
I live far enough from the neighbors that that shouldn't be an issue, but I think I'll switch to straight buckshot anyway.

 

[m4lover]

shotguns tear up your house, use 9mm

 

[mwaym]

I have some old #2 shot in mine..... does anyone know how many pellets are in #2 shot ????/

 

[PKendall317]

I have some old #2 shot in mine..... does anyone know how many pellets are in #2 shot ????/

You should've known how many pellets were in it before you chose it has your defensive round.

 

[Tactical Flannel]

I alternate shells with 00 buckshot, then slugs.
That was the advice from the seller at LGS.
After reading this thread, I may go to straight 00 buck

I've heard of citizens and law enforcement doing this alternate load out. To me it seems somewhat concerning.

From my perspective, I have to keep things simple. In a stressful situation that would be the potential gunfight, I know I would loose track of what round was loaded (IE... is it a 00 or a slug) in the chamber. I keep 00 in the magazine, slugs at the ready on the side saddle and additional 00 or specialty rounds on the butt stock shell carrier. All separate but available.

The thought of needing a slug and thinking a slug is in the chamber for a precise shot when I lost count and its actually 00 scares me to no end.

In my case, I got to keep it simple by loading with one ammo type at a time.

Stay safe

 

[churchmouse]

Good point Churchmouse!
I live far enough from the neighbors that that shouldn't be an issue, but I think I'll switch to straight buckshot anyway.

Reality of this is that you are going to tear up your house no matter what but the alternative is far worse.

I know what the #2 will do I just do not want to test my concerns about a Sabot slug getting out of the house and doing collateral damage. I am not sure what a lead slug would do either.

 

[cosermann]

See here for a discussion:

==>> Shotgun Home Defense Ammunition, .357 SIG -- A Solution in Search of a Problem?

I know it's not, "Rick and Steve," but I couldn't come up with anything that credible.

 

[ThoughtPolice]

When I lived at my old apartment I loaded it full of bird shot, but now that I own and occupy my house its all buck.

 

[TWFMB]

I use buckshot, but not 00 as it can overpentrate in a "home" setting. Outside the home it would be 00 buck and/or slugs.