#8 Birdshot
#4 Birdshot
#4 Buckshot
“Bird shot is deadly at short range!”
One of younger relatives lives on a close quarters cul de sac with neighbors home close on 3 sides.
He was advised by a former LEO, who is now an attorney not to buy 00’s for home protection. Besides the possibility or seriously wounding or worse a family member or an overnight guest, his close neighbors could be in danger.
He was told to buy bird shot like 8’s. Which he did.
Since then he and I did some checking around with ER docs/rns. They said a load of bird shot at close range would stop anyone. If it didn’t kill them then, they might wish that it had killed them.
So I bought some low base 8’s and shared the box with a couple of relatives living tight quarters.
IMHO Need something slightly larger than 8 but smaller than 00.
#8 = one wall http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot14_3.htm
#00 = four walls http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot14_4.htm
I seen some tests with #4 bird that looked like a good balance between stoppage and penetration worries. I saw one recommend that first loaded #4 bird as first two shells followed by #4 buck followed by slug. If angle of fire in your home indicates probability of penetration into bedrooms, I would go with small. Remember to practice your angles in your home, learning where good retreat and ambush spots are and the most likely first shots from both directions. Remember they can return fire and they aren’t worried about over penetration. So don’t set up your defense position with the bedrooms with sleeping kids in them behind you. Pick a different spot so any return fire has a less dangerous backdrop.
#8 Birdshot
#4 Birdshot
#4 Buckshot