Bookmarked.
So hitting someone in the face with 6 shot isn’t enough to get their attention?
I hadn’t seen much from Oleg in a while. Is he still doing all the cool, great 2A photography / messages?
I load my 12 Gauge with Fiocchi #4 buck.
I’m happy with it.
Up close, it probably doesn’t matter what shot you use. Still just in case, double ought buck shot, tho again any size buck would be fine.
I have an 18 inch barrel Winchester Defender next to my bed, loaded with 7 rounds of 00 buck. Despite the fact that I probably could not do better, I really would like an Italian Lupara.
They can be made very short overall as the action is short. Only two shots before reloading but that would probably be enough.
Number 4 for anything small. I found that Speer has released a 38/357 birdshot round. It has a 5 - 10 yd range. It looks very effective as a snake round. To see it in action go to Gunblast.com.
00 or 000 buckshot works just fine for that application.
The only advantage a slug has over big buckshot is range and penetration of over 24 inches of muscle and bone.
12 gauge, double ought, police loads.
“Take that sh*t further out. To the suburbs, burn they sh*t down.” Yes please, bring out here.
So whats best load to cover a door way in the home from say a distance of looking down the cellar stairs.
I’ll stick with #4 buck.
Slugs might kill, but it takes a very special person to continue aggression toward even birdshot.
The reality is this.
Any ammunition with sufficient penetration to be effective for self defense will overpenetrate interior walls in the home.
Handgun rounds, buckshot, and slugs are all major overpenetrators. Especially slugs. Slugs are for large, extremely dangerous game, or deer in states where it’s illegal to use buckshot.
Buckshot is definitely effective for self defense but the firearm itself is, IMO, inefficient. Lots of heavy recoil, low magazine capacity, and while a pump shotgun is mechanically very reliable, it is actually very common for a person to short stroke the pump under stress during a defensive shooting. Short stroking the pump usually results in ejecting a spent shotshell but not feeding a new one, so you get a click when you pull the trigger again. Shotguns are also difficult to reload in the middle of a shooting.
At the same time, 55gr FMJ from a 5.56 / 223 Remington tends to break apart upon impact and does damage that compares favorably with 00 buckshot. The AR-15 itself has minimal recoil, ammo capacity to spare, and is easy to reload if needed. It’s not heavy, it maneuvers well in confined spaces, and being a semi auto one does not need to worry about short stroking the pump like on a shotgun. Most AR carbines have telescoping stocks, which are great for the ladies...most rifles are built for men, making them slightly too long for most ladies (I indirectly benefit from this because I have unusual short arms for a man). Further, because 55gr FMJ has a tendency to break up on impact, it actually overpenetrates interior walls less than shotguns or handguns do.
To me, it’s pretty clear that the very best long gun in the home defense role is the 16” barreled carbine in 223 Remington. I am partial to the AR-15 in this application because it has been tested and long used effectively by both military and police officers. With that said, the SCAR, Bushmaster ACR, and Ruger Mini-14 all work effectively as well for home defense purposes.
Here's a good illustration of range capability:
Smoothbore + slugs at 230 yards - with iron sights
Yeah, it's Hickok45. Jump ahead to the 7:30 mark to see the footage from the close-up target camera.
What research? A load of birdshot at 15 ft would be a grapefruit size ball. That's going to shred any body part it hits. It's very unlikely that you would shoot an intruder at a greater distance in your home. I would prefer buckshot, but any shot will stop an intruder at close range. Outside at greater distance might be a different story.
Your choice of type of round is dependent upon the situation. However, if you really want to hurt them bad, I suggest that you load your shells with the Mother of all hurt: Rock Salt and Bacon Rind. Yes, they can wash out the rock salt, but the bacon rind has to be taken out with tweezers. Learn this from a famers around Fort Gordon, Ga.
A shotgun is not my choice if the threat is outside buckshot range - I have time, so I'm switching to an AR. However, inside the home or on the porch, I like the idea of a pump action with anything more or less from 00 to #4. My last round is a 3" magnum with buckshot, just so I notice it's the last one.
Lovely-for about three dollars a round. You could shoot a fifty caliber for that price.
I have been in the industry most of my life. I have double 0 (00) buck in most of my stuff, some have the 8 pellet reduced recoil 00 buck. Last round in the tube is a slug.
I prefer the cheap Remington Slugger slug. Performs well out of a smooth bore up to a hundred yards. (Zero at 75, then it’s 3” high at 50 yds and 3” low at 100 yds).
Humans are not thick like a deer, a fancy slug won’t have time to open up that much. A regular slug will make a hell of a hole.
For better accuracy, I like the Rottweiler Brenneke slug, but cost near $1 a round on sale. Very accurate out of a smooth bore.
#4 buck lacks penetration, it is only .27 caliber . Less mass. More pellets. 00 is about .33 and has the energy of a .380 (low recoil) to a 9mm (express). I don’t waste time with the 3” shells, You lose one round and the recovery from the recoil is slower. I have a ten gauge semi for big payloads. (18 00 pellets vs 9 in a 2 3/4” 12 gauge.)12 gauge is much more practical for everyone.
If you want to increase range, choke the gun. Riot guns are open bore-no constriction. Choose a modified to full choke and you will extend your range to about 35 yards. Still safe for the occasional slug. Saboted slugs are good for barrier penetration.
Buffered and plated 00 buck is great. Deforms less, so tends to spread less.
A hit with 00 buck to the torso is about 90% one shot stop. Also, it is about 75% fatal.
I love shotguns for defense, very flexible. Joe Biden says so.....
Google “loading wax into a shot shell”. I gotta try this.