Posted on 06/19/2017 11:02:37 AM PDT by w1n1
Shotguns have been used for home defense for centuries in one form or another. But the real question is, whats the best home defense load for your shotgun? Lets figure it out.
For a thug, nothing can be more terrifying than the sound of a pump action shotgun racking a shell into the chamber for sound deterrent? This will make even the most hardened criminals think twice. Obviously, sheer intimidation will not always solve your big problem. Well what do you feed your shotgun against your home invading foes? Well below are Remington 12 gauge shotgun shells opened up for you to see the actual payload. Impressive, isn't it? Well, each load from size 7.5 on the left to even the mighty shotgun slug on the right has a purpose in home defense.
Birdshot is a favorite of many home defenders. At close range, the blast of these lightweight small pellets hit like a solid fist. The thug in the picture on the right caught a blast at close range. Certainly, this is a postmortem image. Now, a shotgun is called a scattergun by many for a reason. The shot fans out quickly. Read the rest of the home defense shotgun loads story here.
I have hear that the problem with birdshot is the lack of penetration — especially the penetration of heavy denim or coats. Sure you knock them back due to the blast of the round, but if you have no penetration you just leave a big bruise at center-mass.
Very similar to the "Buck and Ball" load used by Civil War units armed with smoothbore muskets. It was devastating at close range.
Carefully open the flaps sealing the shell and carefully pour a small amount of melted wax evenly over the birdshot inside. Reclose the flaps. You’ve just made a slug.
I would put the first two shells in (last ones out) as rifled slugs, then I would put in a buckshot (No 2 to 0), then a goose (BB -round).
The idea is that the first shot fired (BB) would scatter for a fairly large pattern, and yet not be able to penetrate too far into another room. Your first shot would be most adrenaline charged. Your second shot should be more aimed and the person would likely be closer and so you want more knock down power.
At this point if you get a chance for a third shot, the person will either be very very close and you want maximum knockdown power OR they will have retreated and possible taken cover behind furniture or a wall. At that point if they are hiding you want penetration (aka slug).
And again the last one is a slug for the previous reasons.
Your mileage may vary.
looks like that might start a fire in your house.
No thanks.
I thought about getting that sound taped and playing it in surround sound. :)
“problem with birdshot ...”
Birdshot is for ..... birds .....
ANY 00 will do just fine.
ANY.
Yup.
For the true level of overkill you have to be like my youngest son. Kel-Tec KSG.
Now, I don’t think I would want to operate that but he lives outside of town in the country and as he was the first soldier to score a perfect score on the new DMZ area urban combat range in Korea, I think he can manage it.
Not to mention one more round in the chamber.
Know your target and what is beyond.
in the old days they called it a buck & ball load for 69 cal. muskets
Federal and Hornady both make buckshot loads with variations of the Versatite (Hornady) and FliteControl (Federal) wads that hold the shot together longer than other types. Friends who have used these loads at Front Site in LV stated that this extends the range by concentrating the shot into a small pattern out to about 20 yards through a cylinder bore. Gunwriter Massad Ayood always promoted #1 buckshot which is available from Federal with a FliteControl wad. Federal states in their advertising that this load changes your “police” shotgun into a “precision weapon”. I recall a case the Bay Area in the 1970’s when a LE office was killed by a single 00 pellet that hit him in the abdomen just under the front of his body armor and penetrated him all the way through. Considering that, #1 buckshot makes a lot of sense if one is concerned about errant pellets and/or overpenetration. I’d still want a Brenneke slug for serious situations, especially large, furry situations with big teeth and claws.
An issue with the .45 LC/.410 pistols.
Yeah, but I jave a small 50s house, and the slug barrel is shorter and easier to swing around. Is the 35 year old slug barrel riffled? I’ll have to look, but I don’t think it is.
Buddy had a Taurus Judge that couldn't reliably hit a man sized torso target at 10-15 yds with OO Buck.
I have a bud that works at a sporting goods/gun shop. He bought an early Judge and it had several problems. He returned it and got another, same deal. But I’ve heard that they’ve ironed out the problems. It’s a good concept, eh?
Yes, that means shooting them in the face.
They stick out rather well in the police line-up.
Nothing wrong with the .45 LC cartridge.
The problem is shooting a shot shell out of a rifled barrel.
That and the overly long cylinder to accommodate the .410 shell.
It's more of a novelty than a useful tool.
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