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View Poll Results: Your IDEAL shot size for Home defense.
000 Buck 5 4.42%
00 Buck 60 53.10%
0 Buck 0 0%
#1 Buck 29 25.66%
#2 Buck 1 0.88%
Other... Please elaborate. 18 15.93%
Voters: 113. You may not vote on this poll

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Old June 15, 2011, 08:07 PM   #1
hogdogs
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Shot size for Home Defense use.

Which one size of shot would you consider to be the best all around Home Defense round if you could only choose one?

Shell length aside.

Thanks for participating!

Brent
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Old June 15, 2011, 08:22 PM   #2
Lee Lapin
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I prefer to use what patterns well for me, and right now that's Federal LE127 00, a full velocity (1325 fps) 9 pellet 2.75" load. If I find something better I'll use that, but so far there haven't been any candidates. Far as I'm concerned, tight patterns I can keep on the intended target beat higher pellet count any day.

ymmv of course.

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Old June 15, 2011, 08:26 PM   #3
Tommy Vercetti
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I've kept #4 buckshot loaded in my Winchester 1300 for years
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Old June 15, 2011, 08:36 PM   #4
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I second the 00, I havn't found anything that patterns or pushs back a swinging silhouette like good ole double "O".
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Old June 15, 2011, 08:38 PM   #5
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Anything #4 buckshot or larger. Once you get into this range, I don't think it matters all that much. Valid arguments can be made for most of the shot sizes in that range.
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Old June 15, 2011, 08:44 PM   #6
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I always prefer #1 or smaller in buck shot, you just don't get enough shot in the pattern any larger.
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Old June 15, 2011, 08:49 PM   #7
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I prefer #4's myself. I'm not looking for long range work with a shotgun that I have in the house.
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Old June 15, 2011, 09:06 PM   #8
doglegarms
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i use a 8 pellet 00 load and am happy with it. it's more manageable for me than 9 pellet 00 load.
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Old June 15, 2011, 09:45 PM   #9
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from everything ive read more than #1 buck is overkill for most situations, and the only thing i think that would be worst then having to use a shotgun for HD would be to have the shot over penetrate and hurt a bystander. that being said if you live out in the country without any neighbors close by and you want to put a hole through the intruder as well as the side of your house..........
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Old June 15, 2011, 09:52 PM   #10
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Based this most excellent article from The Truth About Guns site by Robert Farago Feb. 2010 "Shotgun Penetration With Various Rounds"
http://thetruthaboutguns.com/2010/02...arious-rounds/
#1 Buckshot (.30 caliber) is just right.
"In our opinion, this load is superior to 00 buck for selection as a tactical shotgun load. While exhibiting slightly less penetration, overall penetration is still acceptable and if all pellets strike their intended target there is potential to create approximately 77% more wound tract with the additional 7 pellets"
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Old June 15, 2011, 09:56 PM   #11
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00, got about 200 for free so it gets the nod!
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Old June 15, 2011, 10:05 PM   #12
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I've always loaded my HD guns with #4.
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Old June 15, 2011, 10:06 PM   #13
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00. I did not know there were other choices. Oh well.
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Old June 15, 2011, 10:22 PM   #14
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00 Buck loaded in my Beretta 1201FP!
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Old June 15, 2011, 10:23 PM   #15
youngunz4life
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just the way I have always done it & always will

3" 15 pellet 00 buck (winchester or federal)
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Old June 15, 2011, 10:50 PM   #16
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Many moons ago when I lived in town(close neighbors) and kids in the house it was #3. Now I live in the middle of the boonies, no kids and am happy to say my old 12ga. I use for the house patterns 00buck very well out to my preferred SD range...Amen!
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Old June 15, 2011, 11:12 PM   #17
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Discussed on another thread

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=452487

I'll go with what the The Firearms Tactical Institute reports:

Quote:
"Number 1 buck is the smallest diameter shot that reliably and consistently penetrates more than 12 inches of standard ordnance gelatin when fired at typical shotgun engagement distances. A standard 2 ¾-inch 12 gauge shotshell contains 16 pellets of #1 buck. The total combined cross sectional area of the 16 pellets is 1.13 square inches. Compared to the total combined cross sectional area of the nine pellets in a standard #00 (double-aught) buck shotshell (0.77 square inches), the # 1 buck shotshell has the capacity to produce over 30 percent more potentially effective wound trauma. In all shotshell loads, number 1 buckshot produces more potentially effective wound trauma than either #00 or #000 buck. In addition, number 1 buck is less likely to over-penetrate and exit an attacker's body."
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Old June 15, 2011, 11:44 PM   #18
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I suggest you go shoot some targets with a variety of loads. Inside of 20 feet with a 12 gauge, it doesn't really matter much.
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Old June 16, 2011, 12:00 AM   #19
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While the lethality is un questionable with most shot gun loads larger than 7 1/2, it is the surety and peace of mind of the users that is a main reason in this thread.

Personally, I prefer a 00 buck shot. I am confident that I can adapt and overcome with less as I do currently with a 20 gauge I find #3 buck to be the largest I find locally. But I also have a crap load of slugs on hand too.

Also, I am in a locale with a very low rate of violent crime committed against strangers.

I do nothing with persons who may have ulterior motives that would jeopardize my home security.

Owning literally nothing of much value also reduces the risk.

But if I get the Mossberg 930 it will be kept stuffed full of my pet load of Super X 00 buck.

Brent
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Old June 16, 2011, 12:20 AM   #20
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Inside of 20 feet with a 12 gauge, it does matter.

It's not about pattern size it's about how the shot behaves once it enters flesh.

Shot smaller than #4 Buck just doesn't penetrate, so while it might make a ghastly surface wound - generally speaking it would not stop an attacker by damaging vital tissue. Yes the the attacker might stop due to pain or fear, but in other circumstances - an attacker might not.

At 20 feet if you shoot a big boar in the shoulder - the wound size is going to look bigger than that will be created by #00 Buck - but you probably will not kill that hog with birdshot.

At 20 feet if you shoot a big boar in the shoulder with #00 Buck - you will proably take out the heart and drop the boar instantly.

The same analogy holds true for humans.

Looking at the gelatin tests , it seems like some #2 and #4 Buck penetrate 10 - 12" (might be some problems with the gelatin that I viewed). #0 and #1 Buck do penetrate reliably to 14"
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Old June 16, 2011, 12:36 AM   #21
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00 gets my vote...

With the invention of the flight control wad, I get extremely tight patterns with 00 buck. Being an LEO, I use Speer Lawman 00 buck (made by ATK) same as the Federal, so my Imp cyl throws out some really tight patterns all the way out to 25 yards. The managed recoil helps with the over penetration. Just my .02 cents.
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Old June 16, 2011, 12:36 AM   #22
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jmortimer - the ordinance gelatine tests that were referenced in the article you cite may be a little off. Someone else pointed out that the calibration bb seemed to penetrate too far into the blocks - meaning either the blocks were too warm or not mixed right.

But here is my interpretation of that... probably makes #2 Buck and smaller shot look better than it probably actually is. In this test the #4 was on average penetrating to 14.5 inches - which I am guessing you wouldn't see repeated in cooled 10% gelatin - with the test conducted at the right temperature.

Even so, they found it superior to #00 Buck.
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Old June 16, 2011, 04:41 AM   #23
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P.D. issue WW 2 3/4 OO Buck 9 pellet.
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Old June 16, 2011, 07:15 AM   #24
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"Inside of 20 feet with a 12 gauge, it doesn't really matter much."

My house is a 22.5' x 32' multi-story. I use 00, but feel fine if the guns are loaded with 2.75" or 3" Hevi-Shot #2. That's my reload = more guns.
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Old June 16, 2011, 07:22 AM   #25
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Quote:
Inside of 20 feet with a 12 gauge, it does matter.

It's not about pattern size it's about how the shot behaves once it enters flesh.

Shot smaller than #4 Buck just doesn't penetrate, so while it might make a ghastly surface wound - generally speaking it would not stop an attacker by damaging vital tissue. Yes the the attacker might stop due to pain or fear, but in other circumstances - an attacker might not.

At 20 feet if you shoot a big boar in the shoulder - the wound size is going to look bigger than that will be created by #00 Buck - but you probably will not kill that hog with birdshot.

At 20 feet if you shoot a big boar in the shoulder with #00 Buck - you will proably take out the heart and drop the boar instantly.

The same analogy holds true for humans.

Looking at the gelatin tests , it seems like some #2 and #4 Buck penetrate 10 - 12" (might be some problems with the gelatin that I viewed). #0 and #1 Buck do penetrate reliably to 14"
Just curious, how many animals have you killed? How many gelatin blocks? You read a lot of magazines and theorize much? Or did you learn this from the shotgun episode of Lock N' Load?

At 20 ft in most instances the shot pattern is all but homogeneous and would be lethal against soft flesh if it were #9 shot. Would you honestly want to be gut shot at close range with a shell that had 9 pellets or 500 pellets. I choose neither but I'm not a criminal and don't daydream away these situations.

I bolded your hog analogy because you are far from the truth. You see, I've actually been there, done that. I shot a 250+ lb sow 2 years ago on a duck hunt at that range with a 3" #5 Kent Tungsten Matrix and it was grusome the carnage it left. She dropped like she'd been pole-axed, bone, blood and brains were everywhere. As I stated in an earlier thread I used a boat paddle on the piglets.

Stop believing everything you read or theorize about. Sometimes things work a lot differently in real life situations.
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