How would YOU load your shotgun for Home Defense?

[rantingredneck]

Indeed, thoracic surgeons certainly know their stuff, but the article I posted that you referenced again makes no distinction that the pellets they are referring to are birdshot. They may well be buckshot pellets for all we know from the article. If you have further information from that article that indicates clearly that they are referencing birdshot I'd certainly like to read it.

That all being said, treating shotgun wounds means nothing in terms of how immediate the fight stoppage is. The surgeon bears no witness to that part of the encounter. They only put the pieces back together if there are any. I'd venture more shotgun wounds end up being examined by the M.E. than a thoracic surgeon anyway.

Reading further into the link to firearmstactical.com I posted you will find this bit:

12 Gauge Shotshell Ammunition
For personal defense and law enforcement applications, the International Wound Ballistics Association advocates number 1 buckshot as being superior to all other buckshot sizes.

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.

and this:

With the right load, a shotgun can be very effective in quickly stopping the deadly violence being perpetrated by a criminal who's invaded your home.

If you're worried that a missed shot might penetrate through a wall and harm others, load your shotgun so that the first one or two cartridges to be fired is number 6 or smaller birdshot, followed by standard lead #1 buckshot (12 gauge) or #3 buckshot (20 gauge). If your first shot misses, the birdshot is less likely to endanger innocent lives outside the room. If your first shot fails to stop the attacker, you can immediately follow-up with more potent ammunition.

With birdshot you are wise to keep in mind that your gunfire has the potential to NOT PRODUCE an effective wound. Do not expect birdshot to have any decisive effect.

Number 1 buckshot has the potential to produce more effective wound trauma than either #00 or #000 buck, without the accompanying risk of over-penetration. The IWBA believes, with very good reason, that number 1 buckshot is the shotshell load of choice for quickly stopping deadly criminal violence.

Both reference the IWBA who know a thing or two about terminal ballistics.

[condoor]

I love the box of truth link! Best quote I've heard in a while:

"4. I "racked" the shotgun several times during the tests, and no bystanders lost control of their bowels.
Conclusion: Racking a shotgun will not make the bad guy faint."

[DougO83]

Pistol grip 20 ga. NEF shotgun...break-open loaded with 00 buck. The side-saddle holds nothing but slug

[workinwifdakids]

There are some thick people running around Teh IntarWebz these days.

1) A goblin was killed with birdshot? Great. I saw a blindfolded man run across a freeway and didn't get hit, but I don't live my life based on remote possibilities.

2) Birds don't wear leather, and rabbits aren't high on PCP. I want an instant CNS shut-down on a 300-pound rampaging meth-head at a bad angle from maximum indoor distance.

3) If given the choice of being shot with birdshot, or buckshot, which would you prefer?

4) The fact is, even anemic birdshot is going to sail right on through every wall of your house like butter, so that argument is silly. The point, as with any round - DON'T MISS.

[T-Ray]

with whatever's closest to the gun

[sholling]

Racking a shotgun will not make the bad guy faint

BOT's statement is what it is... asinine grandstanding and BS. You may not vent your bowels at the sound but trust me it grabs your undivided attention when you know it's being racked with you in mind.

[roy reali]

Negative remarks about BOT is considered blaspheme around here.

[workinwifdakids]

...with Sholling! The Box o' Truth is a fine specimen, a great source of knowledge that you just can't find anywhere else. However, the author's insinuation that the sound of chambering a round in a pump-action has zero psychological value makes me roll my eyes. Am I going to rely on the effect? No. Am I going to operate the action without intending to fire? Of course not. But the psychological value cannot be written off.

[Boris Bush]

workinwifdakids

I must agree with you. About 10 years ago I was gonna go have a talk with some kids that were sizeing up my neighbors car because they wanted some stuff that was in it. I never got a chance to talk to them because the sound of my 12 gauge racking through the open window scared them so bad that when they ran they forgot their bikes they rode to the would be crime scene..............

[Wolf Lies Down]

-
-Personally, in my seven-shot Rem870 12-GA magazine, I load 6 rounds of 00 Buck and lastly load 1 round of #4 shot.

The way I see it, the #4 puts out a $#!+ load more pellets, ensuring a better chance of a hit, thereby slowing the sob down for the followup six rounds of #00. Realistically, I believe the #4 is a pretty nasty load and should work just fine by itself in close encounters.

[ritrebor]

2-bird, 2-buck 00, 1 slug.

[jhgreasemonkey]

I load mine #1 buck, slug, #1 buck, slug, #1 buck.

[Servo77]

Hornady TAP #00 buck

[sm]

2 3/4" Slugs.
Forster or Brennke'
12 or 20 gauge, and Never reduced recoil.

Shotguns are stock, no side saddles, no mag extensions
Bead front, some do have a mid bead.

I keep topped off loading through magazine. I do the same old boring thing over and over. I am not smart enough to keep up with how many rounds, much less what kind of round - so I just do one kind - slugs.


Steve

[HDTVSELLER]

well i keep 00 3 1/2 rem. loads but that is cause i loaded it to hunt with and never unloaded it.plus i dont have any one that lives close to me nor do i have kids .but in your area i would say some form of bird shot say #6-#9 if you can find it. that way its less likely to go threw the next doors walls and isnt hard to patch up in your own house. cause i'll tell you a slug can do so so much damage you just dont know..

[Webleymkv]

I keep steel BB shot in mine, but then again that's a 3 1/2 10ga shell. For a 12ga, I've always liked #4 Buckshot

[Neanderthal]

It's not so much the arrow that's important in this situation, but the Indian. At close range load whatever you feel comfortable with-it really doesn't matter. A little farther, some of the mags. like "Cheaper than Dirt", etc. have several devastating defense rounds available that are even more effective than buckshot.

[rem870hunter]

i keep my 870 unloaded sitting within arms reach of my bed. nothing more than an express magum. 5 shot. can't use a mag extension cause of the tube type. with 5 #1 buck on the stock. 1 box of slugs in the closet right next to 5 #8's. i have another 5 of 3" 00 buck in my cabinet . my fathers housing situation is a bit tougher. his neighbors are closer. so he had my wingmaster with the 8 shot tube with 5 rounds of #2 magnum lead. with a 1911 as back up. he dont't want to worry about misses or overpenatration. i like tothink that i am in an area that is not troublesome. but i take no chances. i have 7 kids here. so i figure if my shooting dont get the bad guy(s). the kids can be just as nasty as guard dogs. i have a home within 40 yards of my left and another 50 yards across the road. to my right is a horse pen with 4 beauties in it. they had their quad stolen within the last 7 months. the people are really nice. they know upfront. i see something funny i call them and im at my door or window armed. i live in southern nj. and i was informed by my local police department. that if someone breaks into my home. i have to let that person or persons know that i am armed and to tell them leave peacefully. i laughed and asked him am i supposed to let them get the upperhand. get shot and maybe triy to call you for help. he didnt respond. i told him i might put a 911 sticker on my buttstock. i am somewhere other than Free america. i knew it

[EHCRain10]

i have a 8 shot mossy 500 with a 5 shot side saddle

empty chamber with a snap cap and the hammer down,
3in #4 buck
2.75 00 x4
3in #1 buck
2.75 1oz slug
3in 2oz #4 Turkey load

the side saddle is full of 3in #4 buck

the way i see it, the increased recoil of the first slug will let me know its time to reload from the side saddle. and if 14 rounds isnt enough i dont need to be fighting it.

i also live in a brick house where the closest house is 150 yrds through the woods and at a higher elevation.

[ebutler462]

Please allow me to chime in for just a moment. During my 30+ years in law enforcement, I had the duty of making many raids on juke joints, crack houses, and other places of ill repute. Even in a crowded, noisy joint, with most of the crowd likkered up, the sound of a pump shotgun being racked will get the utmost attention. Their bowels didn't move, but their attention was immediately obtained. Nowadays they use flash-bangs to do the same job. I doubt that it got more attention that the pump shotgun being loaded.

Having said that, there are a lot of posts hereabouts concerning what police use. Let me be clear. Policemen carry shotguns and qualify with them. I can't recall having known them to be fired in the line of duty. They are a protection if needed. When the chips are down and a cop needs to take down a bad guy, the shotgun is the last weapon that will be used. It is too dangerous to innocent bystanders. Though I am a shotgun lover and own many, the shotgun is worthless for law enforcement uses due to the liability involved. Even in rural areas, there is too much chance of collateral damage. The AR or the Mini-14 is the weapon of choice for taking down a perp. The projectile disintegrates upon impact. More perps are brought down with handguns than anything else.

I can foresee the day when PDs will not issue shotguns. I am a shotgun fan but LE is not the place for them. In the military when everyone is the bad guy, I can see where they would have a use. I always carried a Mini-14 in my cruiser for serious business. The shotgun went along for the ride but I seldom took it out except for inspections.

Beside my bed I have a 20 gauge pump loaded with #6 shot. I hope I never need it but I have the utmost of confidence in it. I have seen what it can do from my many years of wiping bad guys off the floor after home owners got tired of being victimized.

Happy shooting!

[JoshB]

I don't have much experience with semi's, but I've had some FTF's with the pumps. I prefer double barrels myself. I don't keep one for home defense, but if I did, I would go with slugs.

[athlon64]

Federal tac 00 buck. I don't mix rounds in the tube, too complicated for me : )

[Hallucinator]

After reading these posts, I've decided to change ammo. 106 Recoiless Rifle loaded with HE.

[Magnum88C]

Winchester Supreme 2 3/4" 12-pellet OO buck, and some 3" Remington Slugger slugs. Different color cases aid in identification.

[mrambo]

I like 00 buck . I have seen someone shot with 12 ga bird shot. The guy was shot at close range inside an apartment when we rolled the body over the wad was sticking out of his back.,it acted like a slug at that range. He didn't require a second round.