[Scattergun Bob]

I have a very specific stance on this subject, EVERY shell that we insert in to the magazine of our fighting scatterguns has benefits and liabilities. It is up to the person who wraps their body around the gun to perfectly understand each of the benefits and negate the liabilities. If you have done the work and made an informed decision, then by all means that IS you Serious Social Work load.

During my tour in the training division of my agency, I had the pleasure and pain of testing a wide sample of shot shell and slug ammo, into a wide sample of targets from pig cadavers to car bodies. It helped me to develop my confidence in what will and will not happen with shot shells.

If you have done your own due diligence, taking into account;
Recoil management
Consistent and repeatable pattern size
POA = POI at a given distance
Manufacture reliability
Penetration
Impact energy
Compatibility with your fighting scattergun

as some of the factors for what ends up in the magazine, then you will be miles ahead of most who choose this weapon as a defensive tool.

I make one exception HERE, I have never nor will I ever recommend any shot size below #4 Buck as a defensive load.

If you are asking me what lives in the magazine of my fighting scatterguns, here it is; My SSW rounds are Federal double plated #000 buck in 2 ¾” (a rather old round that Federal does not produce at this time). I also have a stock of old Federal 152LE #00 in 2 ¾”. I depend on these for the reasons above.

On our grand berry hunting excursions into the Priest Lake basin, I carry Federal #000 in 3”, for those wonderful and thankfully infrequent encounters with furry friends.

Specific LOADS for a specific TOOL for a specific TASK.