What's your favorite 20 Gauge self defense load? And don't anyone bring up bird shot please! I know better.

I need buckshot suggestions.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

I prefer #1 buck, but the only
thing I've found lately has been #3 buck. Right now the
500C is stoked with #1s with #3s in the sidesaddle and
slugs on the buttstock thingy.
Chipmunk6

#3 buck will do the job nicely at any sort of reasonable range.

Another vote for #3 buck, but I really prefer #4. I've found it (and have a supply) in 12 gauge, but never found it in 20.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Number 3 buckshot's 20 lead pellets measuring .25" in diameter. Works for me.

I load #3 or 4 buck depending on what's available.


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20 gauge is far under rated in my opinion. Too many people think the manly way to go is with a 12 and 12 only.

That only shows their ignorance to the shotgun in general.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

My 12 and 20 buck loads are copper plated #4 buck in Federal Premium. I saw what you said about bird shot. But inside the house I use #4 bird shot (the softer lead the better). At a 90 degree angle these will go through the lath and plaster walls too, but for down the hall shots, the shot didn't stray into the side rooms (it bounces around the hall). The buck shots we tried didn't enter the side rooms either, but some of them went in the plaster wall and were barried instead of doing unpleasent things to would be intruders. We went to a house that was going to be torn down and did some tests (not quit scientific) and I base my usage on these. I live in and the tests were done in the old hard plaster with wood lath, not the modern "Drywall". By the way my wife loves her 20 gauge, and my truck gun is a 20 with 10-#4 buck, 10-#4bird shot, 10-#7 1/2 and 10 Bernneke slugs (and 200-22 long rifle) with it. Ivan

With the exception of Federal®, 20ga Buckshot from all other manufacturers only comes in one size; and that is #3 Buck (.25"). Federal® in addition to offering the standard load of #3 Buck; offers #4 (.24") and #2 (.27") Buckshot.

The wife & I have two 20ga shotguns set up for home defense duty. She has a 20ga SxS loaded w/Remington® 2¾" #3 Buck. My 20ga Mossberg® pump carries Federal® 3" Mag #2 Buckshot. With these loads we fear no man or beast.

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David
CW3 USA (Ret) 1968-1990

I prefer #1 buck. If I can't find that I will use #4. I have found that a lot of people think that a 20 gage has smaller pellets than a 12 gage. They are the same size only not as many.

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Tom
NRA Pistol Inst

I have hunted for 60 years with a 20 ga and own three of them; a Win M12, a Rem 1100, and a Lefever SxS. And if you can drop a goose 40 yrds up you can sure stop an intruder eight yards down the hall. I do use #3 buck, but #4 or #2 shot is deadly at any confrontational range and I wouldn't hesitate to use it. I have owned only one 12ga in my life and sold it after only one season of use. Just wasn't worth the extra pounding and it didn't do anything my 20ga wouldn't do.