I know the 12 gauge shotgun is highly thought of, but I was just wondering if anyone here uses a 20 gauge for home defense.


Just curious as I have seen some good buys recently ...

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You're shy a few manners.

I bought my mother a Remington 870 20 gauge for home defense. Loaded with slug or buck, I am 100% confident it will get the job done.

I'm looking at a Stoeger Double Defense side by side 20 gauge leaned up in the corner right now. I've also got a Mossberg 500 Cruiser in 20 gauge, a mini version of my 12 gauge riot gun. Awesome choice, as far as I'm concerned . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

20 gauge will do the job, however, there is more loads available for 12 gauge. I also think the cost of shells are about the same.Those light 12 gauge buckshot loads are excellent, I haven't seen them in 20 gauge.

As far as in the house for defense goes. A 20 Ga is as good as any 12... The person on the receiving end won't know the difference..

Why not. Winchester makes a #3 buckshot load for 20Ga as well as a 3/4oz. rifled slug,

http://www.winchester.com/PRODUCTS/s...ges/XB203.aspx

http://www.winchester.com/PRODUCTS/s.../S20PDX1S.aspx

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Jorge

The first week we were in our house in Colorado my son-in-law said: There is a bear in the yard.

He's only seen bears on TV, so I was sure it was a raccoon or chubby weasel or something. I looked out in time to see a nice fat cinnamon colored black bear hop the fence into the neighbor's yard, where he took a dog bone and moved down the line.

Since then, I've had this Stoeger 20 gauge coach gun by the back door.



It is actually my kid's gun, from when he was 11 or so. The stock is cut down to about a 12" LOP, and the whole thing is maybe 36" long. I added a TBSPSID (tactical-bear-shooting-post-sunset-illumination-device), which can be replicated with a six dollar Home Depot flashlight secured with a Mil-Spec Huffy girls's bike inner tube section.



I have 3" #2 buckshot in the gun, with five of these slugs in the sleeve.



I think twenty is plenty.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Really, indoors you don't need buckshot or slugs for shooting people. The average room is maybe 15 feet across. Even at 20' with a wide open choke, the shot is still in the wad cup and hasn't even started to spread so even #6 shot from muzzle to the other side of the room is basically a solid mass of lead not much different than a slug at bedroom range.

Yes but at 15-20 yards #6 birdshot is not always lethal. Why limit your weapons capability?

I don't know of anyone with a room that is 20 yds across. 20 yds is 60 feet... The reason for loading up with #4 or #6 shot is I don't want my rounds exiting my house and going into the neighbors house.
00 Buck and slugs blast right on through drywall and osb. What if you ended up killing the neighbor's kid?? Trust me #6 will drop a man across your bedroom.

If you have a 45 to 60 foot uncluttered zone inside your house, you should probably move up a little in the firepower. But with a house that size, you probably have security out front, and a large outer wall with razor wire. Most of us don't, and #6 in a 20 gauge will do just fine for the 6-7 clear yards we've got . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

Bird shot is for the birds.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

Good old 20ga Mossberg 500 short barrel pump that my wife can handle with ease is all she or I needs.

From Massad Ayoob in 2009. First thing I show anyone who asks me about a home defense gun.

Consider the 20-gauge shotgun | Backwoods Home Magazine

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Possum—The other white meat!

Like anything else it's not about the gun, it's the person behind it. Unfortunately many people hesitate and wind up having the weapon turned on them! Get her training before a firearm! A little Krav Maga would be cool! Seriously there are home defense classes and if you're really worried you should get her in some , she'll probably love it! (just don't get her mad)

I've been a fan of the 20 gauge for many long years. My issue duty shotgun was an 870 12 gauge and it was a great piece of gear. But I chose to hunt with a 20 gauge side by side. When my wife and I began to talk about a shot gun dedicated for a house and yard gun (skunks were always a problem), she preferred to shoot a 20 gauge. So I bought a good used 20 gauge and had the barrels cut off to twenty inches and shortened the stock so she could handle it better. It still works for me as well. We went out together and shot several rounds of different shot size at large butcher paper targets taped to heavy cardboard. we could see what to expect for each load at different distances. We are entirely comfortable with our choice of 20 gauge and loads for our home and property and my wife shoots and handles it very well. Nothing at all wrong with a 12, but we haven't found any reason not to have full confidence in our 20 gauge.

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So long ... Ken

I like a 20 with #4 steel shot. Won't knock 'em down, just strip the flesh off and leave a skeleton standing.

As long as you stay inside your bedroom I think you'll be able to defend yourself with birdshot against most angry birds. I live in the country where vicious dogs pose as much of a threat as home invaders. I want stopping power out to 50 yards (modified choke) with a load of #4 buckshot.

I'll bet every single law enforcement agency that issue shotguns also issue buckshot. I guess they're worried about more than angry birds.

Obviously not as potent as a 12 gauge but at normal HD distances the 20 should be just fine. While ammo for a 20 is available in most places, it's not quite as popular as a 12 and selection and variations of 20 gauge loads might be a tad more difficult to get if you are looking for something out of the ordinary. Still, if you have a female in the house who is apt to have to use it, a 20 gauge might make sense.

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A Country Boy Can Survive

^^^ well that seamed to end the discussion, think ill still stick to buck shot. i'd have no problem with a 20g

I have used the 20 gauge Mossberg 500 with #3 buckshot for home defense for many years. Since the bear invasion I've added slugs in a carrier.
Geoff
Who notes most accessories fit the 20 gauge just fine.

I'm not a shotgun guy at all......... but

Got a couple of Mossberg 500s home and cabin........ but the General Purpose/Home Defense gun is a Youth model 510 20 gauge ................ only 3 rounds in the tube (still one more than a SXS) but 5 more(buck/slugs) on the butt.......short stock and 18" barrel..... a shotgun anyone in the family can use.

20,12,28,410 ? The last thing an intruder would want to face is a shotgun of any kind

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John

I wouldn't hesitate to use a 20 gauge in home defense. As others have said, if you're on the receiving end, you wouldn't know the difference between the two.

However, the load you use must be tailored to your physical surroundings. One of the very best HD loads that's totally effective, yet, less likely to leave your wood frame house to endanger neighbors would be #4 shot rather than #4 buck or larger.

Wallboard offers very little resistance to projectiles. You must know your safe lanes of fire.

Nothing wrong with the 20 it's just that 12 is more common. Shotguns in 12G are easier to find, cheaper and have a wider range of ammo selection

I'm not a shotgun guy but I own two. Both Remington 870s police magnums. Together they cost me $300. I bought then because of the price and their versatility.
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One of the first fatal shootings I went to involved a single shot 20 ga using a low brass #6 shot. The victim was hit from about 15 ft just below the xiphoid (breast bone). There was a jagged hole about the size of a golf ball. At autopsy found the shot cup and some shot against the spine. Whatever they were arguing about it ended it rather quickly.

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183rd FBINA

My drunkard of a great uncle shot his wife with a 20 gauge shotgun "cleaning it", right in the chest, and she's still alive all these years later. Sure, she was a larger lady, but it goes to show that birdshot isn't all its cracked up to be. I would say it one more time, the danger of birdshot is that the differences between a stopping shot and a non stopping shot are so close that it takes very little to go from a quick stop to perhaps not hardly slowing a man down very quickly.

Birdshot only works well when it is acting like a slug, at the closest of ranges, and the TIGHTEST of patterns. Once that pattern opens up just enough, it no longer "whomps" the target, and individual pellets will fail to penetrate where the large mass could, and kill or injure sufficiently. These are close margins, folks. Small changes, very small changes, in range, choke, wad, and charge load can be just enough to turn that shotgun load from dangerous to almost impotent.

IF you are going to use birdshot, full choke, or even better, extra full or turkey chokes, are your only sane choice. A longer barrel would be helpful to keep it all together. The bigger the shot, the better. But, most of all, the heaviest load you can muster, you are going for sheer shock of weight and impact, and there cannot be enough shot or weight for this to work. The more weight, the bigger the "whomp", the impact, the penetration and effect of our slug like mass.

This is why the 20 gauge is a terrible, terrible choice for someone who insists birdshot is their answer. The birdshot theory relies on weight and power, and the 20 is starting to fail in both those areas. The argument for birdshot is far stronger (still wrong) in 12 gauge, even better in my choice of 10 bore. At some point, if you keep gutting loads, the effect will reach a point where failure becomes more certain, and 20 gauge loads are heading in that direction.

So, we get someone who thinks birdshot is enough, gets some cheap clay busting low power loads, pus them in his 18 inch barrel no choke 20 gauge, and we have a recipe for a potential failure. Because we assume shoot through and missed shots are far more important and far more dangerous than the risk of life and limb from the immediate threat that requires lethal force to stop.

With tons of classic, well used and trusted #3 buckshot loads, I see they have a few #1 buckshot loads for very cheap, and the always trustworthy lead rifle foster slugs, there is no real good argument for birdshot in the capable 20 gauge. Yes, adequate when loaded right, a very potent choice, and my recommendation over a 22 lr anything for the physically less capable. But, you are pushing the envelope with light bird loads, for which the arguments are much thinner.

And for the record I've killed a lot with 20 gauge #4 and #2 birdshot, I know and respect its abilities.

All I know is a friend of mine used to get deer using 20ga. Slugs every year.

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Two Handguns every day

If I was going to buy a shotgun for home defense(which I'm not), I would likely get a 12 gauge for the greater options available and versatility.

However, the 20 gauge should suffice.

I have a 20 ga due to having shoulder surgery previously. I am sure it will do fine if needed.


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I use 7 1/2 and it will leave a fist size hole in a man across a normal bedroom. What it usually does not do that buckshot will is penetrate two layers of drywall after passing through your intended target and kill or wound a loved one in the other room.I have another gun with 00 and slugs for use if I have a problem outside the house since I live way out in the sticks and County cops usually take 45 minutes or more to arrive .

Eddie

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Grumpy Old Man With a Gun

You all know that a 410 has about the same muzzle energy as a 44 Magnum. A 20 should be plenty (I think mine is).

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Foster Positivity.

The longest shot in my house is from my bedside, out the door, down the stairs, to the end of the living room. 12 yards.

I'd like to see homie shoot his Piggly Wiggly bag of pork with a load of 7 1/2 birdshot from 36 feet, instead of 10. My next-to-the-bed gun is a 12 gauge pump full of 12 pellet 00 buck. I'd be fine with a 20 gauge there, but no birdshot for me.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

I wish I could give 'Duckford' two "likes". He does a very nice and articulate job of giving the reasons to NOT use birdshot and TO use a tight choke. I have participated in presentations of most all the demo tests of using various gauges, types of loads and chokes. I too accept the use of the RIGHT 20 ga. shotgun with the RIGHT ammo for home defense. There are just too many variables in the problems that the bad guy(s) can bring into your home to even think that a sawed off double barrel with birdshot is going to solve all the possible problems.

A HD shotgun CAN BE a more multiple problem solver IF it is configured like this: pump or autoloader, 3" chamber, 18.5" to 20" barrel choked at least modified and preferably full, a night-sight front bead, a sidesaddle with four or five extra rounds (two at least are slugs), a magazine extension tube giving a capacity of at least four rounds in the magazine.

Now, what you don't want: no rear butt stock w/ a pistol grip only, a manual flashlight with no remote finger pressure switch, a pistol grip, a pistol grip up front, a super light trigger pull, open cylinder (no choke). And, you really don't want a sling that carries loaded rounds. It is impossible to aim properly with that load swinging back and forth.

Now, ammunition: slug round loaded to come up about the third shot, 00 or 000 Buck IF you don't have a wall penetration problem, bismuth hunting mixed size shot very large to small IF you do have a wall penetration problem. You say, but what about the slug ammo? There is a very easy manipulation technique that can be learned by most to load a Buck round OR to unload a Buck round quickly when necessary.

People, successful home defense is a serious business with potentially devastating results if not done correctly, swiftly and with the RIGHT shotgun/ammo for each shot. You are not going to do it correctly if your training has come from watching TV, movies or swapping stories with your buddies at the range. Get trained by an instructor that knows the self defense shotgun.

One last point: Others in your family that physically can't mount a shotgun correctly can still use the shotguns described above in a limited successful manner by clamping the butt stock under the arm and pointing in to the bad guy(s). My Mom was widowed at the age of 70. I lived far away. As hard as I tried, I could not make her a safe handler of a handgun. I switched her to a Rem. M 1100, 12 ga., 20" bbl., choked modified and loaded with 00 Buck. It had four rounds total. I placed clay pigeons on a bank in a vertical line at the same distance as from her 'safe' corner to her bedroom door. I had her clasp her shotgun under her arm, push off the safety and point towards the clays. Her first shot would hit just about at knee level, the immediate second shot would be at the stomach level, the immediate third shot would be at chest height. The recoil of the shotgun brought up the aim point for her. Her bedroom door was locked at night. There was a night light in the hallway. I told her that there was no personal possession outside that door that was worth going out there and trying to run off the bad guy(s). She was to just wait the situation out. IF some person broke into her bedroom door she was to fire until they left or fell down. She was then to reload and only then was to pickup the bedside phone and call 911. ......... She loved going to the range and practicing. She last shot that shotgun on her 84th birthday.

Thankfully she never had to try out her HD shotgun for real. Today that shotgun is configured a little differently, but it now it belongs to my wife.

Any shotgun if on target with #4 or better will get the job done at close range. I would generally consider shooting in a house to be close range. Of course a 12 gauge would inflicted a greater wound, but neutralized is neutralized regardless of barrel diameter.


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Thanks to everyone who replied, it has been a very good discussion. I think I will go buy one of those 20s.


Especially thanks to 6518John for that Massad Ayoob article, and to ParadiseRoad for the video. Great information in both of those.

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You're shy a few manners.

My granddaughter favors my .223/5.56mm Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle with an ATI folding/adjustable stock, a red dot sight, and a 30 round magazine. She's little (4'10½") and the recoil of a shotgun is a bit much for her.

That said, there's nothing wrong with a 20 gauge.

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CPT, Armor (Ret)
Luke 22:36

I'm a big fan of shotguns; for clay, for defense, for learning ballistics. Used an old Model 12 manufactured the year I was born to help train USAF fire-control operators to improve target acquisition. VA docs don't want me to shoot long guns anymore so I'm limited to .22lr to 9mm pistol loads. I have a soft shooting 9mm pistol matched to a terrific carbine sharing the same 20 round magazines for primary defense. I won't mess up the good doctors' handiwork but will maintain.

Use what suits your experience & ability, naturally. I've handled excellent 20 gauge shotguns with 18+" barrels ideal for home defense. In close quarters a carbine does the job w/ more rounds before reloading. Having to stock only one caliber's just a plus.

The 12g does have more power, however, there are some advantage to using a 20g: less recoil means faster follow-up shots, less flash and less concussion which is important in small spaces, less weight making it easier to hold. I am a stronger fella and am not recoil sensitive so I prefer the 12g, but 20g is plenty for HD use and easier to handle. I recommend lower recoil slugs. Buck shot is fine but if you miss there are more flying projectiles which leaves for more possibility of hitting someone on the other side of a wall. And like others have said, you shoot birds with bird shot. If you are just trying to scare a robber then why not use rock salt. One could argue till blue in the face but that is my opinion.

No problem with the 20. Get it.

I do not understand why a defense shotgun in 20ga is not more common. I know LE and Military want a 12ga but most everyone agrees that the "stopping power" of a shotgun is as good as any pistol calibers and with ballistics technology the 20ga could be just as robust as a 12ga in close range scenarios. I think the recoil/weight of a 20ga suits more shooters male/female especially considering age, strength, physical limitations. My defense shotgun is a Benelli M1 Super 90 and I would love for Benelli to make a 20ga semi-auto tactical shotgun. I would buy it immediately. With a tube extension you could have 8+1 capacity and be able to fire those rounds on target in a few seconds.

I was told in the hood the saying is "Click Clack jump back". A 20ga will do the job with a whole lot less felt recoil also.

I use a 12ga pump with 00buck for home defense, but certain would not feel poorly armed with a 20ga. It will kill them just as dead. Great choice for HD for someone recoil sensitive or maybe a gun shared with your wife and/or young children.

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Do your own math if in doubt, but a 20 ga will produce 3 to 5 times the muzzle energy of the venerable 45 acp (1600-2200 ft-lbs vs 350-600 ft-lbs). Physics doesn't lie.
Personally, I tend to run #4 game loads in my house gun. I do keep two slugs at the ready in the speed feed stock though.

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Dave

Less dense shot won't travel as far in hard objects - so yes good for not going through multiple walls but bad if it hits bone.

I've watched #6 shot bounce off a thin steel barrel at 10 feet. Not exactly what I want to defend my life with

Muzzle energy has almost no effect on ability to down your foe.

Inside the house I use a Glock 17 with night sights and a light in my left hand. 9, 40, and 45 are all good HD choices.

A shotgun is not a bad choice, but the size limits maneuverability and limits you to having to use both hands on the gun in almost all situations. Reloading is slower and requires both hands.

Shotgun can be used as a club in close combat, but find yourself in a hand-to-hand encounter and soon find it becomes a huge disadvantage over a handgun

I bought some pumpkins yesterday, they were on sale almost giving them away, What the heck I was going shooting anyway. We decided to bring the shotguns. !2 gauge, 20 gauge, even Jim's little .410. Any and all shotguns, with any loads will stop a threat at 15-20 feet. Sure the 12 did the most damage to our little orange friends, but the .410 with the slugs and the buckshot was no slouch either.

With your pistol extended in a normal firing stance, the muzzle extends as far as the muzzle on my shotgun. Maneuverability is moot. I can pull the shotgun in to a low ready or "hip fire" stance if needed.

Yes reloading a shotgun requires two hands. Last I checked, so does a handgun.

Shotgun is easier to aim well than a handgun. It also carries more firepower. Even though I only have 7+1 my gun of choice is more likely to stop a threat before the gun empties, than a Glock 17 - assuming you even land all 17+1 shots.

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Sir: IMHO, You are wrong in so many aspects of SD with a firearm (any firearm) that you really need to go get a couple of well taught SD shooting courses under your belt. .....Shaking my head............