20 Gauge For Home Defense?

Jack Flash

Jack Flash

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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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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.
 
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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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.
 
patrickd said:
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.
Click to expand...

Yes but at 15-20 yards #6 birdshot is not always lethal. Why limit your weapons capability?
 
Mike in Reedley said:
Yes but at 15-20 yards #6 birdshot is not always lethal. Why limit your weapons capability?
Click to expand...

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.
 
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Mike in Reedley said:
Yes but at 15-20 yards #6 birdshot is not always lethal. Why limit your weapons capability?
Click to expand...

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 . . .
 
patrickd said:
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.
Click to expand...

Bird shot is for the birds.
 
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.
 
patrickd said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
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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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