Best Defense Loads for 12 Guage

[breakingbad]

2 3/4 inch non-magnum 00 or 000 buck - and slugs. You decide how you want to order them ... I put either one or two 00 buck first followed by slugs in my 870 police model. In by 20" double barrel, one of each. My double barrel has a leather butt sleeve with 4 rounds - 2 of each.

 

[luangtom]

#4-buck for most scenarios for home-defense. If it is to be more rural or outdoors, I would opt for 00-buck. Just my two-cents worth...

 

[gm272gs]

Do you guys do a lot of shotgun shooting in the house? Is that how you know how well certain loads work?

For the inevitable close range of a 12ga shotgun in a house, I would think that #8 birdshot ought to do the trick. 25 rounds for $5 isn't bad, either.

Where do you guys live? If I have to shoot someone in my house, I'm using a pistol. I'm not going to go out there looking for them, either. I would call the Police and let them deal with them, while I wait in the bedroom with my pistol. Of course, I'm not Steven Segal. I used to think I was a badass - but that was thirty years ago - and I grew out of it.

 

[Hapworth]

Do you guys do a lot of shotgun shooting in the house? Is that how you know how well certain loads work?

Comes from studying the data yielded by controlled tests and reports from real world shootings.

For the inevitable close range of a 12ga shotgun in a house, I would think that #8 birdshot ought to do the trick. 25 rounds for $5 isn't bad, either.

Uh oh...and so it begins (again).

Where do you guys live? If I have to shoot someone in my house, I'm using a pistol. I'm not going to go out there looking for them, either. I would call the Police and let them deal with them, while I wait in the bedroom with my pistol. Of course, I'm not Steven Segal. I used to think I was a badass - but that was thirty years ago - and I grew out of it.

Agreed on all points -- as most reasonable people here would -- but I don't think anybody in this thread was suggesting otherwise, or for that matter even discussing tactics for responding to a threat in the home...just effective rounds for a 12 gauge.

 

[Sebago Son]

Well answered Hapworth...

 

[jimmyj]

Long Story Short: 12ga 2 3/4" #4 Buckshot

 

[cochise]

Long Story Short: 12ga 2 3/4" #4 Buckshot

That is the load issued to SEAL Team 2 in 1970 in an Ithaca model 37, of course there still was the Winchester 00 buck

The SureFire light is my addition.

 

[steamloco76]

I have a thin walled residence with close neighbors, so I chose to load 5 rounds of 12 GA. #2 bird shot in the gun with 6 rounds of #4 buck on the side carrier for reload. At 20 feet and under, the #2 bird shot makes its point well without the worry of stray pellets going through my walls and the neighbors. The Wife's 20 GA. has 5 #2's also.

 

[Sebago Son]

No. 2 Birdshot at 20 feet? The Coroner is going to hate you Steam...

 

[tops]

All guns shoot different so the only way to find out the best load for your gun is to shoot it. Even if you live in the center of a large city surely you can find somewhere to test a few loads. Drive to the boondocks and pay a farmer to let you test some shells. Get some different thickness lumber and metal and see how much penetration you get. Shoot big pieces of paper to see the spread. Be sure and clean up your mess and the farmer will probably let you do it again when you want to test something. That is the way to find out what you and your gun can do. Larry

 

[Hapworth]

At typical shotgun defensive ranges (25 yards & under) I don't think a human target could tell the difference between 00 & 000 buck, nor whether or not it was fired from a 2 3/4", 3" or 3 1/2" shell.

Quite true, but what the target experiences isn't the only consideration...

Feeling the zombie font tonight?

 

[chief38]

I have always used #1 or #4 buck. 00 might be too much in side a home. #1 will have a little better penetration for situations where heavy clothing is normally worn, but the #4 will have a larger pellet count which will serve better in situations where only light clothing is normally worn. Either one is devastating and should more than do the job. I only use 2 3/4" shells inside a home as I am concerned that 3" magnums will over penetrate.

Chief38

 

[Fourkeeps]

Personally I like the Centurian Multidefense round 2 3/4 12 ga and Remington's HD duplex rounds. Little Pricey but why spare the change for guests??

 

[tops]

Buckshot comes with different powder charges the same as small shot and the powder charge and weight charge determines the speed. 3 in. shells could penetrate less than 2 3/4 in. and # 4 buck could penetrate more 00 buck. A lot depends on speed. Larry

 

[Springfeildkid585]

My great-grandfather told me about a round they used to use back in prohibition days. They would open a 00 buck shell, remove the pellets, split them half way with a knife, then clip them to a length of piano wire and re-stuff them into the shell. One BB catches anything and it whips around like a buzz saw. The other round he told me about was to open a 00 buck shell and pour some 5 or 6 shot in to fill in the space around the 00 buck - more mass at close range.

I once met a guy who said he loaded pennies and magnesium into the first load in his double-barrel and a slug for the second shot. He said the magnesium would blind and disorient an intruder in the middle of the night, though I imagine it'd have roughly equal effect on both parties.

 

[wharvey]

I'd pick one of the low recoil load. The little you lose in ballistic performance still puts you way ahead of handgun rounds and follow up shots are a lot easier.

 

[wharvey]

I once met a guy who said he loaded pennies and magnesium into the first load in his double-barrel and a slug for the second shot. He said the magnesium would blind and disorient an intruder in the middle of the night, though I imagine it'd have roughly equal effect on both parties.

A prosecutor and civil trial lawyer would have a field day with him if he ever has to shoot someone with that home made shell.

 

[amazingflapjack]

all around it'd be #4 for me.

 

[Springfeildkid585]

A prosecutor and civil trial lawyer would have a field day with him if he ever has to shoot someone with that home made shell.

This is was one of my father's friends. He isn't exactly the brightest bulb in the bunch.

 

[deerhunter5555]

Two rounds of 00 buck followed by slugs.

Yep, can't be beat for knock-down power!