Since receiving my Granddad's shotgun, I've been doing a bit of research on the webs and here about a proper HD ammunition. There seems to be fairly good information that #1 buckshot is a decent way to go. I believe that the standard 2 3/4 shell has 16 pellets of .30 caliber 40 grain. All that said, I'm curious if there is a particular brand that some feel is better than others.
Home Defense Buckshot
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Rugeritis
alucard0822
For great Justice
Federal tactical low recoil buckshot, best there is. Available in a few flavors including 15pellet #1 and a really light recoiling 8pellet 00 load, all under 1200FPS, all with the excellent flight control wad, the shot patterns really tight in every gun I've tried it in. I like the 8X00 load(LE133 00), feels like a mild target load, cycles in my semis, and puts 8 .33cal pellets within about 4" out to 25 yards. It's true #1 is the smallest shot that can reliably penetrate 12" in bare gel, but being a mere 40gr they loose energy fast, and any barrier like clothing or cover will reduce penetration much more than heavier pellets or bullets at the same velocities, 00 ensures adequate penetration, especially in lighter loads.
EODJoe
Sic Semper Tyrannis
I have been a fan of #4 buckshot for home defense for a long time. I like the way it patterns out of my 870. I have a Surefire fore end on it and if the target is lit up by the light it will shortly be lit up by buckshot. Also the smaller pellets exhibit less over penetration of inside wall material. I still keep some #00 around but I like having 27 pellets versus 9.
- Dec 27, 2012
- 30,215
Don't overthink it.
00, #1, and #4 will all stop a threat inside your home.
00, #1, and #4 will all stop a threat inside your home.
jimbobborg
Oddball caliber fan
I'd check that it was capable of using magnum shot shells, just in case. I'm assuming this is the 1200 you posted about earlier?
Yes sir. I still have a lot to learn about the differences in shotgun shells.
A different viewpoint: Inside of a home, where shooting distances are but a few feet, a simple low brass target load of 1 1/8 ounce 7 1/2's will inflict terrible incapacitating wounds in an intruder. A few feet from the muzzle that handful of small shot is still clumped tightly together and will behave as egregiously as anything else. In the event of a miss on the other hand, said small shot won't go tearing through nearly as much drywall/plaster/lathing/etc. as buckshot will, offering a higher degree of safety for unseen innocents.
The added benefit of simply using birdshot loads is a lot less recoil, allowing for quicker reaction time between shots if dealing with multiple adversaries. That, and offering a newbie a cheaper and kinder/gentler recoiling load with which to practice with to get good with his gun.
If engagement may extend to outdoors (which opens up a whole other set of legal ramifications too), then the buckshot makes more sense.
The added benefit of simply using birdshot loads is a lot less recoil, allowing for quicker reaction time between shots if dealing with multiple adversaries. That, and offering a newbie a cheaper and kinder/gentler recoiling load with which to practice with to get good with his gun.
If engagement may extend to outdoors (which opens up a whole other set of legal ramifications too), then the buckshot makes more sense.
I've also found the Federal patterns to be noticeably tighter with the Flight Control wad vs. competitive brands I've tried. #1 buck can be hit or miss to find at times though. If you want #1, grab it when you see it.
d33rhunt3r
Pro Pizza Eater
That's what I have loaded and I got pooped on for that opinion on here a while back
kstone803
Official Meat Getter
Estate patterns well out of my guns and is cheap by the case when on sale at Midway. But I like federal too. Oh and the standard Remington patterns pretty decent too. Guess I don't have a preference except on sale.
Question about flight control wad for SD. If it keeps a 4 in circle to 25 yards at in home distances it's even smaller. Why not just use a slug then? I don't see the advantage other than possible minimization of overpenetration.
Question about flight control wad for SD. If it keeps a 4 in circle to 25 yards at in home distances it's even smaller. Why not just use a slug then? I don't see the advantage other than possible minimization of overpenetration.
No.
Birdshot fails the FBI minimum 12" of penetration test. Why is penetration important? 2 words, arms and bones. Your shot may have to push through an attackers raised arms, their arm bones and puncture the chest cavity to ensure an effective hit to stop the threat. Buckshot will do it, birdshot may but probably won't, not to mention the reduced perception of pain from adrenaline on the attackers part. As far as reducing recoil the reduced recoil loads of buckshot still perform admirably well and they likely won't notice the difference in velocity.
Birdshot is for birds says so right on the box.
alucard0822
For great Justice
You don't want the pellets to spread much, the further apart they get, the greater the risk that individual pellets will go in unintended directions, and assuming good shot placement there are fewer pellets in the center of mass. Good buckshot does it's damage by acting more like a pre-fragmented projectile with the pathways of the pellets running close and parallel, so they damage an area of vital tissue, when they spread before impact the damage is spread over a larger area, and the chances of incapacitation is reduced. The light weight also makes them more susceptible to deflecting off of bone compared to heavier projectiles, so a number of pellets striking the sternum or skull in a smaller area will penetrate more reliably than a single pellet hitting that area of bone.
You do bring up a good point about slugs though, in many cases they can be superior to shot when cover or heavy clothing is in the way, and there is only 1 projectile you need to worry about potentially heading off in an unintended direction. smoothbore Slugs can deform and expand to large diameters, and some HP sabot designs are very impressive, but require rifling to expand consistently. There are a couple anecdotal cases where birdshot at extremely close range(within a couple feet) can penetrate more than a couple inches as the shot column hits in a small area. Problem is shot cups vary in the distance they open up to release shot, and as soon as the shot column clears the cup and begins to spread it can't be trusted to penetrate and incapacitate an attacker, any barrier even clothing will quickly spead the force of the small diameter shot and reduce the close range effect..
Kman
Blah, blah, blah
This.
In home distances won't spread much. All will just kind of make a cookie cutter type hole.
MikeTF
Ultimate Member
OK...took all the advice and headed over to Cabela's. Someone mentioned that I need to get use to the shotgun which I totally get. With that in mind, I picked up a box of the 7.5 bird shot shells. and will use that initially when I finally get to the range. I also picked up some #1 buckshot shells. Grabbed a couple 12 gauge snap caps just to practice cycling the action. Looking into taking the Delaware Hunters Safety course. Since there is no rifle hunting in Delaware, it's done with shotguns. They have an indoor patterning board at Ommelanden range here. They allow 6 shells without any cost. They do allow buckshot on the range as well.
Somebody gave you some great advice, and it sounds from your purchases like you're well on your way to beginning to get used to that shotgun. There's absolutely no substitute for handling and shooting the hell out of that gun, as often as you can. You'll note a lot of things initially, the difference in recoil between that birdshot and that buckshot being one of them. You'll also at some point discover that it's possible to short stroke a pump gun, with the inherent jam. Especially likely to happen when you're attempting rapid follow up shots. Or if you're in cramped areas where your ability to move freely is somehow restricted. Anyway, a thought to keep in mind with that breed of shotgun. I love pumps and prefer them to semis myself, that's just me. But like most anything else, they do involve a learning curve. Good luck and have fun with yours!
The range allows birdshot?
