Mike1234567
member
It's the same way everywhere... What is the saying? "When seconds count it's comforting to know the police are just minutes away"?
Best choice for home defense?
- Thread starter Rykkaru
- Start date
- Status
It's the same way everywhere... What is the saying? "When seconds count it's comforting to know the police are just minutes away"?
Yeah, I know. That's a nice saying
mgkdrgn
Member
If you have NO other firearm, I would think the first thing you should get is a good pump action shotgun. Except for concealed carry, it can do just about every job that needs to be done. For use in the home I'd like the barrel to be a bit shorter, but 24" will work. Get yourself a good used Wingmaster and if you take care of it your grand kids will still be shooting it 60 years from now.
You won't need a "magnum" ... 2 3/4 shells will be MORE than adequate to get the job done. If you can find some "low recoil" rounds, so much the better.
Avoid slugs (IMHO) ... single projectile, WAY too much penetration in a building. 00 buckshot (or actually #1 if you can find it) will give you a pattern (ie, better chance of a hit) and will disperse it's energy much faster over distance than the slug.
And, when it's not doing HD duty ... take it out and shot some trap, skeet and sporting clays. Try that with a 38 special!
You won't need a "magnum" ... 2 3/4 shells will be MORE than adequate to get the job done. If you can find some "low recoil" rounds, so much the better.
Avoid slugs (IMHO) ... single projectile, WAY too much penetration in a building. 00 buckshot (or actually #1 if you can find it) will give you a pattern (ie, better chance of a hit) and will disperse it's energy much faster over distance than the slug.
And, when it's not doing HD duty ... take it out and shot some trap, skeet and sporting clays. Try that with a 38 special!
Owen Sparks
member
- Joined
- May 27, 2007
- Messages
- 4,523
I second #1 Buck as the best choice IF you can find it. Use cheap birdshot for practice.
quietman
Member
Best choice? - what you enjoy shooting and will therefore practice with on a regular basis.
Hey guys, I think I found the solution to my problem! I don't want the 12 gauge shotgun because it's too big due to the barrel length limit and I'm not a big fan of the .38 revolver because it's not as effective (when compared to a shotgun). It appears that 20 gauge shotguns have no limits for barrel length (by law). I'm thinking about buying one. What do you think? I can choose any barrel length for the 20 gauge. What barrel length do you recommend? What load do you recommend? The store owner I visited recommended me #2 or #3 buckshot for the 20 gauge. What do you think? Is it a good solution?
mgkdrgn
Member
That will work -just- fine. Good job "threading the legal needle" to find a good solution.
The #2 or #3 buckshot will work ok at HD ranges. As for the barrel .. find out just how short you can legally make it, and get one 2 or 3 cm longer (just in case!). Limit here in the US is 18 inches ... so you find a lot of 18 1/4 inch barrels.
The #2 or #3 buckshot will work ok at HD ranges. As for the barrel .. find out just how short you can legally make it, and get one 2 or 3 cm longer (just in case!). Limit here in the US is 18 inches ... so you find a lot of 18 1/4 inch barrels.
20 Gauge will be fine.
IMO, 00 Buck is what you want, if it is available. Many people want something else due to "less penetration." I look at it this way... If it won't penetrate drywall in your home (which is pretty easy), it won't penetrate enough bad guy. Police, Military don't use #4 Buck or Birdshot for a reason.
You will need to think about how to engage an intruder in your home so that other people in the home or neighbors are not at risk.
Also, shotguns are very utilitarian guns. Lots of uses. Good luck.
IMO, 00 Buck is what you want, if it is available. Many people want something else due to "less penetration." I look at it this way... If it won't penetrate drywall in your home (which is pretty easy), it won't penetrate enough bad guy. Police, Military don't use #4 Buck or Birdshot for a reason.
You will need to think about how to engage an intruder in your home so that other people in the home or neighbors are not at risk.
Also, shotguns are very utilitarian guns. Lots of uses. Good luck.
Mike1234567
member
WHAT?? NO LIMIT on 20 gauge barrel length?? Heck... get a 14 inch and shoot anything between #4 and #00 then!! A good combo, IMHO, is #4 for the first 2 rounds followed by #00.
Yes, but the walls here are made of brick
Youngster
Member
There is no 00 buck for 20, just #2 an #3 buck, that isn't a bad thing as I think the 20 gauge loads with their 18-20 pellets of adequate size and easy controllability are pretty efficient.
As to barrel length, if you can find a 12-14 inch barrel, that would be great as a shotgun with that barrel length is barely more trouble to manage indoors than a handgun IMO.
OTOH I don't find an 18" barrel shotgun to be particularily handy when going from room to room indoors, not much better than a 24" setup actually.
Oh, that explains a lot. I'm going with #2 buckshot. The shotgun with the smallest barrel length I found was 18"
Mike1234567
member
NOT true...
Mike1234567
member
EXCELLENT choice!!
Strykervet
member
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2010
- Messages
- 1,610
Hey, we must have the same police force!
Based on those choices, I'd definitely go with the shotgun.
sidheshooter
Member
Double check that length law. But, if true, I'd also keep looking for a 14" pump in 20 with #3 (IIRC, the most efficient payload due to the way the balls pack into the space, and a great trade off; much of the payload of #4 12 gauge buck, with less recoil).
Full shoulder stock, of course, but that 14 inch barrel gets my tail wagging. Any shorter and you probably start cutting into mag capacity.
If I could legally own one where I live, I would, in a heart beat.
That said, 18" has been doing the job for longer than any of us have been alive.
A good primer article, discussing the 20, by a good writer:
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/ayoob120.html
Full shoulder stock, of course, but that 14 inch barrel gets my tail wagging. Any shorter and you probably start cutting into mag capacity.
If I could legally own one where I live, I would, in a heart beat.
That said, 18" has been doing the job for longer than any of us have been alive.
A good primer article, discussing the 20, by a good writer:
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/ayoob120.html
mgkdrgn
Member
THAT will be an excellent combination ... good job.
burntgraphite
Member
My $.02... 20 guage is an excellent choice for HD, and you can shoot skeet (snicker). Me, I use a tomahawk for home defense. Only had to brandish it once, and never had to fire it at home
Youngster
Member
It seems you are correct sir, however the factory 20 gauge 00 seems to be all from tiny custom outfits and probably isn't available in a foreign country like Brazil. I don't really see the point anyway, the usual 20 gauge buck sizes make a lot more sense.
Mike1234567
member
Last edited:
Al Thompson
Moderator Emeritus
Mike, wonder how many pellets are in each cartridge?
FWIW, I've seen several deer killed with 20 ga buck and it works fine.
FWIW, I've seen several deer killed with 20 ga buck and it works fine.
Mike1234567
member
Not many because #00 doesn't pack efficiently in 20ga, which is why it's uncommon, so #3 buck is probably a better option for 20ga... either that or some of the "specialty SD" ammo.
AND... I must eat my words when I posted that 20ga #00 buck is an excellent choice since it seems that #3 or "maybe" #2 packs more efficiently.
Fred Fuller
Moderator Emeritus
Since this one has stayed focused on hardware not software, I'm moving it from ST&T to GGD. Didn't intend for it to take this long, but I had to buy a new computer to do it with....
lpl
.lpl
- Status
Similar threads
