Birdshot for home defense--Another look
- Thread starter frayluisfan
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mpmarty
Member
My six rounds in the twelve are always 3 inch #4 buck magnums. Around here, bird shot won't even drop birds reliably from an 18" open bore barrel unless the bird perches on the muzzle.
Hardtarget
Member
For several years I loaded my shotgun in the "it gets meaner and nastier" as it goes method.
The first two were #8 light loads.
1.5 oz #4/BB duplex heavy turkey load.
#4 buck.
00 buck.
00 buck.
slug.
slug.
I changed a few years ago to first two #4 buck, then six of 00 buck.
I've never had to use it. Its just there.
Mark.
The first two were #8 light loads.
1.5 oz #4/BB duplex heavy turkey load.
#4 buck.
00 buck.
00 buck.
slug.
slug.
I changed a few years ago to first two #4 buck, then six of 00 buck.
I've never had to use it. Its just there.
Mark.
You obviously have never seen that video of the cop pulling over a former boxer, the ex-boxer takes two shots point blank through the belly from the cops service pistol then procedes to whip the crap out of the cop for the next 5 mins until back-up arrives. After being shot, yes everyone will eventually go down. The question is how long do they have to do damage after they are shot.
Shifty
Member
a shot cloud NEVER acts as a solid mass. even by the time it reaches the end of the barrel it has spread apart ever so slightly. granted a point blank blast will be very devestating, but at 10 feet much less so.
those dozens or hundreds of miniscule lightweight pellets all carry their own individual inertial force. they will all react independently of each other when it comes to penetration. the ones that hit an area already occupied by another portion of shot will be deflected.
basic physics.
think about a situation where you have to use a shotgun for self defense. do you really want to add another what-if to that scenario?? why gamble with the primary task at hand? prioritize.
those dozens or hundreds of miniscule lightweight pellets all carry their own individual inertial force. they will all react independently of each other when it comes to penetration. the ones that hit an area already occupied by another portion of shot will be deflected.
basic physics.
think about a situation where you have to use a shotgun for self defense. do you really want to add another what-if to that scenario?? why gamble with the primary task at hand? prioritize.
This is way too complicated. My Mossburg 500 with improved cylinder choke has 5 rounds of 00B. An elastic buttstock sleeve holds 5 more. It has slept under the mattress for years , I only shoot it every once in a great while. I play with a Rem870 for fun shooting.
If that doesn't do enough , it'll get me to my AR15.
I live in a house , not an apartment building , horsehair plaster , oak slat , insulation , 1-1/4 sheathing and clapboards for exterior walls. if I wreck both sides of the wall , it's me who has to fix it , but somehow I doubt that'll be my biggest worry by then.
If that doesn't do enough , it'll get me to my AR15.
I live in a house , not an apartment building , horsehair plaster , oak slat , insulation , 1-1/4 sheathing and clapboards for exterior walls. if I wreck both sides of the wall , it's me who has to fix it , but somehow I doubt that'll be my biggest worry by then.
I don't want to suggest that we reinvent the wheel, but it seems like this wet phone books and plywood shooting may well be fun but we know that properly calibrated ballistics gel is a better simulant of a bullet's performance in tissue. There are alot of these tests already out there from birdshot. Most of the birdshot I see kicking around is the cheap stuff and usually pretty small. Even #4 birdshot only penetrated 6.5 inches http://www.tacticalshotgun.ca/ballistics_shotgun.html
Number 1 birdshot wouldn't be my first choice but I'd choose it before a sharp stick. I think the better question would be why use birdshot if you have other options that are assured to penetrate to vital organs?
Number 1 birdshot wouldn't be my first choice but I'd choose it before a sharp stick. I think the better question would be why use birdshot if you have other options that are assured to penetrate to vital organs?
Dionysusigma
Member
Or we could just write the whole argument off as silly, and get Kevlar wallpaper. 
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