Defensive Shotgun Ammo

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

I recently picked up a Mossberg 12 guage. It's a home defense or police type weapon, not a sporting gun. I never really inteded to use it for defense, but the longer it sits in the safe the more I wonder whether it really belongs in the bedroom.

I have a few questions about using the thing for defense, but the biggest is what type of ammunition to use. I know the general rule is 00 buck for close ranges, and slugs for farther out. But why not use slugs for all of it? Does 00 buckshot provide any advantage over slugs (at close range)?

I understand that a load of buckshot is the equivilent of 8 or 10 handgun bullets all delivered at the same time. That's some serious firepower. But slugs are MASSIVE, something like a .75 caliber, 450 grain bullet at some 1300 fps. That's also serious firepower. Does it really make a difference which of these I use?

So is there anything wrong with just filling up the tube with 7 slugs and leaving it at that?

 

[Fred Fuller]

If it's for indoor use only, buck will do nicely as long as the goblins aren't hiding behind the fridge or the sofa. Multiple wound tracks from a close range load of buckshot are sometimes better stoppers, slugs are pretty definitive as well but may tend to overpenetrate a bit and upset nearby neighbors. I keep 00 buck in the magazine and slugs in the sidesaddle my own self, YMMV.

lpl/nc

 

[goon]

I would be afraid of a slug punching right through and killing a neighbor in the next apartment or a family member in another room.
You said it yourself: something like 450 grain, about 75 caliber, and moving at about 1300 FPS. Going to have to hit something substantial to stop going.
In addition to being like emptying a full mag of handgun ammo at once, buck is also alot more likely to stop when it hits an intruder or when it hits a wall. I load mine with two rounds of Remington 2.75in No. 4 buck followed by two rounds of Winchester 0 buck. The No.4 totally sprays the crap out of a silouhette at 15 yards. A single .21 caliber pellet is less likely to penetrate a wall than a pellet of 0 or 00 buck is so I load two of them first. If they don't work I still have two rounds 0 buck backing it up. I also keep the mag downloaded by one so I can just stick any round I need to in the mag and chamber it as needed.

 

[Rob62]

One reason many people don't use or recomend slugs for indoor defensive use is the possibility of overpenetration of the target.

I doubt anyone would say that slugs are not a definitive "stopper" if the BG is hit with one. (There are exceptions to this)

Also if there is a total miss of the target, then the likelyhood that the slug will penetrate mutiple walls is higher than if using buck shot or best choice IMHO bird shot.

Rob

 

[Nnobby45]

At very close range, buckshot is just as effective as slugs. Maybe more so, considering the bowling pin effect of the buckshot hitting one another, and violently going in different directions (like bowling pins). With buckshot, there's a point where the pattern is both large and dense enough that you may stop an assailant with less precision than required from a slug. Remember, that a shotgun, even with buck, is still a weapon that requires a pretty fair amount of precision. Slugs require more. At very close range, both require the same amount.

 

[bpisler]

Whatever type of buckshot or slugs
you decide to go with try them out
in your own shotgun.Patterns can
vary depending on the shotgun,size
of the buckshot and brand.

 

[pauli]

knowing how the ammo behaves in your gun is more important, to my mind, than what specific type of ammo you're using.

 

[DBR]

My choice: Federal 00 reduced recoil LE buckshot. http://www.ammoman.com/ Still requires aimed shots, It usually only spreads 12-16" at 25 yds from cyl bore. Less likely to penetrate barriers then slugs. Lighter shot will not provide adequate penetration through clothing like leather jackets even at close range. Any size of birdshot should not be considered for defense purposes. Even #4 buckshot is marginal.

For ranges beyond 25yds I have had good results with Remington "Slugger" full power slugs. They are usually fairly accurate and they expand pretty well.

 

[dfaugh]

Don't ask howI know...

"buck will do nicely as long as the goblins aren't hiding behind the fridge or the sofa."

Actually I keep mine loaded with S&B 3" 15 pellet buck...Spreads out nicely from my 20" cylinder bore Mossberg, even at short range... And it'll go clean through a refrigerator, washing machine or dryer, at least if they're empty

 

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

I know you said not to ask, but I'm going to anyway.

How do you know how well buckshot penetrates furniture and appliances?

 

[Bullet]

Headless Thompson Gunner

You might check out these -

http://www.firearmstactical.com/briefs10.htm

http://www.tacticalshotgun.ca/ballistics_shotgun.html

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3.htm

 

[Nnobby45]

"buck will do nicely as long as the goblins aren't hiding behind the fridge or the sofa."

The fridge, yes, but the sofa doesn't provide much protection from 00 buck. #4 buck and below, I would agree.

We've all read about #1 buck as being the best with respect to shot size and density. However, 00 buck in LE low recoil versions works so well that there isn't any major interest in changing a thing.