Duck & Goose loads for Home Defense?

[Library Guy]

This is a hypothetical question since I do not keep a shotgun for home defense.

Back in the early 1980’s, when I still bought and read gun magazines, the expert writers loved to recommend the 12 gauge with birdshot for home defense. The conventional wisdom these days is that birdshot is sadly lacking in penetration.

But that raises the question of duck and goose loads (as opposed to dove loads which I equate with birdshot) for around the house use. Would this be a viable alternative to buckshot and slugs?

An inquiring mind…

LG Roy

 

[MCgunner]

What in the WORLD is wrong with #3 buckshot? I know BB steel literally will BOUNCE OFF a goose's breast at 50 yards, seen it too, too many times. I started using heavy shot/tungsten iron on geese. At contact ranges, of course, I'm sure I wouldn't wanna be shot with it. It kills geese quite dead inside 40 yards, but looses its poop rapidly after 40 yards, not as dense as lead. Yeah, in a house, it'd likely work, but buckshot will likely work, too, and it's not any more expensive to load up, so what's the deal? You folks and your dove/duck loads can't find buckshot on the shelves???? I save my steel shot for waterfowl and load up with #3 Buck for home defense, personally.

 

[1911JMB]

Slugs. You can buy them anywhere.

 

[PointOneSeven]

I like the pattern from a heavy birdshot. But patterns don't matter as much at 15 feet.

 

[redneckrepairs]

In the pre steel shot days whe shot a lot of 4 buck as a goose load , I wouldnt feel under guned with that , but would not go any smaller for home defense . For general police/defense use tho we went 00 buck or slugs depending on the situation when we unracked the shotty.

 

[krimmie]

"You folks and your dove/duck loads can't find buckshot on the shelves???? I save my steel shot for waterfowl and load up with #3 Buck for home defense, personally."

Yeah but steel shot is nontoxic.

 

[MCgunner]

Lord, wouldn't wanna get sued if I gave him lead poisoning or something. ROFLMAO!

 

[Fred Fuller]

I'll stick with 00 buck at 1600FPS for close range and one ounce Brenneke slugs further out, thanks.

lpl/nc

 

[556A2]

^

Same as above except my 00 Buck is 1325 FPS, and I like Speer Lawman Slugs.

 

[bearmgc]

Duck and Goose loads, I sure wouldn't hesitate to use it if that's all I had, and I wouldn't turn down any if given to me. There's folks who probably have some sitting around after turning to nontoxic Tungsten loads. I keep some steel stuff in the camper during the summer along with slugs and buckshot. I can't use it on waterfowl anymore, where I hunt, so just keep on hand for whatever.

 

[Jacka L Ope]

For home defense, my shotgun is loaded with 00 Buck.

 

[Dave McCracken]

00 just plain works....

 

[Sergeant Sabre]

At in-the-same-room-as-you distance, I think it would be hard to beat 00 buck. If you have to use a waterfowl load, though, I would presume a 1-ounce load of #4 or larger heavi-shot would put a hurtin' on somebody.

 

[MCgunner]

Duck and Goose loads, I sure wouldn't hesitate to use it if that's all I had, and I wouldn't turn down any if given to me. There's folks who probably have some sitting around after turning to nontoxic Tungsten loads. I keep some steel stuff in the camper during the summer along with slugs and buckshot. I can't use it on waterfowl anymore, where I hunt, so just keep on hand for whatever.

How come you can't use steel? They mandate Tungsten/Iron??? That's weird. Steel does a good job over decoys inside 40 yards.

 

[koja48]

0 buck . . . but if I suspected my home was going to be invaded by waterfowl, I might consider duck & goose loads . . . wouldn't want a bad bird to slip through a hole in the pattern . . .