Home Defense Loads? 12 Gauge

[.357MagTaurus]

Back again with another question. What brand and size shot is recommended for Home Defense applications in a 12 Gauge (Pardner Protector) with an 18" barrel? Also, part two of my question is: Does anyone know if the newer Pardner Protector models have swivels for attaching a sling? Thanks.

 

[AcceptableUserName]

It will all make a ghastly hole. That's why you bought a shotgun. If you want to be technical, 2 3/4" Hornady TAP and Federal Tactical Flitewad 00 buck are probably the boutique brands, personally I am fine with a fully loaded tube with 3" Federal Vital Shok 00 in my 590 and 2 3/4" Federal Vital Shok 00 buck in my 500.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I like the managed recoil loads. They are short range rounds for short range propositions and dont kill your shoulder and surround you with blast, and flash.

 

[Hungry Seagull]

Wife has managed recoil slugs, I use short range brenneke slugs that has sufficient energy to get the job done, armored or not.

 

[model of 1905]

Winchester Ranger Reduced Recoil 2.75" 1 ounce slugs. I believe they will work just fine OR 2.75" #4 Buckshot. I'm very comfortable with either for HD.

 

[csd4682]

I bought my pardner protector about 6mo ago and it does have the swivles. What ever round you decide to shoot know that you are going to get quite a kick with the 18" barrel.

 

[CustomGunworks]

If you have a house full of kids use trap loads there not "tactical"
and flashy but they will not go through very wall in your house
if you miss. Not saying your going to miss but in the heat of the moment
when there is some guy pointing a gun at you it will not be like at the range.
Trap loads with 7 1/2 lead shot will dump most if not all its energy in
the bad guy or wall it meets.

Just my two cents !!
CG

 

[wnycollector]

I am currently using fiocchi low recoil 00 buck in my maverick 88. It patterns great and is fairly inexpensive.

 

[chuckusaret]

I don't have kids to worry about and I have a BB in the chamber followered by 7 rifled slugs. I follow the saying: Birdshot is for the birds, buckshot is for the buck and slugs are for the thugs.

 

[SnakeLogan]

Remington 2 3/4 00 12 pellets.

 

[BCCL]

I don't have kids to worry about and I have a BB in the chamber followered by 7 rifled slugs. I follow the saying: Birdshot is for the birds, buckshot is for the buck and slugs are for the thugs.

Any other houses close to yours?

 

[FireInCairo]

I bought some Remington Express 00 Buck. It's got a lower than normal recoil, but with typical stopping power of a 12 gauge shot.

 

[christcorp]

I trained in a "Hot House". (Designed to shoot at walls to see what happens). I found that if KIDs or apartment walls are a factor; a 6 or 7 1/2 birdshot works great. On people, it is just about as effective as buck shot at 20 feet. But walls will resist it. If you are in a free standing house and aren't worried about pass through; the 4 buck in a 3" magnum is my preferred best.

As you can see, in a 3" magnum shell, the 4 buck has more pellets, but because the distance is so short, the damage will be about the same with a lot less kick.

12 3" 1,210 15 Pellets 00 Buck
12 3" 1,210 41 Pellets 4 Buck

And the pellets in the 4 buck are .24 gauge; while the 00 buck are .33 gauge. So; what the ACTUAL affect? Well it depends on how you look at it. A 4 buck is like 41 25 caliber pistols shooting you simultaneously with bullets going 1210 ft per second. With a 00 buck; it's like having 15 32 caliber pistols shooting you simultaneously at 1210 ft per second. Either way; it's going to hurt. 00 buck is great for long distances compared to 4 buck. But for the average home; the max distance of shooting will not be more than about 30 feet. At such a distance, 4 or 00 is just as dangerous to the target. But 4 is easier on the shooter and better for everyone if you miss. One of the main purposes behind the development of 4 buck was for tactical police and military use. http://www.securityprousa.com/4bushtaenga.html

Now; if you're going to shoot 50+ feet; or trying to shoot THROUGH things; then take the 00 or 000 buck. But for shooting people in your house, the 4 buck is great. It's almost the perfect round. Of course, just my opinion.

 

[BCCL]

I trained in a "Hot House". (Designed to shoot at walls to see what happens). I found that if KIDs or apartment walls are a factor; a 6 or 7 1/2 birdshot works great.

This weeks episode of "The Best Defense" on Outdoor Channel, tested a few handguns, rifles and shotgun rounds on walls of sheetrock, and for .12ga they reached the same conclusion.

00 Buckshot went through 3 walls, that had 2 sheets of sheetrock on each...6 panels of sheetrock spread out almost 30 feet from first to last, and 00 Buck penetrated all the way through.

Birdshot barely made it through one sheet, but at the same distance on an adult sized dummy, made a nasty hit.

 

[AcceptableUserName]

I assume they're testing with 2 3/4"....would 3 inch magnums penetrating even more or just the same only with more pellets through?

 

[DAVIDSDIVAD]

I use run of the mill #4 buck.

If you're so worried about using birdshot due to missing you need to train more, I think.

 

[JImbothefiveth]

Back again with another question. What brand and size shot is recommended for Home Defense applications in a 12 Gauge (Pardner Protector) with an 18" barrel?

Do you have any kids or people living in your house in a different room than you? Do you have thin apartment walls? Is there another house close to you, and if so, how thick are your walls?

If you ddon't have anyone living in a different room than you, and buckshot won't go in to your neighbors house, then 00 is what the police use.

but at the same distance on an adult sized dummy, made a nasty hit.

The problem is that small birdshot won't reach far enough to have good stopping power.

 

[-v-]

Pritty much any 00-buck shot load will do you fine. Remember, its a shotgun, not a pistol, ammo selection isn't that vital, and most of the boutique rounds at the end of the day are nothing more then your run of the mill unplated lead 00 buck in a fancy shot cup. Sure they will pattern better and fly farther, but in a typical HD scenario 30 FEET is probably the maximum range you will be shooting at, with averages being at 5-10 ft.

I'm personally a bit leery of #4 buck, as I heard that it might not penetrate to the 12" minimum. Thus, my preference is 00-buck. A deer and a thug weigh about the same, and 00-buck doesn't seem to have too much trouble putting the former down.

As others have also said, bird shot is for birds, buck and slug is for thugs. Anything that's going to do enough damage to a bad guy to get him to stop and reconsider his actions, is going to penetrate walls. There are no magic bullets or ray-guns. Practice often, and shoot with confidence.

Also, I stoke my Moss.500 with Winchester Super-X 9-pellet 00. Recoil is on par/touch less then a target loads, makes training much cheaper and easier.

 

[BCCL]

I assume they're testing with 2 3/4".

I don't recall if it was 2 3/4 or 3.

 

[sm]

Note: I only use 2 3/4" shells for 12 ga.
I have not accepted low recoil loadings either, especially the one Win does.

So I have some Brenneke Slugs, various nine pellet 00 buck, some are factory, some have buffering, some are reloads with factory buffering or grits, for buffering.
I think I still have some of the old Winchester /Western 12 ga slugs and 00 buck that came in 25 rd boxes. We bought these by the case, actually by the pallet.

I don't own a 12 ga. *snicker*
The only darn shotgun I have is a youth single shot in 20 bore...
I gots loads for a 12 ga though.

Heck, I bet I still have some 32 gauge loads around here as well...along with the 28 and .410.

Just gimme a shotgun, some loads, and I can run what I brung.

 

[ilmonster]

First, I'm surprised how many folks use slugs for HD. Every time I see a test of SG loads, the slugs always go through multiple walls (layers of sheetrock). Can you say neighbors?
Back to orig. question. I have patterned Rem. Reduced Recoil 00 buck, Federal Tactical RR 00 buck, and Rem. game load in #6 at 1290 fps in my 870P and Supernova. All pattern real tight, but I'm not sure which to use. 00 buck will get the job done no question, but using a birdshot load would certainly fly better if I ever was put in the position of defending my choice of equipment in civil court. Plus, the longest shot in my house would be 20'.

 

[christcorp]

Jimbo; while it's true that most police use 00 buck in their shot guns; it's because they don't know if they will be shooting 20 feet away or 20 yards or more away. But if you ask police officers about shot gun shells for typical short distances; like in a residential home; you will find that they would lean towards the 4 buck shell. But again; they don't have the luxury of swapping out depending on the situation. Plus; they train a lot more than the common home owner. But for less penetration; more pellets; better spread; just as good against people out to 50 feet; and less kick; the 4 buck 3" is a better all around indoor residential shotgun shell. If you can't shoot 3", then 4 buck is probably even better compared to a 9 pellet 00 shell. Then again; if I only had a shotgun for home defense; and depending on my stature; I'd choose a .410 shotgun. It's tough to find; but getting some 000 buck or slug is a great home defense gun. Surpassing a 44 magnum; yet easier for the shooter.

 

[hlq]

I use Federal 2 3/4 00 buck in my HD gun. I'm not overly worried about over penetration as my house has 24" adobe walls. I do have a few Brenneke KO's that I carry for it in the truck also. Like my dog, the 45 the 870 goes with me pretty much everywhere.

 

[mgkdrgn]

Personally, for =home= defense (ie, INSIDE the home) I like to use something with good knockdown power close in, but that is going to dissipate it's energy quickly so that it won't exit the house and be a danger to my neighbors.

For me, #1 buckshot fits that bill nicely. I know lots of folks like to use slugs, but remember those things kick like a$$, and any misses are likely to exit your home unless they hit something -really- solid along the way (like a refrigerator AND a stove). That stray lead, and what ever it happens to hit in the end, is your responsibility.

 

[Youngster]

I use #4 buck in my thin walled condo.