Patterned my home defense scattergun

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WheelMan

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The cannon on the battlements of my castle is a Mossberg 590A1 (I'm left handed, if that makes any Remington fans feel better)

Anyway, I went out the other day to check the sights and get some patterns.

My house is an oddly laid out affair. Opposite the front door in the living room is a portal leading to the computer room, opposite that portal in the computer room is another leading into the kitchen. On the other side of the kitchen is the door to the garage. So if you're standing at the front door and the garage door in the kitchen is open you can see all the way through those rooms to the opposite wall of the garage... which is also the opposite exterior wall. A total distance of about 50 feet. It would be an extremely odd circumstance to have to take this shot but it is possible.

The living room/computer/room and kitchen are all rectangular and the previously described view is across the narrow aspect of each room. In any one room the longest shot is about 20 feet.

So giving all of that I decided to pattern at 21 and 50 feet and give more "weight" to the results at 21.

I'm using federal reduced tactical loads. #4, 00 and 000

I discovered that the bigger the shot the tighter the pattern, at least with these loads and my gun. That being said the #4 pattern wasn't terrible bigger than the 000. Overall I'm looking at about 2-3 inches at 21 feet and 12-16 inches at 50.

I was hoping that the patterning data would help me decide which load to to use, it hasn't really, but it has made me confident that any of them can put a pretty good amount of lead on target.

I'm thinking I might get some #1 and try that.
 
Kudos! You went and did. You and yours are MUCH better prepared to handle crisis management now.

As to 1 buck, it's the stepchild of the family, and for no good reason. Tighter patterning than 3 or 4, less chance of overpenetration than 00.

And I can easily forgive your 590. The shotgun's not nearly as important as training, expertise and mindset. Good work!
 
Ditto what Dave said.

As a "general rule" [ahem] larger shot usually patterns tighter because of less deformity upon being fired.

I'd suggest just trying 5 packs of various Brands and shot sizes...slugs too since your actually going out and testing. One will show up as being best in YOUR gun and for YOUR req's.

Dunno, but as a general rule across the board test dealie I have had the old Win XB1200 ( 2 3/4 " 9 pellet 00) worked pretty well...each gun is different, but at least a starting point, or felt comfortble enough to suggest until a person could actually get out and test as you have.

Definitions:

"Shotgun Absolutes": There ain't one.

"General Rule": It's like a fella with a shotgun and a dime thinking he can check his bore with the dime to know what patterns he'll throw...what he actually discovers he has a shotgun and a dime.
 
50 yards isn't a defensive range. However, with the pattern you're getting at that range use the 4 buck. More pellets. Just remember that when the pucker factor is high, your 2-3" at 21 yards is friggn' small. Therefore, shoulder aimed shots only.
 
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