Panzerschwein
member
Hello everyone! Well I have been meaning to do this for a while, and decided now is a good time to do so since I just bought an H&R Pardner in 20 gauge, a shotgun that I've long been meaning to get. I already have a Pardner in 12 gauge, that I had professionally cut down to make an 18.5" barreled "single shot coach gun" if you will, and while it's a marvelous shooter, the heavy recoil of that small light gun gave me impetus to seek a 20 gauge version out. Finally, I got one this week. It is a model SB1-021, which is the full-size smooth bore model with 26" barrel and bead front sight.
The gun was NIB when I bought it, and I specifically sought a new one due to the fact that H&R 1871 is no longer in business as of earlier this year, which is a huge shame. However, the Pardner single shot shotguns will continue to live on for decades to come. Countless thousands have been made during it's production life, and even some of the very early guns can still be found in the corners of old homesteads and barns, perhaps battered on the outside but still fully serviceable. One can imagine bailing wire and duct tape holding these old trusty guns together, and while worn they still have years of faithful service left. There are also of course numerous guns in new condition, like mine, and they will continue to live on for years to come. Here is my new shotgun:
My gun, at least for now, stands at the end of a long pedigree of reliable, versatile, and fantastically simple weapons known as the Pardner single shot shotgun. You all probably have seen these guns for sale, often found in the used rack of your favorite corner gun store. They are well known as a hunter's first shotgun, due to the simplicity and straightforwardness of loading and firing. They are also known as an economical choice, popular with those who can afford nothing better, at least in their present situation whatever it may be. The reader might think of these simple shotguns as something to pass over in favor of a choice that offers better firepower, but firepower is not the big draw to these shotguns. The Pardner and other single shots also are beloved by a group of enthusiasts who value the durability, light weight, and ease of use of this particular style of scattergun... a club that I am shamelessly a part of.
What are these guns good for? Many things, just like any shotgun. They are a joy to hunt with for one. While the need for a fast follow up shot is an undeniable necessity in certain hunting disciplines, the average shotgunner will find that for most game hunting, they are only going to get one clean shot on the animal. The single shot shotgun is fantastic for hunting due to the fact that it is, needless to say, built to fire just one round of ammunition at a time. With that comes a compact action that is lighter in weight and more handy than almost any other hunting gun available, pointing and carrying beautifully. Scarcely heavier or bulkier than a bolt action .22 rimfire rifle, yet offering the power and performance only a shotgun can deliver in the field. Naturally, with such light guns firing heavy loads, recoil can be a problem, but with proper load selection and the use of various recoil-reduction devices, it becomes largely a non-issue.
Aside from the obvious use as a hunting gun, or in the interim of serving in the game fields, these shotguns give ubiquitous service as "kitchen door guns" all over the world. Being handy, powerful and affordable, they lend themselves to being propped up in the corned or hung above the proverbial kitchen door, ready at a moments notice to dispatch a pesky varmint of the four legged and two legged variety.
It is the latter "varmint" that this post will focus on. Yes, that's right, these single shot shotguns can and have been put to use for the purposes of self defense against violent human aggressors. At first glance, it might seem as if the single shot was totally obsolete for this purpose, especially today when various pump action and even semi-automatic shotguns are available for the budget minded.
Still, thousands everywhere don't have a pump or a semi-auto. Right now, they have a single shot shotgun... and that is reason enough to be as proficient in it's use as a defense long gun as possible. Let's look at, or rather watch what an expert has to say on the subject:
Here is a YouTube video featuring Clint Smith running a single shot shotgun with self preservation in mind. Notice his technique. It's more or less the same technique that I use.
Here is the same technique used by me at the range today with my new 20 gauge pardner. In the video, I am using an Allen brand elastic side saddle, which is an excellent and very inexpensive accessory for anyone with a single shot shotgun, or any shotgun for that matter. As you can clearly see, you can keep a steady stream of buckshot flying downrange without too much drama. I am quite out of practice, I've only had this gun for two days and this is the second time I've fired it, and it's been some time since I've shot my 12 gauge cut down version. Speaking of that, here is a picture of my 12 gauge 18.5" Pardner with a Smith and Wesson J-frame for a size comparison:
As you can see, this shotgun is very compact. The lack of action length means these guns are inherently going to be at least three inches shorter than a repeating shotgun with the same length barrel. Even my new 20 gauge with it's 26" barrel is still a handy weapon. This is a great thing for a weapon meant to be used at close range, like the smooth bore shotgun.
As for what ammunition to use for the purposes of home defense, it's no different than any other shotgun. A good rule of thumb is to use 2 3/4" shells in these single shots. This reduces recoil compared to the 3" magnum shells these guns are often chambered in, but still offer plenty of effectiveness. Choose a shot size that gives adequate penetration in flesh, and that also limits overpenetration risks. There are a multitude of online tests that have been conducted that showcase performance of various birdshot and buckshot round in ballistics gelatin, widely regarded as the most realistic testing media for home a projectile behaves in human flesh. Birdshot is generally not recommend for defense against humans due to it's limited penetration, but it makes for excellent training ammo and makes short work of paper targets at the range or other objects you might be plinking at:
For my 12 gauge Pardner, I use Winchester 2 3/4" #1 buckshot loads that pack 16 .30 caliber pellets per shell. For my 20 gauge Pardner, I am going to be purchasing some Remington 2 3/4" #3 buckshot loads with 20 .25 caliber pellets per shell.
Few will argue with the shotgun's effect on target during the close range violent encounters of a home defense situation. While you might only have one round in the chamber, the fact that it's a charge of buckshot is a very good thing. As for the single shot shotgun itself, I can think of no other gun out there that is as easy or safe to operate for the novice, yet can still be reloaded quickly as needed. There is a good reason why these are a popular first firearm.
If you find yourself out there with nothing more than a single shot shotgun, or have one available as a secondary home defense option, I hope you find this article enlightening. These weapons, while limited in firepower compared to other options, are nonetheless very capable of self defense with the proper training and very little else. If you don't have a single shot shotgun, they can be had for low prices and are often in good condition despite age or prior use. They are as much fun to shoot as any shotgun I can think of, and the same reasons why they are such nice hunting guns are the same reasons why they're a joy to just go plinking with. These are rugged tools, built to last, and will be with you till the end, and then some.
Thanks for reading, and take care!
The gun was NIB when I bought it, and I specifically sought a new one due to the fact that H&R 1871 is no longer in business as of earlier this year, which is a huge shame. However, the Pardner single shot shotguns will continue to live on for decades to come. Countless thousands have been made during it's production life, and even some of the very early guns can still be found in the corners of old homesteads and barns, perhaps battered on the outside but still fully serviceable. One can imagine bailing wire and duct tape holding these old trusty guns together, and while worn they still have years of faithful service left. There are also of course numerous guns in new condition, like mine, and they will continue to live on for years to come. Here is my new shotgun:
My gun, at least for now, stands at the end of a long pedigree of reliable, versatile, and fantastically simple weapons known as the Pardner single shot shotgun. You all probably have seen these guns for sale, often found in the used rack of your favorite corner gun store. They are well known as a hunter's first shotgun, due to the simplicity and straightforwardness of loading and firing. They are also known as an economical choice, popular with those who can afford nothing better, at least in their present situation whatever it may be. The reader might think of these simple shotguns as something to pass over in favor of a choice that offers better firepower, but firepower is not the big draw to these shotguns. The Pardner and other single shots also are beloved by a group of enthusiasts who value the durability, light weight, and ease of use of this particular style of scattergun... a club that I am shamelessly a part of.
What are these guns good for? Many things, just like any shotgun. They are a joy to hunt with for one. While the need for a fast follow up shot is an undeniable necessity in certain hunting disciplines, the average shotgunner will find that for most game hunting, they are only going to get one clean shot on the animal. The single shot shotgun is fantastic for hunting due to the fact that it is, needless to say, built to fire just one round of ammunition at a time. With that comes a compact action that is lighter in weight and more handy than almost any other hunting gun available, pointing and carrying beautifully. Scarcely heavier or bulkier than a bolt action .22 rimfire rifle, yet offering the power and performance only a shotgun can deliver in the field. Naturally, with such light guns firing heavy loads, recoil can be a problem, but with proper load selection and the use of various recoil-reduction devices, it becomes largely a non-issue.
Aside from the obvious use as a hunting gun, or in the interim of serving in the game fields, these shotguns give ubiquitous service as "kitchen door guns" all over the world. Being handy, powerful and affordable, they lend themselves to being propped up in the corned or hung above the proverbial kitchen door, ready at a moments notice to dispatch a pesky varmint of the four legged and two legged variety.
It is the latter "varmint" that this post will focus on. Yes, that's right, these single shot shotguns can and have been put to use for the purposes of self defense against violent human aggressors. At first glance, it might seem as if the single shot was totally obsolete for this purpose, especially today when various pump action and even semi-automatic shotguns are available for the budget minded.
Still, thousands everywhere don't have a pump or a semi-auto. Right now, they have a single shot shotgun... and that is reason enough to be as proficient in it's use as a defense long gun as possible. Let's look at, or rather watch what an expert has to say on the subject:
Here is a YouTube video featuring Clint Smith running a single shot shotgun with self preservation in mind. Notice his technique. It's more or less the same technique that I use.
Here is the same technique used by me at the range today with my new 20 gauge pardner. In the video, I am using an Allen brand elastic side saddle, which is an excellent and very inexpensive accessory for anyone with a single shot shotgun, or any shotgun for that matter. As you can clearly see, you can keep a steady stream of buckshot flying downrange without too much drama. I am quite out of practice, I've only had this gun for two days and this is the second time I've fired it, and it's been some time since I've shot my 12 gauge cut down version. Speaking of that, here is a picture of my 12 gauge 18.5" Pardner with a Smith and Wesson J-frame for a size comparison:
As you can see, this shotgun is very compact. The lack of action length means these guns are inherently going to be at least three inches shorter than a repeating shotgun with the same length barrel. Even my new 20 gauge with it's 26" barrel is still a handy weapon. This is a great thing for a weapon meant to be used at close range, like the smooth bore shotgun.
As for what ammunition to use for the purposes of home defense, it's no different than any other shotgun. A good rule of thumb is to use 2 3/4" shells in these single shots. This reduces recoil compared to the 3" magnum shells these guns are often chambered in, but still offer plenty of effectiveness. Choose a shot size that gives adequate penetration in flesh, and that also limits overpenetration risks. There are a multitude of online tests that have been conducted that showcase performance of various birdshot and buckshot round in ballistics gelatin, widely regarded as the most realistic testing media for home a projectile behaves in human flesh. Birdshot is generally not recommend for defense against humans due to it's limited penetration, but it makes for excellent training ammo and makes short work of paper targets at the range or other objects you might be plinking at:
For my 12 gauge Pardner, I use Winchester 2 3/4" #1 buckshot loads that pack 16 .30 caliber pellets per shell. For my 20 gauge Pardner, I am going to be purchasing some Remington 2 3/4" #3 buckshot loads with 20 .25 caliber pellets per shell.
Few will argue with the shotgun's effect on target during the close range violent encounters of a home defense situation. While you might only have one round in the chamber, the fact that it's a charge of buckshot is a very good thing. As for the single shot shotgun itself, I can think of no other gun out there that is as easy or safe to operate for the novice, yet can still be reloaded quickly as needed. There is a good reason why these are a popular first firearm.
If you find yourself out there with nothing more than a single shot shotgun, or have one available as a secondary home defense option, I hope you find this article enlightening. These weapons, while limited in firepower compared to other options, are nonetheless very capable of self defense with the proper training and very little else. If you don't have a single shot shotgun, they can be had for low prices and are often in good condition despite age or prior use. They are as much fun to shoot as any shotgun I can think of, and the same reasons why they are such nice hunting guns are the same reasons why they're a joy to just go plinking with. These are rugged tools, built to last, and will be with you till the end, and then some.
Thanks for reading, and take care!
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