Nope. Buckshot isn’t needed for home protection. Bird shot is best. #8
HD Shotgun?
- Thread starter demarpaint
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Nope. Buckshot isn’t needed for home protection. Bird shot is best. #8
"Cruiser ready" for us was full tube and empty chamber. We had a few that put an impromtu sunroof in their Vics when the gun was fully chambered, so that was main reason for racking empty. Tube was loaded so first round was 00 Buck, next up was a slug, last 2 were 00 Buck. Practice was that if you shot 00 Buck and target was not affected, the flying Volkswagen that was next up probably would. Or if you needed to go right to massive lead poisoning, you just shuck out the shell with 12 .32 balls in it, and pump in the slug. 5 extra rounds were carried in a rigid "side saddle" carrier, usually 3 additional 00 Buck with brass end up, 2 additional slugs with brass end down.
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That's another topic which boarders the thick thin wars we often have here.
improptu sunroofs, massive lead poison and flying volkswagens
I did not know you were a cop. Good to know you.
Was. Retired last May. Nearly 40 years of fighting crime and guarding the peace. Love everything about shotguns, probably my favorite weapon to use in times of need. Used to freak out my coworkers every time when we were on a scene and they had pistols out, then I showed up with the 870improptu sunroofs, massive lead poison and flying volkswagens
I did not know you were a cop. Good to know you.
.There is no traffic on the extra mile. Someone got to show up with a real gun!Was. Retired last May. Nearly 40 years of fighting crime and guarding the peace. Love everything about shotguns, probably my favorite weapon to use in times of need. Used to freak out my coworkers every time when we were on a scene and they had pistols out, then I showed up with the 870
In Iraq, for whatever reason, large groups of people would cower to a 12ga. You sjow up with that, they start to comply. Maybe it was just the fact that rifles were the norm...not sure, never had to ask.
Anyway, glad to see you made it out alive, and at the right time.
For my closet gun, I have a Mossberg Maverick 88 with a red dot. The red dot comes on as soon as you pick the gun up. It works great for a home defense shotgun. I like 6.7 CTD's Idea better though. 
Have you ever actually compared shot patterns with different shot and shotgun lengths against wall board? My guess is no. The idea is to stop an intruder without killing family members in an adjacent room. Bird shot may not have the knockdown power or penetration potential as buckshot but an intruder that has just had a load of birdshot sprayed at them taking out eyes, teeth, and in almost every inch of skin…..will definitely be neutralized.That's another topic which boarders the thick thin wars we often have here.
20 ga self defense buck is usually #2 or #3, and Speer Lawman used to be #4 in 12 ga.
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
There are thousands of home defense/self defense events every year that go unknown beyond their local area. There's no way to answer your question.
Can I specifically. No. I But that has no bearing on the limitation of rounds I would want to have in your hypothetical.
I could make a hypothetical easily though.
Are you suggesting one should limit their defence capacity, based on a statistic that is really not provable?
What amount is necessary?..... your question implies you have the answer
Are you trying to make a point?
You can never go wrong having too many rounds, only too few.
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
There are 2 things a shooter never said:
I have too much ammo.
My firearm is too accurate.
I have too much ammo.
My firearm is too accurate.
Back in the day I used to study ballistics heavily. I have testified in court on ballistics. I have volumes of info. I have case files upon case files. And I remember at least 5 cases where a person is dead because they used birdshot and not an appropriate buckshot load.
Your last line says “birdshot… will definatly neutralize a threat. That’s an absolute fallacy. Bullets can neutralize a threat in 3 ways. Exsanguination (blood loss), central nervous system damage to spine/brain, or psychologically (I’ve been shot! Call me an ambulance. I surrender!!)
Bird shot lacks penetration to reach most vital organs so it often times cannot stop a person that is determined to continue fighting. People can be on drugs, alcohol, or suicidal and just not care that they have been shot with birdshot and continue the attack until YOU are dead.
Use smaller buckshot. It will penetrate deep enough and be safer for bystanders. I always recommend #4 buck.
If you have serious concerns about over penetration and walls, a T shot or BBB shot will likely be lethal and safer. Never an 8 shot.
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OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Yup. Here's one I found on a quick google, no idea how many shots were fired in total, but there were at least 3, as there were at least 3 intruders and three of them ended up dead via the shotgun:
https://abcnews.go.com/US/texas-resident-grabs-shotgun-shoots-kills-home-invaders/story?id=67899837
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Found this video interesting, I've linked it at the 25 yard mark, as the earlier parts of the video are at ranges you wouldn't experience in home/property defence. He does #8 birdshot and 00 buckshot on humanoid ballistic gel targets. At 25 yards, birdshot is not penetrating sufficiently to kill, at 15 yards, it does manage to hit the liver and causes a bleeder, but not lethal. 00 buckshot is extremely lethal at either range, with some over penetration. At closer ranges, birdshot becomes increasingly effective and is pretty lethal at 5 yards.
He also does some headshots, which are interesting, as they show how easily bone stops birdshot at any sort of real distance.
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Inside the home distances , a shotgun should be considered a rifle and MUST be aimed . #1 size buck shot is the best all around load (in my opinion) . Add a shot shell velcro card to the side and add a wespon light mounted to the barrel for positive target ID.
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