What is the prefered 12g home defense shells for a 18.5" barrel pump?
My preference is you ordinary, basic 00 buck. (Based on my particular situation, environment and SD plan.)
No preference on brand, just like the fact that I can pull my trigger once and have 8 to 12, 9mm-sized projectiles flying through the air to help me out.
Some will chime in and talk about over-penetration, projectiles flying through walls, etc. If this is a concern to you, then you may want to listen to the inevitable compromise on #4 shot instead.
The other answers will be "it depends", sounds like a cop-out, but it really isn't. Unfortunately, there won't be a single answer to everyone that asks the question you just posed.
Should get some really good input from the members here. Good luck!
I prefer #4 buckshot, not to be confused with #4. Number 4 buckshot is 0.24 inch in diameter, aka 24 caliber. And you get 27 of them in a standard 2 3/4 inch shell. 00 Buckshot is 33 caliber but you only get 9 of them. The 24 caliber will give you plenty of punch against the bad guy at typical ranges used inside your home, and while you still have to worry about overpenetration, it's not nearly as bad as 00.
I'm a big believer in 00.
With slugs you have to worry about massive over pentration, and anything less 00 then that you have to worry about less then lethal shots.
For the most part 00 is all the same in terms of its effectiveness. The biggest variances that your going to get between brands is going to be with the pattern that you get with your shot.
I've switched over my HD shotgun to Federal Flight Control 00. It holds a tighter pattern at a longer distance.
With slugs you have to worry about massive over pentration, and anything less 00 then that you have to worry about less then lethal shots.
For the most part 00 is all the same in terms of its effectiveness. The biggest variances that your going to get between brands is going to be with the pattern that you get with your shot.
I've switched over my HD shotgun to Federal Flight Control 00. It holds a tighter pattern at a longer distance.
We use 3.5 in shell with 00 buckshot. (18 pellets in each shell) No need for the sissy stuff... if we wanted to just injure them we would use a taser or those bean bag things.
These people like #1 buckshot, but try finding that stuff. The article is pretty old, too. I'd stick with 00 buck unless you live in an apartment or in a house in a new tax-dollar-generating subdivision (i.e., giant houses sandwiched onto tiny lots).
I should hope it goes through a couple of sheetrock walls. I don't want the douche bag getting back up and just saying ouch. I want to make sure he goes down and stays down.
Then again, I don't have kids in the next room either...
some people use #4 buck or BB or t birdshot,if you have family in house.you can "dutch" load pump shot gun,2 rds slug, 2 rds 00buck,2rds birdshot,first rds of birdshot should put bad guy down, if not 00 buck will unless he's wearing body armour then slug will .
Check out the testing at the Box O Truth
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3.htm
It's not the most scientific method, but it does a pretty good job of showing you the penetrating power of different loads.
Birdshot just isn't going to stop anyone. If it won't go through 2 pieces of sheetrock, it's simply not going to go far enough into a bad guy to make them stop.
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3.htm
It's not the most scientific method, but it does a pretty good job of showing you the penetrating power of different loads.
Birdshot just isn't going to stop anyone. If it won't go through 2 pieces of sheetrock, it's simply not going to go far enough into a bad guy to make them stop.
