Is skeet shooting good for shotgun defensive training?

[tstand]

Wondering if a 20 ga would suit my wife better. She is 5 ft but is pretty strong.

If we went with a 20 ga, what would be a comparable load to a 12 ga load 2 3/4" #8?

[tombogan03884]

I wrote a long post in the thread about SD statistics, short version for here is that you might want to consider a second gun for her such as the 9MM carbine.
To answer your question about the 20 ga.
2.75 inch seems to be the most common

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/browse/ammo-shotgun-20-ga.aspx?c=97&s=943&stk=1

 although 3 inch loads are available

[MikeBjerum]

Wondering if a 20 ga would suit my wife better. She is 5 ft but is pretty strong.

If we went with a 20 ga, what would be a comparable load to a 12 ga load 2 3/4" #8?

The added weight and bulk of a 12 ga makes the felt recoil minimal between 12 and 20.  Fitting the gun is more important, and you have more options in a 12 ga.  If you are looking for comparable loads there will be just as much recoil in the 20 ga.

Go to the gun shop and look at youth 12 ga with shorter barrels.  There are a lot of options out there, and I'm sure she will find something comfortable.

[tstand]

I wrote a long post in the thread about SD statistics, short version for here is that you might want to consider a second gun for her such as the 9MM carbine.
To answer your question about the 20 ga.
2.75 inch seems to be the most common

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/browse/ammo-shotgun-20-ga.aspx?c=97&s=943&stk=1

 although 3 inch loads are available

Excellent. Thanks. We shot the Hi Point and I've heard good things about it overall, plus it is cheap.

[tstand]

The added weight and bulk of a 12 ga makes the felt recoil minimal between 12 and 20.  Fitting the gun is more important, and you have more options in a 12 ga.  If you are looking for comparable loads there will be just as much recoil in the 20 ga.

Go to the gun shop and look at youth 12 ga with shorter barrels.  There are a lot of options out there, and I'm sure she will find something comfortable.

Hmm, I did not consider fit, only weight. I'd like her to try out skeet shooting like I did to see if she is comfortable with a shotgun. Based on that, we can either go with a shotgun or a 9 mm carbine.

[Sponsor]

[MikeBjerum]

The quick check on length of pull is to bend the strong eye arm 90 degrees, place the butt of the stock in the crook of the elbow, and the mid point between the most distal joint and tip of the trigger finger should match with the trigger.

The following two videos will help demonstrate another method and help explain:

[tstand]

I'd rather use birdshot for HD as suggested by earlier posters. However I came across an article on "Box o Truth" saying it does not penetrate enough to reach vital organs.   

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3.htm

[tombogan03884]

You can always load the second round a slug.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3_2.htm

When To Use Birdshot
A friend of AR15.com sends this:

"I saw a gunshot victim, about 5' 10" and 200 lbs, taken to the operating room with a shotgun wound to the chest. He was shot at a range of six feet at a distance of just over the pectoralis muscle. He was sitting on his front porch and walked to the ambulance. We explored the chest after x-rays were taken. The ER doc had said 'buckshot' wound, but this was obviously not accurate.

It was # 6 shot. There was a crater in the skin over an inch in diameter. When the shot hit the level of the ribs, it spread out about five inches. There was ONE pellet that had passed between the ribs and entered the pericardium, but not damaged the heart at all. As you say, 'use birdshot for little birds.'"

It's worth noting that it may not have killed him, but it made him stop doing what got him shot and that is the objective of home defense.

[MikeBjerum]

I'd rather use birdshot for HD as suggested by earlier posters. However I came across an article on "Box o Truth" saying it does not penetrate enough to reach vital organs.  

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3.htm

Next time I'm embalming one I'll give you a call, and you can see how deadly #8 light trap loads can be.  Physics and theory are all fine and dandy, but I work elbow deep in the stuff that proves there can be a difference between laboratory and computer models, and real world application.

[mkm]

You can always load the second round a slug.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3_2.htm

When To Use Birdshot
A friend of AR15.com sends this:

"I saw a gunshot victim, about 5' 10" and 200 lbs, taken to the operating room with a shotgun wound to the chest. He was shot at a range of six feet at a distance of just over the pectoralis muscle. He was sitting on his front porch and walked to the ambulance. We explored the chest after x-rays were taken. The ER doc had said 'buckshot' wound, but this was obviously not accurate.

It was # 6 shot. There was a crater in the skin over an inch in diameter. When the shot hit the level of the ribs, it spread out about five inches. There was ONE pellet that had passed between the ribs and entered the pericardium, but not damaged the heart at all. As you say, 'use birdshot for little birds.'"

It's worth noting that it may not have killed him, but it made him stop doing what got him shot and that is the objective of home defense.

It's also one of the reasons I said earlier that you made need to take head shots.  A shot or two to the chest will slow him down at least and that is where I would start if possible.  However, a head shot is more likely to knock his lights out in one way or another (dead, unconcious, blind, etc.).  It's also worth noting that I keep spare shells on my shotgun with at least 2 shells of buckshot that I can transition to if necessary.  Most importantly, train with your weapon and rounds; you need to be able to take accurate shots as quickly as possible.  Keep shooting till he is no longer a threat (ie, running away, on the ground, dead).