Which Came First ...

[MikeBjerum]

Over kill or Social Media?

I believe over kill came first, but social media sure does make me sick and tired of it.

Why oh why do we need to debate the same worn out items on a regular basis?  1911 vs. Glock, 9 mm vs .45 acp, .40 S&W vs. 10 mm ...

Over on the book of faces the question has been asked and the idiots are going with it:

Bird shot vs. buckshot for the HOME  DEFENSE  SHOTGUN.

There is a great video explaining and showing actual tests using a cylinder choke at 25 ft.  Even with all of that there are comments that bird shot is ineffective, will only piss the perp off, can never be used with an open choke, and it goes on and on and on.

I have learned that discussion boards, including here, reduce the attention span of people.  How many people read or watch the set up before ranting?  In the video it shows that using a cylinder choke at 25 feet the pattern of the bird shot is only about 10" - 12" and there is even a good sized hole where a tight group punched through the target and cardboard backer.  So what is about the 12th post?  If you use a cylinder choke with bird shot the pattern will be too large to be effective ... Must be shotgun Biden just sticking the gun out the door and shooting.

Let me point out a couple facts concerning a shotgun and any ammunition and choke choice:
1.  One ounce load at target power gives you more than twice the power factor of a .45acp and more than three times a 9 mm;
2.  Bird shot may not give a death blow in terms of penetration, but all it takes is one stray pellet in the pattern to take out an eye ... Ralphie  ;
3.  Who cares what happens at long ranges (25 - 50 yards) with shot power and pattern.  In home defense the shots are going to 6' to 50' maximum;
4.  Much like the idea of choosing the largest handgun caliber you can shoot well, pick the shotgun and load you can handle.  Nobody likes loud noises, getting hit with any flying objects, and even the smallest hole in the body gets idiots to rethinking their plan.

Now I am going to sit back and wait to see how many warped directions this rant goes 

[Timothy]

I'll use a wrist rocket if that's what's available.   

But, I have a shotgun leaning in the corner with birdshot and a .38 on my nightstand or on my person...  Nothing more than 30' in any direction in my house and that's a front door to back door...

[Dakotaranger]

very true,And I have no problem with the idea of running bird shot in a house, maybe keeping buckshot and a slug or two in the side saddle. 

 but where I live and the way my residence is set up I'll take 60 rds in a mag verses 8 in the 870

[brushmore]

This is something that I have contemplated but really you won't really know how it turns out unless you need to put it into practice.    I keep the first rounds in the mag are bird shot given I live in a suburban environment.  But the last rounds are buckshot.  I figure if I am in a fight and get to those rounds I probably am going to need the advantage that buckshot provides anyway.  Because at this point I would probably be in a firefight, not the "typical" home defense situation.

That's one of the great aspects of a shotgun for home defense, it's flexibility.
 

[crusader rabbit]

Brushmore, I have come to a similar conclusion and similar solution.

First three rounds are #7.

Next three are #00

Final 2 are buck and ball.

And if you're shooting at someone more than 50' away, you got some 'splainin' to do, Lucy. IMHO

At that distance, you are no longer in a self-defense situation unless the BG has engaged you in a firefight.  If that IS the case, put down the shotgun and pick up the long gun.  Maintain a calm demeanor, and pick that sucker off with two center mass and one to the head.

FWIW,
Crusader Rabbit

[Sponsor]

[kmitch200]

First one, 1 1/4oz of #4 hevishot @ 1325fps.
The rest are 15 pellet #1 buck.

[MikeBjerum]

For the record:

12 gauge, 8 + 1 Winchester AA, 1 1/8 oz, #8 shot, 2 3/4 dram equivalent (1,250 fps)

I have patched up enough leaking bodies to state this is good enough for any home defense situation.  No, I do not have documented ballistic gel tests and videos, but I do have nightmares and embalming reports pertaining to the effects.

[Magoo541]

The most likely place I'll use my shotgun is from my ensconced position in my bedroom which is the end of the house with all the bedrooms on the first floor.  After identifying the person kicking in my door-the likely backstop is my flagstone fireplace, the wall that runs perpendicular to my bedroom door, or the 10' of kitchen appliances.  00 Buck.