Home defence

[texcaliber]

I'll get a short barreled shotgun.  A legal 16" will do fine.

Thanks for your post SouthCentral, just one thing man 16" for rifle 18" for shotguns. I just spent the day with my gunsmith checking the pattern on my Reminton 870max and I came back very supprised. I thought 00buck would be tighter than it was at 40yds. i couldnt hit a ISPC target with more than 2 pellets with most shots only producing 1 hit on target . Quickly moving into home defence ranges the results were still not real pleasing, 30 feet getting almost a full spread(shoulder2shoulder) cutting down to 10-15feet much better but head shots printed low. needless to say it would be really REALLY!!!! messy man . IF you have seen the updated version of "Dawn of the dead" when Ving Rhames takes off the top of the gunshop guy's(named Andy in flick) head. Well just picture that shot 6-8" lower. EWWWW man ew! Drughead cleanup in aisles 1-5 please. Just saying thought the long distance preformance of shot would be ALOT better. 
tex

[Overload]

Thanks for your post SouthCentral, just one thing man 16" for rifle 18" for shotguns. I just spent the day with my gunsmith checking the pattern on my Reminton 870max and I came back very supprised. I thought 00buck would be tighter than it was at 40yds. i couldnt hit a ISPC target with more than 2 pellets with most shots only producing 1 hit on target . Quickly moving into home defence ranges the results were still not real pleasing, 30 feet getting almost a full spread(shoulder2shoulder) cutting down to 10-15feet much better but head shots printed low. needless to say it would be really REALLY!!!! messy man . IF you have seen the updated version of "Dawn of the dead" when Ving Rhames takes off the top of the gunshop guy's(named Andy in flick) head. Well just picture that shot 6-8" lower. EWWWW man ew! Drughead cleanup in aisles 1-5 please. Just saying thought the long distance preformance of shot would be ALOT better. 
tex

Go with a shorter barrel.  Taurus makes a .410/45lc revolver with a choice of two different barrel lengths.  That'll get you the spread you need indoors.

[flyandscuba]

Here's one of my post-hurricane home defense systems...



Suppressor used as well to aid in hearing conservation...

[m25operator]

This is for Texcaliber, My shotgun instructor, demonstrated several buckshot loads for us, using our shotguns not his. His demonstration was an eye opener. His personal favorite was winchester 00 buck 9 pellet shells, in 2 3/4", and he demonstrated that it was very reliable and repeatable up to 18 yards, in an 18" cylinder bore barrel. Beyond that distance, flyers were to be expected. He explained that if your department issued other brands and that is all you have to work with, no problem unless no shoots were involved, so he taught us to hold off, away from the no shoot, and engage the shoot target ( bad guy ) and expect less pellets to do the job. A Vang barrel might help, but buckshot is not intended to perform well past 20 yards, precision wise. A good patterning shotgun for hunting with birdshot, would put all pellets in a 30" circle at 37 yards with no holes a bird could fly through. I am however very disappointed in your closer test results, I would expect much better, what combination are you using, choke, barrel length, and cartridge combination?  I will tell you from experience, #4 buck sucks past 12 yards, not a problem in normal home distances, but not good past that unless  you do some homework and try several kinds and different chokes in your gun.  What is good, for defence? An 8" pattern  at the maximum distance it will deliver it. Let your pattern be your guide.

GOOD LUCK

[gunman42782]

I have used most everything over the years, but mostly use either my P89 9mm or P90 .45.  When my wife is home at night by herself I load up the 12 ga Mossburg 500 pump, in addition to leaving her one of the pistolas!

[Sponsor]

[Bill Stryker]

Re shot size for home defense shot gun.
OO Buck is good no doubt. But, a few, well quite a few years ago, when I returned from a tour in RVN I did some research for an Army Advanced Course Staff Study on shotguns in combat. Interesting thing I stumbled on was that the Brits found that #2 Buck was quite effective as well. Seems #2 would penetrate the leaves and the backpacks of the day and still do damage to the enemy. As I recall we -- the US Army and RVN -- were using Remington plastic case short magnums with 9 or 12 double ought buck. Either way a shot gun slings alot of lead into a small area at house gun ranges. You could probably use target 8s and get the job done. As for me I still have a supply of lead #2s that I can't use for geese any more. If I were to use a shotgun for defense I would use the lead #2s.

[DonWorsham]

#1 Buck. 16 pellets. Patterns just fine out to 30 feet (the longest shot inside my house) from my Remington 870 Express 20in.
 

[texcaliber]

This is for Texcaliber, My shotgun instructor, demonstrated several buckshot loads for us, using our shotguns not his. His demonstration was an eye opener. His personal favorite was winchester 00 buck 9 pellet shells, in 2 3/4", and he demonstrated that it was very reliable and repeatable up to 18 yards, in an 18" cylinder bore barrel. Beyond that distance, flyers were to be expected. He explained that if your department issued other brands and that is all you have to work with, no problem unless no shoots were involved, so he taught us to hold off, away from the no shoot, and engage the shoot target ( bad guy ) and expect less pellets to do the job. A Vang barrel might help, but buckshot is not intended to perform well past 20 yards, precision wise. A good patterning shotgun for hunting with birdshot, would put all pellets in a 30" circle at 37 yards with no holes a bird could fly through. I am however very disappointed in your closer test results, I would expect much better, what combination are you using, choke, barrel length, and cartridge combination?  I will tell you from experience, #4 buck sucks past 12 yards, not a problem in normal home distances, but not good past that unless  you do some homework and try several kinds and different chokes in your gun.  What is good, for defence? An 8" pattern  at the maximum distance it will deliver it. Let your pattern be your guide.

GOOD LUCK

thanks m25operator, the combo I used was Rem.870MAX with IC fixed or nonchoke threaded barrel, and we were shooting Rem., old box of Charles Daily and Win.(all were 00Buck 9pellet). Remington was reduced recoil and patterned the best but low(frontal lobe aim took out lower jaw) I dont know if it was too much to expect a good pattern with out a full choke but i had wanted a little better. Oh well.
tex