# 12 guage...best load... home defense ?



## Bobinstow90 (Apr 13, 2006)

What is best 2.75" load? 

What load and why. 

Thanks for your help.


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## wave warrior (Oct 2, 2005)

no expert here but google remington 2x4,s....sounded like the way to go to [email protected]


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## Lewis (Apr 5, 2004)

I would say #4 shot.
Buckshot would be much more deadly,but will penetrate several interior walls if you miss your target,which you might not want with other family members in the house..


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## Minnowhead (Jan 12, 2011)

I would say 00 Buck. I would want to be able to blow a hole through the door to get the bad guy on the other side. I'm sure in the event of a bad situation, I will not be concerned with anything but taking out the threat. Buck shot tends to do just that in most situations. My 2 cents.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

I would agree that #4 shot in a low base load would work and minimize the danger to others in the household.
As far as" blasting a hole in the door",,,,, how do we know who is on the other side. Could be someone in need of help and in a panic situation which would cause them to be pounding on the door or even breaking glass for fear of their life.
I don't know how shooting someone through an outside door would be viewed by the Courts in conjunction with The Castle Law.
As far as the potentcy of birdshot at close range goes, I viewed an individual that was shot in the stomach area at around ten foot range and he was well ventilated, not that it really matered to him.


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## Minnowhead (Jan 12, 2011)

Short Drift, I believe in killing the bad guy with very big shot, from a very big gun. I don't care about any court system or law. I know who IS or IS NOT supposed to be in my house and who is supposed to NOT be on the other side of my door. I have witnessed what 00 Buck can do to bone and tissue and believe me when I tell you it WILL do the job I am intending it to do with it. Personnally, if you are worried about what a lawyer or prosecutor will do to you then by all means buy some bird shot and take care of businness. I will blow a hole through the door with all the intentions of taking out the threat that has been put on my wife and daughter. Again, my 2 cents. On a similar note, what is your opinion on that Mossberg 500 JIC home defense shotgun? I was just on their website and looked at them. Pretty cool piece of hardware to add to the collection!


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

Minnowhead said:


> Short Drift, I believe in killing the bad guy with very big shot, from a very big gun. I don't care about any court system or law. I know who IS or IS NOT supposed to be in my house and who is supposed to NOT be on the other side of my door. I have witnessed what 00 Buck can do to bone and tissue and believe me when I tell you it WILL do the job I am intending it to do with it. Personnally, if you are worried about what a lawyer or prosecutor will do to you then by all means buy some bird shot and take care of businness. I will blow a hole through the door with all the intentions of taking out the threat that has been put on my wife and daughter. Again, my 2 cents. On a similar note, what is your opinion on that Mossberg 500 JIC home defense shotgun? I was just on their website and looked at them. Pretty cool piece of hardware to add to the collection!


Those statements are wrong on so many levels. I guess if you want to take the chance of killing a family member or spending the rest of your life in jail go for it. To each his own. 
Number 4-7 shot will do the job just fine and keep the rest of the family safe.


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## AC_ESS (Nov 15, 2008)

I have no idea how my response made its own post but here it is:

6-7 size shot.
Check out the Personal Defense show on versus they did a show last year where they shot .380, .38, 9mm, 40, 45, .223 , Buck shot, slugs, and birds shot defense and ball ammo in those calibers all threw mock walls. Drywall with studs. it was a two part show. Showed penetration and damage that could be done.


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## Minnowhead (Jan 12, 2011)

Not wrong statements at all. The thought of a guy trying to kill my family while we are huddled together in our bedroom as he is shooting through my bedroom door and me explaining that I have to wait till I see his face so I can a) sting him with bird shot b) talk it over on the internet so as not to possibly hurt the goldfish in the next room over c) call the lawyer so I can be rest assured not to end up in jail for keeping my wife and daughter from getting violated and or killed d) worried about what people think when the drugged out killer who is not supposed to be in my house threatening my family on why I didn't consider the thickness of drywall and the possibility of overspray from a 12 ga load. I believe I will kill the guy and worry about the ballistics and being politically correct at a later time. I have seen pheasants and rabbits get hit with 4-7.5 bird shot and run/fly away. I have not seen law enforcement break down doors with #4-7.5 birdshot. They use 12 ga slugs or Buck shot. Nuff said. Works well. My choice. Very good topic by the way, keep em coming.


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## leupy (Feb 12, 2007)

Since this is going to get several opinions I will give mine. I prefer #4 buckshot it has 27 large pellets compared to 00 buckshot which has nine. Granted 00 buck pellets are slightly larger, both will be a surgeon's nightmare if they get that far which most likely they won't. The FBI went to #4 buck several years ago and while I doubt many of them know why, I agree.


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## krm (Jul 28, 2007)

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=109958

That should help you make a decision.


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## tm1669 (Apr 27, 2007)

Federal Premium Tactical 00Buck. 
It has Federals "flight control" wad's that are mind boggingly fantastic. At 25 yards they put out a pattern that you can cover with your hand. This is from a standard 18" barrel with a modified choke. They are low recoil rounds also so they can be iffy in cycling some semi auto's so they are only recomended for pumps. Benellis (semis) run them just fine though. 
Older 00Buck loads you would be lucky to put half the pellets on the target at that range and the other half would be sent off to God knows where. 
I dont know about shooting through closed doors but I want enough penetrating power to be able to punch through some furniture that a suspect might decide to use as cover.I also believe in ending any fight I might happen to find myself in as fast as I can. 
00Buck will do just that.


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## ODNR3723 (Apr 12, 2007)

I think this is getting a little confusing. As for the original post, any shot is better than nothing. That being said, if you are worried about over penetration than i would go with a smaller shot size. Even then, i would think #4 would possibly penetrate dry wall. Not sure though, maybe test the theory.

As for shooting the bad guy through a door. In one post it is brought up of an exterior door. I think what minnowhead is referring to is an interior door. He knows the bad guy is in the house and he has his family huddled in the bedroom. If i am wrong on this minnowhead please correct me.


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## Sharp Charge (Jun 24, 2009)

00 buck, the spread will be a non-issue at interior distances. So long as you put the bead center mass, all 9 pellets will hit the target. Don't shoot through exterior doors unless you can verify there's a weapon in hand. If he's already inside, you've failed the perimeter security test and may shoot at will through interior doors and walls if needed. 

I don't buy into the small shot realm because it might not stop an attack. 

Now everyone play nice and be safe.


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## tm1669 (Apr 27, 2007)

00 buck, the spread will be a non-issue at interior distances. So long as you put the bead center mass, all 9 pellets will hit the target.

Read more: http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=1165630#ixzz1FGAq9igX
Very true...
Unless you live in a Castle you probebly wont need to worry about 25 yard shots but this stuff is capable of it. It cant hurt to extend the range/capability of your house gun with virtually no cost to you. 
The original question was what do you think the best load is and why. 
My opinion is that this stuff is best and thats why.


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## jeffmo (Apr 7, 2004)

personally,i keep 00 buckshot and the shotgun close enough to have it ready pretty quickly if i need it during the night.my situation w/ every bedroom being upstairs makes it so that the worry of hitting one of my family members virtually non-existant.IF there were any doubt at all there would be no shot fired.but,if i hear someone downstairs and everyone in my family is upstairs,then i'd call 9-11 and point the shotgun down the steps.if they put their foot on the 1st step then their luck turns bad for them.
i pray that i will never be faced with that situation though.


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## zipperneck52 (May 1, 2004)

light load flechettes. these will "nail" anyone hiding behind a door lookin to do you harm...


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

I bought some Centurion Multi Defense loads, they have (1) .650 pellet and (6) #1 pellets at 1300fps. I also have Winchester PDX1 Personal defense loads. I have shot both and they will do some serious damage! Also, Firequest has some amazing loads to play with, from flechettes, armour piercing, multiple slugs, to incindiary....go to www.sportsmansguide.com.


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

"Knock KNOCK KNOCKBOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!"



WoopS.


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

Sugar, all I wanted was sugar.


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## Huntinbull (Apr 10, 2004)

I handload a 1 oz. load of steel BB's with #6 shot for buffer. Use an open choke for quicker pattern spead. Due to the lesser density of steel shot, it doesn't penetrate as far, but is devastating at across the room ranges. Also have kept #4 buck in my home defense shotgun, but worry about occupants and neighbors and overpenetration.

Check out "box o' truth"


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## krm (Jul 28, 2007)

Interior or exterior door doesn't matter - you shouldn't shoot until you can see your target.

If I'm hunkered in the bedroom, and THINK the guy is outside my bedroom door, I'm not going to start blasting until I know damned well that he's the bad guy, and not a stupid, concerned neighbor that came running over to help.


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## Minnowhead (Jan 12, 2011)

Scenario: Bad guy that looks like Jack Nicholson breaking down the bedroom door saying "HERE'S JOHNNY!" ...and he cut the phone line...and he killed all the neighbors first before coming over to my house...and he slid a note under the door saying that he was indeed a certified bad guy for all legal purposes... now can I shoot him with Buck shot?!?


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## krm (Jul 28, 2007)

If he's got his face in the door, I'd say you can see your target, so feel free.


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

Minnowhead said:


> Scenario: Bad guy that looks like Jack Nicholson breaking down the bedroom door saying "HERE'S JOHNNY!" ...and he cut the phone line...and he killed all the neighbors first before coming over to my house...and he slid a note under the door saying that he was indeed a certified bad guy for all legal purposes... now can I shoot him with Buck shot?!?




Hilarious. That ^^^ is golden folks.


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

I use 7.62 because I want to be able to shoot through the furnace & foundation if I have to. 



j/k


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

12 Gauge Pump with 2 Rounds of Birdshot - followed by 3 or 4 Rounds of #00 Buckshot..... Birdshot is nasty up close. But if I don't give a damn, I'd go straight #00 Buckshot with Foster Slugs in a Stock Shell Holder.


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

my mossberg 590 is loaded with 00 buck and a side saddle loaded with 6 more


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## PITCHNIT (Nov 2, 2004)

I like #4 buck for the 1st round, my house is very open at 15 yds out of my gun it opens to abot 12" dia. Followed up by 00 buck, slug, 00,slug,00,slug. I'm in the country and dont have to worry about over penetration. I want the penetration if the BG is using concealment/light cover.


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## bunkeru2k (Aug 26, 2005)

I have the reduced recoil slugs loaded up. If you are worrying about penetrating through drywall, then you need to start from the ground up in thinking about protection in your home. I want rounds that I know are capable of penetrating and putting someone down as quickly as possible. If they are inside the house, then they have bad intentions and generally "scaring" someone who broke into your home with a purpose is not going to work out for you. What are you going to do with your birdshot when 3 armed guys kick in your door in a home invasion?


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## JimmyMac (Feb 18, 2011)

You guys make me feel like my old louisville slugger isn't up to the task...


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## fireline (Jun 14, 2007)

pattern your gun with what you are going to use, I was surprised how#4 buck opened up and #00 shot very tight. In my 590 I have 3 rounds #4 buck with 2 more rounds of #00 with a tactical flash light attached to the mag extension.


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## PITCHNIT (Nov 2, 2004)

+1 on pattern your gun. High stress situation, I want some pellets on target. Too easy to miss with #00 and a 1" pattern.


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