Good Defense Shells

[gaijin6423]

Having finally coughed up the cash for the woman's ring last month, I found myself with a slight surplus this payday. So, when my 870 Express shows up next week, I want to have a small ammo dump set up. Target load is great for just that, and 00 will do incredible things--IF you don't care about anything going through an interior wall. I've got a friend who swears about his "Escalation of Force" load he keeps in his scattergun, but I'm not sure that's jiving with me.

So who's got the gouge? And while we're at it, how about suppliers (WalMart frightens me)?

 

[HueyCobra8151]

MSG we used M870 remington w/ 00 buck and slug within easy access to be directly loaded into the chamber if necessary.

What potentially needs would your weapon have to fulfill?

 

[Fly Navy]

Federal Tactical 12 gauge 00 buck. One of the best performers out there. Check out ammoman.com for it.

 

[Lawman]

Either #4 Buckshot or 00 Buck. Ive experimented with 000 Buck a few times but it hasnt made enough of an impression for me to unload what we have and buy new.

 

[Fly Navy]

I wouldn't go with #4 buck, it's not reliable enough from what I've researched.

Don't even think about loading birdshot for defense.

 

[othromas]

Don't even think about loading birdshot for defense.

It's really funny you should mention that, Fly.

<storytime>

One of my college friends got kicked out of API a few months back (academic failure) and failed to redesignate, so she decided to go back home and regroup. I got a call a couple of days ago--I don't know if this is typical or not, but they were flying her home (roughly 12 hours away) and shipping everything, including her car. Because of that, she didn't want to mess with taking the box of shells she had for her very pretty over-under 12 gauge (no idea what make/model). This was the same shotgun I nearly tripped over once lying on the floor next to her bed (her only defense against the boogeyman, mind you).

Anyway, she called to see if I wanted the shells. I don't have a shotgun, but I might be getting one in the next year or so, so I said sure. She comes over and gives me the box, and suddenly curious about what she had been using, I looked at it, expecting to see 00 buckshot or something. Nope: AA Light Target Load. "Is this what you had in your shotgun the whole time?" I asked her. "Uh huh," she replied. I told her that she probably should've thought about using buckshot, and she had absolutely no idea what I was talking about. I decided to let it be (she is unbelievably dense).

I am the farthest thing in the world to a shotgun expert, but wouldn't that just piss the bad guy off, unless it was an exceptionally good, point blank head or maybe chest shot?

</storytime>

 

[Blutonski816]

I´ll take the opposite stance- wouldn´t birdshot at home defense range (i.e. 20 feet or less) still be devastating? I know it´s small shot, but it´s not like it has a chance to spread out and form a pattern. I would imagine the load would still be about baseball-sized (if that) when it hits the target. That is to say, a baseball that´s made of lead and is traveling 1,700 fps.

Hey, Cheney seemed to do quite well with it...

 

[gaijin6423]

I like 00 buck. It's what I'm most familiar and confident with. Unless turkey or duck hunting, really the only other things I've used are target loads at the indoor range and some hand loaded rock salt shells for pest control. As far as uses go, think defensive purposes, interior of a Florida constructed (flimsy) house, roughly at a range of 3-10 meters (at the outside maximum), and something that will put an intruder down in a hurry. I'm pretty fast and accurate with a pump action, but I'd rather not be blasting away like Ah-nold, while my roomate is on the other side of an interior wall/hollow core door.

And Milton residents? Lock your doors, because there's a rapist on the prowl. A friend (female) of my roomates and I woke up to some sweaty redneck on top of her last week. Long story short, she managed to chase him out of the house with only a few bumps and bruises, but she's understandibly shaken. The guy's still at large, though.

 

[HueyCobra8151]

You know, it probably doesn't matter what you put in there.

The most feared sound in the world: CHICK-CHICK!

If someone breaks into your home and is willing to stick around after hearing that - he can probably eat 00 buck for breakfast and crap solid gold nuggets.

 

[gaijin6423]

The only person I know who can do that is He, Himself. Yeah, that's right, Chuck Norris. And if HE breaks in, well everyone in at least a 2 mile radius is pretty much done for anyway.

 

[Snacks]

2 mile radius? Sure about that? I would have to think that Chuck would be having a pretty bad day for only a 2 mile radius...

Thanks for the info about the rapist. That gives me a reason to load my Sig with hollowpoints...

 

[Fly Navy]

I´ll take the opposite stance- wouldn´t birdshot at home defense range (i.e. 20 feet or less) still be devastating?

No. A point blank range, you may get lucky. The problem with birdshot is there is no penetration. It creates a nasty nasty surface wound, but doesn't penetrate deep enough to really damage internal organs. Sure, if you shoot someone from 5 feet away it'll probably do the trick... but do you want to rely on "probably"? Not me. 00 buck is a proven stopper, I'll take that.

 

[squeeze]

#00 or #1 Buck are the only loads you should consider.

Birdshot is a horrible idea for reasons FlyNavy listed.

"Escalation of Force" loads (ie. non-lethal -> lethal) are an even worse idea. They are a legal nightmare.

 

[othromas]

On a less lethal note, I talked to my dad a little about the friend I mentioned above, and he mentioned that my uncle (VT conservation agent for many years) recommended having a CO2 fire extinguisher next to the bed for women who weren't really interested in firearms and weren't really safe/accurate with them. Apparently they're loud, surprising, and disorienting enough to dissuade an intruder/attacker who wasn't totally insane.

 

[A4sForever]

.....recommended having a CO2 fire extinguisher next to the bed for women ....disorienting enough to dissuade an intruder/attacker who wasn't totally insane.

Completely dreamin' ... but good luck. And be ready to become a statistic on a police blotter ...