Which would you rather for HD: 8 pellet 00 Buckshot, traveling at 1600fps 12 pellet 00 Buckshot, traveling at 1290fps 10 pellet 000 Buckshot, traveling at 1225fps Less shot and more muzzle energy or More shot and less muzzle energy?
At the ranges, assuming indoors, they'd be fired...don't matter a whit, me personally, 12 pellets. Don't discount slugs, I keep 3 rounds in my 7 rd pump, 00 buck in the spout followed by 2 1 ounce slugs. Point blank birdshot makes a big hole too.
Certainly not at the ranges. I mean which of those would you use for Home Defense. I went digging through my ammo and found that I only have one 12ga slug left, and it's low recoil so not sure if it would cycle through my gun. I opted for the 12 pellet 00 buckshot as well, loading 7 rds in the tube, one in the chamber and one ghost loaded on the loading tray, making 9 rds ready to go. Also picked up an Aridus side saddle, holds 6 more rounds on the side. Will have two slugs available in the front two slots once I get some more. Right now the spaces are occupied by 10 pellet Remington Magnum Express 3" 000BK.
Maybe I didn't word it right. I meant at the distances inside a home a good center mass hit with any high brass buck load will work. You might consider adding a Stevens model 301 single barrel 12 ga. as an all around survival gun, takes removable Win-chokes (comes with a modified, Amazon carries all the Carlson brand), easily accepts bore reducers which can be had in a number of calibers ( I have .22lr, 9mm, 45ACP, and 357/.38, all rifled) and will fire "cut shells" (search that on YouTube and the gun itself). A few sites on YouTube shows how to reload spent cases with a few homemade tools using black powder or Pyrodex. A single barrel 12 or 20 is a good all around gun to have, the 301 can be had new for $150.
Stevens with bore reducers sounds neat. Already bought a shotgun though, a Beretta 1301. In Love with this gun. Loaded it up with ammo and even with all that extra ammo hanging off of it, it's still lighter than the SuperNova it is replacing which only held 7+1. Headed to the range in a couple days. Can't wait.
I cast my own and prefer 12 pellet 00 buck for HD. For fun, I make loads combining a slug and 4, 00 pellets. I have loads with 8 000 buck bird shot filling the spaces in between. These loads are for taking out to the desert!
My standard indoor home defense load is the 1.75 Aguila minishell in a Mossberg Shockwave. 7 pellets of #4 shot, 4 Pellets of #1 Shot. Muzzle velocity: Claimed 1,200 feet per second but probably more like 1,100. If the threat likelihood increases, I would switch to a Saiga 12 with the following: Centurian Brand Buck and Ball Gauge/Bore: 12 Shell Length: 2-3/4" Shot Size: 0.65" Dia Round Ball over #1 Buckshot Number of Pellets: 6 Velocity: 1300 https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1002097185 This above ammo is currently discontinued but I have a fair amount on hand. This stuff would have serious stopping power and has serious recoil. The round ball goes straight and the Buck Shot form a circular pattern.
I would go with fewer pellets to have a tighter effective pattern if firing indoors, but to each their own.
The bird shot has a wider spread. These loads are just for fun. When people leave their TVs on the sidewalk, I pick them up and use them as targets!
Depends where you live. If you're alone on a large rural property you're going to have a different load to living with a family in the suburbs.
No one mentioned over penetration. If you live rural and alone? Slug or buck, otherwise at HD ranges, birdshot is plenty, but I'd go #4 turkey loads
If you lived in a place alone with no neighbors for miles. I asked about these particular loads because it's the 00BK I have on hand. I disagree about birdshot. Especially with body armor so readily available these days.
For HD I'd have to go with the 12 pellet purely for the increased chance of hitting the target. Its got plenty of FPS to cause debilitating trauma (even if its only psychological) and my primary goal is to neutralize the threat- for which an injured invader running away qualifies.
If you have a single or double barrel give "cut shells" a try...turns birdshot essentially into a slug.
I shot a gun very similar to this my friend has, 12 gauge. Would you believe it holds FORTYONE rounds? I shat you not, 20 in each magazine tube, one in the chamber. 12 ga 'shorties'.....still has good power.
Keltec makes some cool stuff. Not a fan of shorties though. My Beretta has a gas system that cycles 37% faster than any other semi-auto 12 gauge out there. Imma be like "Bptbptbptbptbpt" and then listen to all the shells hitting the ground.
Across the room, I dont think the difference would be much noticable. For the ultimate, go for a slug!
