20ga effectiveness?

[Leatherneck556]

I recently heard a firearms instructor advise the use of the 20ga shotgun for home defense for smaller framed people who have trouble handling the recoil of a 12ga. What are your thoughts? Does - for example - 20ga 00 buck penetrate as deeply as is needed? Are there particular loadings or other ammo selection considerations that would make the 20ga more or less viable of an option?

[Leatherneck556]

Along those same lines - what's the deal with reduced recoil loads? Is "reduced recoil" equivalent to "reduced penetration" or "reduced effectiveness"?

[Rated21R]

My dad swears by his 20 gauge with 00 buck. It will surely do the trick to someone entering the house for the wrong reasons.

[oldtexan]

I recently heard a firearms instructor advise the use of the 20ga shotgun for home defense for smaller framed people who have trouble handling the recoil of a 12ga. What are your thoughts? Does - for example - 20ga 00 buck penetrate as deeply as is needed? Are there particular loadings or other ammo selection considerations that would make the 20ga more or less viable of an option?

Guys, please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think anyone produces a 00 buck load in 20 gauge. IIRC there's a problem with getting the 00 pellets to stack efficiently in the restricted space of a 20 ga shell.

[QuietShootr]

Nope. Most 20ga buckshot is #3.

[Leatherneck556]

So if that's the case, then what would be the best load for a 20ga? How effective for home defense is that load going to be?

[RWK]

I recently heard a firearms instructor advise the use of the 20ga shotgun for home defense for smaller framed people who have trouble handling the recoil of a 12ga. What are your thoughts? Does - for example - 20ga 00 buck penetrate as deeply as is needed? Are there particular loadings or other ammo selection considerations that would make the 20ga more or less viable of an option?

20-ga buckshot is just fine. 20-ga #3 is relatively comparable to 12-ga #4. Although, given the reduced-recoil tactical 00 loads and short LOP stocks available for the 12-ga nowadays, I no longer recommend 20-ga over 12-ga for smaller people.


Along those same lines - what's the deal with reduced recoil loads? Is "reduced recoil" equivalent to "reduced penetration" or "reduced effectiveness"?

Reduced-recoil 00 loads are lower velocity than standard 00 loads. There is some reduced penetration as a result. Nothing worth fussing over, though.


My dad swears by his 20 gauge with 00 buck. It will surely do the trick to someone entering the house for the wrong reasons.

As some other folks alluded to, 20-ga 00 doesn't exist. #2 is the heaviest commercially-available 20-ga buckshot; and that's a 3" shell.

[RWK]

So if that's the case, then what would be the best load for a 20ga? How effective for home defense is that load going to be?

Here you are...


20-ga #3 is relatively comparable to 12-ga #4.

[tpd223]

As was said, many of the available 12 gauge low recoil loads work so well that I don't see the point of going to the 20 gauge.

The Remington 8 pellet OO buck load doesn't kick any more than a low brass trap load, at least to my non-calibrated shoulder.

[Rated21R]

My dad swears by his 20 gauge with 00 buck. It will surely do the trick to someone entering the house for the wrong reasons.

my apologies. obviously he was not using 00 buck or he wasn't using a 20 gauge. :D

[HeadHunter]

This is what the Box of Truth says: 20 gauge effectiveness (http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot22.htm).

From the standpoint of momentum factor:

If the buckshot charge equals 7/8 ounce, then the power factor is 600,000.
If the buckshot charge equals 3/4 ounce, then the power factor is 393,750.

By contrast, the mighty .45 ACP generally has a power factor between 165,000-185,000.

[Fail-Safe]

Federal loaded, I dont know if they still do, a 7-pellet 00buck load.

[Zhurdan]

A 20g is far better than a loud scream and a phone call. If it's all you(they) have and it's what they are more comfortable shooting, by all means use it. For instance, my wife has an aversion to 12g. She wanted to try it out one day, so I got her some 7shot 2 3/4" to shoot. All was well until she said she wanted to try something with more "oomff". I shot one of the 00's first so she could see what it was like, but she insisted. It hurt her shoulder and now all she'll shoot is the .410. Getting past having to point a gun at a BG would be tough enough for her (or anyone for that matter), so her comfort level with the .410 is a smarter choice in her case. Your mileage may vary.

[larry0071]

I shot at a large coon last night with a Mossberg 20g with target loads, he was about 30-40 feet away and he did not miss a beat and dove off the driveway and into the woods. I don't know if it was the loads, the 20g, or the fact that I was running in my underwear with a shootgun at 10PM in my driveway and shooting on the run... but the hit was less than spectacular!

I had no choice but to let him outrun me as I had to get around my car and did not wish to have an ins. claim for shooting my own property... he went straight under it (the car) and gained significant ground on me as I ran (barefoot) around the parimeter of the car.

I kind of think I should have grabbed the 12g loaded with the 00 buckshot. It would have likely reached out further and harder.

Bottom line is....the racoon lived to tear up my trash cans another night.