Importance Of Patterning Your Defensive Shotgun(s) & Load

http://i.imgur.com/i04Z1GSl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/a23ldsVl.jpg

Over the years I've heard too many times a gun owner say something to the effect of "well, just get a shotgun so you don't have to aim..." and shook my head at their ignorance.

A viewer made just such a comment on a video of mine recently so I decided to demonstrate what really happens with a couple different 00 buck loads out of a 18.5'' Remington 870 barrel with Rio 00 and Federal Flight Control 00 9 pellet.

Below is the video but you'll see that with either load you certainly need to aim but you'll also note that the loads have VERY different patterns out of the same gun and knowing your pattern ahead of time is probably a wise idea for a defensive gun. Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/ddvkPIh0z3U

I have watched quite a few of your videos! Had no idea you were active on these forums.

Thanks for sharing! Great topic point, and something that I have heard/experienced as well.

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Originally Posted by HeruMew

I have watched quite a few of your videos! Had no idea you were active on these forums.

Thanks for sharing! Great topic point, and something that I have heard/experienced as well.

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Thanks

Another cool video from you, good info. The PD I used to work for lost an Officer in the late 80's, due to a wild gunfight and a stray pellet of OO buck missing the bad guy and hitting an officer downrange.

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Originally Posted by diving dave

Another cool video from you, good info. The PD I used to work for lost an Officer in the late 80's, due to a wild gunfight and a stray pellet of OO buck missing the bad guy and hitting an officer downrange.

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Man that's some poor luck there.

Great vid!

nice video as usual

I've always patterned my shotguns and enjoyed your video.

Is there a place to read the AAR about the Officer killed by the stray pellet? I see it referenced but can't find the complete story.

It was in San Jose,Ca....late 1988'maybe 89, just before I was hired. The Officers name was Gordon Silva. The initial reports were he was hit by the crook who disarmed and murdered another officer. But I had heard from several in the know who said it was stray OO buck.

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Originally Posted by diving dave

It was in San Jose,Ca....late 1988'maybe 89, just before I was hired. The Officers name was Gordon Silva. The initial reports were he was hit by the crook who disarmed and murdered another officer. But I had heard from several in the know who said it was stray OO buck.

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Thank you for providing a name to the fallen Officer.

http://www.odmp.org/officer/12240-of...gordon-a-silva

http://www.sjpd.org/InsideSJPD/Fallen/Simpson.html

The "official" version and rumor version could both be correct. Officer Silva could have been shot by the BG and also hit by gunfire from other Officers.

Either way being down range from any gun is bad.