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.