#4 buckshot in bare gel (with pics)

[A-Bear680]

Not arguing with anybody.
I picked #4 buck in 12 gauge and #3 buck in 20 gauge years ago for home defense shottie loads. In my home , in my neigborhood , with a armed citizen's job description -- they seemed like good loads for inside the house or condo. I never have and never will own a home big enough that any normal pattern spread will be a significant disadvantage.
IMO, LEO/military ammo choice criteria are sometimes different than armed citizen considerations. The main go-to guns at our house are Glocks and AR middies now , but the shotguns are cruiser ready in the same locker. We keep them mainly for house guests or neighbors in need.
FWIW & YMMV.

[Glock17JHP]

I used to keep an AR-15 for my primary HD weapon, loaded 20-round mag in the rifle (PMC military generic M193), empty chamber...

Then I decided to use my Glock 17 for that role, loaded 17-round mag in the pistol (Winchester Ranger RA9T), empty chamber.

After more thought in the past year or so...

I keep a Winchester Defender 12 gauge, 7 rounds in the mag tube (Winchester Ranger load# RA1200 9-pellet 'Low-Recoil' 00 Buck), empty chamber...

[SnakeLogan]

^Why the move to the shotgun for HD?

[Glock17JHP]

I like to think in terms of 'worst case scenario'... which might be a home invasion robbery... that could involve multiple assailants, and they are likely to be aggressive...
The shotgun seems like the obvious choice to me in that sort of scenario...

Another possible scenario would be an intruder who is armed... so I want to 'outgun' them, if possible...
Again, the shotgun seems like the best choice...

I keep the Glock 19 nearby, mostly for scenarios where I need to be more 'low profile'...

[mattjmcd]

thanks for this post. reminds me that i need to pattern my #4 loads and see how they work.

[uwe1]

I agree with 'low recoil' shells. I used, and still have, some high velocity 12g. 00 buck shells once and I didn't want to use my shotgun for anything for a month. That stuff made hamburger out of my shoulder. At this point, I feel like I can handle my carbine much better and fire rounds quicker than I can with my Mossy500 18" cylinder bore.

[Glock17JHP]

uwe1,
A full day's shooting of the load you prefer will tell you a lot. That helped me switch to Low-Recoil 00 Buck...

mattjmcd,
I am more concerned that my buckshot penetrates deeply enough and consistently enough than on its pattern. Although, after penetration, the pattern size and shape and constency is close behind...

[JeffWard]

I like to think in terms of 'worst case scenario'... which might be a home invasion robbery... that could involve multiple assailants, and they are likely to be aggressive...
The shotgun seems like the obvious choice to me in that sort of scenario...

Another possible scenario would be an intruder who is armed... so I want to 'outgun' them, if possible...
Again, the shotgun seems like the best choice...

I keep the Glock 19 nearby, mostly for scenarios where I need to be more 'low profile'...

Complete agreement.

I have a Remington 870 12, an AR-15 Carbine, and a 9mm S&W M&P, all in the "home defense" roll.

If there's a known threat, in the house, likely 1 or 2 perps, its the shotty.
If there's a community disturbance, outside the house, with an unknown number of perps, its the AR.
It there's a suspicious noise, that might be my neighbor's kid, where discretion overrules force on force, its the pistol.

I don't want to meet my neighbor at the door with an AR in my hands. But if all hell breaks lose and cars are burning in the street outside, I'm not going for a compact 9mm...

Jeff

[Glock17JHP]

Jeff,

I agree with your thoughts as well...

[uwe1]

I would think that a carbine would be more useful in a home invasion with a hostage situation. Intruders come in grab your kid...you have...the shotty! Not a good scenario. With a carbine, no questions asked, place red dot on forehead, press trigger, shot enters between the eyes/nose.