Home Defense Shotgun Load?

[Nevermiss]

http://www.huts.com/Huts'sBallisticTest.htm

http://www.pacificbulletproof.com/pr...nt-fiberglass/

How many more chances to miss do you have if it takes more shots to stop an intruder because of lack of penetration?

Thanks for the feedback Todd!

The answer to that would be "9" if he doesn't kill or disable me first.

I also have a Noveske 6.8 SBR available as well (which I REALLY LIKE!), so the answer there would be "29", but if there is someone in my home, the FN SLP Mk1 will be at my shoulder in the safe room while I wait for people to show up who are more accustomed to dealing with people shooting at them.

[Old_Painless]

The simple fact is this: Any round that will reach the FBI minimum penetratuion of 12 inches, will penetrate several walls.

See here: http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot14.htm

And any round that will not penetrate several walls, will be a poor "Stopper".

Stopping the bad guy is more important than limiting penetration. He is the biggest threat to you and your family, not stray rounds.

[Old_Painless]

I did a bunch of reading on this a while back and decided on #4 buckshot for my HD 870.

Here is a link to a thread with a ton of info.
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/view...4212022108684f

Good luck

Please be aware that the ballistics gelatin used in those tests was not properly calibrated and the results are not accurate.

[Glock17JHP]

Been a part of similar discussions many times. I choose Winchester Ranger 'Low Recoil' 9-pellet 00 Buck in my 8-shot Winchester Defender... period...

Magazine is full, chamber is empty... 7 shots...

[THCDDM4]

+1 on Ranger Low-recoil 9-pellet "00" Buck. It's a great round with very little felt recoil, and "00" buck should stop just about anyone/thing if placed correctly.

I don't like the #4 buck; in my opinion it still has the prospensity to penetrate through walls/barriers and be a hazard; but it lacks in stopping power. Stopping power is more important to me than "potentially" penetrating a wall and striking an unintended person.

[frankgon4]

I had picked up a 10 guage BPS goose shotgun that had a broken stock for a couple hundred. I had this converted to a more tactical size. Gun smith shortened the barrel and put and replaced the stock for me. It does have Picatinny rails.
So my first choice home defense gun is my shortened 10 gauge pump with #4 shot. I would hope this would be enough to stop a threat. I do have various pistols, but this is my first choice defense. It is not meant to be pleasant for anyone. Yes, I can handle this gun. Youngest person in the house is 22
So, did I over do it?

[Glock17JHP]

+1 on Ranger Low-recoil 9-pellet "00" Buck. It's a great round with very little felt recoil, and "00" buck should stop just about anyone/thing if placed correctly.

I don't like the #4 buck; in my opinion it still has the prospensity to penetrate through walls/barriers and be a hazard; but it lacks in stopping power. Stopping power is more important to me than "potentially" penetrating a wall and striking an unintended person.

My philosophy exactly...

[Glock17JHP]

I had picked up a 10 guage BPS goose shotgun that had a broken stock for a couple hundred. I had this converted to a more tactical size. Gun smith shortened the barrel and put and replaced the stock for me. It does have Picatinny rails.
So my first choice home defense gun is my shortened 10 gauge pump with #4 shot. I would hope this would be enough to stop a threat. I do have various pistols, but this is my first choice defense. It is not meant to be pleasant for anyone. Yes, I can handle this gun. Youngest person in the house is 22
So, did I over do it?

I had a NEF single-barrel break-open shotgun that originally had a 34" full-choke barrel. I had a gunsmith cut the barrel down to 22" (which of course removed the <6" choke completely) and I had him install another bead front sight. It shot Federal 3 1/2" 18-pellet 00 Buckshot in a pattern roughly 3' across at about 25 yards, and I shot Federal 1 3/4 oz. slugs out of it, too. It killed at one end, and wounded at the other. Worse recoil than my friend's Ruger #1 Tropical Rifle in .458 Magnum!!!

You might be overdoing it a bit, and follow-up shots will not be lightening fast...

[Todd.K]

#4 shot is a poor choice, regardless of gauge. Excessive recoil that will slow the most likely needed follow up shots due to lack of penetration makes it a worse choice in my opinion than a 12 or 20 ga.

[THCDDM4]

I had picked up a 10 guage BPS goose shotgun that had a broken stock for a couple hundred. I had this converted to a more tactical size. Gun smith shortened the barrel and put and replaced the stock for me. It does have Picatinny rails.
So my first choice home defense gun is my shortened 10 gauge pump with #4 shot. I would hope this would be enough to stop a threat. I do have various pistols, but this is my first choice defense. It is not meant to be pleasant for anyone. Yes, I can handle this gun. Youngest person in the house is 22
So, did I over do it?

IMO; the 10 gauge is worthless as a home defense shotty, the magnum 12 gauge shells match the ballistics of the 10 gauge shells very closely with less felt recoil, and has a better follow up shot ability. 12 gauge all the way for an HD shotgun, the load configurations are endless in12 gauge, but not so much in 10 gauge.