Recommended 12ga shells for home defense?

Titan

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I just added a Mossberg 500 tactical shotgun to my collection and am looking for some info on 12 ga shells.

I'd like to know the pros and cons of lead vs steel shot, especially in terms of whether or not steel takes a greater toll on the interior of the barrel.

Also, what load is recommended for home defense?

Can slugs be fired effectively from a non-rifled barrel with any degree of accuracy?

I assume that 2 3/4" shells are preferred for HD, but is that true?

What brands are the best from a value perspective?
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Mike,

Thanks for the quick response and the link.

This warning appears in the text...
"Normal use may result in contusions, abrasions, broken ribs and concussions."

Since the ammo is intended to kill, it seems this warning is for the shooter.
Is this just a typical FYI because it's a shotgun shell, or is there an unusual kick to the particular 12ga load?
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BillK will sniff this thread out for sure...The man is an encyclopedia of 12ga fun and adventure...[grin]

I have been stockpiling 12ga in anticipation for the arrival of my Benelli SNT. I have a box of USGI 12ga 00 buck, (thanks Bill) and have also got some stock Remington 2 3/4 00 buck I bought at Dicks. In addition, I picked up some Federal Vital Shok 00 at Wally World and lastly, some Breneke Black Magic, & K.O. sabot slugs for smoothbore and Remington Sluggers - also for smoothbore...
 
BillK will sniff this thread out for sure...The man is an encyclopedia of 12ga fun and adventure...[grin]

I have been stockpiling 12ga in anticipation for the arrival of my Benelli SNT. I have a box of USGI 12ga 00 buck, (thanks Bill) and have also got some stock Remington 2 3/4 00 buck I bought at Dicks. In addition, I picked up some Federal Vital Shok 00 at Wally World and lastly, some Breneke Black Magic, & K.O. sabot slugs for smoothbore and Remington Sluggers - also for smoothbore...

Thanks, Mark. Good luck with the Benelli!
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Gotta love the Box O' Truth:

Yeah, I like that site a lot. I like that quote a lot too. All too many people forget that, unlike TV, one shot often doesn't end the threat.

The other thing that I don't remember seeing is that you should never assume the BG only has one gun.
 
Any shotgun used for home defense is going to be an extreme close-quarters shot in which case (in my opinion) even a light 1 1/8 oz trap load is likely to be effective in the upper torso/neck area.

Anything heavier than that, even more so (#6, #4 - OO Buck), and yes - if you reach the point where you feel you need to pull the trigger you may as well keep shooting.

The moonbat lawyers that will sue you afterwards aren't going to give you any points for only shooting their scumbag, home-invader client once.

As far as steel shot, unless you are defending against an invading gaggle of geese I don't think it is necessary.
 
There are numerous schools of thought on the subject.

Personally I use 00 buck, but there are people that use just about everything under the sun, it's a personal choice.

Some people will toss a deer slug in the mix as the 3rd round to come out of the gun. Deer slugs are one massive chunk of lead and I'd hate to be on the receiving end of one.
 
There are numerous schools of thought on the subject.

Personally I use 00 buck, but there are people that use just about everything under the sun, it's a personal choice.

Some people will toss a deer slug in the mix as the 3rd round to come out of the gun. Deer slugs are one massive chunk of lead and I'd hate to be on the receiving end of one.

I assume the slug also has a much higher likelihood of overpenetration.
 

Yup. This gives the best kill/spread/not-kill-people-in-the-next-room performance.

At home defense ranges (unless you have an enormous home), any shotgun round - even out of an 18" cylinder bore - is only going to spread <4 times the bore (about 3") so you still have to aim. Therefore, it behooves you to use a round with as many pellet as possible that will still get the job done.

The Box-O-Truth is informative, but they can only tell you what a round will penetrate, not what it will kill after it penetrates. I'd shoot #4 buck anyplace in the house without worry that it would kill someone behind a wall, yet with no doubt at all that it will instantly put down what I am aiming at.
 
Yup. This gives the best kill/spread/not-kill-people-in-the-next-room performance.

At home defense ranges (unless you have an enormous home), any shotgun round - even out of an 18" cylinder bore - is only going to spread <4 times the bore (about 3") so you still have to aim. Therefore, it behooves you to use a round with as many pellet as possible that will still get the job done.

The Box-O-Truth is informative, but they can only tell you what a round will penetrate, not what it will kill after it penetrates. I'd shoot #4 buck anyplace in the house without worry that it would kill someone behind a wall, yet with no doubt at all that it will instantly put down what I am aiming at.

Thanks.


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...As far as steel shot, unless you are defending against an invading gaggle of geese I don't think it is necessary.


Is killing efficacy on geese the only differentiator in lead vs stell shot or are there other issues?

Could someone use steel shot to avoid lead fouling and lead risks in cleanup, or does steel take a toll on the barrel?
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Is killing efficacy on geese the only differentiator in lead vs stell shot or are there other issues?

Could someone use steel shot to avoid lead fouling and lead risks in cleanup, or does steel take a toll on the barrel?
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I think the geese line was a joke. Lead kills better than steel on anything. There's really no non-environmental reason to use steel instead of lead.

The wad keeps the barrel from lead fouling. The lead in the residue comes from the primer, not the shot; so you're not going to mitigate any risk in cleanup by using steel.
 
I think the geese line was a joke. Lead kills better than steel on anything. There's really no non-environmental reason to use steel instead of lead.

The wad keeps the barrel from lead fouling. The lead in the residue comes from the primer, not the shot; so you're not going to mitigate any risk in cleanup by using steel.

Great - that's exactly the type of info I was looking for. Thanks.
 
Yup. This gives the best kill/spread/not-kill-people-in-the-next-room performance.

At home defense ranges (unless you have an enormous home), any shotgun round - even out of an 18" cylinder bore - is only going to spread <4 times the bore (about 3") so you still have to aim. Therefore, it behooves you to use a round with as many pellet as possible that will still get the job done.

The Box-O-Truth is informative, but they can only tell you what a round will penetrate, not what it will kill after it penetrates. I'd shoot #4 buck anyplace in the house without worry that it would kill someone behind a wall, yet with no doubt at all that it will instantly put down what I am aiming at.

Agreed, except that in my own pump I alternate the #4 with slugs. Just my own viewpoint...just my own thing. [wink]
 
Why not just load up with a few different rounds??

( Dont beat me, I dont even own a shotgun yet)

Would having 3 different kinds of rounds stacked up in the home defense gun solve ANY problem?? Personally being deviant, Id start with Flechette round, go to rock salt ( to make it hurt more) and finish up with a slug or steelshot. Again, i know no better, so dont beat me up here.

PS, as a matter of note. I have personally witnessed the carnage a shotgun round can inflict on a human being from 5 feet away..... and it pretty much doesnt matter. One shot is going to make a hole the size of a fist wherever its aimed and do enough damage to kill that person dead with one shot... I have seen the effects myself. Trust me, they arent pretty. In the case I am talking about, the hole coming out was even bigger than the hole going in and almost 4 times as big.
 
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