What self-defense load is in your "house" shotgun?

[Jack Ryan]

Leftist suck it

Edited January 11, 2021 by Jack Ryan

[fortyofforty]

You guys are making me reassess my view of 00, #1, and #4 buckshot loads.  For home distances, I like a bunch more pellets hitting a target, as long as they can penetrate enough to reach vital organs.  I was thinking #1 was a decent compromise, but #4 might be even better.

[Collim1]

#4 buck for me. I like the pellet count and spread at inside the house distances.  

[BigDuke45]

I use 00/buck and rifle slugs. I give the intruder a choice.   That is after the last round is used.

[Will Beararms]

Winchester Dry Lok 3” #2 Steel Shot. I duck hunt therfore I always have copious amounts of said load around. 

[Bucky]

Tactical 00 in the tube, a few slugs on the butt stock.

To be honest, a long gun is a low priority in my home defense plan.

[G26S239]

00 Buck for me. 9 pellets is plenty.

[Ghost RiderXB9R]

16 rounds of 00.

[fortyofforty]

14 hours ago, Ghost RiderXB9R said:

16 rounds of 00.

I'm guessing you like zombie movies.

[Historian]

3 inch magnum 00 buck 12 ga Federal with brass shot.

Moss. 500 stock from Walmart.  Replaced the trigger group with all metal (no gold plate trigger) had entire shotgun painted OD green, put on ghost ring sights, replaced the wood with standard plastic stock, put on sling mounts, and sent the barrel to Hans Van Comp to work his magic.

It holds a dinner sized plate pattern at about 40 yards.

Wish it had a bayonet lug on it.

[Cougar_ml]

PDX1 buck and ball combo.

The way the house is situated, I'd be firing down a hallway, and the only thing that direction from me is a bunch of trees, then a lot of hills.  Pretty much every direction but one is safe to shoot, and that direction is my parent's log house with 12" thick logs at the small ends, though there are a few windows as well, but it's also a little elevated from me so if they were sleeping any shots should pass over them is I did manage to discharge that direction.

[ccm2361]

#3 Buck (it's a 20 guage)

[fortyofforty]

Found some boxes of O buck I'd acquired.  Still looking for the "best" home defense load, which tells me there is no "best".  The search is fun, though.

[Quickling]

I use the Olin milspec 00 buck. I  like the coated brass so that they last a little longer being stored in the tube.

[Borg warner]

 

[Lazy R]

I keep a 20 gauge 870 youth gun in my closet with 6 or 8 shot in the tube. I have woodpecker issues and it works for that. I figure if I have a threat close enough to be forced to use it, the bird shot is going to cut em right in two.

[Leigh1964]

Empty chamber (590) with 8 rounds of inexpensive 9-pellet Suprema buckshot.....500+ rounds over the last couple of months with zero issues other than a sore shoulder.

 

Under 10 bucks per box of 25 and from a cylinder bore choke, it patterns every bit as tight (at 21 feet) as the expensive stuff.

[rayzer007]

#4 Birdshot

[crockett]

Does this count..?

 

 

[fortyofforty]

3 hours ago, crockett said:

Does this count..?

 

 

Nah.  First, it's not 12 gauge.  And, second, if you call that a "shotgun" there are some guys from the BATFE that would like to have a word with you.  

[crockett]

2 minutes ago, fortyofforty said:

Nah.  First, it's not 12 gauge.  And, second, if you call that a "shotgun" there are some guys from the BATFE that would like to have a word with you.  

 

I can't afford those $200 for a shorty so screw ya'll!  

 

[fortyofforty]

7 minutes ago, crockett said:

 

I can't afford those $200 for a shorty so screw ya'll!  

 

Aim for the eyes.  Otherwise you'll just piss him off.

[fortyofforty]

The dearth of slugs in the poll is surprising to me.

[nitesite]

7 minutes ago, fortyofforty said:

The dearth of slugs in the poll is surprising to me.

Me too.  I think I was the only vote for them.

[fortyofforty]

4 minutes ago, nitesite said:

Me too.  I think I was the only vote for them.

I wonder if it's fear of overpenetration in and around the home.