Home Defense / Zombies!!

[AndrewMendez]

I have heard a bunch of people talking about using birdshots for Home defense... opposed to 00 Buck ,00 Magnum Buck shots, or slugs... I would personally use 00 Magnum Buck shots, because if someone came into my house, at 3 in the morning, they probably were not selling girl scout cookies... I know there have been similar post... but what would you use and why???

[Quiet]

00 Buckshot.
Why? Because it works well against 2 legged predators.

[AndrewMendez]

00 Buckshot.
Why? Because it works well against 2 legged predators.

And there is nothing higher on the food chain! besides Gunners, that is

[gcvt]

The economy is hitting everyone pretty hard. I wouldn't be surpried if cookie sales are way down this season and the Scouts are working overtime late into the night. Whatever you do, don't shoot a Girl Scout working late...nothing could be worse for us Calgunners

On a serious note, I'll go with 00 Magnum or regular 00. Bird shot is...pardon me here...for the birds.

[Electric Factory]

On a serious note, I'll go with 00 Magnum or regular 00. Bird shot is...pardon me here...for the birds.

You might not believe it but birdshot vs buckshot is the source of a raging and very heated debate/ battle at one of the defensive shotgun forums.
I learned this quite by accident having casually mentioned that some home owners do indeed load their HD shotguns with game loads, this due to the relatively low penetration of birdshot. Low penetration would particularly be an issue in a house full of kids or in other homes with similar proximity concerns.

Not knowing that this was such a red hot poker of a hot-button topic[ at least over there ] I almost got my head handed to me for even mentioning anything other than '00' buck for HD- who knew ?!

In strict terms of terminal effectiveness I whole heartedly agree that '00' magnum or '00' buck are the 12ga rounds of choice. No debate about it at all in my opinion. Were I in combat those would certainly be the rounds in my shotgun.

But I would suggest that HD isn't combat, and carries with it other concerns- and limitations, say for city dwellers which might not make '00' buck the best choice for HD. Think about just one .32 cal high velocity ball passing through the bad guys coat and into your wall, and then into your neighbors kids room. Now multiply that by nine- not good.

12ga bird shot has killed many a two legged predator, any city morgue will attest to that fact. It has also incapacitated many more. Is it as terminally effective as '00' buck ? No, but neither is it a kiss on the cheek.
Just food for thought.

[fusionstar]

I would choose some magnum turkey loads if I was so concerned about penetration. But im not so its 00 buck

[PorkLover]

I agree with Electric Factory.......having lived in the "belly of the beast" (SF) my neighbors were in very close proximity of me......I had my shotgun loaded with birdshot and felt comfortable with it....I have no doubts that any threat within 15 feet would have been incapacitated.....I lived in a 200sq ft studio......now that I'm in a less densely populated environment........00 buck......like everyone preaches.....the #1 rule about firearms, know what's behind you if you plan on shooting.......

[AdamM]

I stagger mine, first pump puts a 00 Buck in the chamber, next is a 1oz rifled slug, then buck, slug, buck, slug. If theyre still going after that, ive got my P226R .40 with 4 mags loaded with 180gr HST's and 1 mag with FMJ

[egslaw]

+1 for 00 Buck... -1 for slugs as home defense. Too much penetration for residential areas.

[AdamM]

+1 for 00 Buck... -1 for slugs as home defense. Too much penetration for residential areas.

They penetrate less than youd think actually:

Same as a 9mm, if not less

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3.htm

[egslaw]

They penetrate less than youd think actually:

Same as a 9mm, if not less

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3.htm

I did see this. It is a great demo.

[AdamM]

I did see this. It is a great demo.

What are you using? Just buck?

[Electric Factory]

I stagger mine, first pump puts a 00 Buck in the chamber, next is a 1oz rifled slug, then buck, slug, buck, slug. If theyre still going after that, ive got my P226R .40 with 4 mags loaded with 180gr HST's and 1 mag with FMJ

I like the idea of staggering rounds myself, though my HD magazine load is;
[1]field load followed by [2] Fiocchi Reduced Power slugs followed by [3] '00' buck.

My zombie only load is ALL '00' buck-

I've been shooting the Fiocchi Reduced Power loads through my Mossberg 930 SPX and like them a lot, very accurate to 50 yds too.

[Trapper]

I like Winchester 2.75" #1 Buck. It has 16 .30cal pellets compared to a standard 00 buck with 9 .33cal pellets. 00 weighs 54gr and #1 weighs 40gr the total for a 9 pellet 00 is 486gr and the #1 with 16 pellets is 640gr. For close range zombies I want the extra 7 pellets and 154grs. The patterns in my shotgun are tight and it sells for around $4 a box.

[Capt Jack]

This is one of the best posts I have seen on 12g wound profiles using ballistic gelatin, definitely worth a read!

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=109958