We have a Win 1200 20ga that I purchased for my wife back in 1973 while stationed in Turkey. I had the stock cut and a recoil pad installed for her. She went pig hunting with me a couple of times using it, loaded with slugs. She did learn to shoot skeet fairly well with it while we were over there and has not fired it since returning to the States back in late 74. I keep it loaded with buckshot, cannot remember the size now, next to door in the bedroom. The shorter stock makes it quick and easy to handle although I would not care to try to skeet shoot with it now.
What is a good round for home defense 20 gauge gun?
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I have a 20 ga Shockwave. I load it up with birdshot
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- #123
What size birdshot?
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I have pretty much decided on a Mossberg 20 gauge that I will use #4 buckshot 2 3/4 inch shells.
Yes I can shoot at my gun club. Not sure about what to use for targets. I'll have to ask around.
IPSC bobber targets work pretty well with all shotgun loads.
7 1/2. It will put a big hole in you close up. If your further away than that in the house good luck explaining. Plus you won't kill others in the house or next door. Use your brain not your trigger finger
You did say home defense
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Sounds interesting. I never heard of them.
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Yes this if for home defense. You are correct, if you shoot someone over 20 feet you would have to explain why you felt your life was in danger.
I expected my comment about considering low recoil slugs to stir up conversation, but it did not.
Also, do folks consider low recoil buckshot effective?
I will say that my experience with 7.5 shot on squirrels is that penetration is poor, pellets often barely enter the skin. 4 shot can go through and through a squirrel at fair range. A man is far thicker than a squirrel.
Also, do folks consider low recoil buckshot effective?
I will say that my experience with 7.5 shot on squirrels is that penetration is poor, pellets often barely enter the skin. 4 shot can go through and through a squirrel at fair range. A man is far thicker than a squirrel.
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- #135
The #4 buckshot 20 gauge or 12 gauge is considered a great self-defense cartridge.
I think many of us have just not considered a slug for home defense. I also think, people under estimate the power of a shotgun for not only buckshot, but also birdshot.
Here is a link to an article that shows, if you scroll about half way down the page, showing 7 1/2" birdshot from 10 feet, going thru a target of 1/2" inch plywood with another 1/2" inch plywood, about 8 inches behind it, to act as a stop. It went thru the stop as well.
Then it was repeated at 15 feet with it going thru the first half inch of plywood and stopping in the second plywood stop behind it.
Mad Gun Science: Is Birdshot Effective for Home Defense? | OutdoorHub
The article's conclusions was:
1. Don't get shot with anything, much less birdshot.
2. Anything 10 feet and under, doesn't really matter what size of shot is used. It's going to hit the target in mass as a large caliber would.
3. Shooting someone 10 feet or under with birdshot, is going to leave a huge mess.
4. Over 10 feet? You won't get the consistent penetration desired with birdshot that one will get with buckshot.
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You guys are making me re-think my slug strategy. My shotguns are always unloaded. I have loaded handguns handy. If I get the chance to load a long gun, I was thinking slugs would get the call, as the problem would not have reached the inside of my house at that point. Perhaps I should change over to buck shot.
If they make it past my pair of outside Rotties, then my inside Wiener dog (Ginger) will have already wakened up my wife with constant yapping, long before whomever, even decides to trip the burglar alarm. By that time, she's already called me and I am sitting outside my house, with 8 or 9 other black & whites.
Then I gotta just make sure, she doesn't shoot me.
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- #139
Some years ago Massad Ayoob wrote in an article that a 20 gauge pump shotgun with #4 buckshot is an excellent home defense weapon. This thread seems to confirm that.
Massad
