Some years ago I considered a shotgun for HD. I had myself, wife, and two kids in the house. Questions I wound up with were these. Place of gun storage? Authorized access versus unauthorized access? Likely points of threat entry? Likey lanes of fire? Likely locations of family members? Then in the absence of youtube, I conducted my own ammunition and barrier tests. I opted for a handgun in a lock box.
I saw one of that guys other videos. I liked it.
Last edited by Earlyagain; 07/03/20. Reason: Typos
My house's exterior walls are 6x8" pine, interior walls are pine tongue and groove, live alone, nearest neighbor is over 200 yds away. My shotguns have either #4 lead or steel BB as first shell, followed by 4 buck. If I start feeling the need, it will be 4 buck followed by 1 buck! I also have 00 buck, but consider that an outdoors load.
Inside a home there’s nothing better. Never met anyone who could take a load of #8 at close range and shrug it off. Buckshot is for the great outdoors.
I am..........disturbed.
Concerning the difference between man and the jackass: some observers hold that there isn't any. But this wrongs the jackass. -Twain
If I hear something in my house, my wife goes to the safe room with her cell phone...calls the police...tells the intruder where she is and that she is armed. She keeps the police on the line...and shoots anything that tries to come through the door.
My job is to get to the other end of the house where my daughter sleeps. We go to the "safe room", her room, and do the same.
I am not going to try to clear a house. And if I did, it would not be with something someone could grab and take from me...like a shotgun.
A shotgun is fine from a defensive position.
My wife and child both know to stay low on the floor in our "safe rooms". If either of us HAS to fire...it really doesn't matter how many walls the bullets penetrates.
I learned something while working at a medium security prison...you can quail almost any threat by firing "rubber" bullets chest high.
Chest high...fired from a low position...but, not rubber bullets...that's the plan. Hope I never have to act upon it.
Those "flutes" Lon a so called "rifled" slug are for show. They do not catch the wind and spin as they travel down range. I have a couple of slug moulds which do not have the flutes and those slugs shoot as well as the factory ones.
I'm pretty sure those slugs will "pattern" but how well they will group is up to the individual gun and slug. In the larger bores I have found one brand to work better in a particular gun while a different brand of slug may work better in a different gun of the same bore size. One can only buy a mixture of slugs and try them. Then go back and buy more of the one that did the best - if any can be found.
Most likely should change my 00 Buck to #2's or BB's . Things don't always go as planed and a load of 2's to the chest the recipient won't be standing there asking for my wallet.
Never take life to seriously, after all ,no one gets out of it alive.
At 20-30 yds #3 buck will pass through a 250# boar on a broadside shot to the chest and kill other hogs standing behind it. Did the 3’fer thing, uh, 3 times up in GA about 25 years back. Keep the occupied rooms and neighbors in mind when you start shoot heavy buck in a house. Birdshot will halt the debate w/o putting innocents at risk. For that matter, birdshot will put a deer down instamundo at 10-15’.
I am..........disturbed.
Concerning the difference between man and the jackass: some observers hold that there isn't any. But this wrongs the jackass. -Twain
I may not have been clear in the point. Cats or people, you’ll have better results with smaller buck. A couple or three dozen holes are more effective than 8 or 9. Smaller shot generally patterns better than large. I’ve killed full size pigs out to 40 yds or so with a 20 ga, 2-3/4” #3 buck load. Boom and flop. Went pig hunting a few times with 12 bore 00 and had to shoot several twice. Blind belief in 00 or 000 as a problem solver may lead to some surprises.
I am..........disturbed.
Concerning the difference between man and the jackass: some observers hold that there isn't any. But this wrongs the jackass. -Twain