Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Shot size for home defense

Well, is room distance a metric or English unit?

You seem certain that any scenario you are likely to encounter is on the happy side of that limitation.

I'm saying I won't make that bet, especially since I don't know exactly what constitutes "room distance".

The parameters have been pretty much been set at an average room distance of 20feet-7yards-and there is plenty room for error. Notice in the video after going through the first wall-and slowing down from doing so-the second partition still had birdshot holes.

Without hitting that wall and slowing down, the shot would have traveled 40feet or almost 14yards. You think a shotgun at 14yards-and under-is not a decisive force, no matter what size shot is used? (Remember we can take game at an honest 40yards with birdshot.) Think again, but use what you want.


There are more than a few accounts of hunting accidents with birdshot in the 14yard range that have killed people. Those who survive almost universally state they were knocked on their ass when hit at 30yards-90feet-and under.

The last sentence is based on them taking the majority of the shot in a 1 to 1 1/8ounce load.

One of the guys I shoot clays with is the chief of radiology at a very large urban hospital. They see more gunshot victims than most war zones. He told me flat out that a shotgun blast to the torso at room distance is not survivable. When asked if it mattered what gauge or load he said that in over 20 years he had never seen a survivor regardless of gauge or load.

Weagle

I'm guessing that he ain't guessing all that much.

RufusG what is the biggest room in your home? I would think that will give you the distance at which it needs to be able to get the job done at.

If it's that big, pass shooting can get you in trouble.

Then you have to decided on move-mount-shoot, spot shooting, maintained lead, swing thru, or pull away.

At that point I'll just jump and try and get the hell out of the house first.

I've got a couple places in the house with an open line of sight over 60 or 70 feet, although most likely shots would be shorter. If I get to count the garage, it would be longer. But I also don't assume I wouldn't have to step outside under some scenario.

I've decided I'm going to do some controlled "short range" patterning when it cools down a bit. I've only patterned at say 20-40 yards before.

Couple your pattern sessions with some penetration testing comparisons of various shot sizes. Wait a minute, that's been done, though some don't want to see that.

We don't have a "Castle Law" here in CT so if I or anyone else were to shoot a perp at 60-70 feet or outside the house we're going to jail.

So... if a bad guy is shooting at you from 70 feet, you're not in danger? It would seem you would be perfectly justified to return fire in self defense in such a situation.

Yep. The key words "not survivable" not based on pattern or penetration tests but rather on a 20+ year history working at a level 1 trauma center.

Throw a load of 7.5s into the side of your car door at 7-10 yards and tell me what you see with regards to pattern and penetration.

Sure, just promise to pay to have the scratches buffed out and I'll do it.

That would be correct you would be breaking the law. As I said there is no "Castle Law" here.

Excellent.

Exactly.

Yes, any size shot will do at closer ranges. My top end vote though is for Remington 'HD' shot, size "T".

I could not agree with you more. Many people take the shotgun out and break clays with it, or shoot buckshot or a turkey load at a target and call it good. I have owned a shotgun since I was 10 years old and I am quite a bit older than that now.

I have no Grady Hospital trauma experience (inside GA joke), but then I grew up with Shotguns, at close range 20 feet or so with #9 shot into the center of your chest from even a .410 your dead end of discussion, there is no hospital that can fix you. I have no doubt of this. I have shot the wall boards as well (as well as chopping down a few pine trees as a youth with 12 gauge bird-shot). I think I will stick with 2 3/4 inch BB shot if everyone does not mind.

I have used #2s in the 22" choked A5 for a lot of years. Regular 2 3/4" high brass loads. Little side story. Got a late evening invitation for a dawn turkey hunt after the stores had closed (back in the day when everyone closed by 6pm and went home.) I had no turkey loads in the house. I hastily loaded 5 rounds with steel BBs (airgun fodder) and went hunting the next am. The turkey came off the roost on a preserve, crossed the boundary then a small stream and headed for the host's sorgum allum field. At about 25 yds the BBs mostly totally penetrated a bird that dressed (oven ready sans stuffing) 22 pounds. Impressed me. I suspect the high speed steel shot of equal size would be lethal at close range. jack

Shot size for home defense

Just finished reading about this subject in the 1991 Guns & Ammo annual I dug up. The author chose #4 Buck in his 12 gauge after a big test. Forty one .24 caliber lead balls was a nice compromise between over penetration and DRT.