Black Powder shotshells for home defense

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christcorp

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I have shot black powder pistol for a while. Mainly my 44 cal Pietta. But I have started getting into reloading 12 gauge shotshells. And because black powder is so much easier to load, and pyrodex and black powder is more available now vs smokeless, I was wondering if anyone loads black powder shotshells for home defense.

I have loaded some #4 shot and BB for some small game hunting. But #4, BB, and of course buck shot is all also good for home defense. Anyone load any black powder shotshells for home defense?

Thanks
Mike
 
Not specifically for defense, but my single shot 16 is leaned up in behind the bed out of sight and there are 5 shells loaded with pyrodex and #6 shot on my nightstand. More for critters than intruders, but I wouldn’t hesitate to use it defensively. My past experience tells me that #6 isn’t going to do squat to an intruder beyond powder burn distance. If your serious about a defensive shotgun then you need something in the steel letter or lead buck range.
 
My only concern would be, that after the first shot indoors you wouldn't be able to see a thing. The house, or at least the room you are in, will be completely filled with smoke obscuring your target. The plus side is, you could just focus and aim at the coughing.
 
Thanks for the feedback. Like I mentioned, I have quite a few BP Shotshells loaded with BB's. That's pretty good size. As for the smoke, actually, it's not that bad. Not as bad as some think it might be. I was at an indoor range last summer, working in a new barrel I picked up for geese and duck. I grabbed one of the wrong shells. It was one of the black powder shells. It made smoke; of course; but not so much that you couldn't see.

Most of my home defense rounds are commercial ammo. Normally 4-buck. I find that to be the best all around for home defense. Some argue in favor of 00-buck; but when the indoor/home defense most likely will not be more than 10 yards / 30 feet; 00-buck is no more effective than 4-buck. Matter of fact, even #4 shot and #6 shot will penetrate about as far. As you move further away, then the shot size matters. But at 30 feet "MAX", which most homes don't have longer shots; most anything works.

I was mainly curious about BP for home defense. I wouldn't do a BP pistol, or a front stuffer BP rifle. Single shot and a lot of potential problems if the powder and bullet is sitting in the gun for weeks/months at a time. But shotshells are pretty much sealed. Having 7 or 8 rounds, even of BP shells, should be fine.

Thanks again for the input and feedback.
Mike
 
When you say BBs are you talking about lead BB size shot or steel BBs for a BB Gun? Steel BBs will ruin your barrel pretty quick and ding up the forcing cone area. I know that for a fact because I did it. I wouldn't by choice use a BP shell for HD. For the reasons mentioned above. In the house about any size shot will work. My uncle was a homicide detective and saw several people that had been shot by the homeowner who just grabbed there dove/Duck gun and the #4 or #6 sized shot they had on hand and blasted a burglar with it. It worked fine.
 
ThomasT said:
When you say BBs are you talking about lead BB size shot or steel BBs for a BB Gun? Steel BBs will ruin your barrel pretty quick and ding up the forcing cone area. I know that for a fact because I did it. I wouldn't by choice use a BP shell for HD. For the reasons mentioned above. In the house about any size shot will work. My uncle was a homicide detective and saw several people that had been shot by the homeowner who just grabbed there dove/Duck gun and the #4 or #6 sized shot they had on hand and blasted a burglar with it. It worked fine.
Click to expand...
In this case, I'm talking Lead BB's. But honestly, steel bb's aren't a problem if you know what you're doing. 1) Use anodized or copper plated steel. 2) Use a shot cup/wad. They won't hurt the barrel at all. Air rifle bb's are harder than steel hunting bb's, but with anodized and/or cup, they won't hurt the barrel. Of course, if you have a real heavy load and a very tight full choke, that's another issue.

As for using the BP shotshell for home defense, I can't really see the drawback, other than a little smoke. But it's not as much smoke as some "Imagine" it will be. As I mentioned, I shot BP in an indoor range. The smoke lingered, but it didn't cloud the area where you couldn't see. As I mentioned, most of my home defense is commercial ammo. But I don't think I'd hesitate using a BP shotshell in my 870 with a 20" barrel and IC choke.
 
Black powder for home defense falls under the general category of reloads for self defense, not recommended.
Do you have so many home invaders that the ammunition supply is critical?
 
I wonder if there would be a legal facet to using BP in a home defense situation?

While all normal people regard defending their homes and families from agressors coming inside, it's wise to acknowledge that there are a lot of not-normal people calling the shots, especially in some jurisdictions.

Since it's generally regarded as a hobbyist's pursuit, using BP to defend oneself within one's home might deter an agenda-motivated prosecutor from pressing charges, or help make a favorable impression on judge or jury should it come to that.

"E. Fudd, esq., is clearly not an Operator! He employed his one and only, last ditch option to protect his family!!" :)

EDIT: @Jim Watson posted as I was typing. Interesting difference of opinion.
 
You are likely to damage furniture, wall, carpet, etc. with burning embers from BP/substitute loads. Lots of flame and burning particles come out of the barrel. Shooting black powder loads outdoors at cowboy action matches in dry conditions, it's not unusual to start grass fires around the targets. It would be interesting to read your insurance claim about setting fire to your room with a shot shell!
 
Unless that was absolutely all I could possibly have...
Deliberately reverting to century-old technology when your life is on the line would seem . . . terminally ill-advised.

BTW: Ever fire a BP weapon within an enclosed space/in the dark?
 
Malachi Leviticus Blue said:
If you shoot someone with reloaded ammunition the lawyers are destined to claim you made it even more deadlier and inhumane that factory ammo.
Click to expand...
I’ve heard this opinion many times before. First from Massad Ayoob I believe. I’m not a buyer. It would be easy for any defense attorney to point out threads like this one in which “experts” opine that bp loads and weapons are less deadly and suitable for self defense than modern weapons and ammunition.
 
woodnbow said:
I’ve heard this opinion many times before. First from Massad Ayoob I believe. I’m not a buyer. It would be easy for any defense attorney to point out threads like this one in which “experts” opine that bp loads and weapons are less deadly and suitable for self defense than modern weapons and ammunition.
Click to expand...

And the prosecution would claim just the opposite.
 
Am i the only one who wouldnt let the intruder leave? Someone breaks in to my house with the intent to hurt me...theyll probably never be seen again. Therefor no courts, no prosecuting attourney. Texas has huuuuge deserts. Hehe
 
Should be fine but if needed in home defense, you will be degrading visibility substantially with powder smoke. Also, you better have a fire extinguisher handy...
 
woodnbow said:
I’ve heard this opinion many times before. First from Massad Ayoob I believe. I’m not a buyer. It would be easy for any defense attorney to point out threads like this one in which “experts” opine that bp loads and weapons are less deadly and suitable for self defense than modern weapons and ammunition.
Click to expand...

Well I think you give the jury (and most folks) to much credit for intelligence.
Remember one of OJ's key defenses was the fact that it appeared that the wet and bloody leather glove once dried did not fit.
Anyone with a lick of knowledge about leather would know that yes indeed a stiff and dried leather glove that had been wet would not fit the same as a new or well worn leather glove.
Yet the expert testimony stating so seemed to not make any difference.

Black Powder reloads - I would imagine the prosecutor detailing that Black Powder is so dangerous that it is more strictly regulated than any other gun powder and is an explosive and used to make pipe bombs, blah, blah, blah.
They would have folks believing that black powder shot gun shells were akin to exploding murder bullets that can kill a whole room full of innocent folks with one blast.
 
Malachi Leviticus Blue said:
Well I think you give the jury (and most folks) to much credit for intelligence.
Remember one of OJ's key defenses was the fact that it appeared that the wet and bloody leather glove once dried did not fit.
Anyone with a lick of knowledge about leather would know that yes indeed a stiff and dried leather glove that had been wet would not fit the same as a new or well worn leather glove.
Yet the expert testimony stating so seemed to not make any difference.

Black Powder reloads - I would imagine the prosecutor detailing that Black Powder is so dangerous that it is more strictly regulated than any other gun powder and is an explosive and used to make pipe bombs, blah, blah, blah.
They would have folks believing that black powder shot gun shells were akin to exploding murder bullets that can kill a whole room full of innocent folks with one blast.
Click to expand...
What could be done by a clever attorney and what is actually done are two different things... Ayoob was long pestered for evidence to support this claim. A case in which the dreaded extra special deadly hand loaded ammunition was a deciding factor in a conviction. As far as I know he never produced the evidence.

@TheOutlawKid... you should dig the hole ahead of time. Think about it, you’re out there digging a hole to bury your intruder. A guy happens along, can’t have witnesses, now you’re digging two holes. Someone else comes along and it’s three. Next thing you know you’re out there all night long digging holes...
 
I have a mule ear double 12 ga that I used to shoot in CAS. I have commercial #4 Buckshot shells for it and keep it loaded with same. But I also have brass shotgun shells loaded with BP and #6 shot as a backup and I have .31 lead round balls loaded in some of the brass shells and BP. (The .31 is from my little pocket Remington .31.) I also have 2 of my 1858 Pietta Remingtons with .45 LC conversion cylinders that are back up self defense. All are loaded with BP. I figure my double would be best for self defense because my very old 12 ga Sears High Standard pump does not have a disconnector or plug so I can hold the trigger down and pump out 7 #4 buckshot rounds in seconds. I figure the law might frown on that not to mention put a new doorway in my wall. I have quite a few options from smokeless powder guns to BP reproductions. I figure if they were good enough to kill in the 1800's they are good enough now and the law might laugh at the "antique" guns and give me a break. As I mentioned, I used to shoot in CAS and can put all my shots in a tight pattern. As a backup, my wife who is legally blind but can see a little, is deadly with my Navy Arms Henry .44-40 rifle also loaded with BP. She point shoots rather than aims and is deadly with it, if the target is big enough to see, (like the chest of a man).. The smoke isn't that bad and I love the smell of the Holy Black.
 
Malachi Leviticus Blue said:
Well I think you give the jury (and most folks) to much credit for intelligence.
Remember one of OJ's key defenses was the fact that it appeared that the wet and bloody leather glove once dried did not fit.
Anyone with a lick of knowledge about leather would know that yes indeed a stiff and dried leather glove that had been wet would not fit the same as a new or well worn leather glove.
Yet the expert testimony stating so seemed to not make any difference.

Black Powder reloads - I would imagine the prosecutor detailing that Black Powder is so dangerous that it is more strictly regulated than any other gun powder and is an explosive and used to make pipe bombs, blah, blah, blah.
They would have folks believing that black powder shot gun shells were akin to exploding murder bullets that can kill a whole room full of innocent folks with one blast.
Click to expand...
BTW, I’ve told this story here before so I’ll abbreviate it now. I was personally involved with a case in which a woman killed her romantic interest after he had mistaken romance for boxing practice one too many times. He was shot dead center by her .44 caliber Remington New Model Army. The defense made a part of it’s case the fact that her situation was so dire that she dared not make a break for her modern .357 but instead was forced to rely upon an antique to save her life.
 
MEHavey said:
Unless that was absolutely all I could possibly have...
Deliberately reverting to century-old technology when your life is on the line would seem . . . terminally ill-advised.

BTW: Ever fire a BP weapon within an enclosed space/in the dark?
Click to expand...
Ever fired a modern weapon within a closed space in the dark? A 9mm will resemble a flash bang and an AR15 has to be seen and felt to be believed...
 
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