High velocity buckshot for defense. Why?

[CopperFouling]

I used to agree. I had the unpleasant experience of being attacked by dogs repeatedly. Once I got into my truck bed, the next was while I was turkey hunting. Dog came at me and at about 18 ft a load of #4 hit her hard. And the next shell hit her partner in the attack at the same distance. It ended ones fight and killed the other, but the first ran off and lived long enough to rack up vet bills and let the meth-head owner swear out a statement lighting me up for animal cruelty. Bird shot is bird shot, and that’s just that. It doesn’t have the mass to penetrate and be reliably effective. Had the dog been anything bigger than she was and I would have been a chew toy. If it doesn’t say BUCK or SLUG then forget about using it for defense.

Real world experience FTW

That was No. 4 shot or No. 4 buck?

 

[Riomouse911]

That was No. 4 shot or No. 4 buck?

I think he shot it with #4 bird shot since he was turkey hunting...#4 was my Grandfather's go-to shot size when out hunting gobblers with his 16 ga.

Stay safe.

 

[CopperFouling]

I think he shot it with #4 bird shot since he was turkey hunting...#4 was my Grandfather's go-to shot size when out hunting gobblers with his 16 ga.

Stay safe.

I was going to say that I thought No. 4 buck would have had a considerably different outcome.

 

[Rexster]

I wish I could find the low-recoil buck, in stock, somewhere. My source for the Remington 8-pellet 00, in boxes of 25, dried-up some time ago, when the local police supply place switched to being a Hornady dealer. Federal Flite Control Tactical 00 has always been rare, and the last I found was several dollars per shell. I was given ten rounds of FFC 00 by a sympathetic instructor at the PD range, while attending a tactical shotgun course, but that was over three years ago, and I retired two years ago. (We were not issued duty shotgun ammo, but had to buy it, where we could find it, with the requirement that it be specific sizes.)

 

[luzyfuerza]

So much supposition, guessing, and "I feel comfortable" in this thread. For FACTS about shot performance and selection for self defense check out these videos from Lucky Gunner:



and

 

[BreechFace]

My businesses has been such as I have had discussions with emergency room physicians as customers, about a dozen, regards this exact subject. The opions based on emergency room experience were all the same. The shotgun at in-house range does not open up, the smaller the pellet size the worst the wound, every pellet must be removed one at a time. There is nothing to tie to for sutures, the wound is hamburger and a hole. They all were of the opinion that the shotgun with #9 to 7 1/2 shot creates the worse close quarters wounds they see. The plastic surgeon, was very interesting, he has repaired several hands and feet from resting a shotgun. He is a hand and foot reconstruction specialist.

What about the perps that coded before getting to the hospital that were shot with 00 buck, the emergency room doctors don't see those "patients." I think I'll stick with 4 - 00 buck followed by a slug at the end. If the perp wants to shoot at me from behind cover he'll get the haymaker at the end.

 

[lemaymiami]

With a bit of skill and a five shot butt cuff with a particular mix of rounds handy, it’s a simple matter to add a hardball to the tube on a pump shotgun so that your next round (at any point during an exchange of fire) is a a real surprise for an opponent behind a barricade...

And if your opponent is behind a vehicle that ordinary buckshot round can easily be skipped into his (or her...) feet if they’re not standing behind a wheel.

None of what I’ve just described is for beginners but with some training and practice... very do-able. Me... I’m planning on doing my best to keep out of situations where these kinds of skills might be needed...