Shotgun Home SD: 00 or Number 4 Buckshot

[MrAnteater]

This is an offshoot of the 00 buckshot verses slugs thread.

How would you rate using 00 buckshot verses Number 4 buckshot for Home SD?

I haven't seen much said in the past about Number 4 buckshot for SD.

 

[Fergy35]

About 8-9 months ago I did some reading on that same subject. I found a sight that had researched that and stated that #1 was the better choice over 00 and #4.

Now, to see if I can find that again, so I can get you a link.

 

[dbarale]

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3.htm

This one maybe?

 

[rcmodel]

My personal feeling is, at inside the home range, you could use #8 Trap Loads and get the job done nicely.

I've seen the "rat-hole" wound a 12 ga hunting load makes on a man at close range, and nobody is just going to shrug that off.

rcmodel

 

[gp911]

I currently have #4, but only because I am out of 00.

gp911

 

[Patrick_Henry]

The Box of Truth guys stated that 00 was more appropriate for defense than #4, but in their tests the effect of the 00 and #4 were the same on the dry wall. I didn't understand their reasoning behind this decision. So to +1 the OP what are the real advantages and disadvantages of both?

 

[jwxspoon]

#4 penetrated 6 sheetrock boards. #00 penetrated 8 and one pellet lodged in #9

jw

 

[bass806]

Pellet penetration aside, I would shoot both in your SG and see which one patterns better. Feel free to add in the aforementioned 8 shot and see what you come up with. I happen to use 00, but have not had the time to pattern test #4 buck in my new FN SLP.

 

[rcmodel]

Are we shooting sheet-rock, or a BG in your bedroom hallway?

rcmodel

 

[556A2]

I use standard velocity 2 3/4" 00 Buckshot that is plated & buffered.

I personally think its quite silly to use a load designed to kill a dove on a 200lb 2-legged Varmint that may be under the influence of Crystal Meth.

 

[1KPerDay]

Stop making sense.

 

[Fred Fuller]

It's become an ancient canard that #1 buckshot in a 12 bore has some kind of huge theoretical advantage over any other buckshot size, since a load of #1 can hold more pellets of a useful size. Unfortunately in my long experience (I was first informed of this theoretical advantage in a hunter safety course in high school in the early 1970s), reality has always trumped theory. In other words, having more usefully sized pellets in a load of buckshot is no real advantage IF THEY WON'T PATTERN WORTH A DARN. And I have yet to own a shotgun barrel that will pattern #1 better than it patterns 00.

IIRC the article on #1 buck being the ne plus ultra of defensive shotgun ammunition is at http://www.firearmstactical.com/briefs10.htm . If that's so, why do so many law enforcement agencies still issue 00 (not to mention the US military)?

So it's still 00 for me, thanks. Of course, if someone would just make #1 sized buckshot in Hevishot, and then load it in a FliteControl wad, we might REALLY have something there.

As to the #4 buck issue, it'll probably do as long as you can get it on target. But in a world full of options, I'll stick to 00.

Stay Safe,

lpl/nc

 

[Chupacabra]

So it's still 00 for me, thanks. Of course, if someone would just make #1 sized buckshot in Hevishot, and then load it in a FliteControl wad, we might REALLY have something there.

This load would be awesome.

I tried some Remington #1 buck out of my 18" 870 this weekend and was mildly surprised I was able to get all the shot on a B27 silhouette at 20 yards. Not bad, but I wouldn't want to use it past 15 yards or so. Premium 00 loads definitely have an advantage.

 

[Chuck R.]

It's become an ancient canard that #1 buckshot in a 12 bore has some kind of huge theoretical advantage over any other buckshot size, since a load of #1 can hold more pellets of a useful size. Unfortunately in my long experience (I was first informed of this theoretical advantage in a hunter safety course in high school in the early 1970s), reality has always trumped theory. In other words, having more usefully sized pellets in a load of buckshot is no real advantage IF THEY WON'T PATTERN WORTH A DARN. And I have yet to own a shotgun barrel that will pattern #1 better than it patterns 00.

IIRC the article on #1 buck being the ne plus ultra of defensive shotgun ammunition is at http://www.firearmstactical.com/briefs10.htm . If that's so, why do so many law enforcement agencies still issue 00 (not to mention the US military)?

So it's still 00 for me, thanks. Of course, if someone would just make #1 sized buckshot in Hevishot, and then load it in a FliteControl wad, we might REALLY have something there.

As to the #4 buck issue, it'll probably do as long as you can get it on target. But in a world full of options, I'll stick to 00.

Stay Safe,

Lee,

I think the question you have to ask yourself is “does #1 pattern good enough for use inside my house?”. Military and Law Enforcement have a different range requirement than I do.

I agree that the new FC and Hornady TAP loads pattern awesome at distance, but I’m hard pressed to find a long enough distance inside my house to take advantage of that better pattern. The longest distance I have indoors is a central hallway of about 30 feet and my #1 load has a pretty good pattern at that distance.

So I’ve traded a better pattern with 8 or 9 pellets for a little less penetration, and 7 more wound channels with a pellet that will still achieve 12” of penetration.

Just my rationale.

Chuck

 

[Fred Fuller]

Actually, the question I have to ask myself is, "Will one of us (my wife and/or I) ever have to take a shotgun outside the house to handle a problem?" And the answer to that is somewhere between "Maybe" and "More than likely."

It's 51 yards from our front door to the driveway gate. Longer distances than that abound here- we live in a rural area. With a guarantee all we would ever have to worry about shooting was 30 feet down the hallway, I could worry less about how my choice of buckshot patterns at up to 25 yards.

As things are, I don't have that luxury. There's no telling how long it will take a deputy or a State Trooper to get here if we called 911. It might be more than half an hour, easily. Anything that happens out here, from someone breaking into a neighbor's house, strange dogs attacking cattle, whatever- we get to handle it right here right now, with what's at hand.

If #1 buck works for you, that's all well and good. Our circumstances are somewhat different, however.

Stay Safe,

lpl/nc

 

[RNB65]

I use 00 buck with a couple of slugs in the side saddle.
-

 

[PJR]

As things are, I don't have that luxury. There's no telling how long it will take a deputy or a State Trooper to get here if we called 911. It might be more than half an hour, easily. Anything that happens out here, from someone breaking into a neighbor's house, strange dogs attacking cattle, whatever- we get to handle it right here right now, with what's at hand.

Those describe my circumstances too. If I have to go out of the house odds are it is to deal with some small predator so #4 buckshot is in the chamber. The magazine however is loaded with slugs. For small animals such as raccoons, opossums, porcupines, coyotes, etc. #4 is pretty good. But for everything else there's Brennekes. I've done enough testing of various buckshot in the field and at the range and I'd rather use slugs for anything larger than a small dog.

 

[CWL]

The way I was taught how to shoot a SD shotgun was by taping a paper plate next to the head of a silhouette target and setting it 15 yards downrange.

I am able to keep every pellet of Federal reduced-recoil 00buck inside that plate, every single time, all of the time. No flyers and no hits to the silhouette.

That's why I only use my brand of Federal 00 buck for SD loads. It will hit where I want it to. I don't need to consider any other load.

 

[Chuck R.]

Actually, the question I have to ask myself is, "Will one of us (my wife and/or I) ever have to take a shotgun outside the house to handle a problem?" And the answer to that is somewhere between "Maybe" and "More than likely."

It's 51 yards from our front door to the driveway gate. Longer distances than that abound here- we live in a rural area. With a guarantee all we would ever have to worry about shooting was 30 feet down the hallway, I could worry less about how my choice of buckshot patterns at up to 25 yards.

As things are, I don't have that luxury. There's no telling how long it will take a deputy or a State Trooper to get here if we called 911. It might be more than half an hour, easily. Anything that happens out here, from someone breaking into a neighbor's house, strange dogs attacking cattle, whatever- we get to handle it right here right now, with what's at hand.

If #1 buck works for you, that's all well and good. Our circumstances are somewhat different, however.

Stay Safe,

lpl/nc

Lee,


Great points, we have different circumstances.

To tell you the truth, If I were faced with that sort of distance variable, my shotgun would be in the safe, and my LE6920 would be my HD primary. Even with the FED FC or Hornady TAP the pattern will spread at 50 yards.

Chuck