Mossberg offers the model . For 12 Gauge ammo, 00 buckshot is the standard, and if possible the best loads are Federal Flite Control 8 pellet or Hornady Critical Defense 8 pellet.Both of these loads use a proprietary wad that keeps the pellets together longer, delivering awesome terminal performance. Mossberg 500. Shotguns chambered in .410 also can generally be made lighter and . Number four on the recommended list is the Benelli M4. The Remington 870 and 11-87 Police guns are two of my favorites. 6. level 2. 12 gauge Winchester Super X 2 3/4-inch, 1,600 fps, 1-ounce Foster-style rifled slug. The 870 is a street-proven design that has saved the lives of police officers and military personnel the world over. The shotgun is capable of taking all sizes of game in North America. Best Shotgun Choke for Home Defense. The Remington guns come with a variety of . While a 5.56 bullet will drop 38.1" at this distance, a .308 will drop 47.2" (if both rifles are zeroed in at 200 yards). When it comes to highly effective home defense ammo, Winchester is with you all the way. In the case of a 12 gauge, that's .729-inch. BONUS: Shoot better. However, this distance is also about the maximum combat effective range . Average penetration 22 inches. It has a 6+1 capacity with the 2 shot magazine extension. Mossberg 590 Shockwave 410. Best Shotgun Ammo for Home Defense. #2 Buckshot for the 20 gauge. Buckshot, 9mm, or 223 would most likely pass through my and my neighbors walls an injure or kill a neighbor or thier kid. One of the more unique self-defense options on the market today. With a tight pattern, you can maybe stretch it out to 40 or 50. Recoil 30 ft.-lbs. But brands vary, and the English guys who invented shotguns were smart. Hornady. Before purchasing the best ammunition for home defense, take the time to practice at the gun range. Shotgun ammo is incredibly diverse. This combo package is ideal for owners of the Taurus Judge, the Taurus Public Defender, or Smith & Wesson Governor. Additional considerations to take in mind: replacement Remington 870 barrels are very easy to find, so if you have an extra long one useful for field use, consider having a second, shorter barrel to keep on the gun when local game is out of season. The Remington 870 Express Tactical is chambered for 2 -inch or 3-inch 12 gauge rounds. Cheaper Than Dirt has Federal PB203RS 20 gauge 2.75" Vital-Shok TruBall Rifled Slug, 1600 fps muzzle velocity, 1864 foot pounds energy at muzzle, for $3.83/box of 5. 00 Buck at 10 Yards, Shooting Illustrated. The 12-gauge pump shotgun is touted as the ultimate home defender. A typical shell holds about eight of these pellets. Challenger 12 Gauge - 2-3/4 1-1/8oz. My second choice is Centurion 3 pellet .40" buckshot. Take advantage of our bulk ammo sales and stock up on shotgun ammunition. Because they are such versatile firearms, the ammo produced for shotguns comes in a wide variety of sizes, power and styles. Testing Defensive Shotgun. . level 2. test18258. Support NRA Family DONATE. A few years ago, Aguila Ammunition gave us the Minishell, a 12 gauge shotgun shell 1.75 inches in length. From sight to saddles to ammo, every item on this list plays a critical role in making your shotgun an effective weapon. Their new 12-gauge offering is packed with high caliber 1-1/8 ounces of #8 lead shot. 6. #1 Buckshot: The Winchester Super-X is a great ammunition option for #1 Buckshot, as well as the military version. You do not have to have top-notch ammo to shoot a couple of rounds. The 12-gauge has become the standard size shotgun for self-defense, but that doesn't mean smaller gauges don't offer some advantages; namely, recoil reduction for added control and lighter weight so they're easier to wield. Additionally, it is designed by retired Green Beret, who know a thing or two about combat. Check out standard 00 buck at 10-yards. You will still have to consider your neighbors as it is capable of penetrating multiple walls. The 11-87 is a semiauto 12 gauge that has a gas system that's tweaked for defensive/law enforcement loads. Two shots were made with a Remington 870 shotgun which is typical for a home defense shotgun nowadays. If you've chosen a shotgun for your home defense needs, a good grasp on the size and type of available ammunition is essential to your survival plan. The Winchester Rifled Slug is perfect for people who want an inexpensive set of ammo for hunting, self-defense, or target shooting. We reviewed various shotgun loads to determine what makes a good defensive round in Best Shotgun Ammo [2020]: Home Defense & Target Shooting. The KEL TEC shotgun comes in at slightly over $1000 and has a 12+1 capacity round, 18.5-inch barrel length, and titanium finish. Ammo choice is important as well. This bullet serves home defense purposes well with its muzzle velocity of 1200 fps. Winchester 20 Gauge Super-X #3 Buck. You can use a 1 oz slug (deer slug) for distance (drops about 4 inches in 100 yards). The Remington 870 gives you 6+1 capacity with an 18.5-inch barrel for maneuverability. 00 buckshot is the most common type of defensive shotgun ammo and it's very effective up to about 25 yards. Their new 12-gauge offering is packed with high caliber 1-1/8 ounces of #8 lead shot. MSRP: $385.00. Coming in with a standard 9 pellet loading, these shells include a polypropylene filler. AR15. Federal tends to be our favorite in terms of defensive loads. The overall length of the Model 500 is a quite maneuverable 28 inches. Henry Repeating Arms Sidegate 410. If you buy at least a sleeve of Federal Premium Power Shok F2033B, 20 Gauge, 2.75", 20 Pellets, 1200 fps, #3 Lead Buckshot, 5 rounds/box, the price is only $3.55/box. Remington Express TAC 12-Gauge: The Remington provides versatile #00 buckshot pellets that deliver tighter shot patterns that will do considerable . STANDARD MFG DP12 - Wrong House Pick 7. All of them will break clay targets at reasonable ranges. 7. It has a 14-inch length of pull and is 38.5 inches in overall length. No. Each Combo Pack includes American Eagle .45 Long Colt defensive ammunition and . 7. Just having a shotgun nearby isn't enough, though. By comparison, 1 1/8 ounce, 1200 fps ammunition generates 21.6 ft/lbs of recoil in a 7 pound gun, as determined by a recoil calculator Minishells, the softest kicking ammo around, generate just 8.7 ft/lbs of recoil. The test rounds will first pass through two 16 inch by 16 inch sheets of inch drywall that are separated by two sections of 24 lumber. A shotgun will also over-penetrate standard residential building materials. That being said, always be sure of your target and what is beyond it. No choke tube is manufactured, keeping the home defense situation in mind. Below is my list of the best .410 shotguns for 2022. The shot fans out quickly. Even those who aren't gun enthusiasts are likely to recognize the Winchester name, and the 1897 pump action firearm lives up to the name's history and high standards. 4 buck load rarely reach the 12-inch minimum standards. HJFos19. Click on the name to head to the product page, read reviews and check prices or skip ahead to the list of shotguns. When FMJ is in use, it will give better results at the . This dense filler helps prevent shot deformation which helps with pattern and range. The classic choice for home defense use is 00 buck, which measures .33" across. For those of you in a hurry, here is a preview of our top picks for the best shotgun ammo for home defense: The Best Home Defense Shotgun Ammo: Winchester Super-X #1 Buck (12 Gauge) Federal Power Shok #4 Buck (12 Gauge) Winchester Super-X 00 Buck (12 Gauge) Winchester Super-X #3 Buck (20 Gauge) Federal Premium #4 Buck (20 Gauge) Remington 870 - Around for more than a half-century, this shotgun has sold over 11 million units . There is simply no doubt that a 20-gauge shotgun, loaded with buckshot ammo, will do significant damage to virtually any target, including a home intruder. Make your decision based upon the context of home defense, not chasing bad guys. A shotgun will also over-penetrate standard residential building materials. The 0, 00, and 000 sizes contain anywhere from 8-12 pellets that are approximately the same size as .32 caliber handgun rounds. Winchester Defender PDX1 Segmenting Slugs. Fiocchi 10 Rounds 2 Slug (Low Recoil) . By Corey Rawlins February 6, 2022. level 2. test18258. The Remington 870 and 11-87 Police guns are two of my favorites. 00 buckshot is the most common type of defensive shotgun ammo and it's very effective up to about 25 yards. Slugs are really useful if we need to extend the range of the shotgun or in situations where penetration is really important. The Remington guns come with a variety of . They're intended for hunting larger game, such as deer, making them ideal for use against humans. It and our Stevens 320 HD, also in 20ga, are loaded with (3) Remington #3 buckshot, followed by (2) W-W Defender segmented slugs. Now, we are strictly talking regular power loads, with a preference being for 2 and 3/4 over 3. We carry a huge variety of home defense shotgun ammo, 12-gauge ammo, bulk shotgun ammo, and specialty and exotic shotgun ammo. The 20 gauge, when used appropriately, is a perfectly acceptable weapon for home defense. A shotgun can take the place of a rack of assorted rifles as long as you're shooting at shorter distances, and can be used for . Designed for fighting, the Moros is the perfect weapon addition to any home defense plan. Home-defense situations are normally close, quick, and fluid. It is capable of killing birds to bears and everything in between - and is especially useful against two-legged vermin. Choosing the best concealed carry ammo is important, so use this guide to narrow down your choices. Even better is the Federal 4 pellet .36" load, but all 410 shotguns are 3" so why not use the 5 pellet .36". To test what a round of home defense shotgun ammo might do to someone after it has passed through a wall, we're going to start by building a few walls. The main reason why you shouldn't rely on number 4 buckshot for home defense is that it fails to reach acceptable standards of penetration through fleshy targets. Ammunition Demystified: The Best Shotgun Ammo for Home Defense. Our flechette shotgun ammo with 19 steel flechettes has 211 percent more projectiles than conventional 9 ball lead 00-buckshot with an equally higher probability of kill (P/K) and an . The M4 makes a strong claim to the title of the world's most durable and rugged semi-automatic shotgun. Buy 12Ga Flechette Shotgun Ammo 25 Rnd Box Bore Safe Best For Home Defense Ga: GunBroker is the largest seller of Shotgun Shells Ammunition All: 935345904. . The winner with regards to this is the 5.56. Fast Facts: Using Birdshot For Home Defense. Always load your home defense shotgun with the correct ammunition. We feel the Federal Classic 2 -inch #1 buck load (F127) is slightly better than the same loads . Oddish43 on November 23, 2021 at 7:16 pm. The key features include a muzzle velocity of 1600 feet per second and also feature high power and extremely good accuracy. 8. But you can check out this choke tube from Remington for your defense shotgun. 1-Ounce Slug. While most buckshot and birdshot ammo can cause significant damage during a home . The first is a Mossberg Model 500 pump action with an 18.5-inch cylinder bore barrel and pistol grip, which stands next to the bed within arms reach. Update: We just added a Stoeger M3020 Tactical to the family. Savage Renegauge - New Pick 8. #4 Buckshot is the minimum size shotgun load we recommend for home defense. Winchester says they wanted to combine the best features of both slugs and buckshot into one defensive round. In addition, number 1 buck is less likely to over-penetrate and exit an attacker's body. We should start by establishing why anyone would want to use a .410 shotgun for home defense in the first place, as there is some logic behind it. Buckshot. #4 bird will do terrible damage to anything within the range I would be shooting in my house (small 850sqrft house) but would be pretty much stopped by two externals walls. If you need an . If you own a large home, you may need to fix the pallet spread rate according to space. Conclusion. Since 1922, Super-X ammo has provided exceptional quality and outstanding performance, and #3 buckshot is no different. Challenger is amongst the leading names creating the best shotgun ammo for home defense since 1983. balls) . Buckshot is arguably the most popular ammo load for home defense. The winner with regards to this is the 5.56. Three inches is more powerful, but produces more recoil. Buckshot - This refers to pellets that range in diameter from .24" to .38". At 5 yards, which is just across the room, the number 8 birdshot covers a larger area while the buckshot had its bigger pellets spread out a little bit. The receiver has a matte blued finish. The problem is that many pump guns and semi-autos will not feed the Minishell. Within around 500 yards, you're going to end up with a much flatter shot than occurs with the .308. 12ga 00 Buckshot, Opened. They also leave the muzzle at a blistering 1600 feet per second, so they hit the target with some serious power. Relatively affordable, this gun packs a punch and is the only gun for home defense you'll need if you plan on buying only one gun. The Mossberg 500 is the second. While they can be used in the field, these shells are good for home defense distances. The 11-87 is a semiauto 12 gauge that has a gas system that's tweaked for defensive/law enforcement loads. And if a shooter can control the firearm better, faster follow-up shots and enhanced . Reply. Like the Mossberg 590A1, it is a military-issue shotgun, and like the Beretta 870P, it is a gas-operated weapon. Non-plated, low recoil, lead 00 or #1 buckshot for 12 gauge is what we use.