12 buck shot magnum or not....

[tut]

I am wondering if any of you in the "know" regarding 12g buckshot effectiveness (home defense) in various loadings could give me your opinion...   I have made an investment over time in a number of boxes of a particular 3" magnum shell thinking if I'm gunna try to stop someone, well, i'm gunna stop them.   Then, of course, now that I've shot a few rounds in order to familiarize myself with the gun and get familiar with the patterning of the round, I now realize that followup shooting is just as important with a boom-stick as with handguns, and that the 3" magnums with 12 00's at 1400 fps is a bit much for effective sustained engagements for me...   I'd like to take a course, perhaps with Signal 88, and I'm thinking a day of magnums would be less than entertaining as well.

Sooo, if a guy wanted to reduce self inflicted punishment, wanted to have faster follow up shooting if engaged in a "sitiuation", and also wanted to take into account his wife may need to shoot the boom stick and therefore wanted to use non-magnum, standard velocity buck shot loads - would you be confident that the recievers of such loads would be stopped more than effectively?   Would you trust your castle defense to a standard load of 00 buck rather than high velocity/magnums?

[bkoenig]

Well, I'm pretty sure the military and most police departments use standard 2 3/4" shells.  I figure if a hit with 2 3/4 doesn't stop them a 3" magnum probably won't either.  Plus, my shotgun holds one more round with the shorter shells.

[NE Bull]

I too just keep the standard OO loaded, with a box of slugs nearby (just in case a huge leak is needed).
I have also been told that 4/5/6 shot can be really effective, some say more so than 00 because of the amount of surface area being hit at once.  Just my $.02


Also food for thought- your grandpa's old bird gun and some #6 birdshot looks alot better to judge and jury than an evil black  pistol grip shorty auto shotty with the high capacity for multiple rounds of 00 magnums.
The first looks like you grabbed what you had to defend yourself at the moment.  the latter would seem more premeditated, like your were expecting trouble.  (read this somewhere and it made since, which is why I threw some wood furniture on my 870 with a slightly shorter barrel and mag extension. made it look less sinister I guess)

[tut]

Thanks bkoenig and NE BULL, think i'll get a box or two of something along those lines and see how it patterns.  ...Now to decide what to try!  There is quite a bit of military 00 at Cabela's, that'd be fun to investigate.  Well, again, thanx guys.  :-)

[bullit]

Federal makes a LEO low recoil 00 Buck (around 1100 fps) with their Flight Wad control. VERY nice and pleasent for a 12 ga.  2 3/4 in size and very affordable.  Also, unbelievably accurate and patterns nice out to 40+ yds.  Another option is a 20 ga (yes, TWENTY GAUGE).  Most people don't ever think about how devastating 00 or 000 Buck from a 20 ga is. 
With regards to Signal 88 SG course....I HIGHLY recommend it.  It was a great course.  Taught by Wade Grimm of the DCSO. 

[Mudinyeri]

Federal makes a LEO low recoil 00 Buck (around 1100 fps) with their Flight Wad control. VERY nice and pleasent for a 12 ga.  2 3/4 in size and very affordable.  Also, unbelievably accurate and patterns nice out to 40+ yds.  Another option is a 20 ga (yes, TWENTY GAUGE).  Most people don't ever think about how devastating 00 or 000 Buck from a 20 ga is. 
With regards to Signal 88 SG course....I HIGHLY recommend it.  It was a great course.  Taught by Wade Grimm of the DCSO. 

^This

Depending on whether you want eight pellets or nine pellets, look for the Federal LE133 00 or Federal LE132 00, respectively.  Below are some targets shot with the LE132 and similar Federal PowerShock without the FliteControl wad.

LE132 at 7 Yards


LE132 at 10 Yards


Federal PowerShock at 7 Yards (same gun)


Federal PowerShock at 10 Yards

[20nickels]

If you want low recoil, get an automatic.  The reciprocating spring loaded action will cut recoil in half. 

Two things mentioned that I must disagree with;
Don't use birdshot.  It is not a manstopper.  Birdshot for the birds, buckshot for the bucks.
Although I think 20ga is plenty good for HD, 00 and 000 buck does not stack well in the smaller shell making it an inneficient load.  #3 buck does however and that's why you see it in 20ga HD loads.