Home Defense rounds for apartment living.

[CARRIMA]

Hello! Just wondering about what might be a good option for 12 gauge home defense. I have an 18.5 in Mossberg 590A1 (5+1) and I also live in an apartment. Some youtube videos got me a little bit nervous to keep it full of 00buck style home defense rounds because of dry wall penetration. Some have recommended just bird shot to me saying it will definitely do the job. What do you use? Any recommendations are appreciated! Thanks!
-C.

 

[txinvestigator]

Bird shot is not a good man stopper.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Now, for the REST of the answer.....<G>

I keep #4 shot loaded in mine on the first 3 rounds. Last 3 are slugs - just in case my first 3 expressions of displeasure don't get my point across.

 

[Dawico]

Any round out of a shotgun at short ranges is going to come out like a slug. It takes good distance for the shot to seperate.

For 12 gauge apartment use "less than lethal" rounds (rubber balls/ bean bags/ that type of thing) may be the only safe thing to use. Maybe something like that for the first two rounds then 00 buck incase the first two shots don't stop the BG.

TXI is correct about bird shot. It gives serious flesh wounds but little penetration. At short range it will penetrate drywall though. It may be ok for the first two rounds like stated above though.

 

[CARRIMA]

All good recommendations! Thank you guys!
-C.

 

[40Arpent]

Now, for the REST of the answer.....<G>

I keep #4 shot loaded in mine on the first 3 rounds. Last 3 are slugs - just in case my first 3 expressions of displeasure don't get my point across.

Is that #4 buckshot, or bird shot?

 

[TexasRedneck]

Is that #4 buckshot, or bird shot?

#4 bird. At close range, you're toast - but sheetrock will stop the bulk of it at normal ranges.....

 

[Charlie]

What about those little short, stubby rounds they make for increased capacity in the tube magazines? I know nothing about them but heard they are just under-powered, short (1 1/34"+/-) rounds. May work for apartment style living. Anybody ever shoot them? Got any opinions.?

 

[40Arpent]

#4 bird. At close range, you're toast - but sheetrock will stop the bulk of it at normal ranges.....

Gotcha. #4 bird seems to be a common choice and I've often wondered why #4 and not a size or two larger or smaller. Are there test results that people refer to, or is it just a proliferation of someone's opinion on the internet?

 

[ZX9RCAM]

I gotta ask, what's the difference between #4 buck & #4 birdshot?
I thought that "#4" was the shot size, so that it would be the same?

 

[stdreb27]

I gotta ask, what's the difference between #4 buck &amp; #4 birdshot?
I thought that "#4" was the shot size, so that it would be the same?

Think the difference between a duck and a deer... (At least in my simple mind)
No but seriously I was wondering the same thing, I thought #4 was #4, 00 was 00.

Not taking into account lead vs steel

 

[Jeffrey]

A bean bag round at +/- 10 feet will put a human on the ground screaming for mommy without much trouble. I've also heard tell of setting bird-shot in a wax plug.

 

[matefrio]

I'm invoking THE BOX OF TRUTH

The Box O' Truth #3 - The Shotgun Meets the Box O' Truth - Page 1

 

[bwalker]

Think the difference between a duck and a deer... (At least in my simple mind)
No but seriously I was wondering the same thing, I thought #4 was #4, 00 was 00.

Birdshot (aka shot) is typically available in sizes 9 (.08" dia) up to size T (.20" dia). Then there is Buckshot (aka buck) that is typically available in sizes 4 (.24" dia) up to size 000 (.36" dia). So there is #4 shot (.13" dia) and #4 buck (.24" dia). So it makes quite a bit of difference depending on whether you're talking about bird shot or buck shot.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Thanks BW, that answers my question.
Evidently #4 is not always #4, lol.

 

[bwalker]

A bean bag round at +/- 10 feet will put a human on the ground screaming for mommy without much trouble. I've also heard tell of setting bird-shot in a wax plug.

With a bad guy 10 feet away there is no way I would put my family's life in the hands of a bean bag. Nothing personal, but that sounds foolish to me.

 

[Army 1911]

#4 Buck is .24 inches in diameter.
#4 Birdshot is .129 inches in diameter.

And just for fun, #12 Shot is .05 inches in diameter and approximately 2300 pellets per ounce.

 

[txinvestigator]

Any round out of a shotgun at short ranges is going to come out like a slug. It takes good distance for the shot to seperate.

For 12 gauge apartment use "less than lethal" rounds (rubber balls/ bean bags/ that type of thing) may be the only safe thing to use. Maybe something like that for the first two rounds then 00 buck incase the first two shots don't stop the BG.

TXI is correct about bird shot. It gives serious flesh wounds but little penetration. At short range it will penetrate drywall though. It may be ok for the first two rounds like stated above though.

If the situation is serious enough for deadly force, using something that you accept from the start can take several rounds to work could be a problem for you.

Train, and carry defensive ammo.

By the way, it is "less lethal" not less than lethal.

 

[Acera]

If some one is bad enough to shoot, they are bad enough to kill. I also have issues with less lethal rounds, like bringing a knife to a gunfight, and would never recommend that for self defense.

 

[bwalker]

If the situation is serious enough for deadly force, using something that you accept from the start can take several rounds to work could be a problem for you.

Train, and carry defensive ammo.

This is my thought as well. You have to train and be confident you can hit what you're aiming at. Apartment distances are going to be even shorter than distances in a house. If you mess around with #4 bird or #4 buck as your first two shells and you don't take the bad guy down then you may not reach the third shell that you've loaded with your 00. Make every shot count and bring the bad guy down ASAP. Your life and your family's life likely depend on it.