Replies

I doubt many of us have homes with rooms larger than 75 feet in length or width. I use spreader loads from Orvis. They are for people who just like to aim based on compass position or clock reference right from the hip. At 50 feet, the pattern is about ten feet in diameter. You can't miss.

And FWIW, the blast wave from the shotgun will knock you down even without any pellets. It's a directional Flash Bang device with the added bonus of being lethal.

"How far away can you be with a shotgun and still hit your target?"

Depends on your aim and the shotgun. Also depends on how worked up you are at the time.

My shotgun has been converted to "home defense/crowd control mode". It has the shortest legal barrel, plug removed so it holds the maximum number of shells, pistol grip instead of the stock for my right hand, pistol grip on the slide for my left hand, and a six shell holder attached to the side for six more rounds at the ready.

I figure I can hit and disable somebody at just about any distance I'm going to encounter within my house....

Inside of your home you should be able to hit anyone with a 12 guage shotgun. Even in the dark. You're at the top of the stairs, you hear a noise from downstairs... point, click, boom.

repeat as neccessary.

I would not recommend 00 buckshot for urban, suburban or family environments. 00 buckshot is a very powerful round. I have personally shot my friend's father's Chevy Astro Van with my 12 guage using 2 3/4 inch 00 buckshot and it went right through both sides. Now imagine that compared to plaster or drywall. You're talking about going through several walls if not your whole house. Use birdshot or turkey loads. I think #4 or #6 but I can't recall offhand so someone please fill in this blank for me.

Shotguns are long and bulky so if you're just going to get a shotgun for home defense, make sure it has a short barrel and a folding stock. I personally have a Mossberg 590 (military spec shotgun) with 20" barrel and folding pistol grip stock but they make a 16" version that is nice. The only difference is that you sacrafice 2 extra rounds with the 16" model. Shorter barrels mean more spread at shorter distances but inside your home this shouldn't matter very much.

just my $0.02... someone please fill in my blank about the #'s of turkey or birdshot loads (it's #4 and #6, right??)

Well, it depends on the gun and round. A 12 guage with a 2-1/2" or 2-3/4" .00 buck can still lay a hurt on someone pretty far away.

A few years ago, Mosseberg was marketing a .410 pump shotgun with a shortened barrel for home defense. It kicks a lot less than a 12 guage and was easier to handle for women, supposedly. Hit in the right place, it will do the job just as well as a 12 guage, but I prefer not to take chances at 2:00AM in the dark.

I keep a double-barrel 12 guage in my house with the first chamber loaded with bird shot for warning the perp to get the hell out of my house. (OK, so I hate to think I would actually have to kill someone, so I give them a sporting chance!)

The second chamber is loaded with .00 buck and is specifically for reitterating that I am serious about them leaving my house. Problem is they no longer have a choice as to how that will be after the first round.

I have been consistently successful at 35-50 yds(since I never measured the distance, that's pretty much a guess). Funny, it never occurred to me to do that. I use the shotgun to kill vermin and as protection against bears and possibly any nefarious bipeds that force entry into the Runningjoke compound.