The only shotgun I own is an old Winchester 1300 16ga pump. It's a bit ratty, but I got it cheap, and it works fine, I even managed to replace the water damaged stock with something better looking for $25, and remove the magazine block so It finally gets the 4+1 it's capable of. One of the things that amuses me is the whole gun is held together with a single big nut, simple and it works fine.
Once or twice a year it goes out for clay pigeon fun, otherwise it's considered a possible home defense gun. Since it's in the safe I don't keep it loaded and ready as I do handguns, but I really believe shotguns are a force that's unmatched for the average home/gun owner.
Owning a 16ga, ammo choices are limited but it's fairly easy to find #1 buck loads. Well crap, I can get .410 in 000 buck, what's with this? After looking at it a bit, this might be a good thing......
000 buck is a 0.36" dia while #1 buck is 0.30" - not really all that much difference, but you have to respect 000 buck's 60% greater weight. But one ball does not a shotgun load make, and there is the matter of A) how many balls fit in the shell and conversely how much wasted volume there is in the shell (hint - bigger balls = more wasted space) and B) penetration.
Penetration seems not to be a problem for 12 gauge loads at least, but the most amazing thing (to me) is after buying a mighty 12 gauge for home defense or law enforcement, the market for self defense 12ga buckshot loads has a lot of reduced recoil listings. Hmmm.... It appears throwing 2100ft/lbs of energy downrange involves some recoil and time to get back on target, so loadings at lesser energies are common.
Penetration. 000 buck weighs 68 grains and a typical 2¾" 12ga round is 8 pellets. #1 buck load is 40 grains and 16 pellets. Full power loads for each is 1325fps and 1250fps respectively. That results for 000 buck 544gr of lead at 2120ft/lb vs 640gr at 2220ft/lbs for #1 buck. Hmmmm...
Someone put this together nicely on the Chuck Hawks website (feel free to skip this if you can't stand Hawk's political views) - it's at http://www.chuckhawks.com/home_defense_shotgun_ammo.htm The point I had been looking for here was the penetration of different buckshot loads , and he cites the Firearms Tactical Institute, which seems to be one guy, but I assume somewhere in there is data, but I couldn't find it. The problem is the sectional density - a sphere is the smallest surface area that can enclose a volume, but it also has the greatest diameter for the enclosed volume (and weight) of any bullet shape. Ah - but many bullets are now HP'a that deform to much great diameters after impact, and CCI's .22lr 40gr out of a rifle at 1250 fps will expand over 0.35", while getting penetration in ballistic gelatin easily over 12". So with what I think is a reasonable analogy I can believe that #1 buckshot load might have enough penetration to make a good to great defense load.
OK my 16 gauge loads are 12 pellets at 1225fps, for 1600ft/lbs on target, about the same as some 12ga reduced recoil loads, so it looks about right.
For a 20ga, there isn't anything I could find this effective. I found 1 loading of Heavi-Shot in one place in 00 buck, but description doesn't fit the ammo, so I can't recommend it. I found #1 buck loadings but in steel, which would be lighter and lack penetration the standard stuff has. It looks like the common 20ga loading is #3 buck, at 23 grains/pellet I'm not too optimistic about it's performance. If I was using a 20, I would have to regard it as less than lethal, and load it with something like BB and depend on the shock to incapacitate, and be ready for the second shot.
Thinking about buckshot
1When only cops have guns, it's called a police state.
I carry due to toxic masculinity.......just other people's.
I carry due to toxic masculinity.......just other people's.