Buckshot vs. Birdshot for Home Defense

[Talyn]

The home-defense load for shotguns has traditionally been 00 buckshot. There is much justification for going the other way when considering buckshot vs. birdshot for home defense.

Buckshot vs. Birdshot for Home Defense

Buckshot vs. Birdshot

Buckshot Basics

 

[KillerFord1977]

At close range, both will work.
Dick Chaney agrees

 

[dad]

Im going to have to stick with buckshot. There is an old saying that if you shoot a big ol bad guy with too small of a bullet chances are you are just going to make him mad. A lot depends on your home and location of any family members. This in my opinion is like the question what is the best caliber for hunting? Depends on what you are hunting. My Mossberg is loaded with 4 rounds of 3 inch 000 and two slugs. If for some reason that is not enough that is what a reload is for.But I do not want to find out the birdshot wasnt enough cause it might just be too late. And while this is a good article its from 2017. There have been a lot of new buckshot load developed since then.

 

[HansGruber]

About the smallest shot I’d use for defense is BB…and then only for interior distances of less than 20 feet.

Personally, I think #4 buck is best for interior use, though.

 

[Recusant]

I knew of a guy who killed an assailant using a .38 Specail CCI shotshell during an attempted robbery. I suspect that a face full of birdshot would probably be a great deterrent.

 

[HansGruber]

I knew of a guy who killed an assailant using a .38 Specail CCI shotshell during an attempted robbery. I suspect that a face full of birdshot would probably be a great deterrent.

I know someone who was accidentally shot in the back with a pheasant load at a distance of 20-25 feet; destroyed his hunting vest & Carhartt jacket, but beyond that, just made a messy surface wound.

He had to be restrained from beating the tar out of the guy who shot him.

 

[Sld1959]

I use #4 buck for HD use.

 

[Sld1959]

I know someone who was accidentally shot in the back with a pheasant load at a distance of 20-25 feet; destroyed his hunting vest & Carhartt jacket, but beyond that, just made a messy surface wound.

He had to be restrained from beating the tar out of the guy who shot him.

Ouch, never seen a hunter shot, but did see a friend's stocking cap shot off his head.

He knocked the guy out with one punch before we could stop him. Not that we would have overexerted ourselves.

 

[Flyboy514]

At close range, both will work.
Dick Chaney agrees

So does joe biden*... remember when he said we should greet an intruder at our door with a 12 Ga.?

 

[Flyboy514]

I use #4 buck for HD use.

Yes, No. 4 in my 12Ga. as well

 

[Bassbob]

No birdshot for HD/SD please and thank you.

I would use #4 Buck if I had no 00B. But I do. 8 pellet Flite Control.