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The popularity of 00 buckshot ensures there are tons of different loads produced for it. The argument for birdshot is that it won’t penetrate walls but if that’s your most serious concern, check out AR-15s chambered in 5.56 NATO. The good news is if you flinch or stutter and your shot goes a few inches low, you are still more likely to strike something vital than a handgun or rifle round. In this article, we’re going to cover what buckshot is, why you should use it, and what loads are most effective.
This is the only load that clocked more than its factory velocity rating. Recoil was not severe, and the load patterned at 7.5 inches by 6 inches in the Remington. It was also unusual in that the pattern was larger, or at least lopsided, in the Benelli at 8 by 3.5 inches. We would have preferred a tighter group, but then, some of the raters felt this is ideal for home defense. At any rate, this is a great buy for 10 shells at a five-shell price.
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The patterns are good and the price was right at the time of purchase. This is an eight-pellet 00 buckshot load intended for hunting use in areas that prohibit rifles. While we prefer slugs for something as large as a hog, at moderate range this load should be effective. Velocity averaged 1350 fps, and we only tested it in the Benelli due to the difficulty in obtaining the load. There was a lot of recoil and muzzle flash with this one.
Some of the loads, such as Winchester #4, exhibited a wide pattern, with the center fairly tight. It might deliver a hard blow with the center pattern, but also possibly connect with the outliers. History and events give us the most confidence in #00 buckshot, but we also tested mixed loads and #1, #4, and #000 shot.
Home-Defense Buckshot: Which Size is Best?
We tested gauge 2.75-inch buckshot loads in #1, #4, #00, and #000 sizes, and two more in a side test. Our shooters learned that maybe there is something to the reduced-recoil loads after all.The ratings were another matter. The raters were somewhat split on what makes a good personal-defense loading. The primary rater, on taking notes and canvassing opinion, found two primary camps.
Frangible slugs supposedly don’t penetrate much of anything, and if they’ll blow a door lock out they’ll drop an invader, right? In interior (not mixed interior/exterior) home defense situations, buckshot and slugs are totally out of the question, unless perhaps you are using them in a .410 shotgun. We should also mention that supply of these shells is extremely tight, and prices have sky-rocketed since we began this test. We haven’t included the original pricing for the shotshells because they were acquired pre-pandemic, when prices were a lot more normal. We did keep in mentions of rounds that were more affordable at the time of purchase because they will likely be so once again at some point in the future. Star crimp means that pellets will spread out more than they will with other shell construction types and that you can fit more in the barrel of your shotgun.
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The pattern, at 9 by 8 inches on average, is larger than we like, and we rated it down on that score. One of our raters has performed extensive buckshot testing in gelatin. He reports that once the shot hits gelatin, it radiates outward as much as 10%.
Carry your bullpup rifle, short-barreled rifle or large format pistol without attracting a lot of attention. They will penetration deep enough to do serious damage but not so deep that they will go through walls and endanger innocent bystanders. For home defense, you want something that will stop an intruder quickly without causing too much damage to your property. When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings.
The Benelli is gas operated and heavier than the pump action 870 used during the test. With some reduced-recoil loads, it was a joy to fire. In my opinion a large part of the problem is trying to extend the useful range of buckshot. Many if not all of the “tactical” and “reduced recoil” buckshot loads use plated pellets.
Getting your hands on the best buckshot for home defense is no big deal as long as you know all the necessary factors to consider. But having all those factors in one place is often a big deal. We compiled these factors so that you can have a quick look at them before buying. Go through the guide to find out factors that can impact your buying decision. Scrutinize each product on your choice list based on these factors.
Opting for a Versatite shot cup that is identical to Federal’s FliteControl, I’d hazard to guess both companies buy the shot cups from the same company. As we explained, shells are measured prior to crimping. This can create shells that are longer than others when crimped. A capacity situation in a magazine tube if the shells are longer than most.
Despite this lighter momentum, the load was reliable in the Benelli self-loading shotgun. In the open cylinder Remington 870, the pattern was 10 by 10 inches at 10 yards. The Benelli’s open choke tightened things considerably at 6 by 4.5 inches, the best pattern of the #4 buckshot loads. While we decided on 00 buckshot loads, the Remington #4 is a reasonable choice for home defense.
Coyotes are relatively small, and those .24 caliber pellets can take them down with relative ease. The law enforcement community dumped the use of #4 buckshot as a duty load and went back to 00 buck when we began finding out that #4 wasn’t giving the desired penetration. The bottom line is that along with power, the shotgun’s advantage is that it delivers a pattern that increases hit probability.
No. 1 buckshot can be tricky to find, especially in a dedicated tactical load. The most common size of buckshot is #00, which has pellets that are about .33 inches in diameter. There is only one #4 buckshot load that is worth any consideration, and that is Hornady’s 2-3/4 load in their Varmint product line.
An Official Journal Of The NRAWhen you factor in greater velocity and penetration, this is the top #4 buckshot load. While we prefer heavier buckshot for personal defense, this load has much merit in the intended role of taking down coyotes and other predators. The only .410 shotgun I’ve used with buckshot was an S&W Governor. It patterned very tightly with Federal’s 000 buckshot Handgun ammo, and was an impressive close-range self-defense gun. The only buckshot load available in 16 gauge is a Federal Power-Shok loaded with 12 pellets of #1 buckshot, so there isn’t much of a choice. The Remington load uses 21 pellets, so recoil is the least of the #4 buckshot loads.
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