Best 3” 12 guage shells for self defense?

[bigsky]

Semi auto. 4 shot or itty bitty slug followed by shot? And brand?

I have a reliable autoloader.

thanks in advance

[Darrell KSR]

Don't listen to me (it's not my home defense), but I'd look strongly at # 1 buckshot over 00. Twice as many pellets (I think) and still passes all those FBI ballistic gelatin penetration tests. My second choice would be 00. Just not a fan of slugs for a few reasons (fewer wound channels, possibly less accurate, capable of over penetrating, possibly more recoil than you'd want in that situation).

I have a friend with that and he has something - not sure what - like # 4 shot, then follows it with slugs. I guess whatever works for each person.

Ammo type, I have no idea.

Hopefully Chuck, Suncat or (I almost said Keith...) one of the guys that knows what they're doing will chime in. I'm just passing along casual conversation topics with my buddy and have no real knowledge here.

[blueboss]

A shotgun in close quarters… I’m guessing any buck shot is going to work fine, and as mentioned above recoil with a semi might be an issue, but if you’re pumping you’ll be recovering from the recoil while pumping…

Hopefully the racking sound alone will work.


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[suncat05]

Go with the reduced recoil 00 buck. It's sometimes hard to find, and a tad more expensive than standard 00 buckshot, but it works just the same and won't hurt your shooting side shoulder near as much.

[dan_bgblue]

I find this information to be useful

https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/s...ckshot-part-1/

I have picked the 2 3/4 inch star crimped #2 Buck. Does that mean, I made the right choice? Maybe I have, but it might not be the right choice for you. Are you trying to shoot through a 2' solid oak door? I am not. Choices, choices, choices ..........

[Darrell KSR]

I find this information to be useful

https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/s...ckshot-part-1/

I have picked the 2 3/4 inch star crimped #2 Buck. Does that mean, I made the right choice? Maybe I have, but it might not be the right choice for you. Are you trying to shoot through a 2' solid oak door? I am not. Choices, choices, choices ..........

That's a great article, Dan.

[CitizenBBN]

Haven't read Dan's link yet but did skim it, and I tend to agree with that general direction. There are so many factors here.

For the ammo itself the weight of each bullet (each shot is really it's own round bullet as far as ballistic damage is concerned), the speed, those are the same as with any bullet calculation. But then for shotgun add in how many will land on the target within so many feet or yards as they will spread in a cone.

Then the cone itself is determined by the choke on gun and even the design of the round.

Then for a lot of people comes the kick of firing 3" shells in 12Ga. I really don't have an issue with it, and in a self defense situation you aren't firing 40 rounds like at a skeet club. You're firing a few. So not an issue for me but it is for some. Control also.

Like Dan I tend to move away from #00 to more like a #0 or #1, that's my personal preference. I also would prefer it with an improved cylinder or "police" configuration, from a shorter barrel (legal but short). The shorter barrel means more spread but in home defense the distance is short, and you need to be able to maneuver.

The slightly lower weight of each projectile means somewhat less penetration and impact force on a target, but also less likely to travel through walls, etc., and the additional impacts IMO more than makes up for it.

In a 3" shell you will have a lot of power, so I would argue that having #0 or #1 or even down to #2 or #3 would maybe make more sense, as you get good power out of it but avoid over penetration, which is more of a risk with the higher power of a 3" round.


As for brand:

Shoot what shoots well for your gun. That's the key, especially if you are going semi-auto. Some guns like and dislike some ammo, even though technically the rounds should all be very close to identical in geometry. I always say try several brands, get a box of each, shoot it, see if you have any issues.

Of course a 3" round will have more than enough power to cycle a semiauto action in any shotgun, so that shouldn't be an issue.

Personally like Dan I prefer a 2.75" shell for this purpose, but not a low velocity load. More than sufficient, good balance of control and power for me, but everyone is different. I shoot 3" just fine too.

Then there is the pump v SA debate, which I am still pondering.

[bigsky]

Thank you guys. Does the guidance that “the autoloader will digest any 3” shell” preclude the smaller shell? Because I do have some of the shorter slug type shells in “managed recoil” a friend gave me, and some 3? Steel shells.

So confusing. But I’m going to sell the late ‘40s era Model 12 goose gun with a barrel the size of a caber and give my son my same era common as dirt Remington 20 guage autoloader.

The possessions disposal phase of life is upon me, but having a big bore semi auto to put forward at the head of the stairs still helps an old man sleep tight.

[CitizenBBN]

It does not preclude a smaller shell. Most SA shotguns will shoot 2 3/4 just fine, but some are pickier than others. that's true of any semi-auto, some require more pressure to cycle reliably than others. The best example are 22 semi-autos.

It's all about the mechanism for cycling and how much pressure or gas it takes (depending on the method use to move the bolt). Most US shotguns are designed for 2 3/4" shells since they were the standard when those guns were designed. They have been enlarged for bigger shells, but most still cycle fine with the other.

the best thing to do is google that specific gun and see if there are discussions or videos on reliability with which size and brand of shell. Some guns like some ammo, and hate other, and it's gun specific.

I have a Rem 1100 that shoots everything I ever tried in it. Personally I may go with a pump for home defense simply b/c there is less chance of a cycling issue (just like a revolver is more reliable than a semi auto pistol), but that difference is very small with a quality shotgun, infinitesimal really. Also I'm comfortable with a pump.

I may modify my Winchester 1897 for that purpose. I need to make sure it's not "touchy", they can be, but it also slam fires. If you hold the trigger back every time you pump it it fires. You get a lot of speed out of it.

Modern home defense shotguns are stupid fast though, and that is tempting. For a pump I may go with the Mossberg 590A1, for an auto I'm not sure yet. Several good choices. The Benelli M4 and others are great but stupid expensive.