I have some of those joe. They're a blast. but I want something I could shoot a rabbit with, and still have some rabbit left. While still being able to undo a cannibal with the same ammo.

 

Is bird shot effective as home defense ammo?
I want to order some bulk 12ga ammo. I want to get something that will work for the most possible scenarios (it's my zombie apocalypse stockpile after all). I see myself using the shotgun for home defense and shooting varmints. I won't be using if for big game; I have a rifle for that. So I was thinking bird shot, would be good for birds and probably varmints, but will it stop a bath salts crazed intruder?

No birdshot won't work, remember Dick Cheney shot his friend in the face with it and he only got minor injuries. You want 00 buck, or slugs. (I prefer slugs) Or either of the ones on the far right of picture.

 

Actually his friend only got a few pellets, which were enough. One almost made it to his heart.

The reason for the small pellets and home defense is walls. How many walls you need to go through? Small pellets are stopped quickly, while large ones keep going and going and going...

If you have family and kids it is not a minor matter.

 

Actually his friend only got a few pellets, which were enough. One almost made it to his heart.

The reason for the small pellets and home defense is walls. How many walls you need to go through? Small pellets are stopped quickly, while large ones keep going and going and going...

If you have family and kids it is not a minor matter.

Just been too many accounts of people taking point blank birdshot to the chest and not doing any real damage. Its basicallyequal to getting shot with 100 tiny bb guns. I suggested the 00buck for that purpose. The pellets are big enough to destroy whatever you shoot, but won't go thru anything too thick. Or just use the old farmer trickand pack it with rocksalt.

 

well I ordered the ammo. utilized ever dollar I had allocated for ammo, so its too late. Intruders will have to settle for being peppered with hundreds of red ryder shots. FYI the ammo I got is 1300fps. your typical bb gun that kids use is 350fps. I have been shot with that bb gun before and it will penetrate skin, it will definitely put an eye out. I think most of the energy is used to break the skin, so if the BB was going 3.5x as fast, I imagine once it got through the skin, going through the rest of the way through the body would be no biggie.

BTW I know there are BB guns that shoot over 1000fps, but they are not common, and not what most people are talking about when they say "a bb gun."

 

Take your shot and head down to the range and paper test the shot pattern at several different distances you feel you might encounter in real life. You'll at least have an idea where discouraging ends and lethal begins.

 

stantor,

I wouldn't use that on anything less than a deer. I was talking strickly in the scheme of self defense and not having the mess a group of BBs to clean up.

 

well I ordered the ammo. utilized ever dollar I had allocated for ammo, so its too late. Intruders will have to settle for being peppered with hundreds of red ryder shots. FYI the ammo I got is 1300fps. your typical bb gun that kids use is 350fps. I have been shot with that bb gun before and it will penetrate skin, it will definitely put an eye out. I think most of the energy is used to break the skin, so if the BB was going 3.5x as fast, I imagine once it got through the skin, going through the rest of the way through the body would be no biggie.

BTW I know there are BB guns that shoot over 1000fps, but they are not common, and not what most people are talking about when they say "a bb gun."

Mine shot 1100 fps and I plan on grabbing a .17 HMR that shoots 2500fps, but even a crapper crossman shoots at high 700's.. Bird shot will work but not because of the actual shell. Your deterant is the sound of racking the shell. Otherwise you're gonna need to hit em about 1ft from the barrel. Remember those are arout 1/4 the size of a bb. At 20 ft you have a 3ft hit pattern. It'll break the skin but your only gonna pepper em with a lil lead. Now if we can get our russian friends to make us some platonium-9 pellets we may be on to something for birdshot as home defence. But for future referance, go with 1 shell of bird shot then 6 shells of 00 buck, Thats your standard home defense shell.

 

All the shotgun for home defense gurus usually give high brass 7 1/2 shot as the in home defense load, with single 'aught(0)buck as a chaser.

 

Do not let these boys reload for you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzfzHg7Ilx0