12 gauge OO buck; best self defense round

[honestlou]

You know, that load is kind of an enigma wrapped inside a riddle for me. I have quite a few boxes of it for testing but I'm still kind of on the fence. What I cant get out of my head is this: If I want longer range accuracy I use a slug. If I want less penetration and more spread I use Buck. If I use the PDX1 I'm kind of giving up on those. If I use it for longer range I still get the benefit of the slug but three flyers with "to whom it may concern" are going right along with it for the ride. If I use it close in I get a spread but the slug penetration is a problem. To me they more of a specialty round. I want to like them, I really do, but those are my concerns currently. Maybe they are unfounded?

I started looking at the PDX1 and I had the same questions. At distance or at close range, the three buckshot don't seem to add much to the effectiveness of the slug. And for medium distances where a full load (9-15 pellets) of buckshot will give you a decent spread, it seems that the 3 buckshot in the PDX1 is wholly inadequate.

 

[Gus McCrae]

Any 00 buckshot will work fine. I'd pick the shorter shells as there will be less recoil and will work fine against 2 legged predators. I tend to be wary of using other types of shot.... especially bird shot. You need penetration to stop a threat, and 00 buck does just that. If it won't penetrate a little drywall, how will it penetrate clothing, bone, and enough bad guy to get deep into the vitals? I imagine LEO/Military uses 00 buck just for that reason. Anything else will be less reliable.

00 buckshot, any kind that works reliabily in your arm, the less recoil the better for factory loads, learn to shoot as there is very little pattern when fired in the home..... that's about it.

 

[SeventhSon]

This mirrors my own thoughts on the PDX1 rounds exactly. The results seem to show that they do work, I just can't figure out how.

I started looking at the PDX1 and I had the same questions. At distance or at close range, the three buckshot don't seem to add much to the effectiveness of the slug. And for medium distances where a full load (9-15 pellets) of buckshot will give you a decent spread, it seems that the 3 buckshot in the PDX1 is wholly inadequate.

Glad I'm not the only one. That's why on my home shotgun I have it loaded with buck in the tube and the sidesaddle and 4 slugs in the Speedfeed stock. Dont really see a need for the slugs in the home but always good to have options and a slug changeover is easy enough.

 

[DBMJR1]

#4 or 00 either will do the job.

I keep 2 3/4" 00 in my shotty. I have a Mossburg with a synthetic stock. The first time I fired it, it punished my like I was a rag doll. I actually lost my grip on the forearm with a 3" 00 shell. I was sore for a week.

I brought it home, and stuffed a pound of cast bullets in the butt stock, dampened by old tee shirts. Now it's tame as a kitten.

No more 3" 00's for me. I surrender.

At 25 yards, yesterday, the pattern of 2 3/4" 00 buck, out of a 18.5" cylinder bore, was about eight inches round. At half that distance it was no more than a couple of inches.

Inside or out, it'll do the job, but it still requires aiming. The myth that you don't have to aim with a shotgun is false.

FWIW I'm using Remington ammo. I did no research on my choice.