Practicality and tacticality of 12ga. slugs

[Akajun]

Birdshot = Too much surface area, too little penetration. Shallow, bloody, but not deadly. under 10 yards, its very deadly, will render things unrecognizable

Slugs = Too little surface area, way too much penetration. Most of the round's energy is lost to whatever's behind the target, instead of getting dumped into the target. say what you want, Every deer I have shot with a slug has dropped in its tracks even though they have gone through and through. There is a lot of energy in those things

Sabots = See slugs... just not as bad due to expansion in the target.

Buckshot = Enough size to penetrate, great energy deliverance. The ideal. again tracked a lot of deer shot with buckshot, did not find all of them. Also know of a shooting where suspect was shot at several times, was hit several times, but was able to flee and run for some distance. He is now alive and well serving a life sentence.

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The difference between the slug and the rifle rounds mentioned is that the slugs are about 1/2 - 1/3 the speed of the round, but 6-8 times the lead. Same amount of energy, per se, but much more momentum. Those rifles are dumping energy onto the target, while the slug sails through.

If overpenetration's not an issue, slugs will do just fine, it's just that they have much more recoil than shot.

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[CloudStrife]

Buckshot is a tool with specific, impressive results, but is not a substitute for a rifle.



After taking shotgun classes at Thunder Ranch and with Awerbuck, I can't imagine using anything but slugs in a shotgun... YMMV.

Consider that under stress the majority of shots fired MISS. You have now put 9 rounds in the air that will cover 10-ish feet at 100 yards and each one still carries enough energy to kill.

Did you mean buckshot?

 

[spanky]

Did you mean buckshot?

He most certainly means slugs.

 

[CloudStrife]

He most certainly means slugs.

Okay. I think I misread his last statement. He's seeing the 9 pellets as a risk for collateral damage rather than increasing the chance of a hit.

 

[spanky]

Okay. I think I misread his last statement. He's seeing the 9 pellets as a risk for collateral damage rather than increasing the chance of a hit.

Correct. Either one is better in a different situation. Obviously if you have a wide open shot with a clear backdrop a buckshot will not be a liability but if you are in a home/vehicle/business defense situation where your backstop might end up be a determining factor, 1 projectile is preferred over 9.

 

[jmcrawf1]

Buckshot requires the user to still do his part. Its not like you can go willy nilly shooting buckshot and the round will make the hit for you.

So if the shot is well placed, why not shoot them with a slug?

 

[spanky]

Buckshot requires the user to still do his part. Its not like you can go willy nilly shooting buckshot and the round will make the hit for you.

Lies.

 

[Guate_shooter]

So if the shot is well placed, why not shoot them with a slug?

Because 1 BIG hole is better than 9 little ones, specially if it makes exit 1/2 slug becomes a 4" hole in the back attached to whatever is in the way of those 4" sorry for the one who has to clean the mess

 

[CloudStrife]

Because 1 BIG hole is better than 9 little ones, specially if it makes exit 1/2 slug becomes a 4" hole in the back attached to whatever is in the way of those 4" sorry for the one who has to clean the mess

But a few "little" holes is better than no holes.

 

[Guate_shooter]

But a few "little" holes is better than no holes.

I agree but at the same time you still have to aim its not a point and pull situation like most people claim, just my .02 so dont take it personal pretty plssssss!

 

[spanky]

But a few "little" holes is better than no holes.

Not when they go beyond the intended target.

 

[CloudStrife]

I agree but at the same time you still have to aim its not a point and pull situation like most people claim, just my .02 so dont take it personal pretty plssssss!

I know. Just saying.

 

[aroundlsu]

When a bad guy has your daughter with a knife to her throat are you going to wish for buck or slugs? Or maybe you will be cool enough to do a "select slug" transition to the slugs on your sidesaddle. Oh wait they all fell out in the chase because you were carrying them in the side saddle brass down. Crap all you got now is some bird. Are you going to make the shot?

My primary bedside shotgun has always and will always have nothing but slugs. And yes I can make that headshot under stress.

 

[Golden Dragon]

Now with this vast information go to a range and see what each type of shell will do in your shotgun. If you can, put a sheet rock up behind your target and see what it will do as far as penetration etc. If you live by your self or don't have people living close by then just shoot what ever you have. Its not like the movies you still have to aim a shotgun.

Shotgun= 5 to 8 rounds loaded
Pistol= 10 to 17 rounds loaded
Revolver= 5 to 6 rounds loaded
AR-15's
Carbine's= 10 to 28 rounds loaded

 

[Gus McCrae]

When a bad guy has your daughter with a knife to her throat are you going to wish for buck or slugs? Or maybe you will be cool enough to do a "select slug" transition to the slugs on your sidesaddle. Oh wait they all fell out in the chase because you were carrying them in the side saddle brass down. Crap all you got now is some bird. Are you going to make the shot?

My primary bedside shotgun has always and will always have nothing but slugs. And yes I can make that headshot under stress.

Maybe you need a pistol or rifle.

 

[jmcrawf1]

But a few "little" holes is better than no holes.

Train until "no holes" doesn't happen

 

[Hardballing]

Au contraire, sir.

I have stood over the still-warm evidence indicating otherwise.

At room distances, a load of #8s in the upper chest will kill you just as dead as a slug, or buckshot, or a rifle round.

Especially when fired from a full-choked 1100 by a thoroughly pissed-off housewife. Gad, what a mess that was...

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I concur.

And I have stood over/around 3 such incidents. The flow/blast of fat tissue alone is almost enough to make you hurl. Think "wallpaper" of 1/4" fat chunks and you'll get the drift.

I'll also take your money, gladly and laugh at you all day long, if you think inside the 50-75 meter envelope in particular that slugs won't do for accuracy. The most certainly do. And do a SPECTACULAR job on car bodies, human bodies and various and sundry masonry that may be between same.

I, at distance of out to 25 yards, prefer 00b for the reasons LSU stated. But indoors, I'll go with #4 buck anytime. Just have a LOT of trigger time with that (from the same timeframe he mentioned), and I feel very comfortable with the loading inside 25 yards.

Totally indoors, with sheetrock as a backstop? I'm talking inside a room, #7 or #8 shot, high brass, will drop you quicker than a lava rock in bare hand. particularly if I get your head/face in the sight picture.

Seen what I am referring to. And what I am saying is what I am loading.

YMMV, and probably will.

 

[Sin-ster]

I am not ashamed to say that I have too weak a shoulder to use slugs for self defense shooting. Not necessarily in terms of actually using the weapon on another human being (although follow up shots would be a concern), but training/practicing enough to really feel competent with the weapon. My living situation suits the 00 bk perfectly, I'm very comfortable with the way it patterns at in-the-house distances, and I have much more practice (and desire to keep practicing) with it than if it was full of Buckhammer or other rifled slugs.

 

[glimmerman]

What, pray tell, is Buckhammer?????

.

???????? Brenneke Sabot ???????????

 

[Gus McCrae]

What, pray tell, is Buckhammer?????

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A clever name by the Remington marketing department.