If you want to reliably stop attackers, it’s buckshot
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Every time I see this discussion I have to pose this question, Which would you prefer to not to be shot with?
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Rock salt
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#4 Buck I think.
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I’m going with “yes”
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Shotgun 1st you get that distinct sound and with the correct ammo no worries of pass through and hitting a loved one
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That ■■■■ stings!
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Welcome to the community @Shawn110
Older thread, and there have been many. But still good first post!
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"I agree that a .410 bore or 20 gauge shotgun would make a good HD gun. I would recommend the 20 gauge since .410 ammo is often hard to find. "
In Oregon I find the opposite to be true. In 25 years I dont think I have seen a box of 20 GA on the shelf anywhere. Just 12GA and .410 GA. I also disagree about the 12 GA being too powerful. There are many good 12GA Home Defense rounds.
I also agree strongly with John292. The trouble with a long gun is that they are long. Bingo. I keep an AR, a 12GA and a 9mm sidearm by my bed at night. If there is a home invasion I will grab the 9mm first followed by the 12GA. I live on a very rural farm. The AR is available if there are a group of people outside with less than honorable intentions.
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Plenty of 20ga ammo here in Co, that said, I don’t own a 20ga.
How about getting a Judge? Shoot those .410 defense rounds out of a revolver instead of a long gun!?!??
Ohh, yeah, myself and a buddy who owns one did exactly that, testing pattens on paper and felt recoil….
There’s a .410 load that is buckshot and washers…
Patterned like a slug at 5 yards, felt like getting hit in the palm with a 32oz ball peen hammer!
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Patterned like a slug at 5 yards, felt like getting hit in the palm with a 32oz ball peen hammer!
HAHAHAHA
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Wow, so much wrong in one single post…
The .223 (or 5.56 is absolutely NOT a “pissant round”. It’s probably one of the most versatile chamberings out there and you can find it loaded with everything from highly frangible 45gr HP to Long Range bullets in the high 70gr. range. It has been refined over decades of engineering and designing has killed a lot of small to medium game with aplomb, and truckloads of humans too, during it’s long history and it’s one of the premiere LE and Military use rifle rounds because of this.
The military is ABSOLUTELY NOT looking at the 6.5 Creed as a replacement in ANY capacity. There is a 6.8 caliber round coming down the line but it will take DECADES for the troops to see it in widespread use because of logistics.
The 7mm-08 is an amazing hunting round that I love but as far as hitting like a freight train it does not. It’s pretty much in the middle of the energy scale and highly efficient because there are a LOT of very good bullets in 7mm being manufactured and loaded in the USA today. Now, a .458 Win Mag hits like a freight train, the 7mm-08 is not even close and considering it’s use as a defensive round is absolutely absurd.
A shot gun for home use is perfectly acceptable but a .410 is woefully underpowered (I’m trying to figure out how you got to “devastating”) any way you look at it. it will do the job but it’s not stopping a truly determined BG in any hurry and the only folks that should ever consider it are the ones that are HIGHLY averse to recoil, or have no other choice for whatever reason. You want “devastating”, you pick 12ga SLUGS. THOSE are the Finger of God, even defeating body armor at close range.
I will give you that the 20ga will do a decent job. At least you got that ONE right…
But, damn…
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Welcome to the community @Shawn110
I personally fail to hear a significantly distinct difference between the sound of racking a shotgun and racking a rifle. Both are equally recognizable as a firearm being made ready for use and both give away the location of the user. I would prefer to have a round already in the chamber if I have to go looking for trouble rather then to wait till I find the trouble to get my defensive tool ready to use.
The shotgun rounds that have no worries of passing through the target have significant worries of not being able to penetrate the target sufficiently enough to stop the threat. When it comes to recommended self defense rounds shotguns are just as likely if not more so to pass through the target as SD pistol rounds or quality SD rifle rounds.
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20g, 11 round, semi auto, buck or slug, only 20". I like that platform/plan as home SD, especially if a decent size home or homestead. Short and mid distance. Makes sense to me.
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Welcome to the community. The whole thing with the sound of a shotgun racking is a common gun store counter myth. All that sound does is give up your position and invite a potential misfeed problem when you short stroke the gun while in full panic.
Please do yourself a favor, any gun that is intended for self or home defense should be loaded and ready to go, and that means a round in the chamber.
We don’t give warning shots, we don’t rack guns for effect. This is all movie crap.
If your life is in danger you shoot and get to it as fast as possible before the other guy does.
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That is a fine choice of platform, gauge and projectile selection. Just make sure you practice reloads under stress religiously 
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12ga pump action double barrel, 14+2 rounds of Fiocchi home defense 9 pellet 00 buck moving at 1250 fps.
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Some time back, (and I’d have to check current laws)
The sound of a racking shotgun was considered a warning shot.
Certainly racking any of my shotguns has distinct audible differences from any of my rifles. (Granted the semi autos are close)
However the sound of a pump action shotgun?
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