bird shot is bird brained for HD

[jason765]

I have noticed people mentioning bird shot alot in home defense threads, what?? why?? do these people know the difference in bird shot and buck shot. If your family is in danger, are you shooting to neutralize the threat or are you trying to make them mad? save the bird shot for the birds. I go with 00 buck and my house will be the last one you invade.

 

[Naptown]

I have noticed people mentioning bird shot alot in home defense threads, what?? why?? do these people know the difference in bird shot and buck shot. If your family is in danger, are you shooting to neutralize the threat or are you trying to make them mad? save the bird shot for the birds. I go with 00 buck and my house will be the last one you invade.

+1 to 00 buck. Bird shot is for the, well... BIRDS.

 

[geronimojoe85]

Out of an 18 inch barrel at 10 yards or less I don't think it makes that much difference.

 

[shibumiseeker]

At inside the house ranges there's not a whole lot of difference between an ounce of shot and an ounce of solid lead, but there's a whole lot of difference in what each does after it goes through a wall.


Criticize if you will, but it's not an invalid decision.

 

[RelicHound]

Spoken like someone who has never taken the time to pattern a shotgun. bird shot is very lethal at defensive ranges. at a range..oh lets say the length of a hall way,bird shot doesnt have enough distance to fully spread..it will damn near put a hole like a slug under 10 yards and it has plenty of ass behind it to knock anything your shooting at off its feet.

 

[in625shooter]

Most people that use bird shot do so because of over penitraion issues (faimly members asleep somewhere else or thin apartment walls etc). Like one other poster mentioned at 10 yards or normal room/halway distances in a normal house birdshot will run their day just as well and not tear up or penitrate your walls as much as 00 buck

 

[esrice]

Birdshot looks mean on paper targets, but shoot something solid and you'll quickly see why it would be an ineffective manstopper.

 

[dagibson1507]

I've got a drum of birdshot for the saiga. With 20 rounds I don't feel I'm under gunned in any way. I've got two little ones and thin walls. I've got a mag of buckshot if I take it outside.

 

[paperboy]

I definitely would not volunteer to stand in front of 6-8 rounds of 12 gauge Hi-Brass #4 shot......

 

[RelicHound]

Birdshot looks mean on paper targets, but shoot something solid and you'll quickly see why it would be an ineffective manstopper.

Seriously? I guarantee you hit someone at the ranges you are most likely to engage an attacker and even the lightest 2.75" target loads will drop them like a sack of potatoes. And what do you mean by "something solid"? If men where made of wood and phone books Id think we would all be using nothing less than a .44mag to protect ourselves.

 

[RelicHound]

This was shot with 2.75" winchester AA trap loads at a distance of 15yrds{5-6 shots if I remember correctly}...if bird shot can do this kind of damage to sheet metal,insulation and plastic Im sure as hell not gonna stand in front it.

 

[parson]

Was rabbit hunting way back in the 80s, a bunny stopped about 20 feet in front of me, I placed the bead of my Browning 20 ga, loaded with #8, shot on his nose, when I pulled the trigger his head disappeared! Not exaggerating, the entire head was gone. I'd trust it for home defense, unless I had a very large, open house.

 

[Sylvain]

Birdshot looks mean on paper targets, but shoot something solid and you'll quickly see why it would be an ineffective manstopper.

I agree.00 buckshot is used by most law enforcement agencies for a good reason.
Bad guys are not made of paper.
I have seen how easily birdshot can be stopped by furnitures inside the home or light car doors.
If a BG is shooting at me behind cover and non of my rounds can go thru his cover but his rounds are going thru mine then im in big trouble.
I want something with enough penetration and I dont think that over-penetration is a problem with 00.
I wouldnt shoot no matter what round im using if im not sure of my target and backstop anyway.
Even birdshot can go thru drywalls easily and hurt or maybe even kill someone behind that wall if you miss your target or dont have a safe backstop.

 

[grunt soldier]

I agree.00 buckshot is used by most law enforcement agencies for a good reason.
Bad guys are not made of paper.
I have seen how easily birdshot can be stopped by furnitures inside the home or light car doors.
If a BG is shooting at me behind cover and non of my rounds can go thru his cover but his rounds are going thru mine then im in big trouble.
I want something with enough penetration and I dont think that over-penetration is a problem with 00.
I wouldnt shoot no matter what round im using if im not sure of my target and backstop anyway. Even birdshot can go thru drywalls easily and hurt or maybe even kill someone behind that wall if you miss your target or dont have a safe backstop.

so on a serious note if you don't know what's behind someone trying to kill you are you just going to let them kill you? not trying to start a argument just curious?

 

[Sylvain]

so on a serious note if you don't know what's behind someone trying to kill you are you just going to let them kill you? not trying to start a argument just curious?

Well when I say that you have to know what's behind your target it doesnt mean you have to know what's behind your target at the very moment they are shooting at you.
I dont have X-ray vision.
It means, in my case, that I studied my home.I know where the solid brick walls are and where the drywalls are.I know what my rounds are capable of doing.
I know that the only person in the house besides me is my girlfriend and if she's behind me or if I can see where she is that means she's not behind my target and therefore I can shoot back at any target.
That what I mean by being aware of what's being your target before returning fire.
If I had kids in another room that would be different and I would have to think about that too.
Being sure of what's behind your target can be just making sure what is NOT behind your target.For me that's just checking that my GF is next to me before returning fire.That just takes half a second.
I hope it makes sense.

 

[USMC_0311]

I was invaded by birds last year and the 00 was just pointless in trying to knock them down. I have switched to bird, bird,00, slug, bird in HD setup.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

I definitely would not volunteer to stand in front of 6-8 rounds of 12 gauge Hi-Brass #4 shot......

I don't want stung by a bee either, but I'm not going to use them for home defense. I've seen the tests, I've done the tests. Birdshot does not penetrate enough to stop every attacker on the spot. Don't plan to miss, practice to hit your threat. If you have to worry about your shot hitting someone else besides your intended target DO NOT TAKE THE SHOT! Would you take the shot outdoors with a handgun and people behind the atacker? Would you shoot a deer standing in front of a house?

I just don't understand the argument of "overpenetration" in most of the situations presented. If I lived in an apartment I would have a gun but if someone broke in I would probably use a bat so I didn't hit an innocent.

 

[jsn_mooney]

I'm not sold 100% on the "Trailer-Park Tactical" load (birdshot) for HD. I keep 2 3/4 #4 Nitro-Mags in my "house-gun" with 6- #00 in the side saddle, and 4 brenekee slugs in the speed-feed stock. Hopefully the #4 wouldn't over-penetrate in the house, and if it came to using the heavier loads I'd be outside. Luckily, my only home invaders thus far have been 'coons and the occasional opossom. They have all felt #4 was plenty.
just my .02-

 

[.452browning]

This was shot with 2.75" winchester AA trap loads at a distance of 15yrds{5-6 shots if I remember correctly}...if bird shot can do this kind of damage to sheet metal,insulation and plastic Im sure as hell not gonna stand in front it.

i have to agree, in a CQB engagement inside a home good ole' birdshot will drop whatever troubles you whether that be an armed robber, zombie, or large ducks...i wouldnt get in its way

 

[snowman46919]

I have noticed people mentioning bird shot alot in home defense threads, what?? why?? do these people know the difference in bird shot and buck shot. If your family is in danger, are you shooting to neutralize the threat or are you trying to make them mad? save the bird shot for the birds. I go with 00 buck and my house will be the last one you invade.

+1 to 00 buck. Bird shot is for the, well... BIRDS.

Birdshot looks mean on paper targets, but shoot something solid and you'll quickly see why it would be an ineffective manstopper.

So what do you guys say now?

I have 2 3/4 high brass 6 shot in my mossy with the improved cylinder choke and at defensive ranges if I had to go to it I have absolutely no qualms about it.