Is it more desirable for Buckshot to shoot tight or spread out?

[jmiller676]

It's not a scientific survey or anything but I've seen what game loads of 6's and 4's will do to a deer caught in a fence. I wouldn't want to be on the recieving end of it but it wouldn't be my first pick to use against an armed human adversary. I wouldn't give up and run back to the house for my 45 if that's all I had though. Not many people are as tuff as most deer.

Exactly I mean I don't want to get hit by a bus or a scooter.

 

[lovemywoods]

It's not a scientific survey or anything but I've seen what game loads of 6's and 4's will do to a deer caught in a fence. I wouldn't want to be on the recieving end of it but it wouldn't be my first pick to use against an armed human adversary. I wouldn't give up and run back to the house for my 45 if that's all I had though. Not many people are as tuff as most deer.

(emphasis added by lovemywoods)


Exactly! For personal defense, we can make a choice beforehand of what ammunition to use, so let's choose the best ammunition for the 'mission.' For my anticipated 'mission', it's buckshot in tight patterns.

 

[VUPDblue]

I wish this thread had a poll so I could be sure my SHTF supplies are all stocked with only the most popular items. I'd hate to be shooting zombies or something with shells that are out of style or don't expand the correct number of inches per foot of travel.

Well, this was a serious conversation There are obviously 2 schools of thought on this matter, the one that thinks that a wide pattern is better and the ones who think a tight pattern is better. I personally feel that a tighter pattern is better, and I don't care if it comes from a highly marketed load or from a no-name brand, it's not a popularity contest. The fact is that every single time you discharge your firearm you are responsible for where the projectiles go. If you have a wide pattern from your buckshot, the likelihood of you 'losing track' of one or more pellets increases. If you have family in your home, or neighbors close by, this is a huge liability. If I'm going to be sending rounds downrange toward a human threat, be it from a shotgun, rifle, pistol etc. shot placement is going to be a priority. I chose to use a shotgun with a tight patterning load because it allows me to put a devastating amount of lead on target, and that (in most cases) takes the fight out of the offender quicker.
Asking the question, as the OP did in this case, on a large forum will allow the OP to take the experiences and opinions of others into consideration and allow the OP to make an informed decision.

 

[Gungho_1989]

lovemywoods thanks for the reminder on the box of truth. He has a fascinating evaluation up on interior wall penetration with multiple types of weapons. I found it entertaining and informative.