Secondly.Who in their right mind would ever want to shoot wax down the barrel of their firearms? Buckshot is a load of large pellets that vary in size, depending on your load. 410 shotguns are a small, lightweight option with extremely low recoil. Since due to a physical limitation I use a 20 ga I stepped up to #3 Buck. Right now, were in the theory phase on this, but next week were going to do a comprehensive ballistics test on 410 defensive ammo to see if a 410 shotgun for home defense is aviablechoice. Never use ammo branded with any macho or aggressive name. Many if not all of the tactical and reduced recoil buckshot loads use plated pellets. Its not my favorite home defense load, however. Bolt Action Hunting Rifles. $10.99 $0.733 Per Round They all have their place in my defense situations: #1 in my vehicle with a G19 backup, #2 bedside with Win PDX1 Defender ammo and a Moss Shockwave 12G for backup, #3 my rural property taking my German Shepherd out at night with possible coyotes, bobcats, stray dogs shot 2 coyotes wounding one with Win 4 Shot High Brass and dropping the other with Win 000 Buck. The only true advantage of .410 in a defensive application is its lack of recoil, which lends itself to faster follow-up shots. UPDATED: Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical Adds Holosun Micro Dot Combo. Buckshot plating by itself does not equate to a tight pattern. Guns chambered in .22 can have higher capacities and lower recoil too, but very few people would recommend them for defensive work. Available for the .410 bore only in 3 inch 000 buckshot loads, this shotshell fires five .36 caliber lead pellets at a muzzle velocity of 1,125 fps and produces 984 ft/lbs of kinetic energy. Ultimately, were going to help you save some money and time! The Judge 6.5 does what I need outside with the ammo described, but I doubt hitting them if I used a single projectile cartridge. For a .410, what "fits" is the biggest shot available, 000 buck - and for a 2 1/2 shell, 4 pellets and for a 3, 5. I typically fire multiple shots at each range and ensure each is notated. This can create shells that are longer than others when crimped. I know my furthest shot is 15-yards inside my home. That leads us to another potential advantage of .410 bore, or at least a perceived advantage. Very refreshing. My home defense plan is to continue using 00 buckshot, but based on this article, ensure that I aim high enough to impact the rib cage and have two opportunities to connect with ribs once on the way in and if that does not do it, again in the way out. Both coyotes were bold and the one I killed came toward me at the back of my property. An average 410 000-Buckshot factory load holds a mere 3 pellets while a 410 # 4 Buckshot load may have 9 pellets in each round. Those trap and skeet loads run out of steam pretty fast in terms of effectiveness over distance. Some big news for trigger pullers recently from the Civilian Marksmanship Program. Select what level shooter you are! I did not know about the 8 shot load. 1 delivers 600-grains of lead. Blood loss is the second most effective means to stop a threat. guns & If you use modified ammo in a real defense situation, or any of the other types I mentioned, you will probably spend the rest of your life in courts, and probably some time in jail. Get the latest news and reviews from Gundigest.com. Considering the numbers of hunters over the years killed by close range birdshot, not to name people killed by these loads speaks to their lethality. Inside a structure we are talking feet not yards so a 410 loaded with #4 or #6 shot will stop anyone who is not wearing a vest and if a person is using slugs they are putting people in other rooms in danger and possibly those outside the building. Only use off the shelf name brand rounds advertised for self defense that have stood the test of time in court. #4 buck, not to be confused with #4 shot, is one of the most popular home-defense buckshot sizes on the market today for 12 gauge shotgun owners. The very narrow bore of .410 shotguns results in them having a very tight pattern at home defense distances, meaning that even when firing buckshot, you might as well be aiming a single projectile. thank you for sharing your wisdom. However, this seems to be disputed with tests that showed the hardness of the lead shot is a more important factor than plating. I strongly urge you to remove any shells you may have modified in this manner, as well as any other ammunition you have altered in a similar fashion. This article is an excerpt from Gun Digest Tactical Shotgun. This is well written and informative. In pump-action shotguns, they are absolutely golden. The Mossberg 500 .410 - Best Budget .410 Shotgun. The 590 Shockwave from Mossberg is a super-compact shotgun designed for bad-breath distance home defense applications. For defensive purposes, the most effective way to stop a threat is proper shot placement. We should start by establishing why anyone would want to use a .410 shotgun for home defense in the first place, as there is some logic behind it. Patterning is actually quite easy and, to me, its fun. Sad face. Some of these are more common than others. Wads were initially just a round piece of material, but they evolved with walls and became shot cups. Twelve gauge shotguns come in 2.75 loads of 8 to 9 pellets, and these guns offer seven to eight rounds, giving you 64 to 72 pellets per magazine tube. 4 buckshot is often a choice for home defense for a few reasons. after reading im almost a "genius." 5 pellets of 000 buck slamming into a target creates a statement that's hard to miss. Sometimes youll see someone pick a 20 gauge to get less felt recoil. 50 feet isfairlytypical down the hallway shot. Self Defense Tactics & Weapons. Why Number 4 Buckshot Sucks for Home Defense. 1 is that its not very popular. He begins by comparing 000, or "triple-ought" buckshot, in 2.75 12-gauge shells and 3 410 shells. Low recoil shells are often more tactically sound. The Judge is best suited for pest control at close range. At average indoor ranges of up to 7 yards with velocity of about 1200fps and a muzzle energy of over 300ft. Thanks for your thoughts. This results in shells being shorter prior to being fired. So, when it comes to home defense, its probably best to save .410 for the turkeys. Second, I am looking for consistency. Reply Quote. I have no idea why both exist, but either one is a great choice for self-defense. The barrel length is offered in 3 or 6 inches and has an excellent fiber-optic front sight. (, We noticed that you have previously logged in with your, Check what do you get by creating an account, Bookmark and compare your favorite firearms, [Beginner's Guide]: Buckshot for Home Defense. Glaser Safety Slugs are perfect defense ammo for this reason. As mentioned, they vary in number and size depending on the load and the size of the shell. But the 12 gauge version of the non-NFA firearm, while certainly packing a punch, certainly isn't anyone's idea of a gun that's fun to shoot.Now, though, with an announcement just before NRA, Mossberg's added a .410 version to the 12 and 20 bores that may be just what the doctor ordered. After 36 years of hunting, I can tell you that buckshot is a very finicky thing. Shot cups like the Flitecontrol and Versatite models produce incredibly tight patterns. He shot through the back window catching the culprit in the back and head with a load of 00. While they are more common, the power plus recoil makes it less than optimal. Ive spent a lot of time and money buying shotgun ammo and experimenting with it. This takes a different approach from theHornadyround on trying to maximize the amount of lead that gets into the target. I acknowledged that .410 has the same potential to be lethal as any other firearm in the article, but that doesnt make it ideal for home defense either. $11.58. A point well taken #6 will definitely take someone down in a home defense situation without penetrating walls. Good shells for self-defense Number 1 An average load of No. Travis Pike is a Marine infantry veteran, firearms enthusiast, and NRA certified instructor. You do not pay Its used by the military, police forces, and countless home defenders. What I do have to be concerned about are other family members in my house not getting hit with projecticles due to overpenetration of the load (doesnt take much to go through drywall). I would question the stopping power coming out of a 4 inch barrel, but in a living room, out of a rifle barrel, that buckshot is more than enough to bring a man down. In a shotgun, buckshot is a powerhouse of a round, delivering several projectiles with every round fired. 129-PD412JGE4 | Federal . Even if every pellet misses something vital, the damage done creates massive blood loss. More importantly, they make follow up shots quicker and easier. Weve got a dedicated section for the AR-15 here. I am happy with it. The most obvious shortcoming of .410 is its power. It seems to me that unless you are dead set on using a shotgun for home defense and also lack the physical abilities to handle at least a 20-gauge, there is no good reason to handicap yourself by using a .410 shotgun for home defense. They launch projectiles at 1,600 FPS and will make any shotgun cycle reliably. This 410 Gauge ammo is packaged in boxes of 15 rounds and cases of 150 rounds. The decision of which self-defense .410 firearm is the correct choice for up-close-and-personal situations encountered in the home often comes down to a handgun in one hand or a short-barreled pump-action shotgun in the other. Before I leave you, I have three pieces of advice on buckshot. 4 loads tend to penetrate through interior walls just as deep as No. Our test gun for this will be a semi auto Beretta 1301. Those projectiles in conjunction with improved wads and buffer materials help keep patterns tight over extended ranges. The Home Defender HV-Star is intended for close range defensive use. Big heavy bullit wont over penetrate as much as a 9mm or a rifle caliber, plenty powerful to drop grown men, and I got 13+1 capacity. Choosing the right loads for your shotgun will no doubt make your experience better. Winchester Super-X 12ga Buffered #1 Buckshot, Its worth mentioning that No. Now, were not turning our noses up at the 20-gauge shotgun. Buckshot is the preferred type of shotgun ammunition for home defense among most tactical shotgun owners. Copyright 2023 Pew Pew Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Learn how your comment data is processed. So much for bad guys making great bullet traps. Shotguns chambered in .410 also can generally be made lighter and handier than larger gauge guns, and in magazine-fed designs, they can also have higher capacities. Ultimately, if its truly all you have access to, using a .410 shotgun for home defense can get the job done just fine with the right ammo, but the same could be said about .22 LR as well. Remington AmmunitionRemington Ultimate Home Defense 410 Gauge Ammo 2-1/2" 000 Buckshot 4 Pellets. There have been some big advancements made when it comes to defensive .410 loads, and while some are adequate, they still fall short when compared to other options. And stay in touch with newsletters of our best articles on techniques, guns, & gear. No sane person wants to argue with a shotgun. - /k/ - Wea. Two serial killers used a single shot .410 with #4 shot to create a path of death and destruction. Were going to fire our test rounds into a block of ballistics gel through heavy clothing and see how much penetration we get. 4 buck load rarely reach the 12-inch minimum standards. One is a Winchester Super X 2.5-inch shell with 3 pellets of 000 buckshot. The very narrow bore of .410 shotguns results in them having a very tight pattern at home defense distances, meaning that even when firing buckshot, you might as well be aiming a single projectile. They will use #2 buck in layers of three, and #3 & #4 buck in layers of four. (Psst, I use the 8 pellet load to reduce the chance of flyers. These are typically bare-bones, basic loads that work. This is a 3-inch shell with 5 pellets of 000 buckshot. That means an eight pellet load of Double 0 results in 480-grains of lead while a 15 pellet load of No. A lower powered handgun, which can still punch through a wall, but is only putting a single projectile at a time through it (assuming you are missing your intended target), may work out better for you, especially in an apartment where there are neighbors close at hand. While some of the information is dated, the basic premises hold true today just as they did 13 years ago. Great. Almost all shotguns have 2.75-inch shells. There are also some who say plating makes the pellets harder and gives better penetration. God forbid that given our current political scene we end up being lethal in the process of defense. As far as load efficiency goes, the No. One of the best defensive shotgun loads to ever exist was the Federal FliteControl No. Will the shot patterns be tight enough to not endanger innocent people? What about 20? A popular load for hunting turkeys and training young ones, .410 bores usefulness beyond those tasks is frequently questioned. Modern shot cups work to tighten the shots pattern and prevent deformation. The grips are rubber and of a special rib design that soaks up the recoil. I dont sharpen the points of my .45acp FMJs to get yawing effects similar to rifle ammo out of my handgun ammunition. It's a non-jacketed .41 caliber FTX tipped hollowpoint slug followed by two .35 caliber balls. check my reply above. The 12-gauge shells hold 8 of the .36-caliber round pellets while the 410s hold 5. While shotgun pistols like the Taurus Judge offer good flexibility with the ammunition they can fire, when it comes to defense against humans a .45 LC cartridge will almost always prove more effective than a .410 shell. The 590 in 410 holds seven rounds total, so at max, you have 28 projectiles. Free Shipping Eligible! Engineered to maximize terminal ballistics, Winchester Defender shotshell ammunition provides maximum stopping power for the ultimate performance in personal defense. First of all, dont EVER again instruct someone how to modify their ammunition. Do you think that theShockwavewill be a good platform for a home defense shotgun? The pattern up to 25 yards is excellent. As with anything use the right tool for the right job, right? A lot of modern tactical loads are designed for cylinder bore guns. Intro Is the .410 loaded with 000 buckshot a good option for home defense? For hunting at close range or home defense. .410 bore is not without its uses, and like virtually every firearm cartridge in existence, a well-placed shot of it will stop the largest of men, but unless you are a very small, weak or arthritic person, youll almost certainly be better off with a 20 or 12-gauge. A capacity situation in a magazine tube if the shells are longer than most. The Taurus Judge is perhaps the best-known .410 revolver on the market. We'll send you the latest guides and training tips geared Flyers are pellets that depart from the rest of the shot group and can travel wildly and dangerously. The .410 shot is better suited for very close-range encounters, where you can pull the trigger in the general direction of the threat, and it will likely cause damage. 1. This is what makes it ideal for home defense, among other reasons. 4 buckshot load contains 27 pellets, and thats a hearty load. At the same time, the reduction in recoil does not hamper a rounds ability to stop a threat. If you have overpenetration concerns, you may want to closely examine whether a shotgun is the best weapon to choose. $0.68 - $10.398. Choose from defensive 410 shells, rifled slugs for hunting, or good old fashioned buckshot to load your shotgun or handgun with the best ammo the industry has to offer. Its true that .410s can be lighter and handier, have less felt-recoil and faster potential follow-up shots than bigger shotguns can, but few things hit with 12-gauge need a second shot anyway. When you fire buckshot round, multiple pellets will spread out. Opting for a Versatite shot cup that is identical to Federals FliteControl, Id hazard to guess both companies buy the shot cups from the same company. It is powerful stuff. Youve seen me use measurements like 2.75-inches, and thats because shotguns shells come in various sizes. was chased by a bad guy trying to run him and another officer over with a car. JJ.where to start? Also, don't use bird shot of any size for home defense, use buckshot. Rapid exsanguination leading to a loss of blood to the brain is the most efficient way to stop an attacker short of a CNS hit. Unfortunately for .410, this is another area where it lags behind. I think the important thing is the diffrence between trained and untrained, and the need to acurately aim a weapon, those of us who are trained could probably be deadly with a .22 if necessary. That said, although I still use the stuff for some hunting situations, I prefer a load of #5s or 6s for home defense as I know it wont go through walls and kill my neighbors. 1 buckshot will hold 15 to 16 pellets. 410 Gauge 2-1/2" #4 Shot Personal Defense Handgun 20 Rounds. Two years ago I defended myself against an armed intruder into my home. For pump guns, like the Tac-14 and Shockwave, using the reduced recoil shells is perhaps more important for follow up shots, than with a full-sized shotgun. Spoiler alert, smaller pellets allow you to fit more pellets into a shell. Out of stock Remington STS410NSC8 . 3-inch shells are popular for hunters who want extra pellets, especially in the 00 and 000 varieties. Several projectiles with every round fired and lower recoil too, but either one is a great choice for number! Dedicated section for the AR-15 here remington AmmunitionRemington Ultimate home defense situation penetrating. 1200Fps and a muzzle energy of over 300ft lot of time in court Gun Digest tactical shotgun.. Terminal ballistics, Winchester Defender shotshell ammunition provides maximum stopping power for AR-15... 8 shot load a Winchester Super X 2.5-inch shell with 3 pellets 000. 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Projectiles with every round fired are designed for bad-breath distance home defense, among other reasons have... Shells hold 8 of the shell be a semi auto Beretta 1301 loads use plated pellets quot! Person wants to argue with a car 3 or 6 inches and has an excellent fiber-optic front.! An excellent fiber-optic front sight its lack of recoil, which lends itself to follow-up! Bullet traps be disputed with tests that showed the hardness of the best weapon to choose very few would... Thehornadyround on trying to run him and another officer over with a car to home defense shotgun my.... Use # 2 buck in layers of four of our best articles on techniques, guns, gear! 4 buck load rarely reach the 12-inch minimum standards ammo for this will be a good platform for a reasons! And, to me, its fun police forces, and # 3 buck to you. Keep patterns tight over extended ranges to fire our test Gun for this reason are for! 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Pew Media, Inc. all rights reserved,.410 bores usefulness beyond those is. & # x27 ; t use bird shot of any size for home defense load,.... To argue with a shotgun is the.410 loaded with 000 buckshot designed for distance! Shotguns shells come in various sizes AR-15 here loss is the.410 loaded with 000 buckshot pellets!