What's the Best Shotgun Ammo For Home Defense?

If you get either of those and you used them in self defense, they would be used against you in trial.

Even if you did nothing wrong, the prosecutor WILL attempt to paint you as someone wanting to kill another. To this end, the ammunition you use (and the "look" of the weapon) will be used against you.

00 Federal and be done with it. It sounds "official" and is more than adequate for home defense.

Shotgun Home Defense Ammunition
[link to www.firearmstactical.com]

Number 1 buck is the smallest diameter shot that reliably and consistently penetrates more than 12 inches of standard ordnance gelatin when fired at typical shotgun engagement distances. A standard 2 ¾-inch 12 gauge shotshell contains 16 pellets of #1 buck. The total combined cross sectional area of the 16 pellets is 1.13 square inches. Compared to the total combined cross sectional area of the nine pellets in a standard #00 (double-aught) buck shotshell (0.77 square inches), the # 1 buck shotshell has the capacity to produce over 30 percent more potentially effective wound trauma.

In all shotshell loads, number 1 buckshot produces more potentially effective wound trauma than either #00 or #000 buck. In addition, number 1 buck is less likely to over-penetrate and exit an attacker's body.


Now check this out too:

The lost art of "Cut Shells"
[link to www.youtube.com]
Basically turning a shot shell into a frangible .50 cal slug.

Should I get the armor piercing slugs or the one that has the 2 balls and pianowire which would turn any intruders insides into ground beef.

Always aim center mass, you are more likely to hit.

Aiming for a smaller target like the head, will lower your chances for a hit.

You ONLY aim for the head, if that is all the perpetrator gives you.

No,no,NO! you dont use slugs for home defense, you wanna kill the intruder and one of your kids down the hall their bedroom? Too much penetration. What if you miss ? you kill the neighbor next door when your errant shot comes through their wall..