[TEST]

When we interviewed the late, great Louis Awerbuck, he recommended slugs only for a home-defense shotgun, the idea being you have no real idea where the pellets are going to go as they spread out. That advice made sense to me. I’m curious: Do you agree or disagree?

Discussion

[TJ]

I’m not much of a shotgun guy but seems to me that at inside the home distances shot will not be spreading out very much. Slugs are going to have significant over penetration issues if you have housemates or close neighbors to worry about. Though 00 buck can go through walls pretty easily as well from the tests I have seen. I would probably choose #1 buckshot if I decided to set my shotgun up for home defense.

[Jeff]

I’ve switched my main home defense weapon to an AR pistol since they came out but as far as shotguns go, Louis convinced me in our interview to switch from shot to slugs. While it’s true that there’s not much spread of buckshot in the distances of a home, that’s all the more reason to switch to slugs in my opinion. Over penetration will be there with just about anything so worrying about one slug vs multiple pellets that can “bounce” at angles as they pass through walls, etc. seems a better option. But to each their own, eh? 🙂

[TJ]

I’ll defer to those of you with more shotgun experience. While I can appreciate the stopping power provided by a shotgun, my go to home defense gun is a pistol with an extended magazine. I prefer the maneuverability, capacity and speed of follow up shots. Plus it leaves a hand free to grab my young son and move him to our safe area. I do have a semi auto rifle for situations requiring more umph.

[Ronald]

Ok it’s 2-23-2022. Ammo is tight. Unless you know personally a gun shop that will call you when certain Ammo comes in the Pickens are slim and none. Personally for self defense I would prefer slugs. However I have not been able to find slugs in Ohio and PA. So personally I don’t want pellets spreading all over the place. So I go with a tight bird shot and at 20 yards it paints a pretty tight grouping so closer distances it would even be tighter. So slugs but if you can’t find them then a tight bird shot would also protect you and your family.

[TJ]

From what I have seen and read, it seems the general consensus is that while bird shot can make a real mess at close range and may chase away your typical thug it will usually not penetrate deep enough to physically stop a determined attacker. From the tests I have seen #4 buck barely meets the minimum penetration standard. I have seen a bunch of #4 buck along with some slugs on the shelves here in Northern AZ as well as online.

[Samuel J]

I have 00 buck shot in my 7 round Maverick 88. I also have 5 slugs as back up in my Mossberg 500. If I am still shooting my 7.62×39 pistol is ready to go.

[Jim]

We have a Remington 870 for our first contact from the second floor. Our loft overlooks most of the first floor so we are only going to be shooting downward at 45 degrees. I have alternating 00 buck and slug. Many other responses make up the home defense but the shotgun is the first grab on the way out of the master bedroom.

[Author]

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