Shotguns -- slugs versus buckshot considerations

[JodyH]

It's a 3/4" diameter 1oz. chunk of lead at 1200fps... that's bound to tear some crap up.
Against soft, squishy people any slug is gonna leave a mark.
I haven't found a slug yet that doesn't shoot at least as good as your average crappy shotgun sights will allow.

[JodyH]

Typical buckshot, fired parallel to the ground at shoulder height hits the ground 300 yards in front of you if you miss your target. Slugs and bullets extend the danger zone an awful lot.

The Nobel 27 pellet #4 Buckshot I keep my house gun Winchester 1300 loaded with starts hitting dirt right at 200 yards.
With that load I only have to worry about one direction from my house, the other 270 degrees are a 350 yard free fire zone.

[Tom Givens]

Jody-- I should have specified 00 Buck when I said 300 yards. #4 is so much lighter that it has an even shorter downrange zone, as you noted.

That has a flip side, however. Based on a couple of shootings I am aware of where #4 failed miserably, I don't trust it to penetrate enough. When I say "buckshot" I generically mean 00. I personally favor the 8 pellet loads over the 9 pellet versions. Earlier in this thread someone mentioned flyers with a 9 pellet load. That is pretty much standard, due to the way the pellets are stacked in the shell. The geometry works much better with 8 pellets.

[JodyH]

How are they out of your Serbu?

Obnoxious, just like everything else out of a 6" 12ga..

[1slow]

Which Serbu Super shorty variation do you recommend, 870, 500, other ?

[MD7305]

It's a 3/4" diameter 1oz. chunk of lead at 1200fps... that's bound to tear some crap up.
Against soft, squishy people any slug is gonna leave a mark.
I haven't found a slug yet that doesn't shoot at least as good as your average crappy shotgun sights will allow.

Thanks, Jody, I see your point.

[Unobtanium]

I much prefer military grade durable designs. This seems to be much easier to accomplish in a rifle or a handgun than a shotgun.
I do not wish any handicaps in a lethal confrontation.
Is there a shotgun as durable/reliable as a military rifle?

870
590a1
M1
M3
M4
Others

[45dotACP]

For those worried about undue spread, would a full choke be an effective tool in a defensive shotgun? Just aim it like a rifle and send what's basically a large, compact blob of lead downrage...right?

[JHC]

Anyone seen or heard of the performance of the Winchester Razorback 12 ga slugs? They are segmented to split into three upon penetration.

[David Armstrong]

On the topic of slugs, have any of you guys used Remington Managed-Recoil Slugger (RR13RSB), 1oz., 1200fps? My department normally uses Federal's TruBall (LE127RS) 1300fps round but due an availability issue the Remington was purchased. I'm curious if anyone has used it.

I used it a lot when I was a traveling shotgun trainer, but other than a feral dog at 25 yards I never shot anything living with it. The dog dropped like a rock, DRT. It shot pretty good groups at 50 yards, IIRC.