Why a shotgun?

[Chuck Haggard]

^don't try this at home kids^

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I am assuming the foster slugs were lethal?

The Remington Foster style slugs I have seen that had hit people were mushroomed out to over an 1" or fragmented into three pieces. All the above penetrated about what you'd expect from a service pistol launched JHP bullet. At least half of the OO buck pellets we have launched into bad guys have gone all the way through, likely well more than half.

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Part of the original question was what does a shotgun bring to the equation that wouldn't be better served by a 5.56 and a .308 AR. The only thing I have seen so far that applies to me is that the SG using foster slugs is a one shot stop package without the danger of through and through penetration that harder slugs or 00 bring. So the next question is if I am going to shoot a slug why wouldn't I run a softer composition saboted slug in a slug barrel giving me the option of longer range shots.

[Chuck Haggard]

Sabot slugs are smaller caliber, most tend to be .50 vs the .72 one gets from a Foster or other full bore sized slug. They also tend to penetrate more.

[DocGKR]

I hate sabot slugs...

[peterb]

Federal"s big book of shotshell performance: http://le.atk.com/resources/catalog/...ook/index.html

[Lester Polfus]

I hate sabot slugs...

Hey Doc, could you expound on that a little? I don't intend to use them as a primary defensive tool, but I do have a hunting shotgun with a rifled barrel, and have always wondered about how sabot slugs perform.

Thanks.

[DocGKR]

If I am shooting a 12 ga slug, I want the larger surface area and mass of a full caliber slug, not the smaller size and weaker construction of the typical sabot slug.

[Chuck Haggard]

If you have to hunt with a shotgun the sabots are legit, they basically give you a muzzle loading rifle equivalent at distance, not a bad thing, but it's not a real rifle in reach or long range capability.

At shorter ranges full bore slugs give more smack on target IMHO, for want of a better term. People argue the differences between 9mm and .40 in service pistols all day long (which is stupid), I'll submit that the difference between a .50cal bullet and a .72 cal bullet at the same speed is actually significant.

[Hambo]

Part of the original question was what does a shotgun bring to the equation that wouldn't be better served by a 5.56 and a .308 AR. The only thing I have seen so far that applies to me is that the SG using foster slugs is a one shot stop package without the danger of through and through penetration that harder slugs or 00 bring. So the next question is if I am going to shoot a slug why wouldn't I run a softer composition saboted slug in a slug barrel giving me the option of longer range shots.

What are you thinking as far as "long range" in home defense?