How Deadly are Shotguns?

[Lost River]

I can't remember a new phone number, but I can recall my time at TR in '98 like it was yesterday.

Towards the end of the week, my friend Jim and I had a few moments to just chat with Clint and I asked him which class to take next, shotgun or rifle?

Shotgun, he responded instantly.

This is good as I didn't even own a rifle at the time, but I'd had a shotgun under my bed since I was 13. Still I ask- Why?

Clint, ever animated, demonstrates as he explains by patting his spread hand on br'er Jim's chest and shoulder saying, 'Cause the shotgun takes blood and muscle and tissue and bone from here and here and throws it on the fucking wall!

At at arms length/ when the victim is close enough to grab the end of the barrel (for whatever reason) shotgun loads will punch clean through and leave a mess on the other side. The single most horrible scene I worked was a triple. A double murder, then suicide and the guy used goose loads. I am not going to go into details because even now I don't want to think about that one as it involved a young person, and it was like something out of a horror movie.

Shotguns in tight quarters are just devastating.

[Duces Tecum]

Clint, ever animated, demonstrates as he explains by patting his spread hand on br'er Jim's chest and shoulder saying, 'Cause the shotgun takes blood and muscle and tissue and bone from here and here and throws it on the fucking wall!

It always brings a smile when I find a new Clintism.
Thanks, Gun Mutt.

[TCinVA]

To quote DocGKR from our own ammo forum:

Law enforcement 12 ga. shotguns using buckshot of #1 or larger size offer greater close range physiological incapacitation potential than virtually any other commonly used shoulder fired weapon-- this can be a significant advantage during urban entry missions and high risk warrant service in closely confined settings.

To quote myself:

Buckshot at close range is the most destructive thing you can lay on someone short of ordnance.

[JodyH]

The late Lewis Awerbuck observed to his shotgun class that I was attending that it seemed to him that every generation had to "rediscover" the power of the shotgun.

I think over the past 10-15 years or so the shotgun has been maligned because a lot of the very vocal online voices are GWOT veterans (and LARPERS) who have been indoctrinated on the M4 and fire team tactics.
In their experience the M4 is the be all end all individual weapon. There's probably a lot of confirmation bias in there as well. The M4 might have saved their ass, so time stops at that moment for many people.

For the average guy homeowner facing the vast majority of threats that go after the average guy, a shotgun is a devastatingly effective self defense tool.
YMMV if you run a cartel stash house, a green cash business out of your home or are an aspiring rapper.

[tango-papa]

Because I love shotguns and have been a fan of the man since the early 90's...

And because Clint actually knows what he's talking about - shotgun specific starts at about the 2:00 minute mark:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOwBW-ch95Q

[Rick R]

I think over the past 10-15 years or so the shotgun has been maligned because a lot of the very vocal online voices are GWOT veterans (and LARPERS) who have been indoctrinated on the M4 and fire team tactics.
In their experience the M4 is the be all end all individual weapon. There's probably a lot of confirmation bias in there as well. The M4 might have saved their ass, so time stops at that moment for many people.

One of my coworkers was deployed to Iraq and then Afghanistan, upon his return he took up his duties with SWAT. While an exceptionally good shot with an M-4 he was most enamored with a 12” pistol gripped 870 we had in the armory. Apparently he’d used one much like it as a repeating Howda pistol from the turret of a Humvee while in the shit.

[Lost River]

I do believe our own resident RN here used one in Iraq. I believe in Fallujah if I recall correctly.

That was a sporty place.


@03RN

[willie]

If it's any consolation, some of us wicked so and so's have survived upsetting the apple cart.

(I can only speak from experience dealing with the madness experienced from within Uncle Sam's employ from 1977 forward a few decades...but nonetheless...here we are.)

They don't really know how to deal with some of us problem children. (Either that or we got off easy.) I have every confidence that you will prevail.

You survived because they needed you to accomplish tasks they could not.

[Lex Luthier]

I do believe our own resident RN here used one in Iraq. I believe in Fallujah if I recall correctly.

That was a sporty place.


@03RN

I remember him mentioning his squadmates were amazed at the hatred he was able to lay down with that Benelli.
It made me feel a bit better about keeping Ye Olde Ithaca 37 & 8-pellet Federal Flite Control 00 as stair-clearing "Riot-Aide".

[willie]

Let me jump up and say something obvious which is you can miss with a shotgun too. Most of us have heard people say that all you have to do is point it.