[Unholster ur mind]

Hello fine folks of the gun community. I've been a HUGE fan of guns ever since I was about 14. I am now 19 and I think it is safe to say I know a little more than the basics about firearms. I especially love handguns. However, one aspect of guns that always puzzled me are shotguns.

I know about the various gauges: 10, 12, 20, etc. and calibers such as the .410.

But I still have some questions:

1) Why does the cartridge increase in power as the gauge number decreases?
2) What is the difference between "loads" of the same gauge (I.E. Turkey Load)?
3) How do you tell what size the BBs are in a round?
4) What are the purposes of small or big or medium-sized rounds?
5) Why is a shotgun considered a good home defense gun? Wouldn't it cause collateral damage due to its spread and possibly hit furniture or your loved ones? What if you lived in a mansion and you had a lot of open space?

Any information would be appreciated!

 

[44mag Lover]

Hello fine folks of the gun community. I've been a HUGE fan of guns ever since I was about 14. I am now 19 and I think it is safe to say I know a little more than the basics about firearms. I especially love handguns. However, one aspect of guns that always puzzled me are shotguns.

I know about the various gauges: 10, 12, 20, etc. and calibers such as the .410.

But I still have some questions:

1) Why does the cartridge increase in power as the gauge number decreases?
2) What is the difference between "loads" of the same gauge (I.E. Turkey Load)?
3) How do you tell what size the BBs are in a round?
4) What are the purposes of small or big or medium-sized rounds?
5) Why is a shotgun considered a good home defense gun? Wouldn't it cause collateral damage due to its spread and possibly hit furniture or your loved ones? What if you lived in a mansion and you had a lot of open space?
Any information would be appreciated!

Alright, here we go:

1) The defenition of gauge is so comlicated to me Im not even going there. I can tell you that the SMALLER the number the LARGER the size and power.
2) The deferent loads tell you what they are intended for. Turkey loads, for example, are obviusly made for turkeys, but more importantly Turkey Loads shoot steel pellets instead of lead. Bird shot .vs Buck shot is another popular queston. Birds are small in comparrison to a deer and therfore so is the shot you would use to kill one. If you look at a pellet of #6 Bird and #6 buck you will that the Buck shot is bigger.
3)Ah yes, this one took me a while to find out. Much like the gauges, as the numbers on the box decrease, the shot gets bigger. Example, you may see 12ga, #8, Bird, now if you see 12ga, #8, Buck. Now that the buck is bigger. There are (for both bird and buck) #8, #6, and #4 (those were of course from smallest to largest). Now for buck you also have OOO, OO, and O (read as triple ought, double, ect.) Also, some shot is steel, but most is lead.
4) I dont really understnd the question
5) A shotgun is a good hime defence choice because you dont have to be accurate. Now, you mentioned hitting your family. Makes sure your family is BEHIND you before you start blowin off rounds. Now if your looking for a good home defence gun, you may want to look at a nice .45 auto loader hangun with a flashlight attachment. You just put the light on the guy and squeeze.

Hope his was helpful.

 

[Unholster ur mind]

Thanks a lot 44maglover, that was VERY helpful!

What round do you suggest for self defense? I hear the 12 Ga. double-ought Buck is popular..

 

[coach1299]

Buckshot and pellet sizes, and typical uses

I'll try to answer #3 and a little bit of #4 for you.
Pellet shot sizes:
#12 .05 inches, about the diameter of a deer tick or pin head, very small and not used too often. Amount of pellets range from about 300 and up to over 1000 depending on load size.

#8 .090 inches, often considered all purpose for the smaller end of the scale for trap and skeet, small game (rabbit and squirells), and game birds. Amount of pellets vary from about 200 to 800 depending on load size.

#6 .110 inches often considered all purpose for the larger end of the scale for trap and skeet, small game (rabbit and squirells), and game birds. Amount of pellets vary from about 100 to about 450 depending on load size.

#4 .130 inches often considered the large end of the scale for rabbit, squirrell, and game bird load (sometimes by law) providing a tighter pattern and greater distances for its category. Pellets vary from about 67 to 270 depending on load size.

OO and OOO buck shot are from 9 to 12 pellets (occasionaly you can find OO/OOO buck shot loads with 15 pellets per shell). They are about the diameter of medium size bore bullets ranging from .33 to .36 inches. Typically used for deer and other medium sized game in close range heavy brush shots. They have a maximum effective range of about 40 yards up to about 65 or maybe 70 yards in some cases (super hot and heavy buck shot loads). Buck shot is often the only deer load allowed in populated areas (for safety reasons) with a maximum travel distance rating of about 650 yards

Shotgun slugs are single full size bore projectiles, or smaller single projectiles in plastic sabots, both having very high levels of impact energy (similar or greater than some high power rifles) for distances typically up to 100 yards, but some of the better high tech slug and barrel combos can be accurate up to almost 200 yards, with a maximum travel distance of between 3/4 of a mile to about a mile in some cases. Slugs are used in both smooth bore, and rifled shotguns barrels. Not all buckshot and slug loads are interchangable with all types of shotgun barrels. Manufacturers instructions for use for both the gun and ammo must be folllowed precisely as always.

Shotgun loads of all types are used for self and home protection.
Police typically use OO buck and slugs.

 

[Unholster ur mind]

I'll try to answer #3 and a little bit of #4 for you.
Pellet shot sizes:
#12 .05 inches, about the diameter of a deer tick or pin head, very small and not used too often. Amount of pellets range from about 300 and up to over 1000 depending on load size.

#8 .090 inches, often considered all purpose for the smaller end of the scale for trap and skeet, small game (rabbit and squirells), and game birds. Amount of pellets vary from about 200 to 800 depending on load size.

#6 .110 inches often considered all purpose for the larger end of the scale for trap and skeet, small game (rabbit and squirells), and game birds. Amount of pellets vary from about 100 to about 450 depending on load size.

#4 .130 inches often considered the large end of the scale for rabbit, squirrell, and game bird load (sometimes by law) providing a tighter pattern and greater distances for its category. Pellets vary from about 67 to 270 depending on load size.

OO and OOO buck shot are from 9 to 12 pellets (occasionaly you can find OO/OOO buck shot loads with 15 pellets per shell). They are about the diameter of medium size bore bullets ranging from .33 to .36 inches. Typically used for deer and other medium sized game in close range heavy brush shots. They have a maximum effective range of about 40 yards up to about 65 or maybe 70 yards in some cases (super hot and heavy buck shot loads). Buck shot is often the only deer load allowed in populated areas (for safety reasons) with a maximum travel distance rating of about 650 yards

Shotgun slugs are single full size bore projectiles, or smaller single projectiles in plastic sabots, both having very high levels of impact energy (similar or greater than some high power rifles) for distances typically up to 100 yards, but some of the better high tech slug and barrel combos can be accurate up to almost 200 yards, with a maximum travel distance of between 3/4 of a mile to about a mile in some cases. Slugs are used in both smooth bore, and rifled shotguns barrels. Not all buckshot and slug loads are interchangable with all types of shotgun barrels. Manufacturers instructions for use for both the gun and ammo must be folllowed precisely as always.

Shotgun loads of all types are used for self and home protection.
Police typically use OO buck and slugs.

Thanks a lot.

 

[220combat]

Gauge is the bore measurement. The gauge number is representing the number of lead balls that size that make up one pound. A 12 gauge means that 12 balls the size of the barrel diameter weighs 1 lbs. A 20 gauge takes 20 lead balls that size to make a lb. That's why the smaller numbers are larger bore diemeters. All except for the .410.

 

[Unholster ur mind]

Gauge is the bore measurement. The gauge number is representing the number of lead balls that size that make up one pound. A 12 gauge means that 12 balls the size of the barrel diameter weighs 1 lbs. A 20 gauge takes 20 lead balls that size to make a lb. That's why the smaller numbers are larger bore diemeters. All except for the .410.

Makes perfect sense now.

 

[stunt monkey]

a shotgun is considered a good home defence gun because it has less penetration than a centre fire and has less chance of going through walls and hitting someone on the other side of the wall and if you have the misfortune to use a gun for home defence you will know how easy it is to miss with a handgun when your adrenalin is pumping and your hands are slick with sweat .

 

[Unholster ur mind]

a shotgun is considered a good home defence gun because it has less penetration than a centre fire and has less chance of going through walls and hitting someone on the other side of the wall and if you have the misfortune to use a gun for home defence you will know how easy it is to miss with a handgun when your adrenalin is pumping and your hands are slick with sweat .

Point made, sir.

 

[44mag Lover]

for HD, id say either 00buck, or #4....#6 is kinda pushin it for me, If some ass hole threatens my family I want him dead not injured and arrested. (and #6 might just incapacitate him)

 

[Shotgunner]

for HD, id say either 00buck, or #4....#6 is kinda pushin it for me, If some ass hole threatens my family I want him dead not injured and arrested. (and #6 might just incapacitate him)

If you are close enough even a bird shot will kill, and take there face off.
Shot gun is good for HD because it is a point & shoot type gun, but still needs to be practiced. Try standing behind a door or wall, then turn the corner and fire(from the hip). See how good you shoot then. It surprised me, I couldn't believe I was that bad of a shot.

 

[Unholster ur mind]

What is the difference between 00 and 000 Buck?

 

[stunt monkey]

If you are close enough even a bird shot will kill, and take there face off.
Shot gun is good for HD because it is a point & shoot type gun, but still needs to be practiced. Try standing behind a door or wall, then turn the corner and fire(from the hip). See how good you shoot then. It surprised me, I couldn't believe I was that bad of a shot.

this true the only bad accident i've ever seen was involving a 410

 

[220combat]

What is the difference between 00 and 000 Buck?

Buckshot comes in many sizes; B, BB, BBB, T, F, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, 00, 000, and 0000. B is the smallest buckshot size and 0000 is the largest.

000 is slightly larger than 00

 

[Unholster ur mind]

Buckshot comes in many sizes; B, BB, BBB, T, F, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, 00, 000, and 0000. B is the smallest buckshot size and 0000 is the largest.

000 is slightly larger than 00

Awesome, thanks.

 

[NotEnoughGuns]

Shot size chart here

 

[Unholster ur mind]

Will a 10 or 12 Ga. #4 Shot stop a man?

What is the ideal ratio of number of pellets over pellet diameter for stopping a man cold?

 

[220combat]

Will a 10 or 12 Ga. #4 Shot stop a man?

What is the ideal ratio of number of pellets over pellet diameter for stopping a man cold?

When you say #4 shot, that typically refers to #4 birdshot. When you mean buckshot you should refer to it as #4 buckshot.

Anyways, #4 buckshot will work, but you should be in a larger pellet. It is not as much the pellet count but retained energy. The larger the pellets, the more energy that is retained. For defence, you shouthe be in the "0's"

 

[fhpdude]

12 guage 00 buck will still remain entirely within a standard silouhette target at 25 yards...if aimed center mass, and "most" of the time...a couple may stray.

Police regularly qualify with 00 buck at that distance, using 18 inch barrels (for the most part).

I would think that few houses, or even mansions have sightline distances longer than 75 feet.

Unholster, I think the answer to your "small, medium or large" question is somewhat similar to the difference between a .38 special and a .357 magnum. The smaller the case, the smaller the powder load and the shot load. Therefore, a 12 gauge standard 2 3/4 shell has less power and fewer shot than a 3 inch or 3 1/2 inch shell.

 

[CJ30-06]

I didn't read any of the other answers, so I'll just answer all of your questions to the best of my knowledge.

1) Gauge is an old lead ball measurement, meaning balls/pound i.e. 10 ga. being 10 round lead balls the size of the bore in one pound, a 50 cal muzzleloader is (I believe) about 39 balls/pound. Therefore, the smaller the number the bigger the bore, just like wire gauges.
2) Shot size, Mostly.
3) Ask somebody, 4 BUCK is about .20 caliber, (.2 inches) 00 BUCK is about .24 caliber, #7.5 shot is tiny, probably only .05 inches.
4) Each load has its purpose, there are so many, I would ask somebody in a gun store, while you can look at it.
5) yes it can cause some collateral damage, but more often than not, just loading the shotgun, especially a pump shotgun, will scare any intruder away.