Did my own pattern test today

Mossberg 930SPX at a friend's place today. This is the distance from my couch to the front door. Couch to back door is 12ft further. These are the rounds I have on hand. Didn't waste my time with low brass 6-7-8 shot.

What are your conclusions.

Kind of a coin toss. For shot the #2 steel shot like I've always figured would work pretty well, and all the 00 are close, some high some low but ALL will ruin a dingle dorks day. Someone ask me once are you willing to kill some one over property in your home. I responded they should ask themselves are their lives worth my property

It looks like your shotgun likes just about everything. That is great.

Your patterning looks good considering the distances and spreads.

The other factor to consider in choosing a defensive round is the worst case "dress" of the intruder. World of difference in someone wearing a t-shirt vice a threat wearing the combination of a t-shirt, a flannel shirt, sweater and heavy coat. Always plan for your worst threat scenario. Certainly understand if you live in the Floridia summer 365 days a year vice long winters in up here in Montana. But heavy clothing certainly mitigates the penetration effectiveness of rounds.

Hard to go wrong with a combination of 00 buck and slugs.

Regards

Dang fine point, may be a few weeks but I'll get some old jeans t shirts I have and hit the local salvation army store and pic up a few different types of jackets and post the results,. Should have thought about that this time.

This was just a personal preference, 'cause I was issued Federal FlightControl 00-buckshot ammo and also Federal Tru-Ball 1-oz slugs. My duty shotgun had ghost ring sights, so I went with the precision of a slug and loaded seven in the tube with slugs. So that way I KNEW every round was the same, not a mix. It was only later that my department at the time authorized AR-15 rifles, so prior to that the Mossberg 590 was the only long gun I had, and slugs were my choice even when used inside 10-15 yards. Beyond that distance, and inside that distance, I was GTG with the Tru-Ball slugs all the time. I never had to worry about a solid wood door, or heavy clothing, or a car window....

There is a Federal FlightControl 00-buck load that is labeled "low velocity" and only gets nine pellets to go 1145-fps. AVOID THAT AT ALL COSTS.

https://le.vistaoutdoor.com/ammunition/federal/buckshot/details.aspx?id=695

LE132 00 9-pellet

I know of documented cases where that 00-buck load was defeated by a leather motorcycle jacket.

O don't worry,now that you made realize the obvious!!! This may be UTube worthy?? Or at least Hoosier worthy

Nitesite, agree with you on using slugs. The concern I have with FlightControl 00 buck at short ranges you typically encounter in home defense is expansion of the pellet spread, or more importantly lack there of. I've seen FlightControl make wad or quarter size holes at short ranges. If utilizing 00 buck I'd rather use conventional rounds where you typically get one inch of expansion per yard.

I've also seen 00 buck barely penetrate heavy winter leather coats.

Bottomline - plan for the worst case scenario.

Regards

I'm worried about over penetration and going threw a window next door. Our house was built in 1922 and has a wood exterior and "should" be ok?? But that why I like the #2 steel goose shot. Only way to truly find out is shoot a few rounds the the house. I've been married for 29urs and I'd like to see 30 . But we'll find out in a few weeks???

TheRude1, one of the things discussed in a thread a few months ago was replicating, on a small scale, maybe 2 foot square the outside walls of both houses and spacing them at the closest actual distance apart and then conduct an actual test to determine the potential penetration of both walls. Cerrainly would help in your selection of a HD round.

However, the best insurance is to hit your target squarely!

Regards

#2 steel ammo doesn’t even blow thru a goose so why would anybody be worried about going thru walls and into another home?

so if an indoor buckshot spread is going to be only 3”~ 4” inches, AT MOST, and your distances might also need exceed say 50’ why not just shoot slugs? What does buckshot gain someone within say 15-20 feet and why then is buckshot the preferred ammo?

Just my opinion, but the buck vs slug debate is again, my opinion, more to put the shooter at ease in the hd scenario since no matter the spread, uh, one of them balls is gonna hit something as opposed to, I better not miss with this slug, cuz I’m only gonna get a couple off before the goon reaches me. My wife has never led me to believe that she will be comfortable or even likely to not empty the mag on her 9 when the issue is pressed. Those of us not from highly trained backgrounds are IMO more likely to feel better with a wall of lead than the preferred one or two well placed shots in the heat of the hd situation. We both wish we were able to practice as much as we are told we need, but I’m guessing that doesn’t happen in the majority of gun owners..

Guys, think it's really what the shooter feels comfortable with regarding buckshot vice slugs for home defense.

That said for those well trained in shot placement I agree with Nitesite, use slugs.

My concern with all this FlightControl ammo is that the wad and 9 shot pellet essentially has little to no spread at typical home defense distances! Try it out at 3 to 7 yards yourself,

Thus IMO the best choice is slugs or if you're not totally comfortable with your shot placement then conventional 00 buckshot. The OP patterning shows the typically spread of 00 buck at 1 inch per yard from the muzzle plus wad separation.

Bottomline is what you're comfortable with but patterning and determining penetration in your home and the likely intruder's dress should be done before making a final selection of a HD round.

Regards

Sorry for the re-pic, but, only 18’ if they are at the screen door, 15’ if they come through the front door..about 5 or 6” spread either way..

Very nice!