We don't need to get into how great 8-9 pellets are over a single entry wound. I have had to carry 2 different model shotguns into harms way and know a wee bit about them.
I am having to train up on a shotgun again for harms way and not just hunting or 3-Gun which is how I usually deploy a shotgun these days. Is there a slug that performs with the terminal effect & urban safety that tactical 556 rounds do... a slug that will "penetrate and expand in tissue" and "not zoom thru multiple buildings"???
I never seem to read anything about shotgun slugs as for anything other than for hard targets or 75+ yd shots.
If I wanted a slug for HD does anyone make one that is good to go?
I am not aware of any shotgun slug that would be my preferred choice for inside my home defense. I personally choose Federal LE132-00 buckshot for inside my home. With any slug that I am aware of the risks of over penetration are just too great.
I do have several boxes of slugs on the shelf, but those are for two and three gun type club matches, not for defensive purposes in my suburban residential neighborhood.
Someone else may chime in with a suggestion, but my personal research has not lead me to any scenario where a slug is appropriate for me and my specific circumstances.
Federal has a reduced recoil 1oz that has a track record of solid performance in several instances. Still, a full one oz, even if soft lead isnt going to be stopped by the average joe wearing light clothing.
No, there are not any "non-penetrating/virtually exploding" shotgun slugs that I am aware of.
That trait of the .223 is purely because it is a very high velocity VARMINT cartridge, with extremely thin-jacketed soft bullets that do basically blow apart when they meet tissue resistance.
That tissue resistance does not matter if it is human, coyote, or prairie dog, they behave the same.
Note, NONE of that "tactical 5.56" ammo is the very heavy bullet versions (70-80 grains) fired at modest velocity, it is all 40-55gr over 3,100fps screamers. That light bullet and extreme velocity insures that if it hits anything it basically comes apart, no matter if it's a rib, just leg meat, or sheetrock or a wall stud.
A big 5/8 to 3/4" hunk of metal fired at under half the velocity, no, they do not just "come apart" easily.
There are several brands of Shotgun Slug Snake Oil out there that claim to have amazing mystical powers, I wouldn't touch them with a 10-foot barrel.
Slugs have the ability to penetrate walls and exit the room and most likely the dwelling where used. The problem is that they can (and will) cause damage and possible injury beyond your control!
I have quite a bit of experience with slugs and buck. I'm a big believer in slugs capabilities and track record when used offensively. My HD shotgun has buck in it if that says anything.
Shotguns are scatter guns. If a single projectile is what you want, look towards a rifle or a pistol. A .223 from an AR15 is going to be just as effective up close with a fragmenting bullet and is by far safer if you miss and it starts flying through walls. Light bullets bleed off energy quickly. Which is what makes them so great up close. .223 typically penetrates less urban structure than 9mm or .45 auto.
The point of using a shotgun IMO is for the scatter of multiple projectiles.
I keep around 100 slugs for "just in case". My shotgun is my go to SHTF longarm.
I talked to the DDuplex people at the NRA convention and they have some interesting slugs. They do flatten and expand. They are made in one of the Baltic states; Latvia.
That being said, I have my HD Mossberg 12 gauge loaded with Hevi-shot Dead Coyote. T shot heavier than lead. Don't know about wall penetration but its probably less than buckshot. If it is designed to roll a coyote at 60 yards I figure it will ruin the day of some jerk at bedroom distances.
In HD scenarios are you needing to engage beyound 10-20 feet? (not possible with my floorplan) So I can't imagine a slug being superior to buckshot in any meaningful way.
Buckshot has more than ample penetration at indoor distances. Slugs have way too much and a large amount of their energy will be wasted beyond the intended target passing through walls and hitting things that you do not want to shoot like your kids, your big screen TV or the house across the street.
The best choice is probably # 1 buck launching a heavier payload than 00 with 16 .30 pellets but still capable of reaching the FBI minimum standards for penetration in a human body.
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