Lots of left over energy even after passing through walls/targets. The smaller the projectile the less energy left over after passing through walls/targets.

 

That's about the only realistic option where I would be concerned about over penetration. I don't know, but I'd expect it to exit the house, even after going through an intruder.

A far less concern, I don't think it'd go through a vest, if you're concerned about bad guys wearing armor.

 

That's about the only realistic option where I would be concerned about over penetration. I don't know, but I'd expect it to exit the house, even after going through an intruder.

A far less concern, I don't think it'd go through a vest, if you're concerned about bad guys wearing armor.

Most level 3A armor should stop buck and slug. It's gonna hurt though.

 

A friend of mines (retired leo) shot a bad guy with a slug. Unbelievably devastating.

 

I keep buckshot in my HD shotgun and have a few slugs handy in case I need to shoot through walls or something.

As best I can recall, I know one person who was killed with a shotgun and one who killed somebody withy a shotgun and slugs were used in both cases. The family friend who was killed with a shotgun took a slug completely through his body from side to side, while sitting in his truck.

My cousin, who killed a guy with a shotgun, was responding to a domestic call and the guy shot at him with a shotgun when he pulled into the driveway. He fired buckshot, then ducked behind his car and switch to slugs. He fired one shot through the guy's screen door and through the refrigerator he was using for cover and killed him.

 

He fired one shot through the guy's screen door and through the refrigerator he was using for cover and killed him.

holy crap, that nuts.

Same here buck shot in my 12, cruiser ready, 4 slugs on side holder.

what I grab for home defense in my own head is always changing. AR suppressed, Glock 45 suppressed, 12g, all mostly ready to grab if needed. I probably should have more of a plan.

 

No benefit at that range IMO. It won’t defeat body armor. It’s a devastating projectile no doubt, but so is buckshot at close range.

I really like 27 pellet #4 buck at inside the home distances. A little spread is a good thing. Very devastating. Less over penetration. Close enough range you’re not throwing pellet off target.

 

Another #4 buck user! The FBI used #4 buck for years. They may still do.

 

The only firearm I leave out of the safe and accessible is my Winchester Defender 1300. I paid around $300 for it. Not a lot to lose if I'm burglarized. Totally reliable. and if 8 rounds of 00 won't solve the problem it would way beyond my capability with any of my AR's or high capacity firearms.

 

I had some issues with star crimped buckshot "mushrooming" on the end after being left loaded in my VersaMax tactical with 8 rounds in the tube. So I switched over to roll crimp - and then had an issue with the plastic cover plate cracking.

I switched to slugs and no problems.

I did find some roll crimp buckshot with a cardboard cover plate - so I have now switched back to buckshot.

I think slugs may be more durable if left loaded for a really long time.
YMMV

 

…a shotgun slug is a formidable round !

I’ve killed a few moose with Brennekes. Never recovered the slug, all, through and through. Yep, they work just fine. I’ve seen one not do as well in a human when it was put in the wrong spot. Drilled a nice 3/4 inch tunnel through his shoulder. He ran off and was caught a little while later after giving up.

For my home defense 870 I have the tube full of Federal LE 9 pellet with three more of those and three slugs in the side saddle. Same load out I had at work. In something like a house or apartment buckshot works really well. And, while I’m not usually concerned with over penetration, with a 2 3/4 slug it can actually be a real problem.

 

Our Mossberg 590 20g is loaded with #3 Buckshot. The side saddle has two more #3 Buck rounds and 2 slugs. Slugs are just in case... (one never knows...)

 

I just use the same slugs I have for brown bear protection. My shot gun is always ready to go, be it 4 legged or 2.

 

I love slugs. Undeniably effective.

Like others have mentioned though, I keep 00 buck in the tube, but I have a couple of slugs in a side saddle ready to go if needed.

 

I love slugs. Undeniably effective.

Like others have mentioned though, I keep 00 buck in the tube, but I have a couple of slugs in a side saddle ready to go if needed.

That’s my set up too in my Mossberg 590A1.

 

OP, describe the construction of your home, your neighbors' homes, and their proxminity. These factors, IMHO, mattter in your ammo selection.

I live in a vinyl-sided frame home as do my neighbores who are 20 feet away from me. If I loose a slug, it may kill a neighbor, so I can't use them. I use #4 buck because it doesn't travel well.

OTOH friends live on 20+ acres tracts and 00 buck is just fine...for them.

Describe your circumstances.

 

Another one who keeps 00 buck loaded in my 12ga with 1oz slugs available as needed. Over penetration is not a concern with no kids in the house and no nearby neighbors.

 

My HD shotguns have a slug in the front hole of the side saddle but the rest are buckshot. YMMV. tom.

 

Both would hurt REALLY bad, I prefer buckshot inside, slugs if you are outside with some distance..

 

#4 for apartments
00 for a house
Slug for farmhouse

 

#4 for apartments
00 for a house
Slug for farmhouse

#4 all around most houses max distance for a shot would be about 7 yards at that distance #4 will impact like a slug very minimal spread.
jmho

 

After fairly serious study , for inside the home I am a fan of 12 gauge #1 buck shot and 20 gauge #3 buck shot as best all -around HD use . I do have a few 5 round boxes of 3” and 2.75” 12 gauge slugs but not sure if I would ever add to the HD rotation - mainly due to higher percentage of miss potential with a slug versus a fist size coverage of buck shot at internal house HD distances .

 

I just wanted to say.........Ya gotta love me some SHOTTY!!

 

Unless you live in a really large house, slugs are probably unnecessary for inside the home defense. I prefer 00 buckshot for that. Outside the home, slugs are where it is at. Google Select Slug Drill and practice that until it is habit.

 

"What would be your main considerations for adding shot gun slugs into your shotgun home defense plans ? "

What is downrange.

Slugs are wonderful for some purposes. They have the equivalent power of a deer rifle. They will stop threats.

Take a moment to think about what is downrange and what will stop that slug.

 

Another consideration may be "less than lethal".

Some of the rubber/polymer "less than lethal" is probably still lethal inside your home but won't go too far through multiple layers of sheet rock.

Don't underestimate bird shot.... if you skip it off of the ground into legs it will get anyone's attention.

Depends upon your goals.

These days I stick to #4 buck.

 

Shotgun slugs are undeniably powerful—you're talking about a .72 caliber, 1 oz. hunk of lead moving at serious velocity. They’ll stop a threat, no doubt. But for home defense? That’s where things get tricky.

The biggest consideration is overpenetration. Slugs punch through walls, doors, even appliances with ease. If you don’t know exactly what’s downrange, you’re taking a real risk of harming unintended targets. In close quarters, 00 or #4 buckshot spreads just enough to increase hit probability while reducing overpenetration concerns.

That said, slugs have a role—if you need to punch through barriers or reach a target at extended distances outside the home. A good setup? Keep buckshot loaded but have slugs on the side saddle for when they’re needed.

And for those thinking about “less than lethal” options, rubber slugs or polymer rounds might be an option, but even those can be deadly in close quarters. Birdshot? Sure, at point-blank range it's nasty, but it lacks the penetration to reliably stop a determined threat.

Bottom line: Slugs are a tool, but for most home defense situations, buckshot is the better choice. Train with both, know your surroundings, and make sure whatever you’re sending downrange stops where you want it to.

 

I’ve slept soundly with 00 Buck in my HD shotguns for ages- particularly Federal 2 3/4” Power Shok.

 

I have kids in the house and I don't want heavy and fast projectiles penetrating numerous walls, possibly hitting one of them.

Most level 3A armor should stop buck and slug. It's gonna hurt though.

Back face deformation from a 12 guage slug will likely prove fatal if hit in the chest while wearing soft armor.

I saw a demonstration of this on one of those gelatin dummies with all the organs and bones and it was a nasty wound.

 

Not all Slugs are created equal .

Foster Style , particularly with the " hollow point " dimple will usually fragment with solid hits on Felons . If anything did pass thru , it would be small fragments .

I'm not convinced to switch from Buckshot , but a Foster would be not unreasonable.

At bad breath distances , slugs and buck both need careful aiming .The reasoning pro slug , is that at intermediate distances , no potential issues of buck shot patterns opening up enough for some pellets to pass around the BG . Plus of course potential to 50 yd plus , if that's a conceivable possibility.

Brenneke slugs , will deeply penetrate . A plus for hunting larger than whitetail game , but a caution for home defense .

 

This. Many Foster slugs penetrate LESS at close range than 00 (especially plated 00) because of the soft lead at high velocity. (OTOH, reduced recoil slugs tend to penetrate more because they're sticking together- this is not the case with very heavy, tough game animals though, in which case the RR slugs underperform/penetrate.)

Brennekes are not in this camp.

Many years ago, I shot a Level 2 vest that was wrapped around a railroad tie with a 2 3/4 slug. The vest was not penetrated, but about a 1" wad of vest was driven about 3" into the tie.

Take Care,

John

ETA: stupid autocorrect