[jame]

I recently picked up a Remington 870 at a firehouse price, and since I’ve been shooting an 870 for nearly 50 years, it just made sense to chop it down and build myself a home defense gun.

I‘ve cut the barrel, drilled and tapped for a new hi-viz front bead, added a mag extension, and a Hogue over old stock set that fits like a glove. Now it’s down to replacing the extractor, adding a bigger safety, and a few other things, I’ll have a pretty nice rig.

So now it comes down to ammo. Thinking it through, we utilize these tools not to intentionally kill, but to simply reduce or eliminate a threat. That said, would bean bags or rubber bullets or shot make sense as the first rounds up?

I know nothing about specialized ammo like this, and would consider it if it were a viable option. Anyone have any experience with this ammo?

 

[RGP]

Non fatal in concept, but.... Bean bag guns used to be commonly used in prisons and they had the reputation of typically sending a bean bag straight through the average guy's chest and instantly killing him.

 

[lineback911]

Gunfights happen VERY fast and having to shoot the bean bag rounds off first could definitely get you hurt if your threat is armed. If you consider doing this you better have a lethal firearm attached to your body and be ready to transition to it. And the poster above is correct you better know where bean bag rounds can be fired on the human body without causing serious injury or death

 

[Glock&Spiel]

LEO's and riot control, of course... But from my vantage point of "average Joe", I can see these types of "non-lethal" projectiles serve no domestic defensive purpose at the ranges they're normally deployed. In such cases, my EDC would come out and be used, because I don't want to piss the chud off --- I want to stop it in it's tracks. IOW: If you're at those distances from a mutant threat, non-lethal confrontation is hardly unavoidable. You can run, or find cover.. At closer, unavoidable ranges, O/C fills the need quite well for non-lethal deterrents to non-lethal threats.

 

[Deputydave]

I recently picked up a Remington 870 at a firehouse price, and since I’ve been shooting an 870 for nearly 50 years, it just made sense to chop it down and build myself a home defense gun.

I‘ve cut the barrel, drilled and tapped for a new hi-viz front bead, added a mag extension, and a Hogue over old stock set that fits like a glove. Now it’s down to replacing the extractor, adding a bigger safety, and a few other things, I’ll have a pretty nice rig.

So now it comes down to ammo. Thinking it through, we utilize these tools not to intentionally kill, but to simply reduce or eliminate a threat. That said, would bean bags or rubber bullets or shot make sense as the first rounds up?

I know nothing about specialized ammo like this, and would consider it if it were a viable option. Anyone have any experience with this ammo?

So here's the deal about shooting bean bags out of a shotgun; you need to hit a large muscle group like the buttocks in order for it to remain non-lethal. That bag will break bones, snap a spine, crack the skull. So it is and can be a lethal round or a maiming round.

Also, in many/most states it is illegal to shoot someone with the intention of 'wounding' them. This could be considered that way possibly. And if you severely injure someone you may be liable. Just some things to consider.

 

[enblock]

Generally speaking, a firearm Is a lethal tool and shouldn't be employed unless lethal force is required. If you pull the trigger, its because you have no other recourse, and lethal force is definitively needed. In that case, you want a real, fight stopping option, ie slugs or buck. If you need lethal force, but your first shot is a non lethal, you're in trouble, because the person trying to kill you likely won't have any reservation about using lethal force
Also has been said, at typical home defense ranges, beanbag rounds easily can be lethal, even rubber buckshot and birdshot can kill.

 

[nipperwolf]

So, you want to shoot bean bags or rubber bullets at someone who is shooting real bullets at you?

**** that

 

[jame]

So, you want to shoot bean bags or rubber bullets at someone who is shooting real bullets at you?

**** that

No, I wanted to ask the question of the viability of using non lethal ammo in certain domestic situations on a web forum that has members able to answer some basic questions.

No where did I spell out any specific situation regarding any specific self defensive tactics other that the use of non lethal rounds, often used in law enforcement.

Are you suggesting that non lethal ammo should only be available to the “experts” and should not be used by us lowly typical civilians?

 

[newglocker10mm]

No, I wanted to ask the question of the viability of using non lethal ammo in certain domestic situations on a web forum that has members able to answer some basic questions.

No where did I spell out any specific situation regarding any specific self defensive tactics other that the use of non lethal rounds, often used in law enforcement.

Are you suggesting that non lethal ammo should only be available to the “experts” and should not be used by us lowly typical civilians?

Jame I don't think (maybe with a few exceptions but they are pretty obvious) anyone is trying to disparage you. What is being said is that these "non-lethals" take a lot of training, not usually available to non LEO, to use safely. In the civilian world whether you use lethal or non-lethal the shooting is treated the same. And given that at the distances associated with a self-defensive shooting aren't that far apart, relatively speaking, even non-lethals will in all probability have the same effect as a normal defensive round. I would avoid their use in a non LEO/correctional setting.

 

[Rotn1]

Jame,
Big no……..
If you have to draw your weapon and fire a projectile at “someone” the standard is you are in fear for your life. You are not LEO or National Guard in riot control mode . You have been put in a position of protecting your life. You want non lethal use potent pepper spray.

 

[seagravedriver]

I would seek advise from a reputable firearms/self defense trainer. I am pretty sure the answer will be no, and they should be able to give good reason from some past events they may know of.

 

[Ordell Robbie]

Those things have been around long enough that if they were a good choice, everyone would have already been doing it.

 

[cyphertext]

Are you suggesting that non lethal ammo should only be available to the “experts” and should not be used by us lowly typical civilians?

Yes. BTW, I am a lowly typical civilian too. Unless you are shooting Steve-O in the butt for an episode of Jackass, leave the less lethal use to the professionals.

 

[GPalmer]

I'm going to side with the majority here and say you should only be firing that weapon if you're in fear for your life. If you're in fear for your life, then it doesn't make sense that you would use a less lethal option. When police use them, it's in an attempt to obtain compliance. And it's with a cover officer with a lethal force option if they fail.

 

[IBreakthings]

 

[pgg00]

Keep in mind that most of the time that deploy these types of devices we have lethal cover ready to immediately fire if it doesn't work. Will you have that?

 

[rfd339]

I'm not gonna defend my life and my family or a 3rd person with a NERF bullet...
Might as well have my grandkids get their nerf gatling rifles and have my six..

But I might want this...

 

[jame]

Jame I don't think (maybe with a few exceptions but they are pretty obvious) anyone is trying to disparage you. What is being said is that these "non-lethals" take a lot of training, not usually available to non LEO, to use safely. In the civilian world whether you use lethal or non-lethal the shooting is treated the same. And given that at the distances associated with a self-defensive shooting aren't that far apart, relatively speaking, even non-lethals will in all probability have the same effect as a normal defensive round. I would avoid their use in a non LEO/correctional setting.

I would seek advise from a reputable firearms/self defense trainer. I am pretty sure the answer will be no, and they should be able to give good reason from some past events they may know of.

There, see?

Grownup question, grownup answers. (There we’re more than the examples provided.)

There should be more of that on this forum.

 

[destrukto]

Even with less lethal ammunition, in the eyes of the law you still shot somebody with a shotgun and the law doesn’t differentiate between rubber and lead shot for civilian use

 

[Bren]

I recently picked up a Remington 870 at a firehouse price, and since I’ve been shooting an 870 for nearly 50 years, it just made sense to chop it down and build myself a home defense gun.

I‘ve cut the barrel, drilled and tapped for a new hi-viz front bead, added a mag extension, and a Hogue over old stock set that fits like a glove. Now it’s down to replacing the extractor, adding a bigger safety, and a few other things, I’ll have a pretty nice rig.

So now it comes down to ammo. Thinking it through, we utilize these tools not to intentionally kill, but to simply reduce or eliminate a threat. That said, would bean bags or rubber bullets or shot make sense as the first rounds up?

I know nothing about specialized ammo like this, and would consider it if it were a viable option. Anyone have any experience with this ammo?

No. WTF are beanbags supposed to accomplish? The same thing they do for the police - nothing?

If you don't have the need to use deadly force, don't use a shotgun.