by Rich Grassi

Last Friday, as I was working through a case of jet lag and trying to get my feet back on the ground, our eminent publisher ran a piece of mine from this newswire in our sister service, Shooting Wire (http://www.shootingwire.com). I was surprised to get reader mail from those less than impressed with a small statement I made: that 12 gauge birdshot can be useful in home defense.

A reader was "dismayed" (his word) to see that statement and he asked for proof of my contention. He continued, saying that (e)verything he read showed that bird shot isn't enough, particularly in cold areas where assailants may be wearing several thick layers. He said that "most studies" concluded that bird shot penetrates only 3 to 4 inches of flesh, which he said, "is not enough to stop every assailant." He went on to agree that such an injury would "stop some, perhaps many, assailants."

I appreciate him writing to us. If he took time and effort to write it, I imagine there are either hundreds or thousands who didn't take time to write while they wondered if I was a drug user. While senility hasn't completely gotten control of me, I'll respond to you as I did to him.

http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/image_archive/2060002.jpg> Zone A is the area in which the shot charge appears as a large hole. This is a charge of buckshot from 21 feet. Use the sights, control the trigger.

The label "home defense" is one I limit to interior engagements -- believing that stepping outside even without leaving the property weakens the defense of the Castle Doctrine (which invalidates a retreat requirement before using deadly force). Interior engagements are limited range affairs and are typified by the shotgun in Zone A.

http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/image_archive/2060004.jpg> This custom Remington 870 is a collaboration between RMP Gunworks and Vang Comp Systems. The patterns reflect a "B Zone" stretching from 10 to 20 yards. This gun stretched Zone B into 30 yards with the right buckshot load. Pattern your shotgun!

For those who came in late, Zone A stretches from 0 to about 7 yards (21 feet) for most shotguns - but not all. We pattern the gun to ensure we're at a distance where the pellets are so closely packed that they act like a single projectile. You shoot like you would with a rifle or a shotgun with slugs. Penetration is adequate at this distance even with fairly light birdshot - for the most part. When we were shooting on paper at Gunsite, checking patterns, we started at the outer Zone A marker and still got fist-size patterns. If not most, many homes don't have an uninterrupted view past Zone A.

http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/image_archive/2060006.jpg> This light peppering of birdshot is likely useless - fired from a revolver in this case. Use enough gun, use enough load!

For reference, B Zone tends to run 15-20 yards. We seek to keep all the pellets on target with no flyers. In Zone C, we go out to around 100 yards. As we know we'll lose pellets off the target, we select slug and use the shotgun as a carbine.

I didn't keep nor would I post autopsy photos of persons killed by a 12 gauge loaded with birdshot. Suffice to say the objects of the exercise didn't realize that a blow from a 12 gauge with birdshot in Zone A wasn't deadly. That puts the lie to penetration issues. We're talking about the full charge packed into a pattern fist-size or smaller.

I have no doubt that heavier clothing will create some issues as will increased distances -- distance kills birdshot penetration quickly, mostly due to an increase in spread and rapidly shed velocity with the light projectiles.. I'm not asking for proof of everything you can find making the case against birdshot; there are so many variables that we can't rule out birdshot failures to stop no more than we can rule out fails to stop with .45 Auto or 5.56mm NATO.

I would say this: if your home has an uninterrupted view of more than 20-25 feet, if you live in a home in the far north or if you may have to engage threats outside with the shotgun, by all means select a load more appropriate for the mission. Be concerned with unaccounted-for pellets; don't use any shot round past its demonstrated ability to stay inside say an 8 1/2 x 11" sheet of paper. We are responsible for every missile that projects from the muzzle of our firearms. If your load of choice throws the occasional flyer, select slug.

The reader's line ". . . not enough to stop every assailant . . ." is chilling. That presumes a "magic bullet." Jim Cirillo (gunfight survivor of 17 or 18 fights, aside from the fact he investigated several more S.O.U. shootings) personally told me he shot a man with an express (full-power) slug from across a store; the guy out-ran him outside the store. Our quickly leaking fleet-of-foot felon was eventually taken into custody. Jim said he saw failures with .38 Special, 9mm, .45 Auto, 12 gauge buck and slug, .30 Carbine and .223 rifle. That's life. Don't load one round. Assume the first round won't stop him. At the shot, follow through, rack and re-assess as you're doing it.

I only have about 500 words in a wire feature. I've used more than that many now but I hope I've illustrated the fact that birdshot, while being unlikely to perforate multiple walls will usually stop an attack at the close ranges envisioned in home defense.

http://www.vangcomp.com/
http://www.rmpgunworks.com
http://www.remington.com