A shotgun isn’t the right defensive firearm for every home defense or law enforcement use, but in the instances where it is, nothing else will do to job in quite the same way. Myths about defensive shotguns abound: Yes, you still have to aim them and no, you can’t rely on the shick-shick sound of a pump-action to scare a bad guy into submission. But when properly equipped and loaded, shotguns are excellent defensive firearms at typical defensive distances.
There’s plenty of discussion to be had about what constitutes an appropriate defensive load, with turkey loads and even smaller bird shot having some passionate advocates, but by and large, it’s generally accepted that most users who choose a shotgun for defense are going to be loading it with buck shot or with slugs, so that’s what we’re going to take a look at. What’s on the market?
Buck Shot
Buck shot is probably the most popular load for defensive use, with 00 buck and 000 buck dominating the market. Encourage customers to pattern their defensive load of choice so they know exactly where those pellets are going at different ranges.
Federal Personal Defense Force X2
Federal’s Personal Defense line with the innovative FLITECONTROL wad is sort of a gold standard for defensive shotshells. Federal makes it in 12-gauge, 20-gauge and .410 and even 12-gauge minishells, in a few different sizes of buck shot. They use buffered, copper-plated shot that prevents deformation, and the rear-braking FLITECONTROL wad provides tight, reliable patterns, making buck shot effective and less erratic at ranges previously thought unsuitable. The Force X2 version, although pricey, uses pellets (nine 00 buck) engineered to split into two pieces on impact, creating 18 wound channels and minimizing the potential for overpenetration. It’s even loaded for less recoil.
Hornady has a buck shot load in its popular Critical Defense line, featuring eight 00 pellets in 12-gauge shell. The company says it’s specifically optimized to work well in pump- and semi-auto shotguns, and it’s fast, at a blazing 1,600 fps. The Versatite wad works with a rear-braking action, meaning the wad stays with the pellets a bit longer than normal. This allows for consistent performance and tighter patterns at longer distances.
Aguila put “tactical” in the title, but they market this load as an all-around buck shot load for hunting, tactical and defensive use. It’s a 2 ¾-inch 12-gauge load with nine pellets of 00 buck, with a muzzle velocity of 1,275. Aguila assures it’s made for smooth cycling and dependability. This is kind of a generalized, no-frills buck shot load, and it might appeal to budget-minded customers, and it’s a bit cheaper than the more specialized defensive loads on this list.
Remington has a host of options in the Ultimate Defense line, all designed to deliver “dense, devastating patterns and massive knockdown power,” according to the company. They promise tight and effective short-range patterns and come in 12-gauge, 20-gauge and .410. Depending on the shell, choose from 000 buck, 00 buck, 3 buck or 4 buck. The 12-gauge 00 buck, likely to be the most popular load for your customers, even comes in two varieties: A 1,325 fps load with nine pellets and a 1,200 fps load with eight pellets, designed for lower recoil.
This is another all-around buck shot load that might appeal to your more casual shooters. Rio’s Royal Buck comes in 12- and 20-gauge, with a payload of nine 00 pellets and a muzzle velocity of 1,345 fps. A low-recoil version is also available at 1,200. Royal Buck uses a proprietary wad that Rio says “ensures a cohesive payload flight path and pattern dispersion.”
Slugs
Customers who use their defensive shotgun against both two-legged and four-legged predators — farmers and ranchers, especially — appreciate the ability to reach out and touch a fleeing coyote or peg a fox sniffing around the chicken coop. Slugs definitely have a place in defense where over-penetration isn’t a concern.
Winchester’s PDX1 Defender 12-gauge ammo uses a 1-ounce segmenting rifled slug. Upon impact, the slug breaks into three equal segments, compensating for aim error and providing critical penetration. This unique design is applicable for short- and long-range situations. Interestingly, Winchester also sells a slug/buck shot combo load, featuring three pellets of 00 buck (buffered) nestled on top of a 1-ounce slug. These are premium loads at a premium price, but they offer some unique performance characteristics that might appeal to your customers.
Fiocchi’s Defense Dynamics shotshells are available in a 1-ounce slug, defense buck, frangible slug, rubber buck, and rubber slug — all 12-gauge. Fiocchi says this line is “made with the same demanding quality and component requirements as the company’s top-end ammunition.” The lead slug load comes in two loadings: One with a muzzle velocity of 1,560 and a lower-recoil load that leaves the muzzle at 1,150.
Brenneke Tactical Home Defense
Brenneke’s Tactical Home Defense is available in 12- and 20-gauge, designed to recoil less and reduce excessive penetration in homes and urban environments. Less recoil means it’s easier to shoot and quicker to get back on target for a follow-up shot. The slug itself features a unique design — it has a fairly standard lead point, but the back of the slug is designed to actually slide forward into the point upon impact (part of how they achieve that reduced penetration).
Lightfield’s Less-Lethal Rounds
Check the legality of less-lethal rounds in your area — and remind customers of the risks as well as the potential benefits of having a less-lethal round ready to go in case they need an option that falls shy of a slug or a load of buck shot. There are some considerations about when, where and how to use these rounds that should be taken into account, and remember that many of them can be lethal in certain circumstances.
If stocking less-lethal shotshells is right for you, Lightfield has a wide variety of options to choose from. They make everything from 12-gauge rubber slugs and buck shot to .410 rubber buck shot, 20-gauge double ball loads, a non-projectile distraction round, breaching rounds for LEO use and more.
The Star rounds, available in a number of varieties, are intended for close-range defensive use. This load gives shooters an effective option to a lead or copper projectile but loses most of its effective energy beyond 15 yards. The design of the Star projectile is designed to be an improvement on sock-style bean-bag loads. The Star design utilizes less weight and higher velocity than other single projectile loads, reducing the likelihood of penetration, broken bones or deep internal injury.
