Thread: Why do YOU own a gun?
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Old 03-26-2008, 05:04 AM
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Originally Posted by sunnyside View Post
That's a pretty small buckshot though. I've heard you want to at least go with a 1. And if that doesn't penetrate enough there are 0, 00 and 000 but I've heard they overpenetrate (meaning you're losing the advantage or more pellets without gaining anything).
Number 4 buck is the bare minimum to hit vitals from a front center mass shot. I put that up because a good number of people that use their shotguns to hunt birds tend to use bird shot as a home defense round. 00 buck will remain lethal from all angles out to about 5 meters. But can over penetrate (meaning you can get through and throughs).

Here is some decent reference material for terminal ballistics with regards to shotguns.

But remember that you may see conflicting data by different testers. The FBI crime lab did a series of tests years ago, and they recommended not less than #1 buck. MARCORSYSCOM did a test last year and came up with not less than 0 buck. So you kind of have to look at all the data. But the above site is a good starting point.

Also please remember that I am no expert (but then again I do not believe that there are any real experts). Ballistics is a hoby of mine, and I try to know as much as I can about it. But I have never been to school for it.
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The National Science Foundation announced the following study results on U.S. military recreation preferences:
1. Sport of choice for Marines: bowling.
2. Sport of choice for Sailors: football.
3. Sport of choice for Soldiers: baseball.
4. Sport of choice for Coast Guardsmen: tennis.
5. Sport of choice for Airmen: golf.
Notice how the farther down the list you go, the smaller their balls get.
Last edited by C-D-P; 03-26-2008 at 05:09 AM.
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