most powerful 20 gauge ammo

tenniso

i use a sawed off, single shot 20 gauge for home defense. i currently have 3 inch magnum 2 buck shells. is there a more powerful choice?

queeksdraw

Respectfully, a 12 ga.

You'v gota kill it to grill it

tenniso

thanks, but i already knew that.[:(!] as far as a 20 Gauge goes though, i'll ask again. what is the most powerful load available for a 20 Gauge besides a slug?

IowaShooter

Here's a good link on the subject:
http://www.internetarmory.com/shotgun_ammo.htm

Rafter-S

If you are currently using 3" mag buckshot for home defense, I'm not sure what "more powerful" ammo is going to buy you. Rather than looking for more powerful ammo, maybe you should consider a shotgun that repeats, such as a pump or semi-auto. However, a well placed shot from your single barrel sawed-off will effectively take care of one intruder.

Respectfully,
Rafter-S

"What is truth? No wonder jesting Pilate turned away. The truth, it has a thousand faces -- show only one of them, and the whole truth flies away! But how to show the whole? That is the question."
--Thomas Wolfe, "You Can't Go Home Again" (1934)

Robin

Dear Tenniso,
I'm pretty sure you can accomplish the same degree of self defense, within the confines of your home, with 20 ga. low brass # 8 or #6 bird shot as your current ammo of choice. Does it really matter what comes down the barrel if your target is just a few feet away? I would be more concerned with the potential collateral damage to family members or neighbors than I would more potent ammo. I agree with the previous posters, I would get something that gave me an easy opportunity for couple of more shots wth out reloading. Check out the low power home self defense rounds, 2" or so. Just my humble .02 worth. Stay safe.

Worry is the interest humans pay on the debt of miscalculation.

Alpine

The distances you would be using the shotgun within the confines of a home the advise Robin gave you is correct. At 10' or twenty at the most the shotgun does a lot of damage. I have seen it. Also if you stay away from buck shot you will not have to worry about the people in rooms the two walls the buckshot will penetrate.
Also make sure that the barrel is more than 18" so you will not get in trouble, even if you are right. The smaller the shotgun the harder it is to control when firing.

"If you ain't got pictures, I wasn't there."

tenniso

the barrell length is slightly over legal limit as well as overall length, so i should be ok . i would only use the gun in the case an intruder came upstairs, and into my bedroom.if they want to steal my stuff down stairs, i would probably let them go ahead cause that stuff can be replaced, and i would hate to kill someone over a tv. besides, if someone were to get thru my front or back door, they would make a hell of a lot of noise, and by then, my dogs would be raising hell, and the intruder would probably leave hopefully. if they came into my bedroom, then, the distance from me to them would be a maximum of 10 feet. so, should i switch to a lighter load like bird shot? i live in an apartment with neighbors on both sides, so i definately dont want to shoot my neighbors.

jonk

I agree, at that range birdshot is the way to go. Given that it is 20 ga. I would go with #8 as there is more of it than say #6 in the smaller shell. At 10 feet or less, your 20 ga. should have no trouble blowing a 3" wide hole in the intruder's chest, with small wounds radiating out to the sides of his body. Personally I have a double barrel 16 ga. sawed off to an 18 1/2" bbl, #8 in one barrel, buckshot in the other.

"...hit your enemy in the belly, and kick him when he is down, and boil his prisoners in oil- if you take any- and torture his women and children. Then people will keep clear of you..." -Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher, speaking at the Hague Peace Conf

rldowns3

I'd just go with a standard load of birdshot, just pick ya up a box from walmart or something. At that range I doubt the wad is even going to open before it impacts it's target so you will still be blowing a 1.5" hole in somebody anyway. Just be prepared for a lot of blood spray [:D] I shot a man with a little 2" .45lc taurus and I got hosed not only by my own blood when he had shot me (he shot me first) but I was doused in his too.