USED SHOTGUNS FOR HOME DEFENSE: SEPARATING MYTH FROM REALITY

Used shotguns are especially popular among those seeking an effective way to defend their home from criminals. However, as with so many other security options, a cloud of myths surrounds scatterguns that obscures the facts. So, in this post, we’ll separate reality from fantasy and share with our readers what they need to know about using a shotgun for home defense.

Shotgun accuracy: myth vs. reality

One of the most enduring myths about shotguns is that they make it impossible for the person wielding it to miss. There are thousands of frustrated skeet shooters who wish this were true, but it’s not. On average, the width of a shot pattern expands around one inch for each yard of travel. This leaves plenty of room to miss unless the target is out of the weapon’s effective range anyway.

The takeaway for those concerned with home defense is that there’s no substitute for practicing with the weapon you intend to use to dispel the bad guys. Rather than being gun-shy, take that weapon to the range and learn to handle it safely and effectively.

Shotgun power: myth vs. reality

There’s a school of thought in the shotgun community that regards the 12 gauge as the bare minimum for home defense. These folks are analogous to the so-called “cannon clique” in the handgun world – those who think that anything less than a .45 is useless. 

Both these viewpoints are not only dead wrong, they’re dangerously misleading. Properly handled, a .22 caliber pistol is an effective weapon that can kill very quickly. So is a 20 gauge shotgun, which has the added benefit of being easier for most people to handle. In fact, at short ranges, a 20 gauge has twice the stopping power of a .44 magnum, making it more than sufficient for home defense, unless you’re worried about the Hulk breaking in. 

I’ll even go out on a limb here and say that, as a good overall choice, it’s hard to go wrong with a youth model 20 gauge from an established manufacturer. The smaller frame of these used shotguns makes them easy for most adults to handle, yet they still pack more than enough firepower to make a bad guy very sorry that he chose your home to break into.

Shotgun loads: myth vs. reality

If there’s one argument that may never be settled, it’s the endless “buckshot vs. birdshot” debate. The question boils down to collateral damage. Simply put, nothing matches 00 buck for sheer stopping power. Therein lies both its greatest strength and weakness. All that force means that buckshot is more likely to go through walls, windows, doors, etc., than is shot designed for game birds. 

This can be really bad news, both for the shooter and his neighbors, if he misses his mark. Birdshot, on the other hand, is less likely to harm innocents, but it also packs less of a wallop when it hits the target. So, what’s the right choice?

The answer, as it is with so many things, is: “that depends.” If you live in an apartment or condo, then you’re probably better off using either birdshot or low-velocity buckshot. On the other hand, if you live in a house out in the sticks with thick plaster walls and solid doors, then my advice is to load up on 00 buck and make anyone foolish enough to break into your home very sorry he did so. 

Having said that, let me also stress how important it is to follow the advice from an earlier post and make sure you know your way around that weapon before relying on it. Also, be absolutely, positively certain you’re faced with a hostile trespasser intent on causing harm before you squeeze that trigger, because you’ll live with the consequences of doing so forever.

Dury’s: your source for used guns

Why let new gun prices put a dent in your budget when you can buy premium-quality pre-owned weapons for less? Dury’s puts every weapon it sells through a painstaking top-to-bottom inspection and test firing prior to listing it. Not only that, but we back every gun we sell with a lifetime guarantee. Also, if you want to sell your guns, then we can give you top price, so contact us today.