I’m a 20ga man, mostly because the first gun I ever bought happened to be one. But since I have been writing on the web the argument about whether or not the 20ga “is enough” gun for home defense has raged. It’s a dumb argument – the 20ga is by far more powerful than any handgun recommended for home defense or concealed carry – based on the misunderstanding of the actual downside of the round. Namely – there isn’t as much variety of ammunition because it’s a less popular round.
In fact common loads of 12ga like 00 buck are basically non-existent in 20ga. #3 Buck and #2 Buck are what I have stored and while not difficult to find they aren’t exactly falling off the shelves. Since Buckshot is the most popular defensive round for shotguns some people see this as a problem.
Or as Nate Parker opined in a article for USA Carry:
We have talked about load selection for shotguns before. Regardless of what gets bandied about on the forums, YouTube, or whatever your favorite flavor of social media is, 00 buckshot is the king of defensive shotgun loads. It is where all the juice is. An argument can be made for #1 buckshot, and maybe even #4 buckshot, but the International Wound Ballistics Association had something to say about this over 20 years ago. It isn’t new info, and any shotgun instructor worth listening to pretty much says to use 00 buckshot because that is where the best performance is in terms of pattern size, reliability, and recoil.
If you are familiar with 20-gauge, you will know that there are not 00 buck loads in 20-gauge from the more reputable manufacturers. There are one or two #1 buck loads, but they are not very good. The pattern about like you would expect bottom shelf buckshot loads to the pattern. The usual buckshot loads for 20 gauge are either #2, #3, or #4 buckshot. We can get some decent loads with those shot sizes, with plated and buffered shots at least. The wad technology available in 12-gauge still isn’t there, but maybe for home defense ranges, we can go without. Careful choke selection will help us out a little too. However, even though they are still buckshot, all of those shot sizes are at best marginal options per the IWBA.
Except Nate might be misreading, or misunderstanding, this very old study of wound ballistics. The study was based on what rounds could reliable get 12 inches of penetration in ballistic gel, with the thought this would make sure the round reached vital tissue.
As long time Internet gun site Chuck Hawks points out the same studies produce a much different hypothesis:
The Firearms Tactical Institute reports:
“Number 1 buck is the smallest diameter shot that reliably and consistently penetrates more than 12 inches of standard ordnance gelatin when fired at typical shotgun engagement distances. A standard 2 ¾-inch 12 gauge shotshell contains 16 pellets of #1 buck. The total combined cross sectional area of the 16 pellets is 1.13 square inches. Compared to the total combined cross sectional area of the nine pellets in a standard #00 (double-aught) buck shotshell (0.77 square inches), the # 1 buck shotshell has the capacity to produce over 30 percent more potentially effective wound trauma. In all shotshell loads, number 1 buckshot produces more potentially effective wound trauma than either #00 or #000 buck. In addition, number 1 buck is less likely to over-penetrate and exit an attacker’s body.”
Generally available candidates include:
Remington Express Buckshot 12B1 (1250 fps, 16 pellets #1 Buck).
Remington Express Buckshot 12B0 (1275 fps, 12 pellets #0 Buck).
Winchester Super-X XB121 (1250 fps, 16 pellets #1 Buck).
The 16 pellet #1 Buck loads yield a 640 grain payload while Remington’s 12 pellet #0 Buck load gives about a 580 (579.6) grain payload. Based on a 7 lb. shotgun, the Remington #0 Buck Loads generates 27.4 ft. lbs. of recoil, while the #1 Buck factory loads generate 31.8 ft. lbs of recoil. This roughly 15% reduction in recoil may sway you to the Remington #0 load on the basis of comfort and controllability. Most importantly, the penetration of this load is more than adequate to end a dire situation.
On the flip side, 3 inch 12 gauge 00 Buck Loads are available from both Remington and Winchester. The Remington 12HB00 load is 15 #00 Buck pellets @ 1225 fps, a payload of 807 grains developing about 47.6 ft. lbs of recoil, over 73% more recoil than the #0 Buck 2-3/4 in. Remington load 12B0 just mentioned. It is this type of all too common high recoil load most would find painful, hard to manage, and is not recommended for HD applications as a result. Despite the additional pain and muzzle flip, it actually has one less potentially lethal wound channel than a standard #1 Buckshot load.
So according to some reads on IWBA data #1 or #0 Buckshot is actually the king of self defense rounds.
Which doesn’t matter because #3 buck is the most available 20ga round. Is it ineffective? Well here’s a video of a ballistic gelatin human head hit with a target load – meaning very small birdshot:
So…like I said kind of a dumb argument when you’re talking home defense distances, which may be across the queen sized bed in your bedroom.
But if the lack of buckshot is a concern slugs are very common for the round, because the round is popular with hunters. A 20ga slug will over penetrate though so you need to think about that. I use them though.
Much of the criticism of 20ga compared to 12ga is based on the needs of law enforcement, military or hunters – in other words it compares the rounds for scenarios that are irrelevant for home defense. As Sam Hoober, also writing at USA Carry wrote a few years before the the Nate Parker article, points out:
What’s the longest linear distance in the garden variety house? Anything larger than 20 yards would be quite the stretch, and chances are a home invader/attacker is going to be engaged inside of five yards.
Unless you’re loading #7 in a Shockwave, the pattern will not likely exceed the 30-inch circle commonly used to measure shotgun patterns.
As a result, the fact that ammunition manufacturers don’t offer 00 buck in 20-gauge shells becomes a moot point. At home defense distances, the pattern will be tight so this aspect doesn’t actually matter.
If you prefer a lead hollow point slug, a number of ammunition makers do produce these rounds. Not only are lead hollow points ideal for defense (after all, hollow points) but 20-gauge slugs exceed the muzzle energy and velocity of all but the large magnum handgun rounds. Thus, reduced velocity and energy compared to a 12-gauge is hardly something to be concerned about.
Which I agree with. In home defense situations the ranges are going to be close enough that minor differences in firearms will not matter.
But popularity does have it’s benefits. The 20ga can have less options than 12ga. Lucky Gunner explains this:
However I found a Mossberg Cruiser at a used gun shop. With a stock it has almost everything people will say they need in a tactical gun. And you’ll notice that even the above fair critique doesn’t claim the 20ga is ineffective.
So is it enough for home defense – my opinion is yes. But there are drawbacks to it. If you’re looking to build out a tacticool “weapon platform” you will run into problems. If you’re looking for a low(er) recoiling gun that can hunt game and stop a home invasion you will like the 20g.
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Author Rob Taylor
