Why Buckshot Is Better Than A Slug For Home Defense
If you're buying a gun for home defense, a shotgun is a good choice. While there are advantages that you can discuss with other types of firearms, including pistols and revolvers, a shotgun is a smart choice for this purpose. It can do incredible damage with just one shot, and the sound of your racking the shotgun may send intruders fleeing. If you've decided to buy a shotgun, your next priority is to decide which ammunition you'll use. Some homeowners favor loading the gun with slugs, but you may find that buckshot is a better choice. Here are three reasons to opt for buckshot over slugs.
The Spread Is Minimal
When it comes to considering buckshot for your home defense shotgun, your immediate reservation might be the spread of the shot. You don't want the buckshot harming people you don't intend to shoot, nor unnecessarily tearing up your house. The reality, however, is that buckshot is highly effective at short distances. While it does indeed spread, the most significant spread occurs after it has flown for several yards — and in the average-sized house, you aren't going to be shooting at a perpetrator who is a considerable distance away.
Less Risk Of Inadvertent Penetration
While shotgun slugs have immense stopping power, this can be a problem as well. If you were to miss the intruder with a shot, you can count on the slug tearing through walls and ending up far from where you might expect. This can mean that a family member sleeping even a few rooms away isn't safe — and in some cases, people in adjacent houses might not even be safe from an errant slug. When you arm yourself with buckshot, you don't have to worry about as much penetration. While buckshot can still go through drywall and other thin barriers, it's not as much of a safety risk as a slug.
You Can Do More Damage
While a skilled marksman can get several shots on target with a small-caliber pistol or revolver, not every homeowner is this adept. When you're awoken at night by an intruder and your nerves are a factor, you want ammunition that can do damage even if you don't hit center mass. While a shotgun slug will almost certainly stop the intruder, it also has to hit him or her squarely. Even though the spread of buckshot isn't major, it still gives you more room for error. This means that if you miss center mass and hit the perpetrator in the arm, for example, you'll still likely come out on top of the encounter.
For more information, visit a local gun store.