@@porkchopspapi5757 If each block is 1", that means the #1 buck barely makes the 12" standard. But it's to my understanding, from previous research, that all 12 pellets consistently penetrate at LEAST 12" into gel at that velocity. It just seems something is missing..
I have a 8 round tube and 1 in the chamber. Load #4 buckshot, 00 buckshot, #4 buckshot, 00 buckshot, slug, slug, Dragon's Breath, silver pellets, rock salt. Because if you can't take them down in the 1st 6 shots, they're probably wendigos, vampires, or some kind of demon, so the dragon's breath and silver should take out the 1st two, while the rock salt should dissipate ghosts and demons.
I understand that we should also consider nephalim (giants) from the Biblical days, that are being bred under the ice caps in Antarctica. Not sure what the best load is for those fellers, but I'm stocked with #1, 00, and 000 buckshot, as well as plenty of Gold Dot .223 and Russian 7.62x39. Only have a case or two of 12 guage slugs, probs need to build up that supply just in case.
I don't want to imagine. I still go with more pellets with the 00, more chances to hit. With buckshot you've already got enough power, 000 is overkill for home defense
True, it does penetrate more. But still, I might keep a few in my side saddle for those extra special people hyped up on heroin/meth/cocaine/all of the above that don't stop with the first shot.
I thought that too. maybe because it's basically the exact same thing happening, just on a smaller scale. you know, energy being dumped into a fluid medium... quickly. speaking of wasted energy, I think people waste too much of their energy on war and weapons. I mean killing gets boring too, eventually.
DesertArizona Huh? If you are shooting at ranges where you are worried about pellets not hitting you are not carrying the right weapon. For Home Defense you want all pellets to hit. And in any decent round like Federals FliteControl at 30 ft all pellets are going to be 1.5-3 inch grouping. If those pellets miss and kill someone else you are going to prison. Second, the 000 over penetrates. This means you will shoot through the target and could wound or kill an innocent. #1 or 00 buck is going to be your happy medium for damage and penetration.
I tend to agree. #4 has the penetration, but the smaller pellets carry less wounding capacity if they miss and hit someone else downrange, through barriers. Another thing to keep in mind: more pellets hitting the target means more wound channels and therefore a larger chance of something vital being hit.
000 certainly packs more punch, but I noticed that the 00 was reduced recoil load compared to standard 2 3/4 1325fps velocity. I’m curious how much the extra velocity of a full power 2 3/4 load would have compared to the 000 buck. Either way, both are very effective….
@@legstitchedtigerftw2455 that doesn't mean it's more lethal. It's about how much energy is dumped into the body before coming out the other side. The average human torso isn't 25 inches.
@@stefanodogg280 Actually, 000 shot is larger than 00 shot but not my a huge margin. Still, after further research, I have switched from 000 to 00 Buckshot in my shotgun for home defense purposes. The reason is that I live in the city and have to consider my neighbors. 00 is more than powerful enough to do the job with less penetration.
@@astrofrk True but the 00 has more overall surface impact area because of more pellets. I would use either and would use 000 if I was in bear country.. I will be, soon but I'll use slugs, instead
The 000 buck was on a much smaller block (but zoomed in) so it appeared much more devastating than the 00. The 00 was a 24 inch block, the 000 was a 16 inch block.
Birdshot CAN be lethal at inside-the-house ranges, but the point of these sorts of penetration tests is to establish what can be RELIED on to be. If I'm not mistaken, the smallest shot size that penetrates deeply enough to be relied on to incapacitate is #4 buckshot.
Great video, your logic and evidence is hard to argue with. I run one ounce slugs in my shotgun, I have never had a problem dropping animals with one round with this combination.
Lets also not neglect the shotgun slug. A 7/8oz to 1.5oz riffled slug traveling up to around 1,900fps is going to hit harder than just about anything less than a .50bmg round. So the real benefit of a shotgun, besides being one of the undisputed best/hardest hitting "close combat weapons", is the extreme versatility that is available thanks to the wide range of rounds that can be chosen.
Been using club loads for home defense the thought being they won't over penetrate. Looks like its time to pickup some #4.. Great test, thank you for all the testing you do! I can't even begin to tell you how much it helps folks like me.
I just wanted to say I always look up ammo to see if there is one of your videos on it. Best gel tests on the Internet with no bad music or fumbling over words. Just data
I have always been a 00 buck or slug out of my 12 gauge. Last week my local shop got in these #4 buck and I tried them out. I am now a huge fan of them just for the reason you give. Best of all desirable attributes.
#4 buck is probably the smallest load that I'd be comfortable using for defensive purposes. I prefer 00 buck but I'd much rather trust my life to #4 buck over birdshot.
@@feedthemeat543f Same here. I have always been a 00 guy but I have seen some footage of over penetration and that bothers me. #4 shot is .22 in diameter and being soft lead will not go into the next county if I miss the bad guy. Like you, #4 is as small as I go.
@@valuedhumanoid6574 I actually knew a guy that drilled out the center of 00 pellets to make them hollow, I thought he was nuts until I saw him shoot a slab of deer meat with them. The pellets fragmented on impact and absolutely shredded the meat.
@@valuedhumanoid6574 We messed around a good bit with 00 pellets. I had the idea of carving out the front of the pellets to mimic hollow point rounds. Surprisingly enough it actually worked. I also suggested the idea of drilling holes in the pellets but I didn't expect him to actually take that seriously. I came up with the ideas, he did the machining.
I would like to see a 2 3/4 turkey or water fowl load tested, something over #4 shot size, maybe the new blind side or something, since everyone keeps disagreeing over bird or buck shot for home defense, I think one of the before mention types would put some at ease over using a bird load, while not decimating their house.
I know it's scientific saying #8 shot at 55 yards won't penetrate human skin, but I was shot rather directly at 25 yards and it only bruised me. I had a weird acne look for awhile and I picked one pellet out of my chin, but that was it. I believe it was actually #6 shot, upland quail load.
Honestly, #4 buckshot, or any smaller buckshot really, seems to be the best compromise for something like home defense, where you want a good amount of penetration, but not too much as to put others in less danger. It's probably going to be my choice from now on.
No worries. I've read some of your posts in the past and I appreciate them. Only once a week do I post my famous "snippy comments" back to fans :). I will be expanding upon this video in the next few months .. with an updated video. Thank you .. John
Looking here, the only real benefit of a shotgun is the amount of holes it will make. People always compare like "Well #1 (or whatever size that's comparable) Is like, uh, shooting someone with 12 .32 ACP's" or some nonsense like that. It isn't... If you were to hit someone with a single buckshot pellet, it would most likely prove fairly ineffective. The only thing that does any significant damage is 000 buck, but shock wise, that .357 Gold Dot is the most amazing ballistic test I've seen.
I noticed that the 00 buckshot in this video was traveling at 1140 FPS and i just checked a 2 3/4 inch remington 00 buckshot load and the advertised velocity on that is 1325 FPS. Was a low recoil load used in this video or is 1140 FPS the actual velocity one should expect with regular loads? or was a short barrel used in this video? Just curious . By the way i love your videos they are very helpful in making decisions on load choice. Thanks a bunch,
@@gz617 It was not a low recoil load, in fact it was quite the opposite, it was a 3 inch Magnum load. A whole lot more pellets, but lower velocity. Also the size of the blocks used in all the tests (except for the 000 which used a smaller block) made the damage seem relatively unimpressive for a lot of these loads. Blocks used seem to be roughly 22 inches long.
For close range defensive ammo, a person can't go wrong with #4 Buck. It has a reduced chance of over penetrating the threat, and seems to dump all of it's energy inside said threat. #4 Buck is my choice because birdshot is for the birds.
A while back the U.S. government tested buckshot loads for effectiveness, and they found that the best offense/defense load was nickel-plated #4 buck...I've seen comparison videos of plain lead vs. nickel-plated buckshot, and there is a clear advantage to using nickel-plated pellets. I use Fiocchi Nickel-plated #4 buck in my shorty shotty for house defense.
" Flechette ammunition and 00 buckshot were equally preferred by the troops over the issued XM257 #4 buckshot, which proved ineffective under combat conditions, lacking the penetration and terminal performance of either flechettes or 00 buckshot." A while back being during the Vietnam war.
Knew a medic who worked in the e/r of a Buffalo New York hospital, in the e/r of a south central Los Angles hospital and was a Navy corpsman attached the a Marine corp rifle squad. And heard him say that he ->never
I know I have not. I also know that use of a firearm is automatically considered Lethal Force by the law and most sensible people, regardless of whether it's a .22 pistol or a 12 gauge shotgun, whether the fella you just ventilated goes to the trauma surgeon or the morgue. Therefore, if you are put in a situation where you must shoot someone, it is best to pick a firearm ahead of time that is as effective as possible. And yes, if you do it right, the fella will NOT make it to a trauma surgeon.
@East or West Oh sure, someone did a lethality study, and the .22 LR is every bit as lethal as the big boys. Problem is, it isn't nearly as immediately incapacitating; it doesn't put the target down fast. This means they can still do unto you in the meantime, and now they have nothing left to lose...
@@Tomyironmane True. It doesn't help you if the 250lb boxing champ beats you to death after you shoot him and then dies 10 minutes later, that doesn't do you any good.
Nice to see the visualization but there is no distance to reference or barrel specs, are these shots at 7 yards or 25 yards, are we shooting with an unrestricted barrel or a full choke? When selecting ammo for shotguns range you expect to fire and choke selection are critical. I would love to see multiple shots at different ranges and with different chokes it would be a long video but much more informing.
I saw photos from Detroit's Receiving Hospital (anti-gun violence show) of a guy shot with bird shot. OMG, it was brutal, the shot went through all the clothes but most stopped short of penetrating deeper that skin and muscle. The torso area had penetration into soft tissues. He didn't die immediately (large man). However, the spread was from knee to face. He was swollen like the stay puff marshmallow man, and perished a day or so later. For those that say its ineffective at close range, immediately yes, but personally I would never want to get shot with that much lead. Again, the effects were brutal. Akin to mid-evil warfare....
+Scott McMillan I've tested birdshot against a hardwood tree on my property. At ten feet, wearing heavy protective gear, one 12 gauge shell blew a hole about five inches across and about an inch deep into HARDWOOD. Under 25-30 feet, buckshot, still in a tight pattern, will eliminate a target quite handily.
+PotzyMccoy im on the same page with you on shot choice, I keep buck loaded in my shotgun, but my shotgun is also not my go to HD weapon. But interestingly enough, and to support the comment below this. I have found that alot of times at 10 feet and off the shelf low brass universal 7&1/4 shot will not spread out at all and acts like a slug. I was doing some practice, and noticed these 1 inch holes in the targets and was like wtf is going on. This is not guaranteed to happen
+PotzyMccoy im on the same page with you on shot choice, I keep buck loaded in my shotgun, but my shotgun is also not my go to HD weapon. But interestingly enough, and to support the comment below this. I have found that alot of times at 10 feet and off the shelf low brass universal 7&1/4 shot will not spread out at all and acts like a slug. I was doing some practice, and noticed these 1 inch holes in the targets and was like wtf is going on. This is not guaranteed to happen
+USMCSurvivalist85 That's true, it doesn't spread really quickly through the air in regards to typical indoor distances. It does however spread a lot after hitting a soft target such as some tweaker's sternum. When a more resilient medium than air gets in between the pellets it pushes them apart much faster.
11 лет назад+1
I have shot most sizes of shotgun ammo and a lot of different animals from every range possible. There is an extremely wide range of performances. Powder type and volume, shot size, volume and composition, chokes, barrel length and even the wads all change the performance, range and impact of a shot shell. The answer is not yes/no. The answer is "Depends on what you shoot, what you shoot it from and how far away"
I know you probably get asked to test a lot of stuff. If you don't already have it on your list, would mind testing the pdx1 segmented slug, or the 1 ounce slug, with 3 buckshot. I think it would be a cool video, and a great home defense round. Thanks, Jimbo
-The average human torso is about 9 inches thick -the vitals sit somewhere near the middle - go to 00:50 Translation---if you're worried about over-penetrating the attacker...#4 Buck is Perfect
If memory serves, #4 buck pellets individually hit like a .32ACP at typical home defense ranges. Therefor, a full wad of #4 buck is tantamount to shooting an entire box of .32ACP simultaneously! So, yes, #4 buck is quite suitable for HD purposes.
Except humans are not made of gel-like substance only. Humans have dense bones, muscle tissue + layers of fat (depending on individual) + possible heavy clothing. I'll stick with 00 at 1200 fps.
Don't underestimate 00buck. It's a .33cal, 54gran pellet, traveling at +1,500fps@10yards, and carries almost %140 the ft/lb energy of a 65-70grain .32ACP at 900fps, times 8-12 pellets per shot... you do the math. I can say from experience each 00pellet slaps harder than a .38special against certain flat steel surfaces. 5rounds of .38 put large dents, a few of which split the metal slightly, but zero penetration. 00buck made 8 perfect punched out holes in a 10inch pattern from the same distance.
Something to keep in mind. The density of the shot material matters as well. Though the best balance for very short range may be close to size 4 shot for lead, you will need to go bigger with steel probably size 2 to bb. However if you are willing to shell out for tungsten shot, a magnum load of size 6 shot would be very impressive. Tungsten is about 70% denser than lead. It will hold velocity over longer ranges and penetrate deeper for equal shot size and impact velocity. A lot more holes without giving up depth of penetration. If you like 00 buck in lead, check out size F in tungsten. Expensive, but nice.
Most ammo advertised as "tungsten" is actually a composite that is lighter than comparable lead loads. You can buy pure tungsten pellets online for handloading, but I've yet to find factory 12ga with 100% tungsten shot. If you don't believe me, you can calculate the weight of each pellet from the ammo specs yourself.
#1 buckshot all the way for me. Especially the Federal Premium flight control. The superb round for distances up to 40 yards. The greatest "stopping power". The best choice for home defense shotgun.
I think we shoot at gelatin and extrapolate that data to help determine potential lethality which is much different. In other words we are trying to INDIRECTLY measure POTENTIAL lethality. You would need to prospectively shoot people (or animal x) in large numbers under controlled conditions alongside gelatin to establish a direct correlation of gelatin results and lethality (or any other endpoint) in people (or animal x).
I am saying that birdshot small enough to do less damage to your property will still be a liability if you miss and does have a chance of not bringing a human down. Birdshot is for birds. There are larger sizes of shot, yes - but at that point you could just take the plunge to buck because they'll damage your house considerably. The day people start reliably hunting deer with birdshot I'll be convinced.
I love 000 buck. It shoots 8 x .36cal pellets. Higher mass per pellet (60grains) 00 buck is not bad, 9 x .33cal pellets. (54grains/pellet) but I would rather the heavier 000 pellets for more retained energy and wound hole size.
@@Gieszkanne 2 holes hemorrhaging blood is much better than 1. This leads quickly to volumetric bloodloss. If you are too worried about overpenetration buy a sword. I dont let someone overpower and kill me for fear of overpenetrating. Always be aware of your target and backstop.
@@kearneydillon4803 That is nonsense! Nobody has such quick bloodloss that he couldnt shoot back. And a thru and thru isnt any deadlier at all. Also in a life and death situation you can and will not have any awareness of the backstop. Do you want to wait or move for a better angle? Irresponsible people like you real shouldnt be allowed to own a firearm or at least should be liable to do a kind of driving license for guns!
I thought the point of ballistic gel testing is to determine penetration and the FBI among others decided a minimum depth of penetration 10-14" was required to indicate potential effectiveness. That is not the same as lethality. A .22 is lethal when accurately applied to the brain or heart, or given enough time sepsis from the wound may be lethal. I have read that 80+% of handgun wounds are survived while most of those rounds meet the FBI penetration standard.
When people test birdshit they always chose #8 or the smallest possible. I'm curious how bb , #1 or #2 shot would compare to #8. Obviously won't compare to the instant shut down power you get from buck but want to see if it could put someone out the fight with more chance of them surviving
Although, I kind of underplayed it. If you're shooting someone center of the chest, you're going to hit the heart, lungs if you're far enough with a clyinder bore/choke. I mean really, there's nothing anyone can you for you at that point, really. At least with the .357, if they miss vitals, they'll live... A shotgun removes a certain margin of error as well.
>Birdshot is easier to handle It's the same thing. >less likely to cause unwanted damage It will go trough walls anyway and shred objects of value. If you don't want to damage your house, don't use firearms. Specially shotguns. >deer rarely come within 5 feet of you But unlike burglars they don't wear leather coats and several layers of clothing over their skin. Which is pretty elastic and resistant to smaller shot sizes.
Keep in mind that the smaller the shot the larger the surface area per ounce. #4 probably has double the surface area of 000 and thus double area of destroyed tissue. That's not accounting for penetration though.
The 000 was impressive, but to me the whole point of a shotgun with buckshot is the multiple chances of hitting a vital organ in a single trigger pull. I'd rather have the smallest size that still reliably gets adequate penetration, because smaller pellets means more pellets in a shell, which means more chances that one of the projectiles hits a vital organ. #1 buck still reliably gives more than enough penetration and gives you 15 projectiles.
I have to say this test reaffirmed my use of 00 buck. Almost full penetration, massive damage, all pellets on target. I reload my shells with 9 pellets of buffered buck moving at 1300fps. It keeps a nice pattern out to 25yds in an 18" barrel and kills everything it's hit. Including 4 whitetail deer.
I go with BB pellets for home defense, 1 buck for 10-15 yards, 00 for 15-25 yards, 000 for 25-40 yards (or 00 Federal Flight Control), and slugs for 40-200 yards. But that 000 hit was epic!
Clearly the 000 buckshot is more effective than the 00 in this test. Another factor to consider however is shell length. With 2 3/4" ammo you typically have 9 pellets for a total weight of 474.2 grains with 00 buck and 8 pellets with a total weight of 560 grains with 000 buck. So you only have 11% less projectiles with the larger shot, which isn't much. With 3" shells you have 15 pellets with a total weight 805 grains with 00 versus 10 pellets with a total weight of 700 grains with 000. So you have 33.3% fewer projectiles with the 000 buck in the longer shell, which is substantial.. This might be enough to make the 00 buck a better overall proposition for the longer shells. Of course you also have to think about the fact that tubular mag shotguns will hold one less 3" round and the longer shells will recoil more.
For home Defense #1 Buckshot is my choice it has been shown to not over-penetrate as much but just as lethal, infact if you look at the chart it is more lethal than 00 after a few inches of travel and there are more pellets.
Vincent Trudel But against human target #4 is powerful enough to reach vital organs with ease. 41 pellets will do much more damage, than 15 pellets of 00 buck, with a higher chance of reaching heart. On top of that, #4 has much lower recoil.
Krzysztof Aleksandrowicz If 00 buck overpenetrates the person, then yes #4 would be the superior choice. But you have to keep in mind that each #4 pellets weighs 20 grains, they have less momentum so they are actually less likely to reach the heart, especially if the assailant is wearing thick clothing. 00 buckshot, despite not being perfect, has its own advantages: less likely to bounce off bones/skull, reliable penetration, exponentially more bleeding-per-cavity, etc. A 3 inch 00 buck is the equivalent of fifteen hits from a .32 ACP, while the 3 inch #4 is like 41 hits from a .22 short. Both are great, but I think 00 is more suited for deer hunting, while the #4 would be excellent for smaller critters such as coyote. IMO the perfect defense load is a #1 buckshot 3 inch. Twenty-four .30 cal pellets, each weighing 40 grains, going at .22lr speed. Basically the equivalent of an instant Ruger 10/22 magdump. Unfortunately #1 is hard to find, especially the 3 inch variant
Having seen many experiments utilizing ballistic gel before, testing usually taken place at a distance. What happens to the gel at bad breath range, if there is no distance between the muzzle and gel? Besides damage from the projectile, gas entering the wound channel during the firing would have to be devastating.
00:07 #8 Birdshot (1250 ft/sec impact velocity-will not penetrate human skin at 55 m from muzzle. it offers insufficient penetration to be effective at 10 ft. distance.) 00:49 #4 Buckshot (1267 ft/sec impact vel. offers optimum balance of penetration & kinetic energy transfer when fired from a distance of 10 feet. Larger shot sizes retain higher kinetic energy but do comparatively less damage than the smaller diameter shot.) 02:19 #1 Buckshot (1337 ft/sec impact vel.) 03:17 00 Buckshot (1140 ft/sec impact vel.) 04:04 000 Buckshot (1201 ft/sec impact vel.)
I have 00 2.75 inch locked and loaded in my 12 gauge right now. I've bought #4 buck because it was the only buckshot available to buy recently, but in my opinion 00 or #1 are extremely effective and the best for my purposes. The 000 over penetrates. Maybe use that if you are trying to take down a damn grizzly bear, but an accurate placed shot with #4 using a choke to tighten the pattern will take down meduim size game or any size bad guy.
Absolutely,,12 bore is the most successfull mankiller ever made in human history. There in no rifled calibre ,even a big bore,which can be compared in effectivness and leathality with a 12 bore shotgun up to 20 meters. And 20 meters are to far. Anything beyond,is a millitary battlefield,,,
We are about the same...our double barrel loaded with 2.75 inch 00, for two shells we equal to anyone...we have some 3 inch 00 and #4 on hand, and a little #1...what i would like to have seen is a 3 inch #4 turkey load into the gel, as that might also be effective...I measured the in house range at at 14-15 feet, it would really hurt anyone at the wrong place wrong time...
bigtoad45 Yeah people don't give the 20 gauge the credit it deserves, the recoil is super controllable but the shells still pack some nasty god damn power.
Low recoil buckshot works wonders. The 00 in the video is low recoil. Standard velocity 00 buckshot is around 1,300 fps. The buckshot in the video was travelling at a little more than 1,100 fps. the same velocity printed on a box of Federal tactical buckshot
00 and 000 buck both go more than 18", wasting energy. #4 buck is, IMO, just about right, doing massive damage, and dumping all the energy within the target. We are responsible for every projectile from our firearms. Over-penetration means those projectiles still can do damage for which we are liable. I'd rather use something that will stay within the perp.
It's hard to believe an ounce of #8 bird shot traveling 1200 fps at 12 feet isn't going to be lethal. I guess the question is, Do you want the intruder to be that close before firing.
I don't know why I didn't know this but apparently 000 buck is larger than 00 buck. In addition, the 000 buck was moving faster. That would account for the better terminal ballistics on the graph. Both of them are moving kind of slow compared to available loads. I use Hornady defense ammo in my main pistols and home ar-15 so if I needed a shotgun round i would use theirs too just since i am a fan of their ammo. The hornady critical defense 00 buck ammo goes 1600 fps which is significantly faster than the ammo used in these tests. I would love to see what that would do to a big block of gel.
Yeah the 000 is a little larger. 8 pellets with 000 and 9 with 00 in standard 12 gauge shells. With proper shot placement, it really won't make a difference with any size buckshot.
Actually supercamo is correct. Ballistic ge is merely made of a gel that has the same water to tissue ratio as our soft tissue does. Gelatin does not take into account air space, such as that within intestine and hollow organs e.g. the heart. Gelatin also does not take into account hard tissue e.g. bone. If one is firing into the chest cavity, they have over 50% chance of hitting bone. If you read coroner reports you will see that projectiles e.g. 9mm, can be redirected post-impact of bone.
I have a small house and live alone in a small city. I rotate 000 Buckshot and rifled slugs for home defense, I have been doing that for 15 years. I have decided to switch to 00 Buckshot only, I have to consider my neighbors. 00 Buckshot would still easily make hamburger out of any threat on my property.
Unbelievable what Buckshot is capable of. The 000 Buckshot is like an atomic bomb going off, in you. I have 00 Buckshot Magnum. Shooting this is a unique experience.
Awesome video. Are you sure about the 55 meters no skin penetration with birdshot? Lethality cannot be measured in ballistics gelatin. Only penetration in ballistics gelatin can be measured in ballistics gelatin.
I use Remington 000 Magnum Buckshot; 10 pellets advertised on the box at 1225 feet per second.. I'm more than confident it's a 'man-stopper'. Strangely I feel like birdshot would make a far nastier bloody wound.
No dimwit waving his hands around, distracting music, unnecessary jibbering. This guy really knew what he was doing.
Would be nice to get exact measurements.
@@sesasuban5088 those blocks under the jell are 1".
@@porkchopspapi5757 I was guessing that but don't want to assume.
Another issue I'm having is the grainy image. I can't see the pellets clearly. I need to know the exact penetration of each pellet.
@@porkchopspapi5757 If each block is 1", that means the #1 buck barely makes the 12" standard. But it's to my understanding, from previous research, that all 12 pellets consistently penetrate at LEAST 12" into gel at that velocity. It just seems something is missing..
I have a 8 round tube and 1 in the chamber. Load #4 buckshot, 00 buckshot, #4 buckshot, 00 buckshot, slug, slug, Dragon's Breath, silver pellets, rock salt. Because if you can't take them down in the 1st 6 shots, they're probably wendigos, vampires, or some kind of demon, so the dragon's breath and silver should take out the 1st two, while the rock salt should dissipate ghosts and demons.
Lol haha. joke aside it's always better to keep it simple just have one type of shoot size. the simpler the better
supernatural fan also?? 😁
WTF? You are missing a lot of different types of shotgun ammo in there. Get a magazine extension ASAP.
You ought to get a mold and some silver, lol. "Silver 00 buckshot, for those weird night intruders" would be the commercial lema.
I understand that we should also consider nephalim (giants) from the Biblical days, that are being bred under the ice caps in Antarctica. Not sure what the best load is for those fellers, but I'm stocked with #1, 00, and 000 buckshot, as well as plenty of Gold Dot .223 and Russian 7.62x39. Only have a case or two of 12 guage slugs, probs need to build up that supply just in case.
10 feet from muzzle to the front of the gelatin block on all shots.
Birdshot: "Please leave, sir."
Buckshot: "Get the hell off my property."
*Buckshot ”Get your soul off my property.”
3 1/2" 1.5 oz slug = "Fuck! Now I have to bury this guy, the two guys that were behind him, AND his truck!"
They're dead either way. In any home defense situation even birdshot is going to destroy their body.
000 Buck: "Your free trial of existence has now expired"
@Fuck your feelings give me facts Aim for the head.
Wow! Best gel test for home defense I've ever seen!
No bells or whistles, just the straight results with inch reference blocks. Well done +Brass Fetcher
A better test would have used layers of clothing, as per FBI standards.
000 buckshot.... like being shot by 9 people with 9mm guns all at the exact same time. Absolutely devastating....
Or a burst of 9 .30 caliber rounds from a sub-machine gun, in one trigger pull! :)
@@stevenkaczmarek7030 Shhhhhh....don't say that too loudly or shotguns will get banned as automatic firearms. :(
@@furryhatsgunsunicorns3219 the beauty of the 2nd amendment is that it is not needed until they try to take it. -Thomas Jefferson
Jeff those are .30 cal not 9mm, much bigger.
Worse imo
The 000 looked like the footage from the nuclear bomb tests
No shit. That makes 00 look like a .22lr. Imagine a 3 inch 000 buck round.
I don't want to imagine. I still go with more pellets with the 00, more chances to hit. With buckshot you've already got enough power, 000 is overkill for home defense
True, it does penetrate more. But still, I might keep a few in my side saddle for those extra special people hyped up on heroin/meth/cocaine/all of the above that don't stop with the first shot.
I thought that too. maybe because it's basically the exact same thing happening, just on a smaller scale. you know, energy being dumped into a fluid medium... quickly. speaking of wasted energy, I think people waste too much of their energy on war and weapons. I mean killing gets boring too, eventually.
DesertArizona
Huh? If you are shooting at ranges where you are worried about pellets not hitting you are not carrying the right weapon. For Home Defense you want all pellets to hit. And in any decent round like Federals FliteControl at 30 ft all pellets are going to be 1.5-3 inch grouping. If those pellets miss and kill someone else you are going to prison. Second, the 000 over penetrates. This means you will shoot through the target and could wound or kill an innocent. #1 or 00 buck is going to be your happy medium for damage and penetration.
The film's silence adds to its dark, chilling destructiveness.
There's something fascinating and uniquely grim about these videos. I doubly don't want to get shot, especially not with 000 buck.
Instant death... No matter the impact... Massive blood loss from multiple wounds or complete amputation.
I feel like the hum of white noise from a generator or even ominous rising pitch illusion of a Shepard tone, would've also worked.
Lmao
You mean the low lighting
I tend to agree. #4 has the penetration, but the smaller pellets carry less wounding capacity if they miss and hit someone else downrange, through barriers. Another thing to keep in mind: more pellets hitting the target means more wound channels and therefore a larger chance of something vital being hit.
Thank you. This is why it takes so long for the new videos to come out. Should have a new one out in three days. John
I always assumed 000 would be a little more lethal than 00, but it seems to actually be several times more lethal
000 certainly packs more punch, but I noticed that the 00 was reduced recoil load compared to standard 2 3/4 1325fps velocity. I’m curious how much the extra velocity of a full power 2 3/4 load would have compared to the 000 buck. Either way, both are very effective….
The 00 block was 25 inches, but the 000 was 16.
I get a better pattern with 00 buckshot through a modified choke installed on my mossberg 500 12 gauge.
@@legstitchedtigerftw2455 that doesn't mean it's more lethal. It's about how much energy is dumped into the body before coming out the other side. The average human torso isn't 25 inches.
lim3lif3
But gel isnt the same as a human torso. You got to factor bone,blood,muscle,organ tissue.
I love shotguns. You can do so many things with them.
Turn off lights, open windows, uncork wine, expedite weddings, just so many things you can do with em.
Shut the neighbors dog up the atf shuts alot of dogs up with guns
Yup. If I could have no other firearms, I'd have a shotgun.
Like blow a hole in somethin, a nice dinner plate sized hole.
000 Buckshot made the .45 ACP look like a bb gun.
00 buckshot is a better choice for hominids
@@stefanodogg280 I think that is debatable.
@@astrofrk studies have proven that 00 loads do more damage because of more surface mass. Either will do
@@stefanodogg280 Actually, 000 shot is larger than 00 shot but not my a huge margin. Still, after further research, I have switched from 000 to 00 Buckshot in my shotgun for home defense purposes. The reason is that I live in the city and have to consider my neighbors. 00 is more than powerful enough to do the job with less penetration.
@@astrofrk True but the 00 has more overall surface impact area because of more pellets. I would use either and would use 000 if I was in bear country.. I will be, soon but I'll use slugs, instead
The 000 buck was on a much smaller block (but zoomed in) so it appeared much more devastating than the 00. The 00 was a 24 inch block, the 000 was a 16 inch block.
Birdshot CAN be lethal at inside-the-house ranges, but the point of these sorts of penetration tests is to establish what can be RELIED on to be. If I'm not mistaken, the smallest shot size that penetrates deeply enough to be relied on to incapacitate is #4 buckshot.
Great video, your logic and evidence is hard to argue with. I run one ounce slugs in my shotgun, I have never had a problem dropping animals with one round with this combination.
You guys are an asset to the firearm community.
Lets also not neglect the shotgun slug. A 7/8oz to 1.5oz riffled slug traveling up to around 1,900fps is going to hit harder than just about anything less than a .50bmg round. So the real benefit of a shotgun, besides being one of the undisputed best/hardest hitting "close combat weapons", is the extreme versatility that is available thanks to the wide range of rounds that can be chosen.
Great channel, nobody talking just showing results.
Been using club loads for home defense the thought being they won't over penetrate. Looks like its time to pickup some #4.. Great test, thank you for all the testing you do! I can't even begin to tell you how much it helps folks like me.
A 12 gauge shotgun at 10 yds or less is truly a devastating weapon.
I just wanted to say I always look up ammo to see if there is one of your videos on it. Best gel tests on the Internet with no bad music or fumbling over words. Just data
I have always been a 00 buck or slug out of my 12 gauge. Last week my local shop got in these #4 buck and I tried them out. I am now a huge fan of them just for the reason you give. Best of all desirable attributes.
#4 buck is probably the smallest load that I'd be comfortable using for defensive purposes. I prefer 00 buck but I'd much rather trust my life to #4 buck over birdshot.
@@feedthemeat543f Same here. I have always been a 00 guy but I have seen some footage of over penetration and that bothers me. #4 shot is .22 in diameter and being soft lead will not go into the next county if I miss the bad guy. Like you, #4 is as small as I go.
@@valuedhumanoid6574 I actually knew a guy that drilled out the center of 00 pellets to make them hollow, I thought he was nuts until I saw him shoot a slab of deer meat with them. The pellets fragmented on impact and absolutely shredded the meat.
@@feedthemeat543f Wow. now that is a dedicated ballistics fan!
@@valuedhumanoid6574 We messed around a good bit with 00 pellets. I had the idea of carving out the front of the pellets to mimic hollow point rounds. Surprisingly enough it actually worked.
I also suggested the idea of drilling holes in the pellets but I didn't expect him to actually take that seriously. I came up with the ideas, he did the machining.
I love all plus 8 pellet #0000. But that's why I've been loading #4 buck! 28 pellet in 2-3/4 hulls and 41 pellet in 3in hulls. Great video!
I love the destruction a good 12 gauge buckshot produces.
I would like to see a 2 3/4 turkey or water fowl load tested, something over #4 shot size, maybe the new blind side or something, since everyone keeps disagreeing over bird or buck shot for home defense, I think one of the before mention types would put some at ease over using a bird load, while not decimating their house.
#4 buckshot is good for that. It tends to overpenetrate a lot less than 00.
I would have liked to see a slug at the end! Great video!!
I know it's scientific saying #8 shot at 55 yards won't penetrate human skin, but I was shot rather directly at 25 yards and it only bruised me. I had a weird acne look for awhile and I picked one pellet out of my chin, but that was it. I believe it was actually #6 shot, upland quail load.
Honestly, #4 buckshot, or any smaller buckshot really, seems to be the best compromise for something like home defense, where you want a good amount of penetration, but not too much as to put others in less danger. It's probably going to be my choice from now on.
It's what I use.
No worries. I've read some of your posts in the past and I appreciate them. Only once a week do I post my famous "snippy comments" back to fans :). I will be expanding upon this video in the next few months .. with an updated video. Thank you .. John
So... what distance/barrel length are you shooting from?
Looking here, the only real benefit of a shotgun is the amount of holes it will make. People always compare like "Well #1 (or whatever size that's comparable) Is like, uh, shooting someone with 12 .32 ACP's" or some nonsense like that. It isn't... If you were to hit someone with a single buckshot pellet, it would most likely prove fairly ineffective. The only thing that does any significant damage is 000 buck, but shock wise, that .357 Gold Dot is the most amazing ballistic test I've seen.
I noticed that the 00 buckshot in this video was traveling at 1140 FPS and i just checked a 2 3/4 inch remington 00 buckshot load and the advertised velocity on that is 1325 FPS. Was a low recoil load used in this video or is 1140 FPS the actual velocity one should expect with regular loads? or was a short barrel used in this video? Just curious . By the way i love your videos they are very helpful in making decisions on load choice. Thanks a bunch,
Wish you got your answer
@@gz617 It was not a low recoil load, in fact it was quite the opposite, it was a 3 inch Magnum load. A whole lot more pellets, but lower velocity. Also the size of the blocks used in all the tests (except for the 000 which used a smaller block) made the damage seem relatively unimpressive for a lot of these loads. Blocks used seem to be roughly 22 inches long.
Best shotgun video ever made! Thank you for posting, Brass Fetcher!
For close range defensive ammo, a person can't go wrong with #4 Buck. It has a reduced chance of over penetrating the threat, and seems to dump all of it's energy inside said threat. #4 Buck is my choice because birdshot is for the birds.
Birdshot makes a mess, but #4 buck has the penetration needed to reliably neutralize humans. Especially in heavy clothes.
A while back the U.S. government tested buckshot loads for effectiveness, and they found that the best offense/defense load was nickel-plated #4 buck...I've seen comparison videos of plain lead vs. nickel-plated buckshot, and there is a clear advantage to using nickel-plated pellets. I use Fiocchi Nickel-plated #4 buck in my shorty shotty for house defense.
Read the book "Lines and Shaddows" Wambaugh. #4 Buck did not work well there.
" Flechette ammunition and 00 buckshot were equally preferred by the troops over the issued XM257 #4 buckshot, which proved ineffective under combat conditions, lacking the penetration and terminal performance of either flechettes or 00 buckshot." A while back being during the Vietnam war.
Knew a medic who worked in the e/r of a Buffalo New York hospital, in the e/r of a south central Los Angles hospital and was a Navy corpsman attached the a Marine corp rifle squad. And heard him say that he ->never
I know I have not. I also know that use of a firearm is automatically considered Lethal Force by the law and most sensible people, regardless of whether it's a .22 pistol or a 12 gauge shotgun, whether the fella you just ventilated goes to the trauma surgeon or the morgue. Therefore, if you are put in a situation where you must shoot someone, it is best to pick a firearm ahead of time that is as effective as possible. And yes, if you do it right, the fella will NOT make it to a trauma surgeon.
@East or West Oh sure, someone did a lethality study, and the .22 LR is every bit as lethal as the big boys. Problem is, it isn't nearly as immediately incapacitating; it doesn't put the target down fast. This means they can still do unto you in the meantime, and now they have nothing left to lose...
@@Tomyironmane True. It doesn't help you if the 250lb boxing champ beats you to death after you shoot him and then dies 10 minutes later, that doesn't do you any good.
Nice to see the visualization but there is no distance to reference or barrel specs, are these shots at 7 yards or 25 yards, are we shooting with an unrestricted barrel or a full choke? When selecting ammo for shotguns range you expect to fire and choke selection are critical. I would love to see multiple shots at different ranges and with different chokes it would be a long video but much more informing.
Great videos. Thanks for your work. Always a lot more effort going on than what shows on the videos.
I saw photos from Detroit's Receiving Hospital (anti-gun violence show) of a guy shot with bird shot. OMG, it was brutal, the shot went through all the clothes but most stopped short of penetrating deeper that skin and muscle. The torso area had penetration into soft tissues. He didn't die immediately (large man). However, the spread was from knee to face. He was swollen like the stay puff marshmallow man, and perished a day or so later. For those that say its ineffective at close range, immediately yes, but personally I would never want to get shot with that much lead. Again, the effects were brutal. Akin to mid-evil warfare....
+Scott McMillan The effects are indeed brutal but the goal of self defense is to stop the attacker(s) as rapidly as possible.
+Scott McMillan I've tested birdshot against a hardwood tree on my property. At ten feet, wearing heavy protective gear, one 12 gauge shell blew a hole about five inches across and about an inch deep into HARDWOOD. Under 25-30 feet, buckshot, still in a tight pattern, will eliminate a target quite handily.
+PotzyMccoy im on the same page with you on shot choice, I keep buck loaded in my shotgun, but my shotgun is also not my go to HD weapon. But interestingly enough, and to support the comment below this. I have found that alot of times at 10 feet and off the shelf low brass universal 7&1/4 shot will not spread out at all and acts like a slug. I was doing some practice, and noticed these 1 inch holes in the targets and was like wtf is going on. This is not guaranteed to happen
+PotzyMccoy im on the same page with you on shot choice, I keep buck loaded in my shotgun, but my shotgun is also not my go to HD weapon. But interestingly enough, and to support the comment below this. I have found that alot of times at 10 feet and off the shelf low brass universal 7&1/4 shot will not spread out at all and acts like a slug. I was doing some practice, and noticed these 1 inch holes in the targets and was like wtf is going on. This is not guaranteed to happen
+USMCSurvivalist85 That's true, it doesn't spread really quickly through the air in regards to typical indoor distances. It does however spread a lot after hitting a soft target such as some tweaker's sternum. When a more resilient medium than air gets in between the pellets it pushes them apart much faster.
I have shot most sizes of shotgun ammo and a lot of different animals from every range possible. There is an extremely wide range of performances. Powder type and volume, shot size, volume and composition, chokes, barrel length and even the wads all change the performance, range and impact of a shot shell. The answer is not yes/no. The answer is "Depends on what you shoot, what you shoot it from and how far away"
Very cool video. Thanks for demonstrating this!
Science and Art together. The most informative and beautiful video I've seen
I know you probably get asked to test a lot of stuff. If you don't already have it on your list, would mind testing the pdx1 segmented slug, or the 1 ounce slug, with 3 buckshot. I think it would be a cool video, and a great home defense round. Thanks, Jimbo
-The average human torso is about 9 inches thick
-the vitals sit somewhere near the middle
- go to 00:50
Translation---if you're worried about over-penetrating the attacker...#4 Buck is Perfect
If memory serves, #4 buck pellets individually hit like a .32ACP at typical home defense ranges. Therefor, a full wad of #4 buck is tantamount to shooting an entire box of .32ACP simultaneously! So, yes, #4 buck is quite suitable for HD purposes.
Tanall yep
nothing like taking down Myths with good ole fashion Facts
Except humans are not made of gel-like substance only. Humans have dense bones, muscle tissue + layers of fat (depending on individual) + possible heavy clothing. I'll stick with 00 at 1200 fps.
22lr busts through bone rather easily
are you suggesting that #4 is 'weaker' than 22lr ???
Either way, 00 will do damage more effectively without flying through the criminal like a slug would. I'll stick with 00.
I've been using rem. 12ga 3" 41 pellets of #4buck for home defense for some time. (that's just a pellet or two shy of 2 ounces) the recoil is brutal.
The excess recoil is not your friend.
Don't underestimate 00buck. It's a .33cal, 54gran pellet, traveling at +1,500fps@10yards, and carries almost %140 the ft/lb energy of a 65-70grain .32ACP at 900fps, times 8-12 pellets per shot... you do the math.
I can say from experience each 00pellet slaps harder than a .38special against certain flat steel surfaces. 5rounds of .38 put large dents, a few of which split the metal slightly, but zero penetration. 00buck made 8 perfect punched out holes in a 10inch pattern from the same distance.
Something to keep in mind. The density of the shot material matters as well. Though the best balance for very short range may be close to size 4 shot for lead, you will need to go bigger with steel probably size 2 to bb. However if you are willing to shell out for tungsten shot, a magnum load of size 6 shot would be very impressive.
Tungsten is about 70% denser than lead. It will hold velocity over longer ranges and penetrate deeper for equal shot size and impact velocity. A lot more holes without giving up depth of penetration.
If you like 00 buck in lead, check out size F in tungsten. Expensive, but nice.
In addition to being heavier than lead, I believe tungsten is harder than steel. It's a favorite for a lot of armor piercing rounds.
Most ammo advertised as "tungsten" is actually a composite that is lighter than comparable lead loads. You can buy pure tungsten pellets online for handloading, but I've yet to find factory 12ga with 100% tungsten shot. If you don't believe me, you can calculate the weight of each pellet from the ammo specs yourself.
#1 buckshot all the way for me. Especially the Federal Premium flight control. The superb round for distances up to 40 yards. The greatest "stopping power". The best choice for home defense shotgun.
We got 51 yards max effective with this load in a recent evaluation. www.brassfetcher.com/Shotguns/Maximum%20Effective%20Range/Buckshot.html
I think we shoot at gelatin and extrapolate that data to help determine potential lethality which is much different. In other words we are trying to INDIRECTLY measure POTENTIAL lethality. You would need to prospectively shoot people (or animal x) in large numbers under controlled conditions alongside gelatin to establish a direct correlation of gelatin results and lethality (or any other endpoint) in people (or animal x).
That was outstanding. Thanks for sharing.
I am saying that birdshot small enough to do less damage to your property will still be a liability if you miss and does have a chance of not bringing a human down.
Birdshot is for birds. There are larger sizes of shot, yes - but at that point you could just take the plunge to buck because they'll damage your house considerably.
The day people start reliably hunting deer with birdshot I'll be convinced.
I love 000 buck. It shoots 8 x .36cal pellets. Higher mass per pellet (60grains)
00 buck is not bad, 9 x .33cal pellets. (54grains/pellet) but I would rather the heavier 000 pellets for more retained energy and wound hole size.
A lot of over penetration!
@@Gieszkanne I would rather each pellet make 2 holes in an intruder than 1
@@kearneydillon4803 The 2. hole dont give you any advantage and you endanger others.
@@Gieszkanne 2 holes hemorrhaging blood is much better than 1. This leads quickly to volumetric bloodloss. If you are too worried about overpenetration buy a sword. I dont let someone overpower and kill me for fear of overpenetrating. Always be aware of your target and backstop.
@@kearneydillon4803 That is nonsense! Nobody has such quick bloodloss that he couldnt shoot back. And a thru and thru isnt any deadlier at all. Also in a life and death situation you can and will not have any awareness of the backstop. Do you want to wait or move for a better angle? Irresponsible people like you real shouldnt be allowed to own a firearm or at least should be liable to do a kind of driving license for guns!
I thought the point of ballistic gel testing is to determine penetration and the FBI among others decided a minimum depth of penetration 10-14" was required to indicate potential effectiveness. That is not the same as lethality. A .22 is lethal when accurately applied to the brain or heart, or given enough time sepsis from the wound may be lethal. I have read that 80+% of handgun wounds are survived while most of those rounds meet the FBI penetration standard.
When people test birdshit they always chose #8 or the smallest possible. I'm curious how bb , #1 or #2 shot would compare to #8. Obviously won't compare to the instant shut down power you get from buck but want to see if it could put someone out the fight with more chance of them surviving
Although, I kind of underplayed it. If you're shooting someone center of the chest, you're going to hit the heart, lungs if you're far enough with a clyinder bore/choke. I mean really, there's nothing anyone can you for you at that point, really. At least with the .357, if they miss vitals, they'll live... A shotgun removes a certain margin of error as well.
>Birdshot is easier to handle
It's the same thing.
>less likely to cause unwanted damage
It will go trough walls anyway and shred objects of value. If you don't want to damage your house, don't use firearms. Specially shotguns.
>deer rarely come within 5 feet of you
But unlike burglars they don't wear leather coats and several layers of clothing over their skin. Which is pretty elastic and resistant to smaller shot sizes.
I like Remington 8 Pellet 000 buck, massive energy, bigger pellets, more penetration and where I live over penetration is not much of a concern
Keep in mind that the smaller the shot the larger the surface area per ounce. #4 probably has double the surface area of 000 and thus double area of destroyed tissue. That's not accounting for penetration though.
It would be very interesting to see this test done with 10 gauge T shot vs 10 gauge buckshot :)
#4 Buckshot made a really impressive showing! Massive wound channel, and more pellets on target.
yes, many prefer this for home defense. some even commit the mortal sin of using 20 gauge... excommunication from the holy gun church.
How big was the gel mold you were using? Just trying to get an idea of the amount of penetration.
The 000 was impressive, but to me the whole point of a shotgun with buckshot is the multiple chances of hitting a vital organ in a single trigger pull. I'd rather have the smallest size that still reliably gets adequate penetration, because smaller pellets means more pellets in a shell, which means more chances that one of the projectiles hits a vital organ. #1 buck still reliably gives more than enough penetration and gives you 15 projectiles.
I have to say this test reaffirmed my use of 00 buck. Almost full penetration, massive damage, all pellets on target. I reload my shells with 9 pellets of buffered buck moving at 1300fps. It keeps a nice pattern out to 25yds in an 18" barrel and kills everything it's hit. Including 4 whitetail deer.
You get an even better pattern firing 00 buck out of a 28" barrel.
12gaugeaddict98 Very true, but that extra 10" of barrel makes it a Bitch to maneuver around your house. I like my weapons to serve a dual purpose.
Same here. Which is why I own a Mossberg 500.
12gaugeaddict98 very cool, I'm a Winchester man, so I have a few 1300 Defenders.
I have a moss 500 and an old Remington Model 29.
I go with BB pellets for home defense, 1 buck for 10-15 yards, 00 for 15-25 yards, 000 for 25-40 yards (or 00 Federal Flight Control), and slugs for 40-200 yards. But that 000 hit was epic!
Well thought out Joe as opposed to those in here who preach 00 or 000 inside a residence.
Compare a shot winchester 12 gauge cartridge "foster slug power point" with the 45ACP and you will see which is more devastating ...
Clearly the 000 buckshot is more effective than the 00 in this test. Another factor to consider however is shell length. With 2 3/4" ammo you typically have 9 pellets for a total weight of 474.2 grains with 00 buck and 8 pellets with a total weight of 560 grains with 000 buck. So you only have 11% less projectiles with the larger shot, which isn't much. With 3" shells you have 15 pellets with a total weight 805 grains with 00 versus 10 pellets with a total weight of 700 grains with 000. So you have 33.3% fewer projectiles with the 000 buck in the longer shell, which is substantial.. This might be enough to make the 00 buck a better overall proposition for the longer shells. Of course you also have to think about the fact that tubular mag shotguns will hold one less 3" round and the longer shells will recoil more.
Love the channel, Keep em coming.
For home Defense #1 Buckshot is my choice it has been shown to not over-penetrate as much but just as lethal, infact if you look at the chart it is more lethal than 00 after a few inches of travel and there are more pellets.
+UncleSiam What about #4? In the 41 pellets variation? Federal and Remington produce them. They sound sick to me.
+Krzysztof Aleksandrowicz They are indeed wicked, but so are the 15 pellets 00 buck
Vincent Trudel But against human target #4 is powerful enough to reach vital organs with ease. 41 pellets will do much more damage, than 15 pellets of 00 buck, with a higher chance of reaching heart. On top of that, #4 has much lower recoil.
Krzysztof Aleksandrowicz If 00 buck overpenetrates the person, then yes #4 would be the superior choice. But you have to keep in mind that each #4 pellets weighs 20 grains, they have less momentum so they are actually less likely to reach the heart, especially if the assailant is wearing thick clothing. 00 buckshot, despite not being perfect, has its own advantages: less likely to bounce off bones/skull, reliable penetration, exponentially more bleeding-per-cavity, etc. A 3 inch 00 buck is the equivalent of fifteen hits from a .32 ACP, while the 3 inch #4 is like 41 hits from a .22 short. Both are great, but I think 00 is more suited for deer hunting, while the #4 would be excellent for smaller critters such as coyote.
IMO the perfect defense load is a #1 buckshot 3 inch. Twenty-four .30 cal pellets, each weighing 40 grains, going at .22lr speed. Basically the equivalent of an instant Ruger 10/22 magdump. Unfortunately #1 is hard to find, especially the 3 inch variant
Vincent Trudel I have the #1 from FIOCCHI loaded up. Mail order.
any chance we could see a comparison in ballistic gel between 16 gauge and 12-gauge buckshot and rifled slugs? Thanks
Having seen many experiments utilizing ballistic gel before, testing usually taken place at a distance. What happens to the gel at bad breath range, if there is no distance between the muzzle and gel? Besides damage from the projectile, gas entering the wound channel during the firing would have to be devastating.
Conclusion for birdshot #8 is at 55 meters, 180 feet, is uncommon in most people's homes, especially those in apartments and townhomes.
If it can't break the skin at 55, it won't reach vitals at close range.
Would you consider doing Federal Premium HST 147grain 9mm +p test? From 4 inch barrel?
Amazing that some people say birdshot isn't an effective home defense ammunition.
Liked - Subscribed..!
Can you share your view about the Dallas single bullet theory? I think it is plausible. Thanks...
00:07 #8 Birdshot (1250 ft/sec impact velocity-will not penetrate human skin at 55 m from muzzle. it offers insufficient penetration to be effective at 10 ft. distance.)
00:49 #4 Buckshot (1267 ft/sec impact vel. offers optimum balance of penetration & kinetic energy transfer when fired from a distance of 10 feet. Larger shot sizes retain higher kinetic energy but do comparatively less damage than the smaller diameter shot.)
02:19 #1 Buckshot (1337 ft/sec impact vel.)
03:17 00 Buckshot (1140 ft/sec impact vel.)
04:04 000 Buckshot (1201 ft/sec impact vel.)
These are interesting. But the disparity in velocity is leaving room for questions, unless this is intended to represent particular factory loads.
Great stuff, this. Only wish you had done one more birdshot load, maybe #2 lead.
I have 00 2.75 inch locked and loaded in my 12 gauge right now. I've bought #4 buck because it was the only buckshot available to buy recently, but in my opinion 00 or #1 are extremely effective and the best for my purposes. The 000 over penetrates. Maybe use that if you are trying to take down a damn grizzly bear, but an accurate placed shot with #4 using a choke to tighten the pattern will take down meduim size game or any size bad guy.
Absolutely,,12 bore is the most successfull mankiller ever made in human history.
There in no rifled calibre ,even a big bore,which can be compared in effectivness and leathality with a 12 bore shotgun up to 20 meters.
And 20 meters are to far.
Anything beyond,is a millitary battlefield,,,
@@lamprosmellis5634 Even a small bore rifle caliber like .308 or .30-06 compares very well to a 12 gauge at those ranges. Let alone anything bigger.
We are about the same...our double barrel loaded with 2.75 inch 00, for two shells we equal to anyone...we have some 3 inch 00 and #4 on hand, and a little #1...what i would like to have seen is a 3 inch #4 turkey load into the gel, as that might also be effective...I measured the in house range at at 14-15 feet, it would really hurt anyone at the wrong place wrong time...
great video. only issue I have is the distances are given in metric and imperial on the same info. Other wise very informative.
????
@@porkchopspapi5757 the very end should just stick with meters or feet..
How far away from the target is the muzzle?
This is a great video. So informative.
Oh my god I'm loading 000 Buck from now on
There is such thing as 0000 buck. Thought you'd like to know.
I use the 9 pellet #1 buckshot in my 20 gauge. All I need.
bigtoad45 Yeah people don't give the 20 gauge the credit it deserves, the recoil is super controllable but the shells still pack some nasty god damn power.
Low recoil buckshot works wonders. The 00 in the video is low recoil. Standard velocity 00 buckshot is around 1,300 fps. The buckshot in the video was travelling at a little more than 1,100 fps. the same velocity printed on a box of Federal tactical buckshot
00 and 000 buck both go more than 18", wasting energy.
#4 buck is, IMO, just about right, doing massive damage, and dumping all the energy within the target.
We are responsible for every projectile from our firearms. Over-penetration means those projectiles still can do damage for which we are liable.
I'd rather use something that will stay within the perp.
Count the spaced blocks on the table that the gelatin is sitting on. #4 went about 5 spaces, 00 went about 8 spaces, 000 went a bit further.
It's hard to believe an ounce of #8 bird shot traveling 1200 fps at 12 feet isn't going to be lethal. I guess the question is, Do you want the intruder to be that close before firing.
I don't see bird as lethal I see as pocket sand on steroids, a shot to the face should destroy the eyes, nose and mouth
I don't know why I didn't know this but apparently 000 buck is larger than 00 buck. In addition, the 000 buck was moving faster. That would account for the better terminal ballistics on the graph. Both of them are moving kind of slow compared to available loads. I use Hornady defense ammo in my main pistols and home ar-15 so if I needed a shotgun round i would use theirs too just since i am a fan of their ammo. The hornady critical defense 00 buck ammo goes 1600 fps which is significantly faster than the ammo used in these tests. I would love to see what that would do to a big block of gel.
AJohnson0325 The fps listed is after the shot travels 10 feet and strikes the gel. That's why it's slower.
Yeah the 000 is a little larger. 8 pellets with 000 and 9 with 00 in standard 12 gauge shells. With proper shot placement, it really won't make a difference with any size buckshot.
Did I miss it,or at what distance(feet/yards etc.)Were these rounds being fired?
The birdshot is oddly satisfying
Actually supercamo is correct. Ballistic ge is merely made of a gel that has the same water to tissue ratio as our soft tissue does. Gelatin does not take into account air space, such as that within intestine and hollow organs e.g. the heart. Gelatin also does not take into account hard tissue e.g. bone. If one is firing into the chest cavity, they have over 50% chance of hitting bone. If you read coroner reports you will see that projectiles e.g. 9mm, can be redirected post-impact of bone.
Holy moley... 000 buck looked like a nuke going off inside of the gel!
The 1 buck looked like a near miss. I have the Winchester 1B 3" loaded with 24 round pellets.
That's what I keep as the first round in my 12 gauge, followed by low recoil 00 Winchester ranger.
I have a small house and live alone in a small city. I rotate 000 Buckshot and rifled slugs for home defense, I have been doing that for 15 years. I have decided to switch to 00 Buckshot only, I have to consider my neighbors. 00 Buckshot would still easily make hamburger out of any threat on my property.
I like your channel. I find ballistic gel tests in slow motion mesmerizing. At what ranges do you normally fire from?
That 000 and .45...the damage...its almost...
..beautiful. :')
These videos would make an excellent screensaver! :)
Great educational video !!
Unbelievable what Buckshot is capable of. The 000 Buckshot is like an atomic bomb going off, in you. I have 00 Buckshot Magnum. Shooting this is a unique experience.
Awesome video. Are you sure about the 55 meters no skin penetration with birdshot? Lethality cannot be measured in ballistics gelatin. Only penetration in ballistics gelatin can be measured in ballistics gelatin.
Wow! I knew there was a reason I keep 3" magnum OOO buck as the first two rounds in my 12 ga. pump!
Same here but I keep it for all five rounds.
Why did The #8 birdshot remind me of Dick Cheney?
got some 000 today and happened to see this video, for once i got it right the first time.
I use Remington 000 Magnum Buckshot; 10 pellets advertised on the box at 1225 feet per second.. I'm more than confident it's a 'man-stopper'. Strangely I feel like birdshot would make a far nastier bloody wound.