Barrel length, ammo, and choke for HD Shotguns

[ELB]

Interesting (I think) pair of articles on choosing shotgun characteristics and -- to a degree -- ammo for home defense shotguns:

Does Barrel Length Matter for a Home-Defense Shotgun?

Shooting Illustrated takes a Mossberg 590A1 (18.5" barrel), a Mossberg Shockwave (14") and a Mossberg AOW (10.25") and patterns them against a man-size -- or at least man-width -- target at various distances using Hornady Critical Defense 00 buckshot and Aguila Ammunition MInishells with No1/No4 buckshot.

Oddity: they snuck in a Winchester 1300 with a 22" barrel, and in certain cases the pattern spread on it exceeded the AOW.

Best Shotgun Chokes for Home Defense
Some thoughts on whether to use cylinder bore or some other choke setting on a HD shotgun.

[Jusme]

Interesting that they did not test Federal Flight Control rounds, which are specifically designed for holding tight patterns even at distances of 15 yards and above. With my Mossberg 500, 18.5 ", cylinder bore, at 25 yards, the FFC, holds to within a 6 inch pattern.
There is no where in my house, without shooting through walls, where I could shoot more than 7 yards. Most distances will be 5 yards or less. Even as a truck gun, I would not attempt to engage anyone at more than 25 yards, with anything but slugs. Even 00 buck, loses velocity, at least what I would consider, reliable, lethal velocity, at distances above that. YMMV, and there may be those who would feel confident shooting greater distances, but, my shotgun, for my purposes, is not a long range option, for self defense. JMHO

[jason812]

Interesting that they did not test Federal Flight Control rounds, which are specifically designed for holding tight patterns even at distances of 15 yards and above. With my Mossberg 500, 18.5 ", cylinder bore, at 25 yards, the FFC, holds to within a 6 inch pattern.

It's certainly not a Lucky Gunner test but does make for a good read and maybe some spur more research. I would like to see how the flight control wads do also. When I told my brother about the new to me FN SPP and how it came with 2 chokes, his response was a defense shotgun doesn't need chokes. I'm going to forward him these articles. I was already planning on a mod or improved mod choke but might be leaning to a full choke.

[Pawpaw]

Interesting that they did not test Federal Flight Control rounds, which are specifically designed for holding tight patterns even at distances of 15 yards and above. With my Mossberg 500, 18.5 ", cylinder bore, at 25 yards, the FFC, holds to within a 6 inch pattern.
There is no where in my house, without shooting through walls, where I could shoot more than 7 yards. Most distances will be 5 yards or less. Even as a truck gun, I would not attempt to engage anyone at more than 25 yards, with anything but slugs. Even 00 buck, loses velocity, at least what I would consider, reliable, lethal velocity, at distances above that. YMMV, and there may be those who would feel confident shooting greater distances, but, my shotgun, for my purposes, is not a long range option, for self defense. JMHO

Brass Fetcher did some pretty comprehensive testing of buckshot at 50 yards. The bottom line is that 00 and larger is still lethal at 50 yards.



This would only be useful in very limited circumstances, such as open combat. The spread at that distance would be too big a liability. Lethal or not, I believe all those pellets flying around would at least make them keep their head down.