In following the "10 year old daughter rule" (no foul language) I'll say "Holy Cow!"
I wish you had sent the "box o truth" link prior to my following your advise - my house is fully ventilated now as I tested the range of buckshot vs. .223 ammo at room distance, and boy is my wife mad.
Actually I appreciate your input. I realize now that I might have given the impression that I believed the "Elmer Fud fills air with lead" theory. From what I've read/seen a improved choke short barreled shotgun generally produces "dinner plate size spreads" at 50 feet and I thought that would give a shooter under duress a better chance of a hit. I admit I was thinking better to hurl dinner plates than thimbles at high velocity. What supprises me is that lead shot does not "splatter" and lose it's energy upon impact with sheetrock/walls. I think the new thread suggested is a great idea and look foward to everyones input - and ( I thought you'd never ask) sharing mine. But in closing I'll admit a childhood "secret". By no means am I proud of this but it might save some kids (and parents) some trouble.
When I was around 10 yrs. old my not to supervising dad let me keep my winchester "trapper" 30-30 in my room.
I wasn't supposed to have any ammo for it but of course I did. When he and my mom would go out to dinner or whatever I would take in a little spur of the moment target shooting - in my room - in the burbs of Houston. I would line up my set of encyclopedias back to back, A - Z, take aim and fire! Got some pretty good penetration at 15 feet.
A couple of years latter we moved to a new house and despite all attempts my dad helped me pack the encyclopedias - and it was kind of hard for him to not notice the huge holes that started in the A's and exit "wounds" around the K's.
I remember the look he gave me, and I said something like "can you belive that, they sold us a set of encyclopedias full of bullet holes!" Maybe this is sharing too much. Maybe the moral is check your kids encyclopedias - I know I will.
Had to edit, younger wife just reminded me that I am an old man and apparently there is someting called the "internet" now and kids don't have or know what an encyclopedia is. So I guess we'll have to check any other shooting mediums available to kids.
