Ronning's Ghost wrote: ↑Wed Dec 03, 2025 12:03 am
JelloPuddingPop wrote: ↑Tue Dec 02, 2025 6:42 pm
I have a Grizzly Arms 870 knockoff as mine. #6, 00 and slug loaded in that order.
I know just enough about firearms and Canadian firearms laws to understand why a shotgun would be your preferred home defense weapon, and why you would want different loads, but not enough to understand why you would want those loads, in that order. Could I persuade you to explain your reasoning, there? (Beyond the part about over-penetration not harming other targets around your home.)
Sorry, getting way off topic, but I get the impression that the Bar & Grill is more free-ranging.
For sure - I think that in most circumstances, the sound of racking of a shotgun would be enough to deter the timid thief etc. Which in my view, is the main reason to go with this as a home defense weapon. I chose the Grizzly, instead of say my Benelli Montefeltro, as Grizzly is a Chinese made knockoff, it's slide is a little janky, which causes a rather loud - almost movie-like sound when racking. Whereas a Benelli, Winchester or even Mossberg when well taken care of, are quite quiet, surprisingly to most.
If the intruder were to persist beyond that sound, depending on the situation - firing a light load shell of #6 - which is known as birdshot, won't penetrate my house's walls, just do a bit damage to the drywall. Nor, at a distance, would it seriously injure a person. This gives me the option to either shoot into a wall, if I don't know where the intruder is, to use the sound of discharging firearm to convince them to leave - or put a bunch of bird shot into their leg - which will again, will still allow them to flee, with a bad limp.
The recoil on firing a shell of #6 is very minimal, ensuring I can keep the weapon trained on the target without any issue. Even with sleepy brain, and hearing a firearm discharge in an enclosed environment without hearing protection, I hopefully would still have another shot-chance if necessary.
If its a meth-head, or someone really intent on causing me or mine harm - the 2nd round of buckshot (00) carries a lot more stopping power, needing a bit more accuracy, but still not a ton, and can be applied liberally, or directly - again depending on the situation. This can either put someone down, hopefully non-lethally if you aim low or off center (and from a distance), or even get through a nearby closed door etc., while still dealing damage to the target on the other side. Lots of options here.
Finally - if two discharges of a loud firearm aren't enough to convince someone that they have made a mistake, and its time to cut loses and run - and lethal action needs to be taken. The slug will do that. Or if there are multiple intruders, and after watching their friend get a load of #6 and/or buck in their shin, they still decide me or mine are worthy targets, lethal action is usually the only deterrent.
If the intruders are armed as well - with a pistol or similar, well, a coin flip I suppose. Though a weighted one, as their shot demands accuracy and mine does not. But still. I'm no combat veteran, and if someone breaks into my home armed... not sure anyone is coming out of that one in a good way.
As an aside. That loadout works well for bear defense as well. One shot in the air (#6), to hopefully scare them away - if they charge, a load of buck (00) isn't going to seriously injure or kill it. If that sting doesn't succeed, a slug to the chest from close range will usually end it.
As I said before, at my age, life in prison isn't much of a deterrent. It would be worth it to take some scum bag meth head out permanently. 
