Mossberg 500 - Which Ammo?

[MAD King]

Hello,

I am new to shotguns and just received mine, but I am uncertain which ammo I need for home self defense.

I was trying to get through the jungle of different ammunition, but it is impossible.

Can someone please tell me which I need? 

Maybe brand , # Shot, oz, FPS.

Thank you very much.

[Garufa]

For home defense, 00 or #4 buckshot.

FPS is irrelevant and brand is a matter of personal taste.  Some has more oomph and/or pattern better than others, but it’s still a shotgun.

[TomInMN]

@MAD King, inside or outside of your house? Do you live where houses are closer together, or out in the country? What are you anticipating defending against? Is your shotgun a 12ga?

[MAD King]

Hello and thanks for the responses.

Inside house and the two houses next to me are about 15 ft and 25 ft away.

12ga and intruder.

[TomInMN]

50 minutes ago, MAD King said:

Hello and thanks for the responses.

Inside house and the two houses next to me are about 15 ft and 25 ft away.

12ga and intruder.

Then as @Garufa said, either #4 or 00 buckshot would be good choices. Federal Premium in 2 3/4" shells is a great choice. I believe they make a low recoil load, which should be more than sufficient for self defense in one's home.

Keep in mind that good buckshot will likely only spread about 1" for every yard it travels. (It'll depend a bit on the specific load, but it's a good rule of thumb.) So, if you're standing at one end of a 20' hallway and shooting to the other, your pattern will probably only be about 5" wide. In other words, be sure to aim rather than just point and pull.

[MAD King]

Thank you.

[Jeb48]

I keep mine loaded with the first round #4 followed by 00. A friend keeps birdshot as his first round and then #4s. 

[Jamie Jackson]

Imho and experience each shotgun can be quite unique as to which particular buckshot it patterns best with.

I always take as large of a variety of buckshot as I can find with me to the range to pattern test a new shotgun. I generally test from 5 yards to 25 yards and keep notes. 

There are "Zones of Fire" (A-B-C) that were taught to me way back when, but essentially this means you need to be precise in your aiming and understand the opening of the pattern in your particular at various distance intervals. Best bet is to obtain professional training with someone such as Randy Harris @Cruel Hand Luke. Randy knows his stuff and is an excellent teacher and instructor.

I think the shotgun is a formidable and excellent home defense choice when utilized in the proper context and environment. Shotgun wounds are some of the nastiest and most devastating GSW's I've treated.

Federal Flitecontrol 12 g. seems to pattern well across the board. But most ammo, quality 12 g. included, is relatively scarce at the moment.

I still have a bunch of old H132 Federal that patterns well in my old 590...but it's Vang Comped, so there's that.

[WFM]

I use #0000 buckshot.

[Handsome Rob]

I keep my bedside companion 500, stoked with Rio 2-3/4" number 4 buckshot. It patterns very predictably out to 20 yards with a cylinder bore. 

[chances R]

Tom Givens a well respected trainer advocates Federal Flight Control 00 buck with 8 pellets in the load.  His tests shows good performance with  less chance for 'flyers' vs. 9 pellet loads.  Keep in mind, one does have to aim to hit the BG at home distances.

[Will]

Any name brand 00 in low recoil only.

[Guest BCR#1]

I have #4 buck in my 590 due to over penetration of the larger caliber. Twenty Seven .244 pellets will dispatch any human being inside the home and there is not as big a mess to clean up either.

Bill

[chances R]

1 hour ago, BCR#1 said:

I have #4 buck in my 590 due to over penetration of the larger caliber. Twenty Seven .244 pellets will dispatch any human being inside the home and there is not as big a mess to clean up either.

Bill

That's what ServiceMaster is for.