01/01/2026
Great post from P&S regarding gauges and birdshot/buckshot and when to Not Use/Use each and why :)
Comparing the FBI ballistic standards and the idea of birdshot being an effective defensive tool shows the profound ignorance of people pushing for the birdshot. The FBI standards establish reliable pe*******on of 12-18" in verified ballistic gel from reasonable ranges beyond contact distance. Birdshot can (can- not will) create lethality at contact distance, but diminishes greatly as the threat moves from contact distance. People don't understandthat those results in the ballistic gel do equate to pe*******on in humans to create incapacitation. No - it does not mean 12-18" in gel means 12-18" in people - it does mean 12-18" in gel means penetrates humans to include their bones (through intermediate barriers) which disrupts internal vital organs causing incapacitation. I have seen many 9mm 124 +p go entirely though a 16" block of gel and then get pooped out the other side without any lethality which happens to mirror exactly what that round has been doing to people found in autopsies. Those rounds recovered in autopsies are usually found trapped by the skin on the opposite side of the body from the entrance wound, or they are found trapped by the clothes.
As distances increase from muzzle to target with birdshot, the wounding becomes exponentially more superficial. The relationship between the shotgun and the shell is going to be a factor in how the pattern is formed and the rate at which it expands. Here is a hint - with birdshot, the more the pattern expands, the less effective it will be, and it started as a less effective option against humans as it is compared to normal go-to defensive options like 00 buck.
Why would I want something that removes my effectiveness at distance? If I lived in an outhouse, birdshot might be viable - but a sword ultimately makes far more sense for outhouse defense.
People bring up concerns of collateral damage and over pe*******on within residential structures. Well, if it isn't going through drywall, don't expect it to be overly effective in incapacitating a violent threat. Pe*******on is a needed component of incapacitation of a living being. Removing that part and expecting to win the fight is setting yourself up for failure. Instead of neutering your weapon, increase your personal capabilities and skills with fi****ms to limit those misses.
If all you have is a shotgun and birdshot, keep it until you can afford actual viable defensive shotshells. Save up for some buckshot - preferably some form of reputable 00 eight pellet (nine pellet usually has one flyer from the pattern). Buy enough buckshot to pattern the shells with your shotgun, to train with, and to keep ready for defensive purposes. You may find the shells you buy do not work as well as you want, and that just means you need to try out a different brand/model shell. Shotguns are like fingerprints, where they all pattern a bit differently, even within the same makes/models.
Patterning- All this means is creating a frame of reference for you, the shooter. I have two areas within my home that are about 20+ yards from the bedroom area to the area an assailant may enter through. I need to know what the combination of shotshell and my shotgun provides effective hits from zero to 20y (if I am only planning on this use case). To pattern a shotgun, basically start with the knowledge of your furthest shot and break that up a couple of times before reaching muzzle distance. I have a 20y shot, I may want to set up a paper target each at 5y, 10y, 15y, 20y (it helps to write the distances on the individual targets to help check work during and after the process, and when you take pictures of the patterns for Instagram). Or you can set up a couple of targets at 20y and designate areas on the targets for specific distances. I personally like separate targets at designated distances so there is no question, and it only takes up time and targets, but the results are well defined.
For a shotgun to be effective on target, we need a couple of things- obviously, the gun itself needs to be functional/dependable, the shells it shoots need to hit where aimed, and the projectiles need to have the ability to incapacitate. That incapacitation is created by the disruption of vital organs by being penetrated, aka FBI standards. If the shells don't meet FBI standards, don't anticipate incapacitation. An armed encounter is already unpredictable and chaotic; to introduce something that is only effective at muzzle contact decreases your effectiveness as a defender.
Here is the next question to ask yourself: What is acceptable? During your patterning at your furthest distance, 5 of the 8 pellets are still within a man-sized target, meaning you have three flyers. That is roughly the equivalent of three 32acp rounds going somewhere you did not intend. Is that a concern? For me, it is. I want all pellets in that man-sized area at my furthest distance. I am stacking all factors within my control in my favor because when I need it, I will not be controlling all variables. If my shells are producing regular fliers off my intended target, I need to get different shells. If I exhausted all the available shell options, I need a new shotgun.
Now let's go in the opposite direction. I patterned some Federal Flite Control #1 at 20y using a Beretta 1301 12ga, which produced a fist-sized pattern. Is that too small? The pattern only gets smaller as we move closer to the muzzle. I found it to be not only impressive - that is what I wanted for that role.
These are all factors for you to figure out. What fits in your life, and to what extent are you willing to go to ensure you are optimally prepared? You can have multiple good-quality dependable shotguns outfitted with lights, optics, slings, and side saddles. Your shell selections can be proven high quality ammunition. You can take professional training and continually train. You can consult with professionals regularly about trends and incidents. Or you can just spread guncounter fuddlore like the idiots do on Facebook with some bizarre sense of ignorant superiority.
None of this matters until it does, and by then it will be too late, and you will be stuck in the dark with a piece of crap Turkish shotgun that can't reliably cycle three shells in a row while loaded with birdshot. Good luck.
https://primaryandsecondary.com/understanding-bird-shot-is-not-for-defense/
