{"id":4313,"date":"2015-11-09T15:02:39","date_gmt":"2015-11-09T20:02:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/?p=4313"},"modified":"2025-05-07T13:14:49","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T17:14:49","slug":"choosing-buckshot-home-defense-shotgun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/choosing-buckshot-home-defense-shotgun\/","title":{"rendered":"Buckshot for the Home Defense Shotgun"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/category\/defensive-shotguns\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4340 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/shotgun-banner-3.jpg\" alt=\"Defensive Shotguns Part 3\" width=\"750\" height=\"124\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/shotgun-banner-3.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/shotgun-banner-3-600x99.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/shotgun-banner-3-350x58.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/a><\/p> <p>In our ongoing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/category\/defensive-shotguns\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">series on defensive shotguns<\/a>, the topic of buckshot will likely come up frequently. For centuries,\u00a0buckshot has been the standard load whenever the shotgun is employed against human targets. It&#8217;s one of the primary reasons why, in the words of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rangemaster.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tom Givens<\/a>, &#8220;when people get shot with a shotgun, they stay shot.&#8221;<\/p> <p>While buckshot has the ability to dominate a gun fight, not all loads are created equal. Care must be taken when choosing buckshot for defense, and the best choice might change depending on the specific shotgun used. This is better explained in pictures than words, so watch the video below for details on how to determine which defensive load to use in your shotgun.<\/p> <div class=\"entry-content-asset\"><script src=\"https:\/\/fast.wistia.com\/player.js\" async><\/script><script src=\"https:\/\/fast.wistia.com\/embed\/jpd9p77roz.js\" async type=\"module\"><\/script><\/p> <style>wistia-player[media-id='jpd9p77roz']:not(:defined) &#x7B; background: center \/ contain no-repeat url('https:\/\/fast.wistia.com\/embed\/medias\/jpd9p77roz\/swatch'); display: block; filter: blur(5px); padding-top:56.25%; &#x7D;<\/style> <p> <wistia-player media-id=\"jpd9p77roz\" seo=\"false\" dnt=\"1\" aspect=\"1.7777777777777777\"><\/wistia-player><\/div> <h3><strong>Choosing Buckshot &#8211; The Shortcut Method<\/strong><\/h3> <p>I don&#8217;t typically play favorites with defensive ammo choices, but if you watched the video, it&#8217;s pretty clear that the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/shotgun\/12-gauge-ammo-shells?ammo_use_type=1436&amp;manufacturer=1\">Federal FliteControl<\/a> is an absolute game changer in the world of defensive shotguns. Performance won&#8217;t be identical in every shotgun, but inside of 10 yards, you can expect just about any 12 gauge to create a single hole with FliteControl ammo. Previously, this kind of performance could only be achieved by careful barrel selection or custom modifications to the gun.<\/p> <p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/buckshot-1.jpg\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-0\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4331 size-full\" title=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/buckshot-1.jpg\" alt=\"Federal FliteControl at 3 yards\" width=\"1200\" height=\"666\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/buckshot-1.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/buckshot-1-600x333.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/buckshot-1-1024x568.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/buckshot-1-768x426.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/buckshot-1-350x194.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a><\/p> <p>I&#8217;m not suggesting you don&#8217;t have to pattern your shotgun if you use this ammo, but if you want to skip over the process of trying out a dozen loads of buckshot to find the right one for your gun, just grab a few boxes of FliteControl and there&#8217;s a good chance you&#8217;ll be impressed with the results. For #00 buckshot in 2 3\/4&#8243; shells, there are two versions available &#8212; an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/12-ga-2-3-4-00-buck-federal-8p-law-enforcement-flitecontrol-wad-5-round\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">8 pellet load<\/a>, and a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/12-gauge-234-00buck-federal-tactical-5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">9 pellet load<\/a>, both\u00a0sold in 5 round boxes or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/12-ga-2-3-4-00-buck-federal-8p-law-enforcement-flitecontrol-wad-250-round\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">250 round cases<\/a>. Some boxes are labeled as &#8220;Tactical Law Enforcement&#8221; and others say &#8220;Personal Defense&#8221;, but the ammo inside is identical. Federal also makes a few #00 FliteControl loads labeled as &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/12-ga-3-00-buck-pfc15700-federal-vital-shok-5-rounds\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Vital Shok<\/a>&#8220;, but these are intended for hunting, and have more recoil than the self-defense versions.<\/p> <p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/flite-control-comparison.jpg\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-1\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-4317 size-full\" title=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/flite-control-comparison.jpg\" alt=\"Federal FliteControl Ammo\" width=\"1200\" height=\"595\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/flite-control-comparison.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/flite-control-comparison-600x298.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/flite-control-comparison-1024x508.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/flite-control-comparison-768x381.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/flite-control-comparison-350x174.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a><\/p> <p>Now, before this starts to sound like a commercial for Federal, the FliteControl ammo is not flawless. I attended a shotgun class this past weekend with Tom Givens, and every student had a chance to try the Flite Control ammo in their shotgun at 15 yards. Most of the patterns were well within the 8-inch center of the target, but at least two of us experienced fliers. In the photo below, you can see my target showing a single pellet that hit\u00a0high and to the right of the others.<\/p><p><\/p> <p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/flitecontrol-flier.jpg\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-2\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\" title=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-4321\" src=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/flitecontrol-flier.jpg\" alt=\"flitecontrol-flier\" width=\"544\" height=\"485\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/flitecontrol-flier.jpg 544w, https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/flitecontrol-flier-505x450.jpg 505w, https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/flitecontrol-flier-350x312.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px\" \/><\/a><\/p> <p>The FliteControl wad works by holding the pellets together after they exit the barrel, and then fins on the wad cause it to gradually pull away from the shot. This separation typically occurs around 10 yards from the muzzle. After that point, the pellets begin to spread. Usually, this spread is gradual, and the pattern stays tight out to 25 yards or more, but if an individual pellet isn&#8217;t perfectly spherical, it can still stray from the group at closer distances.<\/p> <p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/shotshell-buffer.jpg\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-3\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4330 size-full\" title=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/shotshell-buffer.jpg\" alt=\"shotshell buffer\" width=\"1200\" height=\"660\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/shotshell-buffer.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/shotshell-buffer-600x330.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/shotshell-buffer-1024x563.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/shotshell-buffer-768x422.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/media\/shotshell-buffer-350x193.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a><\/p> <p>My best guess for the case of the flier pictured here\u00a0is that some of the buffer compound melted and stuck to one of the pellets when the shell was crimped at the factory. This gave the stray pellet an irregular shape, and it failed to continue in a straight line after separating\u00a0from the wad.\u00a0At 10 yards and under, I haven&#8217;t seen a round of FliteControl create anything larger than a fist-sized hole. At further distances, a\u00a0tight pattern is still very likely, but fliers are possible.<\/p> <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In our ongoing series on defensive shotguns, the topic of buckshot will likely come up frequently. For centuries,\u00a0buckshot has been &#8230; <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/choosing-buckshot-home-defense-shotgun\/\">Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4329,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[266,6],"tags":[254,24,267,223,268,20,247],"class_list":["post-4313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-defensive-shotguns","category-toolbox","tag-12-gauge","tag-ammo","tag-buckshot","tag-federal","tag-federal-flitecontrol","tag-home-defense","tag-shotguns"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Choosing Buckshot for Defense - A Lucky Gunner Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Chris from the Lucky Gunner team examines several buckshot loads and shows what you should consider when selecting a round for home or self-defense.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/choosing-buckshot-home-defense-shotgun\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Choosing Buckshot for Defense - 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Chris has a broad interest in all types of\u00a0shooting activities, but he's most passionate about firearms as tools for personal protection. Prior to working for Lucky Gunner full time, Chris taught basic handgun skills and concealed carry permit classes to a diverse range of clients in his home state of North Carolina. He is a Rangemaster-certified Shotgun and Advanced Handgun Instructor and NRA Handgun Instructor. His ongoing pursuit of knowledge in the shooting world has included over 500 hours of professional firearms and self-defense training from instructors like Ken Hackathorn, Tom Givens, Ernest Langdon, Craig Douglas, Gabe White, Darryl Bolke, Wayne Dobbs, Chuck Haggard, Claude Werner, John Hearne, Jim Higginbotham, Kyle DeFoor, and Randy Cain,\u00a0among others.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/lucky.gunner.chris"],"url":"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/author\/chris\/"}]}},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4313","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4313"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4313\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12226,"href":"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4313\/revisions\/12226"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4329"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4313"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4313"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4313"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}