Do you know what your shotgun pattern looks like at home defense ranges?
Depending on what ammo you’re using, it’s probably not what you think it is.
00B is much tighter at “minute of hallway” distances than what the internet chat rooms will tell you. pic.twitter.com/rfcfabxdad
— Fenix ‘Kulak’ Ammunition (@FenixAmmunition) August 21, 2021
Not all brands of shells are created equal, nor will they pattern the same. Even slugs will travel differently. Here is Clint Smith with a basic and yet instructive video:
Doesn’t matter what the pattern is. According the the Government’s gun expert, all you need to do is shoot two blasts into the air. Every criminal in the area will flee in terror.
Well, in my amateur opinion, a full auto M16 spray would be even more effective. ;-))
At anything other than a short burst, the tendency for a shoulder fed full auto to “spray” and hit nothing but collateral and American air is high. I HAVE done a single trigger mag dump at 7 yards with an M4 and kept them all on target (mostly). It required me to brace with my feet and wrap the sling on my arm to prevent muzzle climb, and then pay attention to prevent the rifle from wandering side to side. Not something easily done under adrenaline after being woken in the middle of the night with no prep. For putting 9-12 projectiles on target quickly and with reasonable accuracy, the shotgun and 00 buck is king.
I do have multiple rifles available and staged for home security (acreage and middle of nowhere on the border). But for in-home, a semi-auto shotgun or PDW, each with a light and operable one-handed, is my arm of choice.
Full auto has its use (suppressive fire), and it fills it quite well, while allowing flexibility into neighboring areas (aimed bursts to put multiple projectiles mostly on target very quickly). But spray and pray is not one part of that, especially when dealing with drywall and kids sleeping in adjacent bedrooms.
Been there, shot everything up to the M29 as an aimed rifle(I don’t recommend it), the post I replied to was about Buydum’s advice to fire up in the air(his advice was stupidity, mine was tongue in cheek).
Gotcha.