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20 gauge Home Defense Ammo?

46K views 12 replies 9 participants last post by  Gun Loving Liveral 
#1 ·
Could use some help. I have a 20 gauge Mossberg 500, 18 inch barrel. 1. Ammo recommendations, please, for home defense.
2. More importantly, where the heck can I find this ammo??? All I can find is bird shot and clerks look at me like I'm nuts when asking for home defense ammo. :blink:
Thanks!!

Ps. Hey! That's my 400th post! Congratulations are in order. Gift cards to Wallyworld or Cabelas' would be greatly appreciated. Nothing too big. :slap:
 
#3 · (Edited)
My second to last HD shotgun was a Mossberg 500 in 20 gauge. Last was an Ithaca 37 12 ga. I seem to think that Fiocchi or Federal made a PD round for the 20 in #2? You can go with slugs also.
 
#4 ·
I read an article somewhere online that showed ballistic gel penetration vs. various loads in both 12 and 20. From what I recall, #3 buck was recommended for 20 ga, so that is what I am using. You can find it at Cabela's, you just have to search for it. Probably could get better prices online from places like Midway.
 
#6 ·
20 gauge

Federal did make a personal defense load in 12 and 20. Sadly discontinued now, but it was plated #2 shot in good thick wads in a premium case with a nickle plated high brass shell. If you like the big birdshot idea, Federal's PF204 is close, but the biggest is #4 shot. You can only get bigger in steel or hi-density shot, and mostly those are 3". Remington is about the same, but they don't have a premium 20ga load like the PF204, and they seem to have discontinued their neat little duplex load that was 2 and 6 or 2 and 4 shot IIRC. If you prefer buckshot, all anybody has is #3 buck in the 20. You pick the magnum or standard load, 18 pellets in the mag, 20 in the standard. I bought the Federal Premium "Vital Shok" for my HD 20. It's buffered and plated shot. I keep it in the gun after I patterned it, I practice with the cheap stuff. Any decent gunshop should be able to special order it for you.
 
#7 ·
That's the nice thing about the Mossberg 500. 2 3/4 or 3" chamber. I sold all of my former 20 ga ammo with the shotgun maybe in 1997. Haven't seen anything better than the #3 buck on the internet available. I'll have to ask my gun shop guy next time I'm in. Good info Superhouse 15.
 
#9 ·
That's what this site is all about----I think.
 
#10 ·
You have it all wrong. When you reach a milestone like your 400th post you have to send us something. Coffee cards to Dunkin Donuts or Dutch Brothers are the common item. It goes up from there. 1000 posts you have to hand out Cabela's cards, etc. :rofl:

As far as choice for ammo for a 20 guage. One word, slugs. We talked about this not too long ago. I think it was Dr. CMG who demonstrated that buckshot in a 20 guage in a typical bedroom won't even have a chance to expand. Go for the slug, and let your aim be true. :hand10:
 
#12 ·
You have it all wrong. When you reach a milestone like your 400th post you have to send us something. Coffee cards to Dunkin Donuts or Dutch Brothers are the common item. It goes up from there. 1000 posts you have to hand out Cabela's cards, etc. :rofl:

Say wha'?? No, no, that's not what the rules say. #400 is forty dollar gift cards. #500 is fifty, and so on. That's what Bumper told me.
 
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