Home Defense 12-Gauge Shotgun Pattern Test

There’s been a lot of interest in shotguns recently, so we decided to test two of the more popular home defense shotgun rounds -- 00 buckshot and high-velocity steel BB shot. We wanted to see how these rounds spread at 7-, 15-, and 30-yards when fired from an 18.5-inch barrel.

We also tested the impact of the rounds on 1/4-gallon water bottles at the same distances. Although not entirely scientific, it does give an idea of the power these rounds offer.

The gun we used is one of the most popular 12-gauge shotguns on the market, a Mossberg 500 series SPX tactical. It’s a pump-action 12-gauge with an 18.5-inch barrel and no choke.

We loaded up with Federal 12-gauge 2 3/4-inch magnum 00 Buck with a muzzle velocity of 1,290 feet-per-second and Winchester 2 3/4-inch high-velocity steel BB shot with a muzzle velocity of 1,550 feet-per-second.

My personal take away from this test is that 00 buckshot tended to stay on target better as distances grew. The balls also seemed to retain more power. The BB shot spread much more and, being smaller, had less impact power at greater distances. Of course, as noted by many recently, including the iconic Paul Harrell, while sometimes deadly, birdshot should not be used for self-defense.

What do you think? What round do you prefer? Let us know in the comments below.