12 guage steel shot penetration surprise

[joshb]

Yesterday, I took a friend to my range to shoot pistols. He brought the 12 guage riot shotgun I gave him for Christmas last year. I grabbed a box of 2 3/4” shells with #8 steel shot. He fired a few shots at my pistol range to get a feel for the gun.
What surprised me was the lack of penetration. The shots crumbled the 1/2” OSB that was screwed to a sheet of 3/4” plywood, but only dented the face of the plywood. The shots were fired at 15 feet from the plywood backstop.
My opinion is that the loads are not suitable for defensive use.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

Yesterday, I took a friend to my range to shoot pistols. He brought the 12 guage riot shotgun I gave him for Christmas last year. I grabbed a box of 2 3/4” shells with #8 steel shot. He fired a few shots at my pistol range to get a feel for the gun.
What surprised me was the lack of penetration. The shots crumbled the 1/2” OSB that was screwed to a sheet of 3/4” plywood, but only dented the face of the plywood. The shots were fired at 15 feet from the plywood backstop.
My opinion is that the loads are not suitable for defensive use.

There are extensive tests on YouTube by paul Harrell both for penetration in the meat target and in a simulated house through drywall and siding. 00 buck will go through 4 interior walla and siding and still explode a 2 liter coke bottle. The conclusion is that large lead birdshot is best if you dont want to blast theough every wall in the house. Steel 8s are barely enough to knock down a dove. I have watched euros soak up 7.5s time after time, feathers flying but they keep on going.

 

[kelbro]

I still don't think that I would stand 15 ft in front of a shotgun even shooting 8 shot.

 

[Adam in WI]

I'd hazard a guess that lead 8s aren't going to do much to that kind of target either. Dry, sense, and fibrous isn't a great test medium. Kinda like when youtoobers shoot soft points into a pile of firewood and tout how well the bullet expanded. If i really wanted to compare lead and steel shot, I'd take a couple soaking wet phone books and see how far each will go into them.

 

[joshb]

I'd hazard a guess that lead 8s aren't going to do much to that kind of target either. Dry, sense, and fibrous isn't a great test medium. Kinda like when youtoobers shoot soft points into a pile of firewood and tout how well the bullet expanded. If i really wanted to compare lead and steel shot, I'd take a couple soaking wet phone books and see how far each will go into them.

Have you seen a real phone book lately? I haven’t seen one in 15 years.

 

[Adam in WI]

Have you seen a real phone book lately? I haven’t seen one in 15 years.

It's on your phone...

Just open the phone app, soak your phone, and shoot it. Simple!

 

[joshb]

Some days, I feel like doing that. Damned “unknown callers”!

 

[Ranger188]

Light bird shot has no energy. That's why it's "bird shot"
Use some 00 or 0 buck shot and see what the added weight does.

 

[hoz53]

It's on your phone...

Just open the phone app, soak your phone, and shoot it. Simple!

i feel like doing that after every apple software upgrade which are 3x/year

 

[std7mag]

Not a lot of people are made of plywood.
The thing with people is that they perferate easily.

More holes means more leaks.
Harder to plug all of them.

For home, I prefer #4 shot to #8 shot. But that's just me.

 

[joshb]

I should say that this is the first time I ever used steel shot. I bought it because it was cheap and as a kind of poke at my friend's wife. She’s a bit of a Liberal. I mentioned the shells were “lead free” and wouldn’t expose the “recipient” to lead poisoning.
After seeing the affects, I can’t believe anyone uses it.

 

[Syncrowave]

#8 steel is pretty much worthless. I'm surprised they even sell it.

We shoot marsh hens (rail birds) here on the coast of Va., and up until not too many years ago, they allowed (or didn't prosecute) the use of lead shot on rails. Now they require non-lead shot, and when we switched to steel, we went WAY up in shot size.

My opinion is that the loads are not suitable for defensive use.

Even lead #8 is pretty much worthless for defensive use, unless you just want to put somebody's eye out or really piss him off.

I've heard from police that any bird shot is pretty much worthless for use on humans, which surprised me.
I'd use 00B if using a shotgun. It takes the starch out of deer and coyotes as if they were water balloons.

 

[jds holler]

I've heard from police that any bird shot is pretty much worthless for use on humans, which surprised me.
I'd use 00B if using a shotgun. It takes the starch out of deer and coyotes as if they were water balloons.

I've killed waayy too many critters with #s 2 and 4 lead shot to discount its effectiveness. And within self defense range, steel of that size wouldn't be much different. The key words here are "self defense range".

But yeah, #8 steel is about like shooting rice. jd

 

[Doug Casner]

Had a highway patrolman tell me they loaded buckshot slug buckshot slug in their riot gun mags. That would go through a car door or a wall. Doug

 

[M-61]

Yesterday, I took a friend to my range to shoot pistols. He brought the 12 guage riot shotgun I gave him for Christmas last year. I grabbed a box of 2 3/4” shells with #8 steel shot. He fired a few shots at my pistol range to get a feel for the gun.
What surprised me was the lack of penetration. The shots crumbled the 1/2” OSB that was screwed to a sheet of 3/4” plywood, but only dented the face of the plywood. The shots were fired at 15 feet from the plywood backstop.
My opinion is that the loads are not suitable for defensive use.

Sure. However try that on Sheetrock. I’m talking about a house. 1/2” or 3/4”. It’s not supported except for the 2x4 it’s screwed to.
My scenario is a bedroom. Take your 15 foot. 15/20 is not a bad average for a bedroom I think. If it’s 20x20 congrats. 3/4” Sheetrock on both sides.
So someone chooses to break into my house at night for example. 12 gauge Stevens (Savage) pump. I point, close my eyes, and pull the trigger. I do not want that shot penetrating into the adjoining bedroom. After a few tests (not on a person!) I found two things relevant. The spread of the # 8 shot at 15’ was nearly nonexistent. Too bad for the intruder if I hit him. That’s why you close your eyes. If you need a second shot you haven’t lost your night vision. # 8 shot did not pass through the second 3/4” Sheetrock. There were signs of it bulging on the Sheetrock but not through it. Now could a different make of shot fired in another shotgun go through? I guess so, but I doubt it would be lethal.
When I tried this at night in the backyard I was surprised at the flash.
Anyway that’s how I selected #8.
Since I’m a bit older and stone deaf I have my Mastiff’s which I hope give me the few extra seconds I need to react. Actually I think the mess they’ll make will be more than the shotgun…lol.
Having been shot at and having been shot, I’m determined not to die in bed because some Idiot picked my home.

 

[jds holler]

3/4" sheetrock must be a New York thing. I've been delivering dry-wall for 25 years, and never seen anything thicker than 5/8". Dang, I'd hate to have to work with that stuff. jd

 

[ebb]

Josh that sounds like excellent penetration with #8s. I've had shot land around me in a dove field, never been hit but many I hunt with have. glad they are not lethal. 8s were never intended for self defense, no matter what any of the internet gurus say. Next time you visit Gary we can load some that will be useful for defense and give your shoulder a workout too.

 

[Knotwild]

Here's a steel shot test for you I did using steel #2's. Try killing a armadillo with it at 40yds with them. The shotgun was plugged and I had to reload. I would not dove hunt if I had to use steel #8's. Each pellet weighs 30% less than lead. Most serious duck hunters use tungsten or bismuth for that reason.

 

[hoz53]

Yesterday, I took a friend to my range to shoot pistols. He brought the 12 guage riot shotgun I gave him for Christmas last year. I grabbed a box of 2 3/4” shells with #8 steel shot. He fired a few shots at my pistol range to get a feel for the gun.
What surprised me was the lack of penetration. The shots crumbled the 1/2” OSB that was screwed to a sheet of 3/4” plywood, but only dented the face of the plywood. The shots were fired at 15 feet from the plywood backstop.
My opinion is that the loads are not suitable for defensive use.

ive had lead shot bounce off my jacket while hunting. i think it was several hundred feet away though. #2 lead in my shotgun i keep by the door. just read about shotgun shells that cost 15.00 apiece. i think titanium.

 

[Gman]

For home defense, 00 Buck if you live alone and no "loved ones" in other rooms. If you have kids in other rooms, use #4 Buck. All kind of police penetration tests done on this subject and the final conclusion was #4 Buck will not blow thru the walls like 00 Buck.