5rds – 12 Gauge Barnes Defense 2-3/4" 21 Pellet #4 Buckshot Ammo

5rds – 12 Gauge Barnes Defense 2-3/4" 21 Pellet #4 Buckshot Ammo Details

Are you looking for good 12 Gauge shotgun ammo for home defense? You could go with tried-and-true 00 buck, but let us make a case for this shotshell from Barnes’ Defense Buckshot line of ammunition!

This shell is loaded with 21 pellets of #4 buckshot, which is frequently implemented for coyote hunting in addition to personal protection. The shot column weighs approximately one ounce and comes out of the barrel at a rate of 1,200 fps. That means it’s not going to generate an enormous amount of recoil, but all its shot pellets combined are still going to plow into a close-range target with over 1,000 ft lbs of energy – about four times the minimum recommended for defensive shooting.

Compared to 00 buck, a #4 buckshot pellet is 0.09” narrower in diameter and weighs 33.1 grains lighter. #4 buck’s smaller size is why each trigger pull is going to deliver a dense pattern that can put more than twice as many holes into your target. Its pellets’ lighter weight means that this shell is going to punch through significantly fewer layers of gypsum board as well. This round can indeed penetrate multiple walls – but it won’t pierce quite as many as a standard 00 buck load. That’s something worth considering if you’re trying to minimize the risk of jeopardizing a bystander.