re: What is your shotgun pellet preference for self defense?

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The Firearms Tactical Institute reports:

"Number 1 buck is the smallest diameter shot that reliably and consistently penetrates more than 12 inches of standard ordnance gelatin when fired at typical shotgun engagement distances. A standard 2 ¾-inch 12 gauge shotshell contains 16 pellets of #1 buck. The total combined cross sectional area of the 16 pellets is 1.13 square inches. Compared to the total combined cross sectional area of the nine pellets in a standard #00 (double-aught) buck shotshell (0.77 square inches), the # 1 buck shotshell has the capacity to produce over 30 percent more potentially effective wound trauma. In all shotshell loads, number 1 buckshot produces more potentially effective wound trauma than either #00 or #000 buck. In addition, number 1 buck is less likely to over-penetrate and exit an attacker's body."

Generally available candidates include:
•Remington Express Buckshot 12B1 (1250 fps, 16 pellets #1 Buck).
•Remington Express Buckshot 12B0 (1275 fps, 12 pellets #0 Buck).
•Winchester Super-X XB121 (1250 fps, 16 pellets #1 Buck).

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