For home defense, the consensus among firearms instructors and defensive-shooting experts centers on a few key choices if you’re considering a shotgun as your primary arm:
00 Buckshot is the most commonly recommended option for standalone homes. It offers a good balance of stopping power and manageable recoil, with each shell typically containing 8-9 pellets of 33 caliber. It’s widely available and well-tested for defensive use.
Reduced-recoil buckshot loads are worth considering, especially for those sensitive to recoil or who want faster follow-up shots. Companies like Federal (Flite Control), Hornady (Critical Defense), and Remington make reduced-recoil 00 buck loads that pattern tightly and are easier to control.
Other buckshot sizes are sometimes recommended as alternatives — they use smaller pellets but more of them, which can mean more hits with slightly less penetration per pellet.
What to Avoid
Birdshot is generally discouraged for defense — it lacks sufficient penetration to reliably stop a threat, despite some myths about it being “safer” for over-penetration concerns.
Slugs are usually overkill for typical home distances and can over-penetrate walls more than buckshot.
Other Considerations
Pattern-test whatever load you choose in your actual firearm — patterns vary significantly between guns, chokes, and barrel lengths.
Shorter barrels with an open choke (often Cylinder bore) will pattern wider, meaning buckshot spreads faster over distance.
Consider your home’s layout — over-penetration through walls is a real concern in multi-room or apartment settings.
Specific Recommendations
Gun Tests has fired dozens of shotshell choices for self-defense use. Here are some of our top choices:
For 12-Gauge Short-Barrel Shotshell-Firing Guns
Nobel Sport Italia (NSI) MiniBuck 6P 2.25 inch, Six 00 Buckshot. The shell is advertised at 2.25 inches in length for the fired case, and unfired, it comes in at 2.19 inches, or 0.13 inches shorter than the unfired length of 2.32 inches for a 2.75-inch shell.
Lower-Recoil 12-Gauge Shotshell
Remington Managed-Recoil #00 Buckshot RL12BK00. This is an eight-pellet load. Reducing the payload by one pellet may tighten the pattern and also reduce recoil. This is a reduced-recoil load at 1109 fps in a Remington 870. The 10-yard pattern was superb, without any drawbacks, at 1.8 by 1.5 inches.
Best Buy 12-Gauge Shotshell
Fiocchi Ammunition #00 Nickel-Plated Buckshot 12MW00BK BX. This is a full-power offering. The shell is transparent and holds nine 00 buckshot pellets. At 1340 fps, it is 15 fps over factory claims. Recoil was not severe, and the load patterned at 7.5 inches by 6 inches at 10 yards. We would have preferred a tighter group, but then, some of the raters felt this is ideal for home defense. At any rate, this is a great buy for 10 shells at a five-shell price.
20-Gauge Choices
Winchester Super-X 20 Gauge 2.75-Inch XB203 Buffered #3 Buckshot 20 Pellets. These loads burned clean. At 7 yards, facing an intruder in a hallway, this load looks hard to beat based on patterning and price. Pattern size was 7.5×8.5 inches and penetration in water was 24 inches.
Federal Power-Shok 20 Gauge 3-Inch Buffered #2 Buckshot 18 Pellets F207 2B. This is a standard 3-inch magnum 1100 fps loading with 18 pellets, recommended for use with medium-sized game like deer. It also makes a great defensive-ammo choice if you like the top of the power spectrum. Has Federal’s Triple Plus wad technology and Power-Shok copper-plated buckshot. Shot an 8.5×9 pattern at 7 yards and produced 18 inches of penetration in water.
The Bottom Line
We’re not able to speak to your specific legal situation, but it’s important to keep in mind your local laws regarding home defense ammunition and the number of rounds your shotgun holds.
