Winchester 12-Gauge Defender Ammo

PATTERNING … NOT JUST FOR WATERFOWL

The round being patterned is the Winchester 12-ga Defender Ammunition (copper-plated buckshot, 2 ¾ inches, 1145 velocity, 9 pellets, 00 buck). Many people still use a shotgun for home defense, and it has law enforcement and game control applications as well. (Rob says “still” because his primary home-defense weapon is now an AR-type rifle, not a shotgun).

If you have a shotgun for home defense, you need to know what’s going to happen when you fire it … hence patterning. How large or small is that pattern going to be when you blast a home invader with it?

TWO ROUNDS, DIFFERENT DISTANCES

Jerah takes the first shot at about seven yards, which is a reasonable home-defense distance – think, across the open floor plan of a home, or down a stairwell. You may also need to fire through a window of your home to stop an intruder who’s in your yard or on your land shooting rifle rounds through your living-room windows. The entire group is about fist sized, confirming that you do need to aim a shotgun. Spray and pray is not a defensive plan.

Jerah and Rob move out to about 15 yards, no longer a home-defense distance but more a distance for law enforcement use. The Winchester 12-ga Defender round really shines at this distance. The group made by the nine pellets can only be covered by Rob’s wide open hand.

When doing shotgun training or practice with a round that’s new to you, be sure to pattern it so you’ll know what to expect if you have to fire it in self defense.