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Shotguns are among the most versatile firearms available, covering a wide range of applications from hunting and clay shooting to self defense and duty use. Not only are the guns incredibly adaptable, but there are also many different types of shot shells designed for specific use cases.
Different types of shotshells are designated for different purposes. They are classified by numeric value, with the lowest number given to the largest pellet size, and the highest number given to the smallest pellet size.
Typically used for larger game and self defense applications, buckshot encompasses anything in the "aught" category: Single Aught (0), Double Aught (00), Triple Aught (000), and 4 Aught ( 0000 ). Double Aught is by far the most commonly produced and purchased, whereas 4 Aught is the largest.
Birdshot is generally classified as the top three options (7.5 shot, #8 shot, and #9 shot) in small pellet loads, with 7.5 and #8 being the most popular choices for hunting dove and quail. Due to the smaller pellet size, birdshot is less effective for personal protection when compared to buckshot. Read our comparison of birdshot vs. buckshot to discover why.
For ducks, geese, grouse, and pheasants, most hunters prefer to run a heavier shotshell load (such as a #6 shot) due to the size of the game and the distance these birds must be engaged at. These loads are typically referred to as separately as Waterfowl loads and may also include steel shot instead of lead shot.
There are many other types of shotshell that span the gap between birdshot and buckshot: B-Shot, BB-Shot, #1 Shot, #2, #3, #4, #5, and the #6 shot mentioned above. These shot sizes are commonly referred to as Game Loads for medium-size game or predators (foxes, coyotes, etc.) and make up a huge part of the shotgun shell market.
The United States military issues buckshot as their preferred defensive load due to its effective range. However, for civillian self-defense scenarios within the confines of a home or apartment, most experts consider buckshot to have far too great a potential for over-penetration and therefore recommend mid-range shot for home defense.
Learn more about using shotguns for home defense in our video below!
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