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You mean you're actually worried about getting arrested for shooting zombies?? šŸ¤£
Maybe I'm just being paranoid . . . but I've seen lawyers do and say any number of things to win a case.

Using Zombie rounds in a self-defense shooting seems like a way to invite the prosecution to imply that you're needlessly paranoid, or living in a fantasy world.
 
I just bought a Heritage single-action revolver in .22 long rifle with an extra .22 Winchester Rimfire Magnum cylinder that can be swapped out in seconds.

It seems like your .22 LR subsonic would be ideal for such a gun.

I would imagine that the fact that it's a revolver means that there should be no relevance to the cycling issue, the barrel is 6 inches long . . . which--if loaded with subsonic--would ideally suited for vermin and pest control in the rat, squirrel, woodchuck, feral cats, bats, opposum, and raccoon category.

Such animals can carry disease--especially rabies--except for the rat and oppossum. For whatever reason, oppossum are resistant to rabies, as it seems to have something to do with them being marsupials. Rats can't spread rabies either except under some highly unlikely, oddball circumstances.

For certain applications, I deliberately carry a weaker cartridge, as I've seen any number of innocent, uninvolved third parties (often kids) killed by over-penetration and richochet, so the .22 subsonic would appeal to me.

You could buy a Heritage revolver like mine for about $135.00 brand new from Rural King.

The extra .22 Magnum cylinder can be ordered off the Internet for about $35.00, if that talks you into buying a gun just for your ammo. There are worse things for a prepper to have than a 6 shot .22 LR/.22 WRM revolver . . . that happens to be very accurate out to about 25 meters for a rabbit-sized target, or almost 35 meters for a man-sized sillouette target with .22 CCI Stingers.

Undoubtably there are many people who will shoot this gun better than I can.

I only consider myself to be slightly above average in pistol marksmanship, and I do feel that I've lost some longer range shots in a given caliber because of my high-mileage eyes.
I'd like to pick up another .22 SA, like the Heritage. I keep a .22 pistol in every one of our vehicles, atv's, utv and tractor. Most are Browning Buckmarks.
I've got a couple Rugar .22 SA's, one has the magnum cylinder. I'll set aside the sub sonic ammo for my lever action rifles and the SA pistols.
When I'm on the trap line I load my .22 with CB caps, I think thats what they're called, or .22 shorts.
I have a lot of problems with ground squirrels, chipmunks, pine squirrels and rattlesnakes around the house. I keep several rifles, and pistols, within easy reach to shoot the vermin. In the laundry room I keep a Marlin lever action .410 for the wife in case she sees a rattlesnake.
I think the sub sonic ammo certainly has a place around the house, just not in a semi auto.
 
Maybe I'm just being paranoid . . . but I've seen lawyers do and say any number of things to win a case.

Using Zombie rounds in a self-defense shooting seems like a way to invite the prosecution to imply that you're needlessly paranoid, or living in a fantasy world.
Other than the lime green insert, that ammo is no different than their "Critical Defense" brand (which has a red insert). A mediocre defense attorney could laugh a prosecutor out of the court room in your scenario.
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I don't see much of a court offensive punch claiming any of the OEM available ammo was toooo hostile or inhuman - you aren't a country's military violating the old venerable Geneva Convention basics ....

what could get you noosed is reloading with something devilish special like DIY explosive tips or encapsulated poison
 
If you only have tactical ammo (HP) you tend to use it too sparingly for practice. Besides practice ammo is much cheaper than tactical ammo. So you should have a lot more practice ammo than tactical ammo otherwise you won't practice. The practice ammo is for practice, so I will use it without worrying about denting my tactical supply.

125 rounds is one short practice session for me. Hardly worth driving to the range for that short of a session. When I was competing in IDPA and Steel Challenge, a practice session was more like 200 rounds of rimfire and 200 rounds of centerfire -. Several times a week.

But I cannot compare myself to you in terms of being a shooter. I have only been shooting five years and almost all of that on an AR 15 only. My tactical ammo is no different from my practice ammo. Crap ammo is all I am ever going to get. My practices are very directed at weak areas with a little work on my strengths. Mike Mah differentiates between target shooting and combat shooting which is something I always keep in mind.
 
Mike Mah differentiates between target shooting and combat shooting which is something I always keep in mind.
IDPA is neither, it is defensive shooting. It's more real world scenario oriented than the "Run and Gun" types of competition like USPSA and IPSC. You get penalized for things like not using cover or leaving a loaded mag laying on the ground.
This was one of my favorite stages, LOL.
 
Does anyone have experience with .22 sub sonic ammo? During the dark days of obumas ammo shortages I had no choice but to buy whatever I could find. I ended up with probably 10,000 rounds of sub sonic ammo. It wasn't until a couple days ago that I actually tried it out. It doesn't cycle in my 10/22 very well. I guess I'll have to save it for my lever action rifles or SA pistols. These are harsh times indeed.

I have shot a lot of SK Standard Plus in my 10/22. I think I have only had maybe a dozen failure to fires out of thousands of rounds. Never had an issue with cycling the action.
 
Decision time!!! I need a new shotgun for home defense and I want a new 22 lr. for more range time. Economics at the range. 22 Lr is reasonable. 12 ga. is very good for home defense but will see limited range time. I have other firearms for home defense, so not like I will be sitting unarmed. 9 mm, 556, 6.5 Creedmoor and 7.62 x.39. The 22 lr with scope, will run about $800. The shotgun and small amount of ammo will run about $600. Shotgun will spend most of it's time standing in a bedroom corner. 22 lr will be headed to the range just about every month. Which ever one I get, the other firearm will have to wait for about 6 months. So which way would you all go?

ahh the old shotgun for home defense bitā€¦. I dislike a shotgun for HD very much, but some love them. What Did you end up getting?
 
ahh the old shotgun for home defense bitā€¦. I dislike a shotgun for HD very much, but some love them. What Did you end up getting?

I got the 22 rifle (Ruger Precision Rimfire). I have still not made up my mind on the shotgun. Since this not going to be a hunting tool or a range firearm, I am still deciding on a price point. Being Mr. El Cheapo, I am reluctant to spend very much on a firearm that is basically going to be sitting against a wall collecting dust. The shotgun will be a semi-auto type but I have not decided on either a mag fed version (more expensive) or a tube type. The tube type is cheaper but the mag fed reloads much faster. I also got a 9mm carbine (Keltec sub-2000) that is currently doing HD duty. I have a lot of 124 grain HP ammo for the Keltec but no shotgun ammo, that is another reason for putting the shotgun farther down the list.
 
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ahh the old shotgun for home defense bitā€¦. I dislike a shotgun for HD very much, but some love them. What Did you end up getting?
I got a 20 gauge pump shotgun.

It's a Maverick 88 pump shotgun. Inexpensive, holds 5 rounds in the tubular magazine, dual action bars like a Mossberg 500, and a ribbed barrel with a gold bead front sight.

I prefer a 20 gauge because I'm a little older, and I'm starting to develop arthritis. The milder recoil allows for faster follow-up shots . . . and a 20 gauge has about the muzzle energy of 2 hot .44 Magnum loads from a six inch barrel.

I keep mine loaded with 2 3/4 inch shells of #4 buckshot. I have a nylon sleeve that velcro closes over the stock, which holds 5 shells in loops. I have 2 rifled, hollow-point slugs and 3 #4 buckshot cartridges.

I also included a nylon webbing sling. A lot of people don't like a sling on a shotgun . . . but I have slings on all my long guns.

A sling is strong enough to use as a tourniqet or a pressure dressing.

A rifle sling can be used to fix a damaged backpack shoulder strap or lumbar belt.

Several slings tied into one long line coud be used for climbing. A flat nylon sling could be used to repair a damaged rappelling harness . . . although please keep in mind that I'm discussing such things in the context of after SHTF, and I most certainly do not advocate rappelling with damaged and/or improvised equipment.

I have a few paracord rifle slings, and I think they're worth having.

And so on.
 
I figured out how to use my camera phone, so here is my shotgun:
16286084823502009470911.jpg


I bought it about 10 years ago for maybe $180.00 new.

The sling was $12.00 at Walmart, and the butt sleeve came from Amazon for about $16.00.

I keep it lubed with CLR, and I've stocked up on extra magazine springs (for the tubular magazine) from Brownell's.

The only other thing I want to do is have it Cerakoted, which I'll do when I have the money.

I also want to stock up on a few extra parts, like the plastic magazine follower.

P.S. The butt sleeve holds 6 extra rounds, not 5 like I mentioned earlier. I usually keep the front loop empty because it interferes with the angle of my wrist when I shoot . . . but I stuck an extra shell in there for the photo.
 
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With the understanding that I'm not a "wanna-be" commando who needs a "tacticool" firearm for ego gratification, could you guys weigh in on the idea of mounting a light on the magazine tube?

Also, can you guys talk to me about the basics of different chokes?

I stocked up on rifled slugs, and #4 buck for home defense, but I also have an assortment of different types of bird shot (and other loads) so that I can use this thing for hunting if I have to.

I know that chokes determine how rapidly shotgun pellets spread out while the are in flight, but I am otherwise essentially clueless on the subject.

At close range home defense, does the choke make all that much of a difference?

P.S. I forgot to add that I tend to use 2 3/4 inch shells rather than the 3 inch magnums. My gun takes both kinds, but I believe that 2 3/4 inch shells will preserve the functionality of the gun and keep it from wearing out as quickly after SHTF. If my reasoning on this one point is wrong, then please clarify.

Thank you in advance.
 
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With the understanding that I'm not a "wanna-be" commando who needs a "tacticool" firearm for ego gratification, could you guys weigh in on the idea of mounting a light on the magazine tube?

Also, can you guys talk to me about the basics of different chokes?

I stocked up on rifled slugs, and #4 buck for home defense, but I also have an assortment of different types of bird shot (and other loads) so that I can use this thing for hunting if I have to.

I know that chokes determine how rapidly shotgun pellets spread out while the are in flight, but I am otherwise essentially clueless on the subject.

At close range home defense, does the choke make all that much of a difference?

P.S. I forgot to add that I tend to use 2 3/4 inch shells rather than the 3 inch magnums. My gun takes both kinds, but I believe that 2 3/4 inch shells will preserve the functionality of the gun and keep it from wearing out as quickly after SHTF. If my reasoning on this one point is wrong, then please clarify.

Thank you in advance.
I have a Mossburg 500 with an 18" barrel. I keep it in the corner of our closet. I like the idea of mounting a light on it, and will have to look in to it. My wife has a laser and a light mounted on her XDM 9mm. Its highly unlikely that we'll ever be in a situation where we'll have a need for a self defense fire arm, but we do have bears, wolves and mountain lions around here.
 
With the understanding that I'm not a "wanna-be" commando who needs a "tacticool" firearm for ego gratification, could you guys weigh in on the idea of mounting a light on the magazine tube?

Also, can you guys talk to me about the basics of different chokes?

I stocked up on rifled slugs, and #4 buck for home defense, but I also have an assortment of different types of bird shot (and other loads) so that I can use this thing for hunting if I have to.

I know that chokes determine how rapidly shotgun pellets spread out while the are in flight, but I am otherwise essentially clueless on the subject.

At close range home defense, does the choke make all that much of a difference?

P.S. I forgot to add that I tend to use 2 3/4 inch shells rather than the 3 inch magnums. My gun takes both kinds, but I believe that 2 3/4 inch shells will preserve the functionality of the gun and keep it from wearing out as quickly after SHTF. If my reasoning on this one point is wrong, then please clarify.

Thank you in advance.

I am also looking forward to replies from more knowledgeable shotgun experts. I am under the impression that a choke is not needed for close range (inside home defense) but could be beneficial for longer range (15 yards plus) shooting. I also believe that the choke has to be removed to shoot slugs. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
With the understanding that I'm not a "wanna-be" commando who needs a "tacticool" firearm for ego gratification, could you guys weigh in on the idea of mounting a light on the magazine tube?.
They make all sorts of clamps and mounts for that, anywhere from $35 to $350.
Just Google "Shotgun flashlight mount."
 
With the understanding that I'm not a "wanna-be" commando who needs a "tacticool" firearm for ego gratification, could you guys weigh in on the idea of mounting a light on the magazine tube?

Also, can you guys talk to me about the basics of different chokes?

I stocked up on rifled slugs, and #4 buck for home defense, but I also have an assortment of different types of bird shot (and other loads) so that I can use this thing for hunting if I have to.

I know that chokes determine how rapidly shotgun pellets spread out while the are in flight, but I am otherwise essentially clueless on the subject.

At close range home defense, does the choke make all that much of a difference?

P.S. I forgot to add that I tend to use 2 3/4 inch shells rather than the 3 inch magnums. My gun takes both kinds, but I believe that 2 3/4 inch shells will preserve the functionality of the gun and keep it from wearing out as quickly after SHTF. If my reasoning on this one point is wrong, then please clarify.

Thank you in advance.

A weapon mounted light is very important in home defense. I trained lighting techniques for many years without one, but never on long guns. Now weapon mounted lights are fairly standard. I use and train with a WML on an the AR/M4 platform, and that'd be my preference of defensive weapons. AR (pistol or SBR), Combat handgun, then long gun (AR -> Shotgun).

My advice, ditch the shotgun :) But that's just me. My advice probably doesn't seem all that helpful.

If you want a primer on home defense/ self defensive use of firearms, you gotta study up. I highly recommend Active Self Protection on youtube. The host showcases videos of various use of force and self defense. It's great to see how bad guys ACTUALLY launch attacks, then react when presented with an armed defender. Seems like nearly 100% of the bad guys say "oh crap" and fall all over themselves to run away.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsE_m2z1NrvF2ImeNWh84mw
 
Thank you all very much for the input.

I will do further research on chokes, and I'll see what's available for a weapon mount for a light.

I once bought a weapon light (a cheapo knockoff that was probably made in China) to mount on my Beretta 92.

I started shooting at the range, and it literally flew into pieces from the recoil after about 5 shots.

I'm wondering if I had to worry about similar issues with buying a clamp and light for my shotgun. It does seem to me that the recoil forces at the muzzle end of a shotgun would be more intense than the forces on a dustcover light on a 9mm handgun.
 
With the understanding that I'm not a "wanna-be" commando who needs a "tacticool" firearm for ego gratification, could you guys weigh in on the idea of mounting a light on the magazine tube?

Also, can you guys talk to me about the basics of different chokes?

I stocked up on rifled slugs, and #4 buck for home defense, but I also have an assortment of different types of bird shot (and other loads) so that I can use this thing for hunting if I have to.

I know that chokes determine how rapidly shotgun pellets spread out while the are in flight, but I am otherwise essentially clueless on the subject.

At close range home defense, does the choke make all that much of a difference?

P.S. I forgot to add that I tend to use 2 3/4 inch shells rather than the 3 inch magnums. My gun takes both kinds, but I believe that 2 3/4 inch shells will preserve the functionality of the gun and keep it from wearing out as quickly after SHTF. If my reasoning on this one point is wrong, then please clarify.

Thank you in advance.
For chokes there is; Cylinder, Improved Cylinder, Modified, and Full Choke.

Cylinder: 40" spread at 25 yds.
Improved: 40" spread at 30 yds
Modified: 40" spread at 35 yds
Full: 40" spread at 40 yds

Steel shot generally holds a tighter pattern than lead shot.

The above gives a rough idea of the pattern for the different types of chokes available.
 

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