Unfortunately, Eugene, the shotgun idea is the result of ignorance by gun
owners as well as the general populace. Many in both groups believe the
nonsense that an 18 inch (shortest legal length) barreled shotgun will fill a
hallway with lead. Simply FALSE. The pattern of shotgun pellets expands about
1 inch per yard. So at 3 yards, the usual self-defense distance, the pattern
is 3 inches in diameter. NOT 3 feet.
Based on police stats, it is easy to miss completely at that distance. But,
conceding this point, if you hit them at three yards with a 3" pattern
consisting of nine .32 caliber projectiles (using size OO Buck which has a huge
recoil) you will stop them about 96% of the time (and kill them "dead right
there").
But the practical problems of size, weight, recoil, and barrel length (allowing
the intruder to leverage it right out of your hands) remain. All are avoided
with a three-inch barreled .357 magnum revolver which, loaded with proper
ammunition has the same 96% one-shot stop record.
**************************************************
Professor Joseph Olson, J.D., LL.M. o- 651-523-2142
Hamline University School of Law (MS-D2037) f- 651-523-2236
St. Paul, MN 55113-1235 c- 612-865-7956
jol...@gw.hamline.edu
>>> "Volokh, Eugene" <vol...@law.ucla.edu> 2/4/2009 1:08 PM >>>
I've often heard people say that shotguns are better than handguns for
self-defense for some people. I know others disagree, but for now I just want
a cite for the proposition that just as Heller points out that handguns are
reasonably preferred by some, so shotguns could be reasonably preferred by
others. Can anyone please pass along such a quick cite for me? Many thanks,
Eugene
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