I posted the NYS castle law at #51
I have read a few tests proving that birdshot WILL NOT stop a determined attacker. The energy is simple too spread out and will not penetrate deep enough to stop a human.
Really? Becuase birdshot at close range will easily penetrate the body cavity, and will travel threw more walls than a high velocity small caliber rifle round (ex .223). Why? the mass of pelets travel in a tight ball for the first 10-20 feet as they just leave the wad, Because of this the first few pellets expend their energy digging a hole, and the ones behind it continue the effort. A high velocity rifle round will hit the hard drywall and fracture or tumble, losing all of its energy in the process.
The old birdshot vs buckshot and slug are old as the shotgun. Tests have proved that both will render the attacker lifeless when used on the facial area.
Remember, in a life and death situation, you might not hit your target the first time, and most don’t have the sense about them to pump a shotgun when just woke from a dead sleep. For home defense, a semi-auto shotgun is the only way to go.
Look at the Mossberg 590 SPX, bad little gun.
Oh and forget about pistol grip shotguns (pure pistol grip without a stock). Yea they look cool, but good luck getting more than one shot off.
Just because they broke in your house doesn’t make them a threat to your life. That would be like saying that you are a danger on the road just because you drive a car with 500 hp.
I’m not implying I agree with NYS and its laws. I think you should be able to use deadly force if someone breaks in your home regardless of their intent. I’m just trying to educate people on how the state interprets the situation and hopefully keep the good guy out of jail.
Maneuvering a long gun in a house isn’t that easy. The more you can shorten up the gun the better. You should be able to shoot just as fast from the hip with a pistol grip as you can from the shoulder with a stock. You definitely lose accuracy with a pistol grip but at close range in a house its not hard to hit something with shot.
Where do you guys live that you are so worried about people breaking into your house and attacking you. Move instaed of buying a gun! I have over fourty long guns and twenty pistols and there is not a loaded one in the house.
where are you going to move where a burglary couldn’t happen? An abandoned island?
JEG’s talking about turkey loads. That will absolutely stop an attacker, especially at the indoor range. I can dump the tube on my Tactical in about 2 seconds, and put it “accurately” (for a scattergun 
) downrange in 6.
I just want to go to a range, and shoot clay. It would double duty as a home defense thing, but I’m not really worried about that.
they’ll hate you with a shorter barreled home defense gun @ the clay range… louder with less tube. they shake their heads at me when my 590 spits fire with 18.5".
heard a rumor a while ago, about magazine capacities and pistols in NYS… a the weapon is a retired police issue weapon branded as such, that has police issue high cap mags that it’s sort of like a pre-banned weapon and not restricted to the 10 round max. been looking, and so far since i have found nothing in black and white so it’s all hearsay.
that and if you bring a gallon jug full of brass to wegmans you get a free keg.
Pick up one of the combo packs, has long bird barrel for going the range, and short smooth bore “deer” barrel for home defense.
1 gun and it will do well for both uses.
I have no problem getting all six shots off on my pistol-grip only shotgun, accurately to boot. Practice makes perfect.
Didn’t want to start a new thread…
Can I buy a shotgun or rifle in PA and bring it back here without having to do any paperwork?
Edit nm
It’s fine as long as you purchase it from a bordering state. EDIT: AND it’s NY compliant.
2nd edit: it’s also going to depend on who you’re buying to from. If it’s a FTF sale or gun show purchase then no problem.
That is goofy but not surprising. Thanks.