Reasons I watch Paul's videos: - Caveats - Anecdotes - Shatneresque...pauses - Long winded dawn of time explanations - He's what you call a professional
1) Rabbits do not sweat. 2) While I do not know where this location is, Paul is usually in the PNW so I assume this is probably not far from there ... and that's nowhere near the southern border.
Paul has a great way of finding things people are actually interested in learning about (just good knowledge to have). Thanks for the great content as always! :)
I'd like to see Paul test Aguila's 12 gauge, 1 3/4" "Minishells" next. The first thing to know is that you can only load them in the chamber, not the tube.
I hope everyone can appreciate how much leadership training this guy has had over the years. Never turns his back to the camera unless to shoot, never looks away from the camera even when handling items. Just a ton of little things that you learn in leadership classes.
When I was a child, my father and I use to shoot skeet, he would always tell me our shotguns were useless beyond 40yds. I've always wondered if that was true. I waited 33 years for this video. Thanks Paul.
With #9 skeet loads, and a skeet choke (or even improved cylinder choke) which is usually used for skeet, your father was about right. Unless those pellets hit you in the eye, you would be pretty bullet proof to #9 shot at 40 yards. Fired at the optimum angle. #9 will only travel about 80 yards before it falls to the ground. If Paul tried his 100 yard test with number 9 shot, the shot would never make it there. As an example...a skeet field is 40 yards wide (120 ft. 9" to be exact) So...call for a clay target from station 1 high house and fire at it when it makes it to the other end of the field (station 7) and watch it sail on, laughing all the way.
@Fman1292 the conversation is usually birdshot for HOME defense, not birdshot in urban warfare. With that said, I don’t know many average homes that have hallways of 40+ yards. 10 yards for home defense is more than enough.
I've actually been shot at by 7.5 bird shot at over 100 yards. Felt like someone 10 yds away threw a handfuls of pellets at me. Resulted in no pain, but a lot of pissed off.
I know someone who was hit several times while out horse-riding, and said it wasn't until the third one that she was sure it was the pellets. Range unknown, but long.
I was hit at 50 with some #4 during a dove shot in a corn field that had recently been harvested. Good hunt until the end. I got some tiny bruises but nothing went through!
People often ask me why I wear at least 4 shirts at all times. Now I have a video I can show them instead of explaining it in length every time. Thanks Paul!
@@konagolden3397 Gets too hot for me. I much prefer 8 tee shirts during the summer, which I can drop back to 6, maybe even 4 on 90+ degree days. In the winter time, it's the new and improved high-tech fleece bullet stop with a leather sofa skin.
Paul Harrel truly the best gun channel on youtube. More interesting topics instead of the usual I bought this weird gun or watch us shoot the crap out of random stuff.
Orange lung tissue is 99 cents a pound. Just don't ask us about soft drinks. Some guy in a weird jacket with lots of big pockets and ear plugs came in here and bought all our soda jugs. Again.
I actually have a (dangerous) anecdote that can confirm these results. I was rabbit hunting with a friend one Michigan winter. We both had 12ga with probably #4 birdshot. I was about 80 or 100 yards to the side of my "friend" and we were making our way in parallel through thickets where one can usually flush our rabbits. Anyway, this guy managed to get one out and in his excitement managed to pivot about 90 degrees to lead the shot and you can imagine what happened. I remember hearing the pellets hitting the trees and sticks near me and I ended up taking a single pellet to the upper thigh. It stung, but less than a paintball with no protection, and my coveralls were not the slightest bit damaged. I don't recall that it even left a mark. Of course this guy got a very stern talking to afterward, and I never hunted without safety goggles or sunglasses after that.
“Repelled by the tackiness of the shirt”. Oh Shit! That reminds me of how helicopters fly- by being so mechanically unsound that the Earth retells them 😂
I have watched a number of Mr Harrel"s videos and have learned quite a bit of information that I and my spouse have found very valuable. Perspectives on firearm subjects and information we hadn't given must thought of and just assumed. I.E. bullet type and their potential penetration through wall, household items and meat targets. VERY IMPORTANT! Most people wouldn't want to kill an innocent through their ignorance of penetration. Thank you Paul and crew for your time and effort. You have made a difference!
I whole heartedly agree. What is not considered, possibly because there are a wide variety of shot, is the shot that lies between buckshot and bird shot. If and when I ever get my 20 ga. shotgun that I ordered from my local gun store ( long story...just buy American is the lesson ), I have a cheap shot shell press and reloading supplies to load up some HD shot shells with a more suitable sized shot. BB sized, which is about 17 caliber, which isn't bird shot and isn't buckshot. A 17 caliber round at 25 yards may do some damage. However, I intend to use it on home intruders with the intent to neutralize the intruder and limit the amount of damage done by the shot that goes long distance. I use lead BBs because of the worry that steel BBs would bounce back at me. If a shotgunner was in a situation where he or she is shooting a bad guys at 25 yards, they should have buckshot rounds, "at the ready" on a holder on the stock of the shotgun. In a HD situation, in suburbia or city, that won't be necessary. In open country, it may be necessary to carry a selection of shot shells with different loads for up close and distance.
What did we learn about birdshot? 7 yards= Certain death 25 yards=Guaranteed to still jack up your target 50 yards= Possible partial paralysis 100 yards =Did someone open a window? There is a stiff breeze outside.
@drealmerz7 z If you fire a gun, they are going to see where you are shooting from due to noise a muzzle flash. Anyone with those weapons can easily and accurately land rounds in you. Even a pistol would be effective, but a rifle would make it effortless. A shot in the air would be better than that.
@drealmerz7 z Do you realize that even a modestly trained rifleman can pull out a rifle and pop you on the head at hundreds of feet away? Easy. Home Alone tactics aren't real. That's what you're advocating. Arrogance is thinking that experience and training don't count, but your video games do
@@shawnr771 as big as those beasts are, it's probably a good thing he does! I would be worried about one of them getting the idea that neighbors might be on the menu! 😜
This comment is for the sake of Paul's channel: hopefully I can goad TH-cam's algorithm into giving Paul Harrell more attention, the attention he deserves. Paul, your been-there done-that old-school style is admirable, and a quality that I don't find common in the modern firearms TH-cam community. I am a young, albeit involved and serious shooter, and perhaps as much of a product of my time as you are. Nevertheless, your analytic approach and focus on (_usually_) relevant information transcends difference. Thanks, Paul.
I spent a lot of time when I entered the world of firearms, reviewing TH-cam videos about the effectiveness of birdshot. I lived in a small apartment, and didn’t want to have to worry about collateral damage if I had to discharge my shotgun in the middle of the night during a break in. So many people on gun forums would say “Well bird shot is for birds”. Or, “I got shot with bird shot once on accident and i barely felt it.” Obviously those folks were stroking their own ego and making up absurd stories. It is just nice to see one of the few people I trust about firearms, substantiate my claims that in my house (moved on up to the east side), I shouldn’t stress about keeping #6 Federal Birdshot in my 12 gauge for home defense.
This might look like a presentation on birdshot, but in fact it is perhaps the most straightforward and accessible presentation on the importance of ballistic coefficient on youtube.
I've been pheasant hunting on a farm where the hunt stations were setup 100y apart. The last time I was out I was shot twice. It doesn't feel great, and maybe it could poke your eye out (wear your eyes and ears around guns people). But it definitely isn't going to break skin, and my coat stopped anything that hit it (without damaging the coat). It was #6, so fairly small - but the stations are setup at that distance for this reason.
Fun Fact: The original Ninja Gaiden game for the Nintendo was actually based entirely on Paul’s experiences the summer between his senior year of high school and his freshman year at Grizzled Old Man University.
This has a lot of value, honestly. It suggests that for a scenario in which you EXPECT the engagement to be at close range, birdshot, particularly the larger shot sizes, might not be a bad idea at all. Specifically *because* of the lack of effectiveness at longer distances. Any shot that fails to strike your target would be far less likely to cause collateral damage beyond 50 yards than, say, 00 buck. Not for all scenarios, not as universal a shotgun loading as buckshot, but this would definitely seem to have some niche use! Excellent video, and great information, thanks.
Thank you for this demonstration Paul. I am an advocate for birdshot as a home defense load in situations where there are other people close by as there is much less risk of over penetration, yet at these short ranges the load is very effective as you have shown. It seems the keyboard warriors all say you MUST use buckshot or you’re doing it wrong, but to me these people have little to no actual experience shooting said loads. Thanks again for your service to this country and your excellent TH-cam content!👍🏻
Getting to hear the ricochet of the pellets off of the table was this videos treat! Experiencing sounds like that without being in immediate personal danger are very rare and it is really, really appreciated from someone who never wants to be shot at but wants to know what it sounds like, just in case. Thank you!
When someone says birdshot I usually think of #7shot to #9shot. #6shot to #2shot I have always called them field loads or game loads. But turkey and ducks are birds so I guess it's what part of the country you grew up in. Glad you shot the meat target but Paul is always thorough in his demonstrations, although I haven't shot targets with field or birdshot loads at 50 to 100 yards, I was pretty sure that they would loose most of their energy when they reached the target. Paul proved that, that's why I really like Pauls videos and demonstrations, I don't think there's any other TH-cam gun channel that explains and demonstrates something better than Pauls channel.
I also think of bird shot for Pistol calibers. 22lr, 9mm, 45mm shooting rats at the hog farm when the bar closed. Turn the lights on & commence to firing. The lights can't come on soon enough. Not just for the target practice. If you seen how many rats were there. Gives ya chills the first time. I hate rats. They eat their own. Kind of like Politicians. LOL
My grandfather was a market hunter for years, going after waterfowl and upland game. His preferred shot size was #4, he didn't use anything else in the Model 12, 12 gage. Smaller sizes did not have the penetration out to 50 yards. So that hard core preference was handed down to my dad and myself. Decades of hunting waterfowl and pheasants has proved grampa's experience countless times.
Opening day of pheasant season....Wisconsin....pen raised birds....hordes of “ hunters “ on small parcels of land....Pepper City...you made sure to wear super safety glasses.....ah fond memories
Paul Harrell, you are simply the best! In all honesty, I really do enjoy all your videos. I feel like many other gun channels spend so much time trying to look tacticool that they alienate many viewers.
I think this is the first time I’ve ever heard Paul speak on the dram-equivent charge of shotgun shells. I remember shopping for shells in the late 80’s based on what we could find and what my shoulder could take. I wasn’t aware it was still used. Hey, Paul, how about a video on Dram-Equivalents and the difference it makes.
Sir I just want to say that I appreciate your videos. I'm relatively new to guns and most of my friends and family are not as interested in firearms. so I rely on the internet for most of my information. A lot of the other gun channels are elitist, condescending, biased, or political. I appreciate that you are different from the other gun educators on TH-cam.
Years ago my cousin and I were standing on a roadway/ dam at the end of a marsh, waiting for our Dads and friends to push birds our way. Behind us, on the neighbors property a couple guys were hunting in the distance. I saw a rooster pheasant come up and was flying right at us, I see those guys take aim and see puffs of smoke! I holler to my cousin to DUCK and we turn away just as pellets rain on us, the trees and the road. None hurt but we had time to put our backs to them at least.
To Mr. H. and the crew, Thanks for cranking out the presentations especially this Summer. A suggestion for a future one- With so many new gun owners, some may want to 'tune up' for Autumn hunting season. Already viewed older presentation as to sighting in a hunting gun. Many viewers may still be ignorant as to applying for permits, proper knives to have handy and other details you may consider essential prior to getting out to the field. Keep having fun out there.
"Unless those pellets were repelled by the tackiness of the shirt" - LOL, I'm now watching the channel for the dry humor with the ballistics lessons as an added bonus X-D
I wish more people participated in Clay Target shooting sports like DTL & Sporting Clays, to have a BASIC UNDERSTANDING of what a shotgun is *capable of* (with regards to distances)!
Exactly! I have been shooting skeet since the early 60s and sporting clays since the 80s. Now everything seems to be about "tactical shotguns" and I have a feeling not many of those people understand the gun at all.
Paul, I appreciate you and your videos. Thanks for taking the time to make them. ... and don't feel the need to apologize. Your quirks and knowledge are why I'm here!
M1A1 Abrams get up to the Pacific Northwest. I grew up in Alabama and was in an awesome Boy Scout Troop. We traveled all over backpacking. I then was an outdoor guide for about a decade. I’ve been to almost every state backpacking, mountaineering, and rock climbing. There is nothing like western Washington. It’s the most beautiful part of the US, maybe besides Alaska. Parts of Alaska look very similar. Below 4000’, it’s lush green, super wet, and reminds me of the Smoky Mountains. above 4000’, it has rocky, jagged peaks with huge glaciers (the biggest in the lower 48). I now live up here. I don’t miss the heat of the south
As usual, thorough and nothing left to chance. Thank you for the informative reminder that a great portion of the shotgun’s effectiveness as a home defense firearm depends on its ability to shoot different projectiles...and on the user’s ability to competently switch to the right projectile for the threat at hand.
Can you test a 22 rifle at 100 and 200 yards?Maybe see the drop of diffrent pistol calibers at 50,75,100 yards?And try out the 22 tcm R.I.A 1911? Just some ideas,love this channel.
Paul has 9mm at 50 & 100 yards: th-cam.com/video/sgmUmbb78l0/w-d-xo.html .45 ACP at 100 yards: th-cam.com/video/-hXR21Z-QOo/w-d-xo.html Several .22 videos, and others have done the comparison.
I found it interesting that at the longer ranges, the pellets weren't all hitting at the same time. They seemed to be spread out in their direction of travel as well as their regular spread.
Watch slow motion videos of shotgun pellets. They spread out in a long train as they fly. That is why it is better to lead a flying target too much rather than too little. I have had many shot "tails" break the clay bird.
I shot myself once with 7.5 birdshot, um not on purpose, stupid kid stunt, I was in an old 'dump' just a place local people tossed things since it was way out in the country. A leftover plastic shower stall was laying in the debris. One of those wrap around ones, thick fiberglass or whatever they made them out of in those days. So being dumb as a post I stood it up, facing me, and walked forty feet back and shot it thinking it would fall down from the impact... Fortunately I was shooting low power reloads, bird shot out of an 18 inch barrel. The shot went down one side, skidded across and came right back at me. Hit me in the leg, arm and chest, but none of it penetrated my denim jacket or jeans. Did sting like a bee sting or something. Small welts. The hard part was explaining to my at the time girlfriend how I got those bruises. She still thinks it's funny 48 years later. Always wear glasses.
@@lucastrask2838 my uncle nearly blinded himself with birdshot doing something similar as a kid. He was shooting cans on an old fence at close range, and one pellet ricocheted just right and hit him in the eyelid just undet his eye. He had to go to the doctor to get it out.
@@Mister_Belvidere He's lucky to still have the eye, ouch. That can happen to anyone, really, ricochets happen, guns are dangerous tools. In my case it was double plus stupid, after I shot I could see the tracks of the pellets as they went around and came back, like something from a cartoon, it seemed so obvious, afterwards. The stupid hurts.
Excellent when you live in a neighborhood with half-or-less acre lots. Using bird shot for this purpose was one of the best things I’ve ever pulled from this channel. EDIT- “This purpose,” being: use as a home defense ammunition.
BB shot in my shot gun, same kind of environment. I want to stop the bad guy, not kill my neighbors. I didn't learn it from Mr. Harrell, but I like that he confirmed it. My favorite channel.
@@Bubben246 Exactly, many don't consider a crazy person/suicidal maniac or someone dopped out of thier mind. If they are on a mission in their heads, racking a shell or even shooting a shell up into the air might not always deter them.
hahaha I got banned from a gun forum and a facebook group for saying in home defense situations in a hallway or across a livingroom bird shot was the best option for a shotgun to limit over penetration of walls but be very effective on a home intruder. Thats what I hate about the gun "community" so damn many myths that just perpetuate themselves but few people actually test. Love the video.
Its interesting to hear how spread out over time they are at 100yds. Its a patter of impacts. Makes sense of course, but something i never really thought about.
Another stellar production. I guess the outcome (ineffective) was to expected. As always, you must properly match the weapon, ammunition, and target. At 100 yards, either use a proper rifle, a shotgun slug (but are they accurate?), or wait till the target is in the effective range of the weapon and ammunition you have in hand. All the while hoping the target isn’t more effectively armed than you are.
@@gregb6469 It seems to me a 'regular' LBR would provide more consistent trajectory performance over a shotgun slug at those ranges. But ... "I'm not whatcha call a professional".
Love the intro. Want more leisure suit Harrell. Thanks for the new video. So if you live in a huge house and you're facing 50 yard shots in the living room then bird shot is a no-go. Good to know. Still if someone pointed a 12 gauge at you and you heard a boom, you're not going to think, "It's cool. Totally ineffective." You're going to have a moment.
Yeah, those guys at places like Federal who spend their lives using ballistic gel to inform how they should construct their ammunition must really know nothing...
Ballistic gel is consistent. It eliminates one variable in the mix. Also, iirc ballistic gel was formulated after a hell of a long series of live animal tests (Fackler?).
Reasons I watch Paul's videos:
- Caveats
- Anecdotes
- Shatneresque...pauses
- Long winded dawn of time explanations
- He's what you call a professional
and droll humor. "it was a polyester polo, but still".
and the "yeah, but"s
Cons:
- Bearing with the gunfire we hear in the background.
- He won't let us try this at home.
..high tech fleece bullet stop
@@raspillade6027 Surely you mean...THE NEW AND IMPROVED HIGH TECH FLEECE BULLET STOP...?
Rest in peace Paul. Thank you for this research and sharing with us.
Paul: Hi we're out in the field today...
Every jackrabbit in a 300 mile radius: *Sweats profusely*
1) Rabbits do not sweat. 2) While I do not know where this location is, Paul is usually in the PNW so I assume this is probably not far from there ... and that's nowhere near the southern border.
300 miles LOL!!!
@ Is this kind of comment really necessary?
David imagine calling other people a snowflake while getting pissed that they made a valid point. I could never imagine being so fragile ❄️
"unless they were repelled by the tackiness of the shirt" lol
Lesson learned: The meat target needs a fashion consultant - OR - Polyester is an effective addition to body armor.
I laughed for a good 30 seconds after that quip!
Must update clothing to tacky for superior tactical advantage.
@Paul Martin *"penetrate me your gay"
Paul has a great way of finding things people are actually interested in learning about (just good knowledge to have). Thanks for the great content as always! :)
I'd like to see Paul test Aguila's 12 gauge, 1 3/4" "Minishells" next. The first thing to know is that you can only load them in the chamber, not the tube.
Never mind. I found Paul's video on the topic.
I hope everyone can appreciate how much leadership training this guy has had over the years. Never turns his back to the camera unless to shoot, never looks away from the camera even when handling items. Just a ton of little things that you learn in leadership classes.
He is an amazing man isn't he.
Moral of the story: rabbits, buy and wear a crappy t-shirt, and you are bullet-proof against varmint shotgun rounds at long range. ^^
Must be a tacky crappy pole shirt.
That must be why Bugs Bunny always went drag. The extra layers from the fake boobs and bra were extra protection.
When my great uncle was a kid, supposedly they'd stand 100 yards apart and shoot birdshot at each other using trash can lids as shields.
@@saber-jocky3436 LOL, thanks for the laugh.
Too bad paul takes his M16 clone wabbit hunting. Paul is single handedly holding back the long eared menace, and finding time to teach us about it.
When I was a child, my father and I use to shoot skeet, he would always tell me our shotguns were useless beyond 40yds. I've always wondered if that was true. I waited 33 years for this video. Thanks Paul.
Damn 33 years
How far away was skeet and was he hurt?
With #9 skeet loads, and a skeet choke (or even improved cylinder choke) which is usually used for skeet, your father was about right. Unless those pellets hit you in the eye, you would be pretty bullet proof to #9 shot at 40 yards. Fired at the optimum angle. #9 will only travel about 80 yards before it falls to the ground. If Paul tried his 100 yard test with number 9 shot, the shot would never make it there.
As an example...a skeet field is 40 yards wide (120 ft. 9" to be exact) So...call for a clay target from station 1 high house and fire at it when it makes it to the other end of the field (station 7) and watch it sail on, laughing all the way.
@Fman1292 I wouldnt say useless
Hitting a guy with a handful of pellets is still better than nothing
@Fman1292 the conversation is usually birdshot for HOME defense, not birdshot in urban warfare. With that said, I don’t know many average homes that have hallways of 40+ yards. 10 yards for home defense is more than enough.
I've actually been shot at by 7.5 bird shot at over 100 yards. Felt like someone 10 yds away threw a handfuls of pellets at me. Resulted in no pain, but a lot of pissed off.
I know someone who was hit several times while out horse-riding, and said it wasn't until the third one that she was sure it was the pellets. Range unknown, but long.
...you need to spend time with different friends.
I shot someone the bird, does that count?
Duck hunting @ a pubic refuge?
I was hit at 50 with some #4 during a dove shot in a corn field that had recently been harvested. Good hunt until the end. I got some tiny bruises but nothing went through!
Note: Paul Harrel's "flyer" will ALWAYS hit the villain in the eye... or the testicles.. whichever he decides...
It's impressive that he can say "new and improved high tech fleece bullet stop" every time without cracking a smile
Who needs body armor? Just need 8 layers of "new and improved high tech fleece".
People often ask me why I wear at least 4 shirts at all times. Now I have a video I can show them instead of explaining it in length every time. Thanks Paul!
I started wearing a new & improved, high tech, fleece backstop.
@@konagolden3397 Gets too hot for me. I much prefer 8 tee shirts during the summer, which I can drop back to 6, maybe even 4 on 90+ degree days. In the winter time, it's the new and improved high-tech fleece bullet stop with a leather sofa skin.
My two dogs lying next to me, simultaneously began wagging their tails upon hearing the Paul Harrell intro theme. 😂
LOL
I'm trying to get that for my ringtone
That's because they know they are in for a treat.
Well it was dirty jobs theme song
@@phennah9mm461 Here is the whole song: th-cam.com/video/O3JKTPL1H-g/w-d-xo.html
Paul Harrel truly the best gun channel on youtube. More interesting topics instead of the usual I bought this weird gun or watch us shoot the crap out of random stuff.
Only people who've been in a coma haven't heard about Paul's meat target.
Need a price check on orange "lung tissue"
what do he do with the meat target after he shoot it.
@@greogebrewer9643 pick out the pellets and make the dogs happy
I think I’ve seen Paul use watermelons & grapefruit for the lung tissue. I think that people at the checkout think Paul like fruit salad.
Orange lung tissue is 99 cents a pound. Just don't ask us about soft drinks. Some guy in a weird jacket with lots of big pockets and ear plugs came in here and bought all our soda jugs. Again.
Paul's grocer believes his entire diet is fruit salad, pork steaks, and Shasta.
4:10 You can tell by the two suns that Paul is on planet Tatooine.
I saw the womp rats
Hopefully he wont run into the sand people, it'd be ashame for them if they ran into Paul.
If you squint your eyes enough you’d see in the distance a statue of Paul built by the sand people.
two suns?? the sun isn't even in frame here.
Jorda n; dude nor is ther a planet Tatooine. “Just relax and enjoy the show.”
A like and a comment to help the channel.
Thanks.
After work 1.6 k.
@@PaulHarrell So the channel still gets ad $$$ ? I thought that all channels like this weren't making $ for the creators.
As one of the crew I down vote it to keep Paul humble. ;)
@@bobroberts2371 as I understand it, it may not make Paul Harrell money, but it increases exposure on TH-cam, according to the algorithm YT uses.
I actually have a (dangerous) anecdote that can confirm these results. I was rabbit hunting with a friend one Michigan winter. We both had 12ga with probably #4 birdshot. I was about 80 or 100 yards to the side of my "friend" and we were making our way in parallel through thickets where one can usually flush our rabbits.
Anyway, this guy managed to get one out and in his excitement managed to pivot about 90 degrees to lead the shot and you can imagine what happened. I remember hearing the pellets hitting the trees and sticks near me and I ended up taking a single pellet to the upper thigh. It stung, but less than a paintball with no protection, and my coveralls were not the slightest bit damaged. I don't recall that it even left a mark. Of course this guy got a very stern talking to afterward, and I never hunted without safety goggles or sunglasses after that.
Friends can make mistakes
My grandpas crazy neighbor used to shoot his shotgun at me and my brother when we were kids and it would just sting and bounce off us if it hit us.
“Repelled by the tackiness of the shirt”. Oh Shit! That reminds me of how helicopters fly- by being so mechanically unsound that the Earth retells them 😂
LOLOLOL
Still giggling and snorting out loud! My wife asks, “what ARE you watching?”
You know, according to Leviticus chapter something verse whatever, that shirt's an abomination?
You fool! Being educated people we all know that helicopters fly by beating gravity into submission.
I cracked up at that line as well! :D
I have watched a number of Mr Harrel"s videos and have learned quite a bit of information that I and my spouse have found very valuable. Perspectives on firearm subjects and information we hadn't given must thought of and just assumed. I.E. bullet type and their potential penetration through wall, household items and meat targets. VERY IMPORTANT! Most people wouldn't want to kill an innocent through their ignorance of penetration. Thank you Paul and crew for your time and effort. You have made a difference!
I guess bird shot at anything over 25 yards is for the birds.
I whole heartedly agree. What is not considered, possibly because there are a wide variety of shot, is the shot that lies between buckshot and bird shot.
If and when I ever get my 20 ga. shotgun that I ordered from my local gun store ( long story...just buy American is the lesson ), I have a cheap shot shell
press and reloading supplies to load up some HD shot shells with a more suitable sized shot. BB sized, which is about 17 caliber, which isn't bird shot
and isn't buckshot. A 17 caliber round at 25 yards may do some damage. However, I intend to use it on home intruders with the intent to neutralize
the intruder and limit the amount of damage done by the shot that goes long distance. I use lead BBs because of the worry that steel BBs would bounce
back at me. If a shotgunner was in a situation where he or she is shooting a bad guys at 25 yards, they should have buckshot rounds, "at the ready" on a
holder on the stock of the shotgun. In a HD situation, in suburbia or city, that won't be necessary. In open country, it may be necessary to carry a selection
of shot shells with different loads for up close and distance.
😐
@@mu99ins You must be on all kinds of drugs.
Nice.
Don't do that again. Stoppit.
What did we learn about birdshot?
7 yards= Certain death
25 yards=Guaranteed to still jack up your target
50 yards= Possible partial paralysis
100 yards =Did someone open a window? There is a stiff breeze outside.
@drealmerz7 z Unfortunately, if they have a pistol, rifle, or buckshot, you're toast.
@drealmerz7 z If you fire a gun, they are going to see where you are shooting from due to noise a muzzle flash. Anyone with those weapons can easily and accurately land rounds in you. Even a pistol would be effective, but a rifle would make it effortless.
A shot in the air would be better than that.
@drealmerz7 z I was in the Army, combat arms, during the wars.
I spent 13 years in various armed jobs. I'm just putting reality into your mind.
No, 7 yards definitely not certain death
@drealmerz7 z Do you realize that even a modestly trained rifleman can pull out a rifle and pop you on the head at hundreds of feet away? Easy.
Home Alone tactics aren't real. That's what you're advocating.
Arrogance is thinking that experience and training don't count, but your video games do
Everyone gather 'round. Paul's gonna shoot the bird!
Bird is the word...
@@Taistelukalkkuna Word Bird!
@@Taistelukalkkuna Muh, muh, muh, ooo, mao, mao....
hehheh..
Best TH-cam gun channel period
That's cheating, that statement is an easy A. 👍👍
I'm a simple man; I see Paul has uploaded and I click the like button. Then watch the video.
Thanks for reaffirming what I learned decades ago
Always good to get the facts from a reliable source
Most people go to the butcher when they're getting ready for a cookout. Paul goes when he's getting ready for a shootout.
All that good meat going to waste, though...
@@spiff2268 Paul feeds it to his dogs.
@@spiff2268 For Science.
@@shawnr771 as big as those beasts are, it's probably a good thing he does! I would be worried about one of them getting the idea that neighbors might be on the menu! 😜
@@ScottKenny1978 They might be if things get worse.
This comment is for the sake of Paul's channel: hopefully I can goad TH-cam's algorithm into giving Paul Harrell more attention, the attention he deserves. Paul, your been-there done-that old-school style is admirable, and a quality that I don't find common in the modern firearms TH-cam community. I am a young, albeit involved and serious shooter, and perhaps as much of a product of my time as you are. Nevertheless, your analytic approach and focus on (_usually_) relevant information transcends difference. Thanks, Paul.
The best part of Thursday is when Paul uploads a new video, thank you sir.
"Repelled by the tackiness if the shirt". Another gem from Paul Harrell.
-- First time I've ever seen the meat target survive.
Up until the end when Paul decided to test personal protection distance. Sorry meat target, but none may be allowed to escape.
@Mike Wilhelmson -- Guess you forgot there were two different meat targets.
I like bird shot in my ribs!
Well, to be fair, it survived the "bird shot at distances beyond home defense", but in the end Paul made sure it paid for that.
Rest in peace brother
I enjoy these videos.
My favorite is still when he did the drive-by in the Roadrunner though. That was pure gold.
Hahahahha. Yeah!
My favorite was the caleb rebuttal.
I'll never forget the mattress at the shooting range.
@@Stu650Zuk You forgot the SpongeBob pajamas
Outstanding video
Me: "these experiments are awesome! I'm gonna go do some myself!"
**remembers I live in the UK**
**cries**
Move to Northern Ireland and join a gun club... you can have almost any caliber you want 👍
@@AndrewGibson22 what about semiautos?
@@seirbhiseach yes, anything from .22 LR to .308, if in a gun club.
Me: No longer lives in UK ..... NC isn't quite Arizona, but it's close enough for me! :)
@@AndrewGibson22 I'll be moving to NI from mainland UK, going to do this.
I spent a lot of time when I entered the world of firearms, reviewing TH-cam videos about the effectiveness of birdshot. I lived in a small apartment, and didn’t want to have to worry about collateral damage if I had to discharge my shotgun in the middle of the night during a break in.
So many people on gun forums would say “Well bird shot is for birds”. Or, “I got shot with bird shot once on accident and i barely felt it.”
Obviously those folks were stroking their own ego and making up absurd stories.
It is just nice to see one of the few people I trust about firearms, substantiate my claims that in my house (moved on up to the east side), I shouldn’t stress about keeping #6 Federal Birdshot in my 12 gauge for home defense.
Some consider pellet penetration if the scum is behind some basic cover, and there's no one size fits every situation. Your choice should work fine.
I'm so glad he uses the New and Improved High-Tech Fleece Bullet Stop. The old fleece bullet stop was so lame!
I really appreciate that you did a test at close range and evaluated the meat target. I was surprised.
I like my home intruders heavily peppered.
Appropriate time to remind everyone of the time Paul shot rocksalt out of his shotgun to test it
@A Gray You could use a salt weapon: www.bugasalt.com/
I'm not sure you can effectively argue "self-defense" if you shoot at someone 50-100 yards away, unless the other person fired first.
my dog likes them in large yet manageable peices
With a tad of rock salt just because.
This might look like a presentation on birdshot, but in fact it is perhaps the most straightforward and accessible presentation on the importance of ballistic coefficient on youtube.
Desert Paul vs Woodland Paul. The difference? The scenery. Interesting video.
Desert Paul doesnt even have his own action figure
And moisture content.
The shotgun birdshot videos dispel many myths of effectiveness. Well done.
I've been pheasant hunting on a farm where the hunt stations were setup 100y apart. The last time I was out I was shot twice. It doesn't feel great, and maybe it could poke your eye out (wear your eyes and ears around guns people). But it definitely isn't going to break skin, and my coat stopped anything that hit it (without damaging the coat). It was #6, so fairly small - but the stations are setup at that distance for this reason.
This was very clear and professional. Simple no bs approach, that's the best! Thank you.
Fun Fact: The original Ninja Gaiden game for the Nintendo was actually based entirely on Paul’s experiences the summer between his senior year of high school and his freshman year at Grizzled Old Man University.
I so enjoyed this full analysis of Shotgun testing. Thank you Paul Harrell.
The dry sense of humor coupled with the dry and arid environment has me dead.
This has a lot of value, honestly. It suggests that for a scenario in which you EXPECT the engagement to be at close range, birdshot, particularly the larger shot sizes, might not be a bad idea at all. Specifically *because* of the lack of effectiveness at longer distances. Any shot that fails to strike your target would be far less likely to cause collateral damage beyond 50 yards than, say, 00 buck. Not for all scenarios, not as universal a shotgun loading as buckshot, but this would definitely seem to have some niche use! Excellent video, and great information, thanks.
"the tackieness of the shirt" Love your wit Paul, very English.
Thank you for this demonstration Paul. I am an advocate for birdshot as a home defense load in situations where there are other people close by as there is much less risk of over penetration, yet at these short ranges the load is very effective as you have shown.
It seems the keyboard warriors all say you MUST use buckshot or you’re doing it wrong, but to me these people have little to no actual experience shooting said loads. Thanks again for your service to this country and your excellent TH-cam content!👍🏻
3:00 The audio is absolute artistry. People that complain about the volume now have been swiftly kicked in the crotch.
Yes
..multiple times, too!
Getting to hear the ricochet of the pellets off of the table was this videos treat! Experiencing sounds like that without being in immediate personal danger are very rare and it is really, really appreciated from someone who never wants to be shot at but wants to know what it sounds like, just in case. Thank you!
It never really occurred to me that Oregon had desert shrublands reminiscent of the southwest.
The Central Oregon High Desert Plateau stretches from about the Nevada Border in the South to the Columbia River at the Northern border.
The eastern half of Oregon is that way.
@@artiefischel2579 I wouldn't put the whole eastern half in that, IMO up near Enterprise it looks very different.
@@artiefischel2579 Eastern Washington is also.
Oregon has a bit of everything really
Paul Harrell: You Sir Are A Class Act. 👏
When someone says birdshot I usually think of #7shot to #9shot. #6shot to #2shot I have always called them field loads or game loads. But turkey and ducks are birds so I guess it's what part of the country you grew up in.
Glad you shot the meat target but Paul is always thorough in his demonstrations, although I haven't shot targets with field or birdshot loads at 50 to 100 yards, I was pretty sure that they would loose most of their energy when they reached the target. Paul proved that, that's why I really like Pauls videos and demonstrations, I don't think there's any other TH-cam gun channel that explains and demonstrates something better than Pauls channel.
I also think of bird shot for Pistol calibers. 22lr, 9mm, 45mm shooting rats at the hog farm when the bar closed. Turn the lights on & commence to firing. The lights can't come on soon enough. Not just for the target practice. If you seen how many rats were there. Gives ya chills the first time. I hate rats. They eat their own. Kind of like Politicians. LOL
My grandfather was a market hunter for years, going after waterfowl and upland game. His preferred shot size was #4, he didn't use anything else in the Model 12, 12 gage. Smaller sizes did not have the penetration out to 50 yards. So that hard core preference was handed down to my dad and myself. Decades of hunting waterfowl and pheasants has proved grampa's experience countless times.
Paul, your methodical approach to shooting and ballistic performance analysis is second to none. I thoroughly enjoy your tutelage.
Anyone who has ever sat in a duck blind across the pond from another hunter can attest to getting peppered.
I just commented about that before scrolling down and seeing your post.
Opening day of pheasant season....Wisconsin....pen raised birds....hordes of “ hunters “ on small parcels of land....Pepper City...you made sure to wear super safety glasses.....ah fond memories
Paul Harrell, you are simply the best! In all honesty, I really do enjoy all your videos. I feel like many other gun channels spend so much time trying to look tacticool that they alienate many viewers.
I swear I saw the meat target tremble when Paul racked the first round.
Love the different location and also really loved the "moving" video for the last demonstration. Great stuff as always!
Ah, the Dick Cheney test.
"Sorry I thought you were a deer"
@@-a-8423 That would require bourbon. And violating the law by not calling the police til Cheney sobered up
Oh, leave the old man alone. We all know his eyesight's never been that good.
HAHAHAHA!! @3:50, new and improved high tech fleece bullet stop. Paul’s dry humor gets me every time!
I think this is the first time I’ve ever heard Paul speak on the dram-equivent charge of shotgun shells. I remember shopping for shells in the late 80’s based on what we could find and what my shoulder could take. I wasn’t aware it was still used.
Hey, Paul, how about a video on Dram-Equivalents and the difference it makes.
Sir I just want to say that I appreciate your videos. I'm relatively new to guns and most of my friends and family are not as interested in firearms. so I rely on the internet for most of my information. A lot of the other gun channels are elitist, condescending, biased, or political.
I appreciate that you are different from the other gun educators on TH-cam.
Again, commenting for the algorithm.
Does commenting for the algorithm help Paul? Just wondering.
@@bertg.6056 Viewer interaction increases the chances of the video being recommended to others.
Me too!
It's offical. Paul's awsome
@@cd0130 You be the judge.
that sky, that view.
Years ago my cousin and I were standing on a roadway/ dam at the end of a marsh, waiting for our Dads and friends to push birds our way. Behind us, on the neighbors property a couple guys were hunting in the distance. I saw a rooster pheasant come up and was flying right at us, I see those guys take aim and see puffs of smoke! I holler to my cousin to DUCK and we turn away just as pellets rain on us, the trees and the road. None hurt but we had time to put our backs to them at least.
To Mr. H. and the crew, Thanks for cranking out the presentations especially this Summer. A suggestion for a future one- With so many new gun owners, some may want to 'tune up' for Autumn hunting season. Already viewed older presentation as to sighting in a hunting gun. Many viewers may still be ignorant as to applying for permits, proper knives to have handy and other details you may consider essential prior to getting out to the field. Keep having fun out there.
"Unless those pellets were repelled by the tackiness of the shirt" - LOL, I'm now watching the channel for the dry humor with the ballistics lessons as an added bonus X-D
Awesome presentation! I expected the results at 100 yd but didn't expect it to be that devastating at close range👍
"Hi... We're up here on the moon today."
As Paul walks across the " Fake " USA moon landing set that is being broadcast on live TV.
You rock Paul! I highly enjoy watching your demonstrations 👍👊🇺🇸
I wish more people participated in Clay Target shooting sports like DTL & Sporting Clays, to have a BASIC UNDERSTANDING of what a shotgun is *capable of* (with regards to distances)!
Exactly! I have been shooting skeet since the early 60s and sporting clays since the 80s. Now everything seems to be about "tactical shotguns" and I have a feeling not many of those people understand the gun at all.
Apparently the stylishness of the shirt repels birdshot? Great line Paul. As usual you make it both informative and entertaining. Thanks.
Last time I was this early, Paul had a mustache!
Ha ha just a little delayed
These tests really are interesting and actually verifies what others have told me. But being told is not the same thing as seeing. Thank you Paul.
Dick Cheney already answered this question a few years ago.
He shot a lawyer.
Highest ever approval rating for a vice president.
Lol
Paul,
I appreciate you and your videos. Thanks for taking the time to make them.
... and don't feel the need to apologize. Your quirks and knowledge are why I'm here!
Love the back drop most people think of Oregon or the Pacific Northwest as one unending green forest but a lot of it is high plains semi Desert
Hope to have the chance to see it one day. The older I get the more I get the itch.
I live in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. I love the High desert.....in the summer.
Steimy Stein yup up there right now it’s hot
M1A1 Abrams get up to the Pacific Northwest. I grew up in Alabama and was in an awesome Boy Scout Troop. We traveled all over backpacking. I then was an outdoor guide for about a decade. I’ve been to almost every state backpacking, mountaineering, and rock climbing. There is nothing like western Washington. It’s the most beautiful part of the US, maybe besides Alaska. Parts of Alaska look very similar. Below 4000’, it’s lush green, super wet, and reminds me of the Smoky Mountains. above 4000’, it has rocky, jagged peaks with huge glaciers (the biggest in the lower 48). I now live up here. I don’t miss the heat of the south
Zogy yea Oregon is pretty much the same way
As usual, thorough and nothing left to chance. Thank you for the informative reminder that a great portion of the shotgun’s effectiveness as a home defense firearm depends on its ability to shoot different projectiles...and on the user’s ability to competently switch to the right projectile for the threat at hand.
Everyone send in Paul your different ammo. I could have watched another 15 minutes of this easily.
I would like to say, I appreciate all your videos. Keep them coming. Thank you.
"The tacky-ness of the shirt."
My favorite line hahahaha
Beautiful landscape. The sense of space, freedom and eternity comes to mind.
Can you test a 22 rifle at 100 and 200 yards?Maybe see the drop of diffrent pistol calibers at 50,75,100 yards?And try out the 22 tcm R.I.A 1911?
Just some ideas,love this channel.
he has videos on the first 2 things you mentioned
@@MikeOxlong1027 can you tell me how to find them ?
Type anything you are looking for in the search box, hit enter.
Iv8888 has a great video about .22 LR at long ranges. It’s called “How far will a .22 kill” i think
Paul has 9mm at 50 & 100 yards: th-cam.com/video/sgmUmbb78l0/w-d-xo.html
.45 ACP at 100 yards: th-cam.com/video/-hXR21Z-QOo/w-d-xo.html
Several .22 videos, and others have done the comparison.
Paul, thank you for sharing your professional knowledge.
I found it interesting that at the longer ranges, the pellets weren't all hitting at the same time. They seemed to be spread out in their direction of travel as well as their regular spread.
Watch slow motion videos of shotgun pellets. They spread out in a long train as they fly. That is why it is better to lead a flying target too much rather than too little. I have had many shot "tails" break the clay bird.
Still my favorite channel on youtube!
I got hit once with birdshot at about 100 yards. I thought a damn wasp stung me .
I shot myself once with 7.5 birdshot, um not on purpose, stupid kid stunt, I was in an old 'dump' just a place local people tossed things since it was way out in the country.
A leftover plastic shower stall was laying in the debris. One of those wrap around ones, thick fiberglass or whatever they made them out of in those days. So being dumb as a post I stood it up, facing me, and walked forty feet back and shot it thinking it would fall down from the impact... Fortunately I was shooting low power reloads, bird shot out of an 18 inch barrel.
The shot went down one side, skidded across and came right back at me. Hit me in the leg, arm and chest, but none of it penetrated my denim jacket or jeans. Did sting like a bee sting or something. Small welts.
The hard part was explaining to my at the time girlfriend how I got those bruises. She still thinks it's funny 48 years later.
Always wear glasses.
@@lucastrask2838 my uncle nearly blinded himself with birdshot doing something similar as a kid. He was shooting cans on an old fence at close range, and one pellet ricocheted just right and hit him in the eyelid just undet his eye. He had to go to the doctor to get it out.
@@Mister_Belvidere He's lucky to still have the eye, ouch. That can happen to anyone, really, ricochets happen, guns are dangerous tools.
In my case it was double plus stupid, after I shot I could see the tracks of the pellets as they went around and came back, like something from a cartoon, it seemed so obvious, afterwards. The stupid hurts.
No, you didn't.
Dick Cheney proved its effectiveness without a meat target (with new and improved high-tech fleece bullet stop).
Thanks for the video, Paul!
Excellent when you live in a neighborhood with half-or-less acre lots. Using bird shot for this purpose was one of the best things I’ve ever pulled from this channel.
EDIT- “This purpose,” being: use as a home defense ammunition.
BB shot in my shot gun, same kind of environment. I want to stop the bad guy, not kill my neighbors. I didn't learn it from Mr. Harrell, but I like that he confirmed it. My favorite channel.
Nothing makes a criminal rethink their life choices like the sound of a pump-action.
@@christophertstone Only if they're of sufficiently sound mind and unsound resolve.
@@Bubben246 Exactly, many don't consider a crazy person/suicidal maniac or someone dopped out of thier mind. If they are on a mission in their heads, racking a shell or even shooting a shell up into the air might not always deter them.
Use #4 buckshot........trust me, you'll sleep better !!
hahaha I got banned from a gun forum and a facebook group for saying in home defense situations in a hallway or across a livingroom bird shot was the best option for a shotgun to limit over penetration of walls but be very effective on a home intruder.
Thats what I hate about the gun "community" so damn many myths that just perpetuate themselves but few people actually test.
Love the video.
Its interesting to hear how spread out over time they are at 100yds. Its a patter of impacts.
Makes sense of course, but something i never really thought about.
As always a big thank you Paul for all your help with Home Defense in this case. Greatly appreciate all you do!!!
Another stellar production.
I guess the outcome (ineffective) was to expected. As always, you must properly match the weapon, ammunition, and target. At 100 yards, either use a proper rifle, a shotgun slug (but are they accurate?), or wait till the target is in the effective range of the weapon and ammunition you have in hand.
All the while hoping the target isn’t more effectively armed than you are.
At 100 yards you'd have to be shooting with your eyes closed to NOT hit a target that size with a slug.
@@gregb6469 It seems to me a 'regular' LBR would provide more consistent trajectory performance over a shotgun slug at those ranges.
But ... "I'm not whatcha call a professional".
@@gregb6469 I know people who miss at 35 yards with both eyes open.
Love the intro. Want more leisure suit Harrell. Thanks for the new video.
So if you live in a huge house and you're facing 50 yard shots in the living room then bird shot is a no-go. Good to know.
Still if someone pointed a 12 gauge at you and you heard a boom, you're not going to think, "It's cool. Totally ineffective." You're going to have a moment.
Ballistic gel test mean jack IMO. The meat target is the standard.
just make sure to have a high tech fleece backstop
Yeah, those guys at places like Federal who spend their lives using ballistic gel to inform how they should construct their ammunition must really know nothing...
Ballistic gel is consistent. It eliminates one variable in the mix.
Also, iirc ballistic gel was formulated after a hell of a long series of live animal tests (Fackler?).
Thank you so much for this. I will forward this video to many people I know that are worried they can only get birdshot right now.
Some dove hunters know what it's like. Stings at most, but it's absolutely terrifying. LOL
Best gun channel ever! Thanks for your teachings and expert advice.