Sarah M. was a married mother at 18 years old.
She and her husband welcomed their first child a few months before he died of cancer.
After the death of her husband, two men broke into her home.
They were reportedly looking for pain medication her husband had been taking during his cancer battle.
Sarah hid from the intruders while she called 911.
She told the dispatcher, “There’s a guy at my door, and I’m here by myself with my infant baby.”
Then Sarah tells the dispatcher, “I’ve got two guns in my hand. Is it OK to shoot him if he comes to my door?”
The dispatcher responded by saying, “I can’t tell you that you can do that, but you do what you have to do to protect your baby.”
As the intruders forced their way into the home, Sarah shot and killed one of the men with a shotgun.
“I was standing in the bedroom doorway with a shotgun in my hand … when he did come in the door. … I told 911 I was going to shoot, and I did. And he kind of fell over the couch.” She said.
She said she feels bad, but doesn’t regret her actions. “I felt like what I did was the best decision for my son and me.”
“When someone breaks into your house with a deadly weapon, they’re not here for anything good. But I am very sorry, and it’s not something I ever wanted to do.” She said.
The other man fled the scene but was later charged with first-degree murder.
That’s because Oklahoma law permits prosecutors to seek a murder conviction if an accomplice dies during the commission of a felony.
Sarah did not face charges, as it was clear that she acted in self-defense.
The surviving intruder admitted to police that the two men went to the home to steal medication.
The prosecutor stated, “Our initial review of the case doesn’t indicate she violated the law in any way.”
And Assistant District Attorney James Walters said, “He should have thought about it before he went into someone’s home.”
When it comes to home defense the shotgun is one of the most popular weapons.
Many shooters love the reliability and power that a shogun provides.
But due to recoil kick, shotguns can be tough to shoot for some shooters.
Especially, for an 18-year old woman who had recently given birth.
However, there is a simple way to reduce the recoil of a shotgun:
Shoot mini shells.
Mini shotgun shells, also called short shells, are just what they sound like – a small shotgun shell.
There are various short shell lengths from 1.75” to 2.5”.
But the most common mini shotgun shell is the 1.75” shell.
Companies including Aguila, Federal, and Challenger produce these shells.
The advantages of mini shells are reduced recoil and a much higher capacity.
For instance, if a shotgun holds 5 normal shells in the magazine tube, it may be able to hold 8 mini-shells.
Or if your magazine tube holds 8 rounds, it should be able to fit about 12 mini shells.
The biggest drawback to mini shells is that they can be difficult for your shotgun to cycle.
Sometimes they can flip around in your gun and even fall.
That said, if this is something you want to consider, here is a breakdown of some different types of mini shells:
Mini shell birdshot:
The mini shell birdshot is similar to regular birdshot.
It spreads quickly and has very little recoil.
These shells are ideal for hunting small game and pests.
You should get the same results from the mini shell as you would expect from the standard size shell.
If you are considering mini shells in birdshot, check out the Federal Shorty Shotshells.
I would not use this birdshot shell for home defense.
Mini shell buckshot:
Shotguns are best for close ranges.
Most mini buckshot rounds tend to spread at distances of only ten yards.
At 15 yards, the mini buckshot rounds seem to be all over the place.
Some mini shells in buckshot can cause friction, which can affect the reliability of the round.
If I were going to buy a mini shell in buckshot, I would try the Aguila Mini shell #4 buckshot.
Mini shell slugs:
When it comes to mini shells, the slugs make the most sense to me.
They tend to be more accurate than the other mini shells.
Of course, there is a little more recoil, but it is still noticeably less than the standard size round.
The mini slugs provide the desired power with reduced recoil. If I were going to buy mini slugs, I would try the ones from Federal.
They are known for being the most accurate.
And they are best used for home defense or for hunting larger game.
I wouldn’t make mini shells my primary home defense round unless I was confident they cycle through my shotgun, so make sure you test them out at the range.
But, if you need them to handle the shotgun kick, or for plinking, and teaching new shooters – mini rounds can be a great option.
