I just bought several boxes of #4 20ga buckshot.

[pastorp]

Anyone ever use this for home defense and for my use, varmint control?

It sure patterns good with my Benelli 20 ga. 27 pellets in a 2&3/4” shell. Low recoil compared to most 12 ga buckshot.

[Dee]

I have an 870 youth model Remington in 20 guage by the bedroom door. Its loaded with #4 Express.
At room range distances, its pretty nasty.

[oldandslow]

My wife chose a Remington 11-87 20 guage for her house self defense gun. It contains buckshot loads.

[Ranger99]

Don't have but a couple of dozen
# 4 buck shells.
One of my relatives received a new
shotgun for SD for her and her son,
and I gave her a few boxes of
different shells, but I didn't have as
much stashed as I thought I did.
I still have enough to make things
noisy if necessary

[Lloyd Smale]

i make my own with duplex 00/#4 buck that i cast. I also make  #6/4 buck duplex. but the home defense gun i loaded with the duples 4buck/00. I have an anvantage in that over penetration isnt a consern. Only the wife and I and have the  disadvantage up here in that half the year people wear jackets and in the winter that means heavy jackets and i would want to rely on fine shot to put someone down after i went through a heavy jacket. Maybe if i was conserned about over penetration and lived where a long sleave shirt is considered winter wear id adjust my thinking.

[ulav8r]

At about 5-6 feet from the muzzle, #8 shot from a 20 gauge Browning A-5  penetrated 3/4 inches of pine lumber and a full layer of asphalt shingles leaving a very clean 20 gauge diameter hole.  (My uncle's grandkids, not me.)

[Dee]

At about 5-6 feet from the muzzle, #8 shot from a 20 gauge Browning A-5  penetrated 3/4 inches of pine lumber and a full layer of asphalt shingles leaving a very clean 20 gauge diameter hole.  (My uncle's grandkids, not me.)

Good point.
I've seen LOTS of shotgun wounds. Mostly fatal, because it was my job as a criminal investigator.
A 20 or 12 gauge at room size distances is indescribable regardless of shot size, or clothing worn by the recipient.
Those inexperienced in such scenarios imagine "pattern spread".
 
That however is not what you see at those kinds of distances. What you get is "shot stringing".
When that first pellet hits, whether birdshot, or buckshot, the rest are close behind.

The damage at those room distances is dramatic, and devastating, REGARDLESS of body parts contacted.

My reasoning on the Remington 870 youth model in 20 guage as an inside defense gun is: its overall length isn't much over 36", its light and maneuverable, recoil is very manageable, and the high brass 20 guage Express loads are way past being enough of a booger stopper.

If I "NEED" to take the fight to my high fenced backyard, I've got a gas operated 12 guage loaded with nuthin but magnum #4 buck that I built specifically for that.

My personal "Plan A" however, is to let the trouble come to me, and has been since retiring to civilian status.