Remington new HD Ultimate Home Defense loads come in two versions - heavy-density BBs or a Duplex load of No. 2 and No. 4 shot. (Photo: Remington)

The Remington HD Ultimate Home Defense loads are 12-gauge, 2 3/4-inch shells with 1 1/2 ounces of shot loaded at 1,250 fps. They come in two loadings - heavy-density BBs or a Duplex load of No. 2 and No. 4 shot.

These new offerings fly in the face of conventional wisdom that says anything less than buckshot in a scattergun has insufficient knockdown power, even in home-defense circumstances.

TacticalGunFan recently spoke with Remington representatives, who agreed that to successfully market this new product, the company would have to overcome the misconception that birdshot loadings are somehow not suitable for self defense in close-quarter situations.

That same day, TacticalGunFan performed some penetration tests on 20% ballistic gelatin with the Taurus Judge .45 Colt/.410 shotshell revolver (20% gelatin is used to simulate the tougher muscle of game animals).

No. 4, NO. 2 or BB-size heavy-density shot would most likely penetrate close to 10 inches at household distances out of a longer shotgun barrel.

The Remington rep joked "Hit 'Em With a 2X4" could be the advertising slogan.

At extreme distances, no shotgun load (short of a slug) is suitable for defense, due to the spreading pattern, but at the ranges most likely encountered during home defense, an ounce and a quarter of heavy-density shot traveling at 1,250 fps isn't something to sneeze at, no matter the size of the pellets.