[bigtiller]

I found when using bird-shot that 9 works the best. It holds a tighter pattern and is effective to about 20 feet with a tight pattern about the size of a basketball. Larger size shot spreads out to about 3 feet at that distance. I don't think it could drop a rabbit at 25 feet with size 6 shot without a lot of luck. 000 buck is tennis ball size at 10 feet and basketball size at 20. So it isn't the best choice for home defence but it is about the best "belly" or close-up gun their is.