For home defense it's important to think about collateral damage. 00 buck will go straight through a bad guy, then through a wall into your child's room. You don't want to have to hesitate to fire because of who is on the other side of an armed home invader. I use #6 low brass birdshot. It has enough stopping power at close range to get the job done without putting those you are defending at risk.

2 3/4 1400fps BB shot. Lower recoil than 00. Devastating at close range. Won't blow holes in walls and gives you more "hits" out to 40 yards. Try some on the pattern board at your gun club.

2 3/4inch number 4 to number 7 shot. This will throw a massive amount of shot all over the place. Now it may no be as lethal as a slug to the chest, but its much hard to miss with 4-7shot, and it will create an extremely nasty wound. If you have effect aim and don't ever miss, then a slug of course.

I like Winchester #4 buckshot for home defense. It will penetrate enough to stop a threat but not over penetrate. Birdshot tends to produce crater wounds that don't go deep enough to decisively stop a fight. Remember that at home defense range (10 to 30 feet) that the shot pattern will probably be a 3 to 4 inch spot, so aiming is important.

I use Federal premium home defense 2 3/4 00 buck in my Winchster 1300. It has low recoil allowing for better follow up shots.

I would say it depends on what you want to happen buck shot is a good choice if you want them dead there are a lot of loads you can get lethal and non they have rubber buck shot salt loads and many more I myself have no children in my home and I keep my everyday carry m&p full size 9mm in my night stand and a ruger ar556 ready to go obviously my go to is the 9mm but it shtf I have the ar but remember no matter what you are responsible for every round that you fire

Most people think #00 Buckshot for home defense is the best. Most home defense 12 gauge rounds will be this. Just consider whats behind you on the other side of the wall when shooting inside a home or outside towards a neighbor. I patterned my 12 gauge #5 turykey loads and destroyed a 1/2" sheet of plywood at 15 yards. So just take into consideration other people that live with you and location of neighbors houses next to you. If you have no other people in serperate bedrooms and no close neighbors then load up with #00. I have kids across the house, so I load #7.5 3dram target loads. 7.5's at close range can do a lot of damage.

For home defense 12 ga rounds. I use # 5 shot low brass. The reason why is home defense is almost point blank shots. So I want as much shot coming out as I can. If it will kill wild game out to 40 yards imagine what it will do at 3 feet.

For home defense I would definitely recommend a light load buckshot. Buckshot to alleviate the need for pin point accuracy and a lighter load to try and compensate for the recoil of a 12 gauge. And with the Maverick 88 being pump action the light load should not cause a feed issue as it may with a Semi auto. Consider Federal Power-Shok 12 Ga 2.75" 00 Buck Low Recoil which is 9 pellets which may be a good choice for night time intruders. Hope this helps, good luck!