What's your opinion on a shotgun for home defense

[nimrodder]

A shotgun will work fine with the correct ammunition. However I think a carbine (.223/5.56mm) is better. Less recoil, faster follow up shots, bigger magazine capacity and less reloading. Carbine/shotgun/pistol in that order.

 

[gunman41mag]

A shotgun will work fine with the correct ammunition. However I think a carbine (.223/5.56mm) is better. Less recoil, faster follow up shots, bigger magazine capacity and less reloading. Carbine/shotgun/pistol in that order.

You're just saying that to make jeremy happy

 

[bigcraig]

nay

Suppressed SBR in 5.56 is my chosen HD gun.

 

[mcolford]

Ive got the Mossberg 500 loaded with 00 Buck.. Then the AR, and the Glock 23, all reachable within a second of my bed.

My first notification that someone has "come to visit" is two dogs that love barking at new faces. Dont invite yourself into my home at night.......

 

[Streck-Fu]

A shotgun will work fine with the correct ammunition. However I think a carbine (.223/5.56mm) is better. Less recoil, faster follow up shots, bigger magazine capacity and less reloading. Carbine/shotgun/pistol in that order.

The M4-like carbine has 30 .223 rounds of ammo ....

Using the 2 3/4" shell, the 00B delivers 9 .36 caliber projectiles with one pull of the trigger.

It has been demonstrated many times that the .223/5.56 is bbasically a 22LR and that shot placement is absolutely critical. You better plan to shoot several times.

You need a 30 round magazine to equate 4 shotgun shells.

And I shoot both the shotgun and AR regularly. While you can state that you prefer the M4, you cannot state that it is 'better' at HD ranges.
With regards to over penetration, you better be shooting frangible because any FMJ will not break up in drywall or plywood.

 

[Streck-Fu]

M4 shooters should review this: LINK

 

[rw496]

What is the deal with SBS now. Are they completely gone, unregisterable? That would be my preference for home defense.

 

[jeremy]

The M4-like carbine has 30 .223 rounds of ammo ....

Using the 2 3/4" shell, the 00B delivers 9 .36 caliber projectiles with one pull of the trigger.

It has been demonstrated many times that the .223/5.56 is bbasically a 22LR and that shot placement is absolutely critical. You better plan to shoot several times.

You need a 30 round magazine to equate 4 shotgun shells.

And I shoot both the shotgun and AR regularly. While you can state that you prefer the M4, you cannot state that it is 'better' at HD ranges.
With regards to over penetration, you better be shooting frangible because any FMJ will not break up in drywall or plywood.

You are looking at this from the wrong perspective. A Shotgun for the most part has 8 or 9 shots then one must reload, a Shooter with a Carbine has 30 shots before he reloads.
Which reloads faster, a carbine or a shotgun?!

I can tell you from experience, the only things shotguns and pistols are good for is to fight your way to the Rifle/Carbine you should have had to start with.

By the way, I can state for a fact that the M-4 is better for HD Ranges than a Shotgun. I have had to clear buildings out with both systems, not just screwing around at the ranges. You might also be surprised how far a Shotgun pushing 00 or 000 will penetrate as well...

 

[nimrodder]

Streck-Fu, 000 Buck is .36 cal and 00 Buck is .33 cal. I have no problem with shotguns for HD. In fact I have one right here beside me loaded with 2 3/4" 00 buck. Here in Brown county most home invasions involve more than one person. In that case I would state a carbine is better (for me). As far as over penetration is concerned I'm not concerned about it at all. I live out in the country without any neighbors. I'm not saying a 5.56mm is a better man stopper than 00 buck nor did I say that I preferred a M-4. At any rate I'm open minded enough to look at the ballistics of of the two rounds.

 

[gunman41mag]

I always say, "The right TOOL, for the right JOB"

 

[Streck-Fu]

You are looking at this from the wrong perspective. A Shotgun for the most part has 8 or 9 shots then one must reload,

They don't make autoloading shotguns?

My initial reply stated that competence is required regardless of the platform chosen.

nimrodder,
Most people need to be concerned with the reality of overpenetration.

 

[dross]

The M4-like carbine has 30 .223 rounds of ammo ....

Using the 2 3/4" shell, the 00B delivers 9 .36 caliber projectiles with one pull of the trigger.

It has been demonstrated many times that the .223/5.56 is bbasically a 22LR and that shot placement is absolutely critical. You better plan to shoot several times.

You need a 30 round magazine to equate 4 shotgun shells.

And I shoot both the shotgun and AR regularly. While you can state that you prefer the M4, you cannot state that it is 'better' at HD ranges.
With regards to over penetration, you better be shooting frangible because any FMJ will not break up in drywall or plywood.

The tests I've read don't agree with you about much of what your're saying. Shotguns and even 9mm ammo tend to penetrate farther after going through drywall and plywood. Also, I keep FMJ in my AR now, after reading about FMJ rounds used at close range. At those velocities, they fragment and make massive wounds and are pretty good stoppers. I don't know how the TAP ammo reacts in the human body, but if it doesn't fragment it might not be as effective as plain old 55 grain ball.

I had all the assumptions everyone else seems to have, but when it's actually been tested, it appears that things come out differently than "common sense" would indicate.

 

[IndyDave1776]

The tests I've read don't agree with you about much of what your're saying. Shotguns and even 9mm ammo tend to penetrate farther after going through drywall and plywood. Also, I keep FMJ in my AR now, after reading about FMJ rounds used at close range. At those velocities, they fragment and make massive wounds and are pretty good stoppers. I don't know how the TAP ammo reacts in the human body, but if it doesn't fragment it might not be as effective as plain old 55 grain ball.

I had all the assumptions everyone else seems to have, but when it's actually been tested, it appears that things come out differently than "common sense" would indicate.

While I have my own thoughts on home defense, I really like this way of thinking. As far as I am concerned, the primary thing that separates us from our political adversaries is that we use reason rather than emotion and assumption. When the theory and results disagree, we keep the results (provided that there is not some fluke element involved) and discard the theory. Others (including and especially gun grabbers) will keep the theory and discard the results every time. I really do not want to emulate their failed ways of thinking (or not thinking as the case may be).

 

[Streck-Fu]

I don't know how the TAP ammo reacts in the human body,

Refer to the link I posted previously for this information.

All, I'm saying is that inside 15 yards, AR-15s nor any handgun can match the the ballistic delivery of a shotgun loaded with #1 or larger buckshot for each pull of the trigger. Period.

And, please revisit my itnitial comment that you must know your weapons system before you employ it...If that is pistol or carbine, so be it.

 

[rgrimm01]

Have I not read .223 travels at such a speed, that due to size and speed, if the bullet is not tumbling, it is not uncommon for a combatant to not know that they have taken a hit?

 

[bigmich]

It what I use very effective

 

[dross]

Have I not read .223 travels at such a speed, that due to size and speed, if the bullet is not tumbling, it is not uncommon for a combatant to not know that they have taken a hit?

My understanding is that the idea of "tumbling" is misunderstood. If the bullet is traveling at above 2700 fps, when it enters the human body it will try to flip over to heave end first. When it begins to turn over, the stresses on the jacked are too much, and it breaks apart inside the body.

Ironically, it's at longer ranges when the velocity is less, that the bullet tends to punch neat holes.

 

[rgrimm01]

My understanding is that the idea of "tumbling" is misunderstood. If the bullet is traveling at above 2700 fps, when it enters the human body it will try to flip over to heave end first. When it begins to turn over, the stresses on the jacked are too much, and it breaks apart inside the body.

Ironically, it's at longer ranges when the velocity is less, that the bullet tends to punch neat holes.

After a quick search, I found that you are spot on... It is quite remarkable to fathom that this tumble would take 0.0003703 seconds (1'/2700fps). While I did not account for deceleration of the bullet (holding velocity constant), it is still occuring very quickly in a relatively short distance.

 

[croy]

I highly recommend a shotgun for self defense the sound alone will scare someone off. The reasons why I dont use a shotgun for home defense is the misses cant handle a shotgun and they're not as easy to hide

 

[Bapak2ja]

No, thanks. Shotgun, unless is it illegally short or a dogleg, is just too long to maneuver in a narrow hallway and the spread really is not great enough to significantly affect accuracy at close quarters. I prefer a handgun, or three.