AR or Judge

[IndianaDave]

If you shoot the FNS, you should use that one. I'm assuming it's 9mm ? Load it with some Speer Gold Dots and you will be a very formidable "not so old" woman. Unless you just want to buy a new gun and need an excuse ! I can certainly understand that.

The "spray pattern" from a 410 is indeed a myth, it'd be dangerous to put much faith in that.

 

[jaybird_123]

Most home defense situations I have heard of, if you are going to have to shoot someone, the distance is usually 7-12 or 15 feet. 45LC is going to tear them up, and 410 is going to hurt them good as well. I don't know any bad guy that would want to be shot with either round. Point a judge at them, and I do believe they gonna be peeing in the pants.

 

[WawaseeHoosier]

I'd go for the Judge myself. Definitely gonna hurt the intruder quite a deal from most ranges that you'd encounter but less likely to be fatal (which is better if you worry about the neighbor's kid or a drunk neighbor stumbling in). I couldn't live w/ myself if I fatally shot an accidental intruder.

 

[chezuki]

I'd go for the Judge myself. Definitely gonna hurt the intruder quite a deal from most ranges that you'd encounter but less likely to be fatal (which is better if you worry about the neighbor's kid or a drunk neighbor stumbling in). I couldn't live w/ myself if I fatally shot an accidental intruder.

Ugh... More judge drivel.

Just so we're clear, your rationale for using the judge is:

1. That it will hurt...
2. Because it is potentially less lethal than other more adequate HD weapons should you proceed to carelessly blast away without identifying your target...

Correct?

 

[gels]

I am thrilled with the generous number of responses! I will use my handgun for HD until I can get to a store in the next couple of weeks to look at the youth model shotgun. We already have an emergency plan in place; who does what and goes where etc., as someone suggested. I was at the range today and I don't hit the bulls eye often so I will just practice, practice, practice, which is the general theme of the responses. And after I get a shotgun, I'll practice with that. Good plan, thanks everyone!

 

[chezuki]

I would reccomend getting some training. Practice is great, but you need to know what and how to practice if you want to improve.

 

[LarryC]

I am thrilled with the generous number of responses! I will use my handgun for HD until I can get to a store in the next couple of weeks to look at the youth model shotgun. We already have an emergency plan in place; who does what and goes where etc., as someone suggested. I was at the range today and I don't hit the bulls eye often so I will just practice, practice, practice, which is the general theme of the responses. And after I get a shotgun, I'll practice with that. Good plan, thanks everyone!

Young Lady, (you really are - I'm 72), I have a couple of things you may want to think about. First, don't know what range or what "bullseye" size you are shooting at, but you may want to "pace off" the longest length in your home you may want / need to shoot to stop a bad guy. Then if you can, find an area or range when you can set up a "man sized" target at the same distance.

Then, using your existing handgun, fire a few rounds at the target. You may be amazed at how accurate you really are. The outdoor ranges are usually set up at 25 yards - and really looks like they are fairly short distance due to being outdoors! When shooting at a small target at 75 foot instead of the normal inside distance (I have a large house and I could not shoot much farther than 25 foot - most homes are even less).

At 25 foot I could hit a man in the chest without taking time to aim with my 45. While I do and have practiced a lot with rifles, shotguns and handguns in my life, I do not consider extreme accuracy to be a criteria in home defense. In reality if you can hit a basketball sized target at 20', you will not suffer from a BG attacking you.

I believe it is far more important to have a "plan", experience in taking off the safety, quickly firing the gun and handling the firearm. I do have some experience with various firearms - my son and I share a collection of firearms (somewhere near 100) and shoot and reload many calibers and types of ammo. My personal EDC carry and home protection gun is a 45 ACP Colt Double Eagle.

I would recommend you use good Hollow point home defense ammunition. It not only has a little better stopping power (for drug souped up BG's), but also penetrates walls less - may make your neighbors happier if they don't have some bullet holes in their walls!

 

[Mgderf]

Young Lady, (you really are - I'm 72), I have a couple of things you may want to think about. First, don't know what range or what "bullseye" size you are shooting at, but you may want to "pace off" the longest length in your home you may want / need to shoot to stop a bad guy. Then if you can, find an area or range when you can set up a "man sized" target at the same distance.

Then, using your existing handgun, fire a few rounds at the target. You may be amazed at how accurate you really are. The outdoor ranges are usually set up at 25 yards - and really looks like they are fairly short distance due to being outdoors! When shooting at a small target at 75 foot instead of the normal inside distance (I have a large house and I could not shoot much farther than 25 foot - most homes are even less).

At 25 foot I could hit a man in the chest without taking time to aim with my 45. While I do and have practiced a lot with rifles, shotguns and handguns in my life, I do not consider extreme accuracy to be a criteria in home defense. In reality if you can hit a basketball sized target at 20', you will not suffer from a BG attacking you.

I believe it is far more important to have a "plan", experience in taking off the safety, quickly firing the gun and handling the firearm. I do have some experience with various firearms - my son and I share a collection of firearms (somewhere near 100) and shoot and reload many calibers and types of ammo. My personal EDC carry and home protection gun is a 45 ACP Colt Double Eagle.

I would recommend you use good Hollow point home defense ammunition. It not only has a little better stopping power (for drug souped up BG's), but also penetrates walls less - may make your neighbors happier if they don't have some bullet holes in their walls!

Succinct and to the point.
I like the cut of your jib sir.

 

[Burnsy]

I'd go for the Judge myself. Definitely gonna hurt the intruder quite a deal from most ranges that you'd encounter but less likely to be fatal (which is better if you worry about the neighbor's kid or a drunk neighbor stumbling in). I couldn't live w/ myself if I fatally shot an accidental intruder.

Really? Really???????? (tries to calm down)....

The use of deadly force is to stop an attack. Whether they live, die or become a bunny rabbit is not your concern. If you are in fear of your life or great bodily harm, your job is to STOP the attack, what happens after that is of no concern.

But, lets play ball for the hell of it. Would you be ok with shooting an accidental intruder and turning them into a paraplegic? How about a Quadriplegic? What if you just put them in the hospital for a few weeks but they had to carry around a colostomy bag for life?

Where is your line? The answer is you have no control over any of it, you don't get to decide it. You either use deadly force because you need to or you do no because you do not. The only outcome that concerns you is that you remain alive and the attack/intrusion has ceased.

 

[Robjps]

I really don't understand half the responses in this thread, waiting for the bird shot/Joe Biden guys to roll in and make it worse.

The lady already has a FNS so a Judge doesn't really offer anything and would be a downgrade by most peoples standards. AR15 offers lots of advantages with a couple disadvantages but i somehow doubt house clearing and needing to carry children would matter.

 

[Brown86]

I had the same question when i first started having a home defense plan. I got a Judge and had that for a while but after seeing how long it took to reload and thinking about trying to do that in the dark with someone after me seemed like a nightmare! I had a AR-15 with a light and a laser...So why not use that..holds 30 rds, quick reloads and i was pretty handy with it. Even had a folding stock that i didn't have to open to use making it even shorter. I know a lot of ppl are concerned about over penetration. I live in the country with only my wife, if a round will get through a wall to hit someone behind it well that's great, bc i will be trying to hit them through the wall! Two things i didn't like about this.
1. I couldn't hide it very well if i needed to answer the door in the middle of the night, and i didn't want to freak ppl out if it turned out i didn't need to.
2. I couldn't stand the thought of not having it locked up all the time and having it stolen as i have quite a bit of $ wrapped up in it.
So i have landed on a Beretta M9 with a light on it. holds a good amount of ammo and i keep a second mag with it. the light i have is super bright and has a strobe setting and all you really need to do is point with flashlight right at what your wanting to hit and you'll be close enough. I'm not saying get a Beretta I just liked the weight and feel but a pistol with a light and a larger number of rounds is what i went with...After you pick practice, practice, practice and have a plan! be able to work whatever you pick in the dark without having to ever think about it.

 

[Doug]

I had the same question when i first started having a home defense plan. I got a Judge and had that for a while but after seeing how long it took to reload and thinking about trying to do that in the dark with someone after me seemed like a nightmare! I had a AR-15 with a light and a laser...So why not use that..holds 30 rds, quick reloads and i was pretty handy with it. Even had a folding stock that i didn't have to open to use making it even shorter. I know a lot of ppl are concerned about over penetration. I live in the country with only my wife, if a round will get through a wall to hit someone behind it well that's great, bc i will be trying to hit them through the wall! Two things i didn't like about this.
1. I couldn't hide it very well if i needed to answer the door in the middle of the night, and i didn't want to freak ppl out if it turned out i didn't need to.
2. I couldn't stand the thought of not having it locked up all the time and having it stolen as i have quite a bit of $ wrapped up in it.
So i have landed on a Beretta M9 with a light on it. holds a good amount of ammo and i keep a second mag with it. the light i have is super bright and has a strobe setting and all you really need to do is point with flashlight right at what your wanting to hit and you'll be close enough. I'm not saying get a Beretta I just liked the weight and feel but a pistol with a light and a larger number of rounds is what i went with...After you pick practice, practice, practice and have a plan! be able to work whatever you pick in the dark without having to ever think about it.

Sounds good.
Now add a set of Laser grips so you can hit while shooting from the hip with your eyes focused on the threat and you'll be close to my set-up.

 

[Big Ram]

20 gauge shotgun all the way with some slugs not as much kick as a 12 gauge but more damage than a .410. If that wont be considered an option than go with the AR with a 10.5 or 14.5 inch barrel with hollow point rounds

 

[Beemer]

Some very good advice.

 

[LANShark42]

Opinions are like......you know...


Personally, I look upon the Judge as an interesting novelty.

When I take my "interesting novelty" (i.e. Judge PD) to the range, I blow fist size holes in my targets at 7 yards, using Winchester PDX1 rounds. I alternate those in the chamber with 45lc. Either way, an intruder in my house is going to be a DEAD intruder. Not bad for an "interesting novelty".

 

[HoughMade]

It's a compromise weapon. I'm glad you like yours, but any .45 Colt would be as good a revolver, probably better, and any .410 shotgun.....still isn't a 12 or 20 ga.

 

[TiminMishawaka]

Gels,
My mom is near 60 and shoots and AR-15 just fine, when someone else loads it for her and racks the charging bolt for her.

I just met a little whisp of a woman who loves shooting the Taurus Judge. She claims the recoil feels like a .38.

What you need to do is load and unload both and get a feel for what gun you prefer the whole procedure of loading, unloading, misfire drills, cleaning, etc....rather than just the shooting.

For me I love the AR but I have to admit I'd get the Taurus judge for a home defense gun. I'd load it with a good defensive round and put laser grips on it and keep it next to a top of the line flashlight. For the Judge, ammo, laser grips and a top of the line light you would still be under the price of most ARs.

Hope this helps.

Tim

 

[Robjps]

When I take my "interesting novelty" (i.e. Judge PD) to the range, I blow fist size holes in my targets at 7 yards, using Winchester PDX1 rounds. I alternate those in the chamber with 45lc. Either way, an intruder in my house is going to be a DEAD intruder. Not bad for an "interesting novelty".

Why would you alternate types of rounds ? What does the size of holes in paper mean ? Ive made Basketball size holes out of birdshot before.

 

[m4lover]

SBR

 

[B-lou]

Judge

Judge is at my bedside with pdx rounds loaded in a biometric safe that has the key to the gunsafe in my closet that holds my ar (we have grandkids).....we will have plenty of warning of an intruded with 2 rotts that make a lot of noise....Bob