Home defense: what *kind* of gun?

[Effingham]

Someone was asking a question about which shottie to get for home protection, and that got me to thinking.

I thought I should throw this question out to the great pool of wisdom that is INGO.

What, in general terms, is the best thing to have for home protection? If you hear a bump in the night, or breaking glass, or whatever...

Would you grab a handgun, or a shotgun? Which would be better for general home defense, and why would you prefer it? (And do you think, even, revolver v. semi-auto makes a diff?)


Tony

 

[RichardR]

00 buck makes me feel all warm & fuzzy inside.

But seriously my "bump in the night" gun is a Mossberg 590A1, why do I prefer it? because it is a simply devastatingly fearsome CQB weapon, only thing worse than being shot with 00 buck IMHO would be to be drenched in flaming napalm by a flame thrower.

 

[NIFT]

Remington 870, 18" barrel and extended magazine (or similar in Mossberg) loaded with Buck, either 00 or #1, but #1 Buck is hard to find. #4 Buck comes up a bit short on penetration.

Some folks recommend reduced recoil loads, but as Lt. General Thomas Kelly said, regarding using B-52s against SCUD missle sites, "A sledgehammer is a delightful way to kill a fly."

Consequently, our HD shotguns (wife has one, too) are loaded with 3" #1 Buck--24 .30 cal. projectiles with each shot.

No handgun even come close to the devastation of the shotgun with buckshot.

 

[mwg]

i would use an 870 if i had one but i don't so i would use my glock 17

 

[rhino]

Handgun is always on my person. If I have time to grab something at home, it's an AR.

 

[iChokePeople]

Handgun is always on my person. If I have time to grab something at home, it's an AR.

By the way -- are you available to shoot a full-size pistol in a little scenario esrice is putting together? Rhino and Aron are on the "full-size" team.

 

[IndianaSigma]

Racking a shotgun is the universal sound for "get out". This is usually enough to make someone run away fearing for their life. They may never be caught, but could learn a lesson (or just move to another house).

If I were to go searching my house looking for the person, I would definitely use my handgun as it is much harder for a criminal to grab it while I'm going around a corner.

Personally, I would grab my handgun as it is always close to me.

As far as revolver vs. semi-auto.....there are positives to both. I keep my semi-auto handy at all times. I just think it is safer to have with kids around. I tend to leave a loaded mag in it, but nothing in the chamber. Even if my 2 year old son got a hold of it and pulled the trigger, nothing would happen. He doesn't have enough strength to work the slide, but I can chamber one in an instant. (He wouldn't ever get access to it anyway as I keep it on my person at all times or locked in a safe.)

 

[goinggreyfast]

Racking a shotgun is the universal sound for "get out". This is usually enough to make someone run away fearing for their life.

I used to feel that way, but have been told and tend to agree that giving up your location/tactical advantage by the sound of racking a shotgun is not always a plus. I keep one in the chamber and a full tube with the safety on--of course.

My wife and I both have shotguns reasonably within reach of our bed or just inside the bedroom door. (Both Mossy's, her's a 410 with Winchester Elites and mine a 20 Ga with some #6 buck and a couple rounds in I go with #3's)

We have various sidearm's hidden about the house as well. We do not have children, so a child getting their hands on one is not really an issue.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Racking a shotgun is the universal sound for "get out". This is usually enough to make someone run away fearing for their life. They may never be caught, but could learn a lesson (or just move to another house).

Personally, I feel like this is soundly bad advice.

This also presumes that you carry a pistol without a cartridge in the chamber...

While I whole-heartedly believe that carrying without a round chambered is dangerous due to the prime actions that must be taken / time involved... I also think that keeping your HD shotgun without a round in the chamber requires too many prime actions / time.

You might not have the time... You might not be physically able.

Just like a handgun - snick the safety off and you're ready to rock (if your handgun has a manual safety...)

if/when I press my shotgun into HD duty, it'll be loaded full up, -1, 1 in the chamber, safety on.

And since my daughter's room is directly across from our master bedroom door, I'll probably not have #00 buck, either, so's I don't pepper her.

The layout of our home makes ANY HD shots from our bed towards the door risky business due to the kid across the hall...

-J-

 

[snowman46919]

Up until recently I would have said shotgun, but it was brought to my attention how useful a suppressed weapon would be in a lowlight self defense situation. No flash bang like effect from firing your weapon in confined spaces, and before I am attacked no legal repercussions as long as you were in the clear to shoot in the first place.

 

[WhitleyStu]

Racking a shotgun is the universal sound for "get out". This is usually enough to make someone run away fearing for their life.

Only in the movies...

 

[Hayseed_40]

AR (SBR) and a pistol on my side

 

[T.Lex]

My first line of defense is a Surefire flashlight... with a Glock 23 attached. (Apologies to the original poster of that line, it is a classic.)

I opted for that because my house has an open layout and 2 of the kids rooms are on the other end of an exposed walkway, so mobility is going to be important to get everybody together in our master bedroom.

Once there, though, I'd probably get out both the 12 gauge and .308 CETME. I know, I know, the CETME is of limited use, but it is loud enough to almost constitute a stun weapon itself!

 

[canav844]

I just think it is safer to have with kids around. I tend to leave a loaded mag in it, but nothing in the chamber. Even if my 2 year old son got a hold of it and pulled the trigger, nothing would happen. He doesn't have enough strength to work the slide, but I can chamber one in an instant. (He wouldn't ever get access to it anyway as I keep it on my person at all times or locked in a safe.)

Don't count on the lack of strength, he will at some point, and finding that out the hard way is never a good thing.

I do agree that a handgun is safest on my person, and the next best is under lock and key.

I keep a round chamber at all times, if I need the gun I need it NOW not a second from now, and if that second gets me shot then that's no good. I also want to make sure that under stress I'm not doing anything to induce a malfunction, someone with a shotgun breaks into my front door (or any weapon for that matter handgun knife rifle is going to be at the ready so they're already one step ahead of me), it's not the time to start troubleshooting a double feed or a slide not going all the way into battery, extremely rare but these are man made machines. Every gun is always loaded, it's rule number one and it works both ways in my book. If you're new to it, can't handle it or would be causing more risk to yourself on a day to day basis by cambering a round, then yes one at hand that's slow to put into action is better than none at all or one locked in the safe, but it is by no means ideal in my book.

When it's home defense I go for the G17 with the TLR and two spare mags, eventually I'll put a long gun or two into the mix for HD, but going to investigate a bump in the night with a shouldered AR only to scare someone driving down the street is more likely to get me shot (we have an overzealous PD when it comes to gun calls due to proximity to the IL curtain) than the raccoon that just broke into the trash can; and having the ability to put many round of 9mm down range in short order and accurately, leaves me confident that anyone not wearing a vest will be discouraged in a big hurry.

I'd say full size handgun, of defensive quality caliber, that has barrel length sufficient to cover about 50 yards, enough ammo to handle multple home invaders/robbers/rapists/sociopaths/serial killers/escaping convicts/high meth heads, ability for a weapon light, should my primary search flashlight fail, I be restricted to the use of only one hand or need to manipulate a door and face a threat before the primary light is ready to go again, and night sights; those are my criteria, I've found the G17 to fit that bill nicely

It doesn't leave me prepared for all possibilities, but it covers most reasonable threats for the area I'm in. If I lived near the US/Mexico boarder, multi person coordinated armed home invasions aren't unusual, and in that scenario I'd want a much more significant punch, and the ability to "reach out and touch" invaders at ranges well beyond 50 yards. If I had a farm or significant amount of land, I'd be looking at a rifle that would have use at greater ranges should someone pose a threat to me from outside the house. So I don't think it boils down to being just one ideal gun for everybody, but rather that you do need to take a serious look at what your threats and needs are and decide based upon that. The click of a Rem 870, might be able to get the job done in some cases, but I know that the average high on drugs person around here, wouldn't even hear it.

 

[db1959]

I use what I own. It would be either the 91/30 w/bayonet attached or one of my handguns.

Could you image breaking into someones place, you come around a corner and your at the wrong end of a 4 foot rifle with a 2 foot bad guy sticker?

 

[smythe012]

A mossberg 500 w/ an 18" barrel and 5 rounds of 00 buck rest underneath the bed. That with my .40 S&W should take care of most situations. I think if I had a choice though, I'd pick the 500. With a loaded chamber, all it takes is a flick of the safety and I'm good to go. Besides, if someone broke into my house, they would have to come upstairs to get the things that are important to me. 00 buck in a narrow stairway? That will do.

 

[rhino]

By the way -- are you available to shoot a full-size pistol in a little scenario esrice is putting together? Rhino and Aron are on the "full-size" team.

????

 

[IndianaSigma]

Don't count on the lack of strength, he will at some point, and finding that out the hard way is never a good thing.

I definitely agree. This is why I wouldn't let him have access to it at any time.

 

[45fan]

I keep my 1911 and Winchester 12G by my bedside, my wife keeps her EDC and her 44 Tracker by hers. Because it is deer season, my Rossi lever gun is usually just past the nightstand. Any other time of the year my 44 levergun is replaced by either my AR or AK, depending on my mood that week.

 

[LEaSH]

I have a mossberg 500 near the bedroom hallway - but it wears a trigger lock and my carry handgun is nearest anyway.

Ultimately, I'd like to upgrade to a 930SPX and a big caliber revolver in a permanent mounted, quick-open safe/locker that I can hide near the bed.