Double for home defense?

B

BfloBill

New member
Does anybody out there use a double for home defense?
My wife is small and not a firearms enthusiast, but would be more than willing to do what is needed to protect home and family. I was thinking that a short barreled double would be lighter and easier to operate than a fully loaded pump/auto for her.
With the layout of my house (relatively small w/narrow hallway) a determined attacker would probably be on top of you before you could get off more than 2 shots anyway (assuming worst case scenario of somehow missing twice with a shotgun in a narrow hallway!)

Comments?

Ideas?
 
I have a coach gun for just such a purpose (also for rabbit hunting). For HD, there are a lot of options, and gun guys (like me) have and always will think this this issue to death plus 15 minutes. My coach gun is my go to, until, after a few months the "more available rounds" thing creeps into my head and the mossberg 590 comes out. That of course is for a few months when "quick follow up" thing begins to creep into my head.

The double is fine, as long as your comfortable with it.
 
Just remember, a lighter gun will have more actual recoil and typically more felt recoil, so train with target loads as she is learning how to operate it.

Also, you and her need to read Thecorneredcat.com, written by a woman for men and women
 
After the second shot -- then what????
Click to expand...
Mr Groin meet Mr Buttstock ;)
(assuming worst case scenario of somehow missing twice with a shotgun in a narrow hallway!)
Click to expand...
Don't get lulled into the "It's a shotgun you don't even need to aim" mentality. At HD range the pattern is only going to be a few incches wide. Some practice is prudent. A 20g with 3 buck is nothing to sneezze at either. ;)
 
Last edited:
"Mr Groin meet Mr Buttstock"

:D

The biggest problem in using a double for home defense?

Not being able to rack the action, which causes every burglar in a 500 meter radius to lose his bowels and flee in abject terror.

Or so I've been told. :)
 
Well if its a SxS, you can always go Army of Darkness on them : Hold it above your head and say "This is mah Boomstick!" and then they will flee in terror.
 
"Well if its a SxS, you can always go Army of Darkness on them : Hold it above your head and say "This is mah Boomstick!" and then they will flee in terror."


OOOOOOOhhhhhhh!

New home defense tactic to be adopted!

Now where's my chainsaw?
 
You can get short barreled light weight auto shotguns such as some of the Benellis.Make sure the gun fits her especially LOP.

A psychopath high on drugs may not hear the racking sound or if he does he may not care !
 
Considering that double barrel shotguns have been used for home (and outside the home) defense since they were invented, I don't see any issues with using one.

Remember that unlike TV and movies, civilians should NOT be in the habit of providing their own cover fire. Generally speaking, in a home defense situation, one does not shoot "to keep their heads down". One shoots only in "gravest extreme". Get a butt cuff if you think you need extra ammo onboard the gun.

I have a chinese made coach gun that serves as my home defense long arm, and do not feel undergunned. Just make sure your lady understands the gun, and gets a little practice.

My mother was a small woman (4'11, 108lbs, size 3.5 ring) but she could shoot her daddy's Ithaca 12ga SxS. It wasn't her preferred gun, she liked her .22 Ruger Bearcat better, but she was comfortable and confident with that double barrel. Her shooting "style" for it was from the hip. As she put it, "just hold on tight and let it swing". The gun was just too big for her to shoulder and use it the regular way, but she could manage it that way. And she was accurate enough at short range, which was all that was intended, anyway.

Another thing about a double barrel, if you do wind up in court, a jury is more likely to consider it a defensive weapon than a pistol grip/folding stock short barrel pump gun, with ammo carrier and barrel heat shield bolted on it. A gun like that makes it look like you were seeking combat, to those who are under educated about firearms (which is going to be every one on a jury, if the prosecutor can manage it). A small woman defending her babies with a squirrel gun or duck gun is a lot less likely to be thought a "Rambo" type who just wanted to shoot someone!

Just make sure she understands that shotguns are not magic "can't miss" firearms. The old saying "can't miss with a shotgun" has probably gotten more people hurt or killed than anything else except "don't worry, it's not loaded!"


Also, you and her need to read Thecorneredcat.com, written by a woman for men and women
Click to expand...
And I fully agree!
 
If you do get one, make sure the users gets a fair amout of practice.

If you do reload, folks forget (like me) about the safety coming back on with some guns.

I agree with reading Pax's site and the shotgun will be just fine for most uses but it should be a considered choice as compared to the superweapon view of a shotgun.
 
Col Jeff Cooper knew something about the principles of personal defence and weaponry.

A double barreled shotgun of the sort known as a Lupara formed part of his homeowner's insurance plan.

In trained hands, a double is a formidable weapon. As with all weapons, the key is training, training,training....
 
Very true but I think a pump action is a better idea. The pump usually holds at least 3 more shells and just pump it, it will never fail unless something goes seriously wrong.
 
+1 for the Stoeger double barrel

I got a Stoeger Condor youth for my wife. She loves it. She is real small so we got her one chambered in .410. With all the ammo being made for the Judge there are some real good HD loads for it. I got a cuff for the stock that was intended for rifle ammo and it holds the .410s perfect. I would definitely suggest getting a setup like this. I think she is not as intimidated by it since it is not a semi auto or the action to cycle.
 
I generally recommend 20 guages for women. SxS's are probably quite addequate for almost all scenarios, simple, short, cool and effective. Even if they weren't they'd still be better than nothing.

A 20 ga. pump w/a short stock may be more useful for the Mrs. too. The problems are bigger-framed, heftier, longer, guns have front-heavy LEVERAGE and her shorter-than-the-average-man's arms reaching way out to control the gun and the little hands on big furniture doesn't help. Test 'em out, and then, as stated, make sure she shoots with you enough to make operating it second nature. Try lite sport loads, work up to full ones, and then buy two boxes of #4 Buck -- one to test and the other for the house.
 
Last edited:
BfloBill
Double for home defense?
Click to expand...

I would not recommend it. Two shots is little insurance.

I also personally don't like shotguns for HD unless the person is barricaded in a room with their back against the wall.

Also, I just noticed that you said your house has narrow hallways... Not an ideal situation for a shotgun. Now before everyone starts getting all huffy, let me say that a shotgun does have its place in HD, just not usually inside a house with corners and narrow hallways in the hands of a novice.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top