Handguns vs Shotguns for HD.....

I practice walking around in my home in complete darkness. I know the territory better than anyone. If someone shuts of my elecricity I will have the advantage. I can tell where someone is in my home by the sound of the creaks in the floor. I know my fields of fire.


K80 - I strongly encourage you to find a place that has a shoot house and do some low light / no light training. The sad fact of the matter is - THEY HAVE THE ADVANTAGE IN YOUR HOUSE.
 
In hardware consideration, the SG is an excellent weapon for home defense. Devastating power, without a doubt.

That being said, I tend look at the whole package. In this case, training and experience are the drivers. I have >10x the amount of training, competition, range time, shots fired... with one handgun than all my SG dealings combined. I am more comfortable and confident in MY abilities with the HG that's been in my hand for 11 years. So for me, my well stacked 9 is the goto tool.

Now when LA was burning a few years ago or on ocassion when the universe has given some warning before heading south, a shoulder fired firearm was loaded up (after the HG was ready).
 
Dave Mc.. Good starter topic..

We keep two guns on stands. They hide away in the morning. My wife keeps an S&W M66 (38 +P) with four speedloaders and I have my P7M10 and a couple of extra magazines. Our tricked out 870 is kept hidden in the bedroom, high and out of the way. Everything goes in our large safe if we fail to shoot at least once per month.

Previously, I kept an AR-15 carbon clone as my bedroom heat, but decided that should it be used, I would be demonized in court. I personally feel that such a weapon with red-dot sights, short barrel, tac-light and light bullets provide a great H.D. option that might not over-penetrate the walls. Mine is in the safe.

Other house guns for the rest of the house are in the planning stage. I believe that they will all be revolvers. We want guns that both of us can shoot. We will probably install in the wall gun-safes.
 
potty gun

i have a sp-101 357 with a mounted holsteron the hidden side of the vanitey next to tp roll! ask me about my shower gun! zip locked s&w 9mm wheel gun loaded with +p+ bple fderal load hangs from the towel bar in the shower!:D really!
 
I just read over the thread and was struck by a thought(only minor injuries,luckily)....

Note what's NOT listed or only mentioned in passing...

No major caliber revolvers.And, no handgun calibers smaller than 9mm/38 Special.

No AKs, not many ARs, no M-14s, no centerfire rifles period.

No 22s.

No Class III, AOW etc.

No PG only shotguns.

No handgun caliber carbines.

HHhmmmmm......
 
even the lowly 410 bore has as much muzzle moxie as a magnum handgun load and is often MUCH more.
Click to expand...

It's funny how lots of folks think of the little 'ol .410 as rating somewhere around a .22 in the context of HD weapons. Comparing it to the allmighty .357 revolver does kind of put things in perpective. I'd also bet that it's a lot easier to control for those who are smaller and/or recoil sensitive.
 
Yup. The 410, DMK, is ballistically superior to most handgun rounds at inside ranges. Once the pattern opens, things change....
 
Oh! at dark-thirty & the dog's a-barkin' big-time ... anything you have will The Best.

All told, I'd suggest an 870 pump/extended with #4 buck - tending towards slugs. Your after critter'd be anything 9mm+ with lots of stuff in the mags - just to be sure.
 
hd gun

imagine hearing a "chick..chonk" echoing in the darkness in a strange house.racking the slide will bring a sense of urgency and send most would be small timers scurrying out the way they came in.add a very bright light on front to spot"blind" the invader in the face if you catch them frozen,they cant see to try running back and the light blinds them from everything else. and they know a shotgun will ventilate their head or body well enough that they wont get back up. if not remove their facial features completly.in a house where the ranges vary fro maybe 10-20 feet,hallways and stairs,the 18"barreled 870 will do the job.one can mount a shotgun on the opposite side of their headboard,its not visable yet accessable.in the daytime,id prefer a 45 auto.
 
In my youth I did a lot of shotgun shooting. Even then I did more pistol and rifle. Mostly pistol now, yet going to work with the shotguns for a while. Mostly thinking local 3-gun.

That is a short background on me and to answer the question, pistol if I am surprsed (that is what is always within reach. If I am wakened from pounding, loud voices etc I will secure a pistol and then grab a shotgun or AR depending on the room I am in and call the police. If the house is entered I have an alarm and a dog (nosie maker) no need to call.

Nice thing is one of my nieghbors is a LEO family and a couple houses down is policeman and many nieghbors are military or prior military (mostly combat arms)

House is two story and the kids and dog are usally upstairs while the wife and I are down. Nice place but short narrow halls. Long gun would be a handicap if I "had" to go through the house.

HD pistols are both revos and semi-autos. HD SG is a Benneli Nova SP. My load choice is 3 71/2 (should read 3 x 2 3/4 7 1/2)(chamber empty) with a 4 shot sidesaddle with 2 OOObuck and 2 slugs.

sb
 
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Hey folks,

As for me, I'll first rely on the 20 inch cylinder bore Mossy with eight rounds of 12 Ga. No. 1 buck. Oh yeah, no one will hear me rack a round into the chamber - it will already be there. I also keep nearby a 100 round ammo box that has a box of slugs, two boxes of No. 1 buck, and a box of No. 4 shot. I often use this shotgun to shoot claybirds for fun. I'm comfortable with it.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile
 
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