Home defense: Shotgun or revolver?

The old misconception about shotguns still persists, thanks to Hollywood's ridiculous portrayals of their effects. Most people will tell you that you don't need to aim with a scattergun because you just point it in the direction of your adversary and fire, supposedly the buckshot will spread so rapidly that anyone in the room will be hit. This idea no doubt comes from watching too many bad movies.


As anyone here knows, the shotgun pattern, even from an open choke, is only a couple inches or so inside an average room, and it must be aimed just as a rifle would at the same range. Well, maybe not actually aimed, but pointed if you're a point shooter.

I'm pretty sure that a shotgun would be as effective as anything, but nothing is 100%. I remember reading in one of Bill Jordan's books where his partner shot a Mexican bandito in the chest with a 12 gauge load of 00 buck at close range, and the guy kept on firing back for quite a while. Jordan did make some comment about this being one tough hombre though.

To answer the question of the topic, I would choose a 20 gauge pump if I was forced to get by with just one home defense gun. The small gauge is because my wife might have to use it and I think the effectiveness would be sufficient for most situations.
 
This seems to be a matter of personal choice. Anybody hear "the right tool for the right job" phrase? I happen to have several firearms I keep loaded and close to me. All the facts that have been pointed out are all good reasons for each one. I was told by a gun dealer that here in Illinois you can have up to 8 rounds in the shotgun as long as your not hunting, then you're only allowed 2 rounds and you better have a plug in if you are. Although I prefer my .45 acp, my revolver of choice for home defense would be my Colt Python. As far as which is easiest to train on both my wife and 13 yearold son have a little trouble with the 12GA, so they need to be comfortable handling a firearm if I'm not there or incapacitated. We often go to the range as a family and practice together. So bottom line I'd choose the revolver.
 
This seems to be a matter of personal choice. Anybody hear "the right tool for the right job" phrase? I happen to have several firearms I keep loaded and close to me. All the facts that have been pointed out are all good reasons for each one. I was told by a gun dealer that here in Illinois you can have up to 8 rounds in the shotgun as long as your not hunting, then you're only allowed 2 rounds and you better have a plug in if you are. Although I prefer my .45 acp, my revolver of choice for home defense would be my Colt Python. As far as which is easiest to train on both my wife and 13 yearold son have a little trouble with the 12GA, so they need to be comfortable handling a firearm if I'm not there or incapacitated. We often go to the range as a family and practice together. So bottom line I'd choose the revolver.
 
My wife likes her special field 20, repeat 20 gauge shotgun. She likes her 38 diamondback 2 1/2" too. Across a room or down the hall a person who got shot with a shotgun couldn't tell if it was a 20 ro 12. It doesn't have to be macho to be effective/deadly.

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Vinny
 
My favorite is the .357 either S&W 640 or 686. Also loaded with Federal Hydra-shok Jacketed Hollow Points. Good knockdown power, enough penetration to do the job yet doesn't knock down walls.
Don At PC
 
For home use the firearm to decide upon, in my opinion, should be determined by the training and capabilities of the individual. Those with previous combat or police experience the pistol would be suitable and probably more practicl. However; Let's put it in the hands of the average guy. One who doesn't train or shoot on a regular basis. Having trained Fed. Police officer's, regarding everything from handguns to machineguns, from basic to advanced tactical, I can attest that the "Beginner" is really at a disadvantage with a hand gun.

Thus the Shotgun:

As we all know, most confrontations occur withing about 3-7yrds. Even with a hand gun, if you don't know how to use it, misses are frequent.

With a shotgun things are a little different. In my opinion, the shotgun, Pump action, is bilingual. When you rack the action the advasary listens.There is not much "sight reference" required. In a home envornment the encounter is close and with a shotgun one does not even have to raise the muzzle to chest level. The muzzle can be raised just out from vertical and when fired will go to the target at about 2" to 3" off the floor.

What does this do to the advisary? Blows his ankles off, knocks him down and prsuades him not to continue. It's called a richoshay, (sp) shot. It works and I speak from exerience.

Besides, one gentleman comented that a shogun is impressive and will make someone think twice before confronting one. So for the new guy. Give him a pump action shotgun and he will survive.

Harley

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I must comment on the ammo. I would recommend #4' as this gives a good size shot and one or two hits from it at close range will get the job done.

Harley

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Harley -

I am intrigued by your post, it is a new concept to me. It sounds like it would work (not doubting you or your experience, just my lack of first hand knowledge) so I want to use it and that means some practice is required by me first. Thus I need some more info, such as where the butt is when you shoot for the richochet. Is it in a high tuck, on the shoulder, or somewhere else? Also is it actually a richochet off of the floor surface, or just a low shot into the ankle area?

Thanks for any response you post.

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Freedom is not Free
 
ATM, Harley,

Shoot for the chest or don't shoot.

holding low is one thing, aiming for the ankles seems awafully silly for me.

Besides, if someone breaks into my house, the police are going to hear one story about what happened.




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-Essayons
 
Rob's argument makes sense to me. I also don't want to be in court 2 years later with the same guy, hearing how he can't earn an honest living anymore (committing home invasion robberies) because I've crippled him. I can see the jury sobbing right along with him. One of the few things I can imagine would be worse than having to kill another human being, would be paying to support a BG the rest of their lives.
 
There are good arguments for both sides. In my house there are only two loaded guns. In my bedroom is my carry gun (either a .45 Commander or Detective special depending on the weather). In the gun locker is a loaded Mossberg pump. The purpose of the handgun is to insure that I can get to the shotgun.
 
getting back to the original topic,

Gray reminded me of something...

With small kids in the house, they are much less likely to injure themselves with a long-gun. Of course, we are all assuming that the kids wil never "get" a gun and of course that they would never touch a gun, yada, yada, but....
Picture a three year old with a typical shotgun, kinda hard for her/him to get in front of the barrel and pull the trigger.

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-Essayons
 
No argument, but some questions come to mind:

How old/big does a kid have to be to point a shotgun, rifle, or handgun at another kid?

Might a neighbor's kid (or babysitter) find a "hidden" gun?

Who else might gain access to my weapons? Fire Dept, EMS? Maid? ???

The kids of our bunny-hugging neighbors once were locked out of their house so our kids (all latch-key kids) brought everyone to our house. I never foresaw having neighbor kids in my house (unsupervised). Kids from that family had no idea what to do (or NOT do) with a "found" gun. They found nothing. There was no problem; but the potential was "unsettling".

Kids' judgement may vary with the level of supervision at that moment. If they're alone, "Mom and Dad will never find out" can affect even the best disciplined child. Especially at the urging of his/her peers...

Before I could afford a gun safe, I locked up the handguns and rifle bolts in an inconspicuous tool box. I put a bicycle lock through the action of the shotgun. My "ready" guns I secured in various ways.

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Svoboda ne bezplatnoe



[This message has been edited by Dennis (edited 01-10-99).]
 
I didn't mean to imply that loaded shotguns should be left lying around because a small child would have a harder time hurting themselves with them than a handgun.

It was just one more tidbit to put into the thousands of factors you will use to determine which gun and which storage condition is right for you and your situation.

AS far as kids friends.. two stories:

One time I came home to find that my stepson had brought a friend home from school, unannounced. I went into the his room where they were glued to some video game (not even a shoot'em'up game.. would that be too much to ask??!)... anyway. I asked him if he talked to his friend about the gun and proceeded to embarrass him thoroughly when he said no. He hasn't hesitated to explain to any of his friends that they might see guns in our home and that they should all be treated as if they were loaded. I was actually concerned that my wife hadn't gotten around to say anything to the kid either. The kids' friends are also told that they can ask me to see the guns and If I am shooting at the time, they are welcome to watch and/or participate.

This past Friday my step-daughter had a couple friends over for an overnight birthday party. One of the girl's mothers freaked when she saw me wearing a shoulder holster. she didn't say anything, she just got this contorted look on her face and stared. Then she said "I didn't know you were a police officer." I didn't want to let her off the hook that easy, so I said something like "Well, I'm not tonight" (I was going to the store to get some party supplies...). She still couldn't figure it out, so I explained to her that my wife and I generally carry a gun all the time. I followed up with "you have to talked to her (gesturing to her child) about guns, right?)"....
She replied with a "well, uh..she..." I cut her off, turned to the child and went on 2 mintue run of "We have firearms in this house and if you should see...yada..yada..yada..."

I was ready for her to say "C'mon, honey.. We're leaving..." Instead, I put on my coat and left with a big smile and friendly "See ya tomorrow."
My wife said that she didn't have much to say after I left. I guess I was rough on her, but I was preparing to spend 24 hours with 5 10-11 yr old girls, plus my wife, plus our 3 year old daughter, plus our nanny... Far too many women at one time in a domestic environment as far as I'm concerned. ;)

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-Essayons
 
Shotgun. One does have to aim it, though. And (for me) it hurts.

Roscoe, I disagree. The main advantage to the shotgun is versatility. One can kill anything with a shotgun, given the right load, distance, and POI.

I would really want a third choice, though- my Glock 24. Hits hard, little recoil with powerful rounds, accurate, and lightweight. (and, with 15 rounds, the BG's can bring the whole posse. Plenty to go around.) If I have been devoting enough time to practicing with my Kel-tec, with its long trigger pull and recoil, I can shoot my Glocks PDQ. Who needs Class 3, anyway? :)
 
Rob,
You were definitely outnumbered there!
I'm surpised you didn't sound the retreat and hide out spending time reloading. :)

Regards,
Douglas in CT :)
 
Spectre; The notion that a shotgun offers great "versatility" is one of those things that has been so oft repeated that it is accepted as truth. Like most such things, the notion doesn't stand up to a critical and objective examination. While a given shotgun CAN fire birdshot, buck, slugs (both Foster and sabot types), gas rounds, flechettes, bird-bombs, rubber LTL rounds, and probably a few others I can't think of right now, when we consider the defensive shotgun, only two types of ammo interest us...buck and slugs.

The shotgun is normally loaded with buckshot. Slugs are selectively loaded if a target appears outside of effective buckshot range or in too close proximity to innocents to permit buckshot use. The shotgun cannot be easily concealed. It is essentially useless at ranges that would be an easy rifle shot (say, 120 yards and out). It's ammo is bulky, heavy, and (because it is not contained in magazines or stripper clips) difficult to carry afield in quantity. The guns themselves are relatively fragile and dirt/abuse-sensative, have heavy recoil, and have low cartridge capacities.

As far as I can tell, there is little that is "versatile" about the defensive shotgun. Frankly, the only reason that it is of any interest is because of the POWER it provides, within its useful range.

Rosco
 
Rob! I in NO way thought you were being reckless with firearms! I was looking for opinions, suggestions, and "What I did" stories.

When my girls were little, I hid the shotgun in the curtain (?valence?) right near the door. The gun was about seven feet off the floor, resting on the curtain rod supports, hidden by that curtain "thingy" that goes all the way across the window. It worked great! Nobody could tell it was there. It was immediately available to me - BUT:
Once the kids were big enough that they could reach the gun (using a table or chair) I felt I had to store the shotgun more securely - and it was not as readily available.

When you brought up the age factor I was thinking about: 1) questions the students ask me in CHL classes; 2) the child safety lecture I'm responsible for; 3) what I have done in the past; and 4) what I should do when my feral grandson eventually comes to visit from Schumerland (the Peoples Republic of New York).

I'll debate on some subjects (e.g. our individual and collective rights & responsibiliies, First Aid, CPR, politics, the Berlin wall, beer-drinking, etc.); but for the most part, when the folks on TFL talk, I listen or ask questions.

I'm not too old to learn! (You just have to tell me so many times!)

BTW, when my girls were home, it was me, my wife, my Mom, 2 daughters, three female cats and a female dog.

Sigh, not what I would have expected as a teen-ager. (Wistful sigh...)

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Svoboda ne bezplatnoe



[This message has been edited by Dennis (edited 01-11-99).]
 
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