Home Defense

schwarz_06

Inactive
Now here is a topic with many different views, all of them have some merit. But this is the argument. . . What is the best weapon for home defense. Some people believe that a handgun is the best due to its ease of location, ie: nightstand, under the matress etc. Some say a rifle because of the stopping power. And others say a shotgun with some good old fashioned buchshot. Personally as a cop and a designated marksman, i have the theory that if you miss or if a round travels through a person's body, that round will go through the wall into the neighbor's house, through the crip and into the baby who is fast asleep. Let me know what you all think.
 
Prime 12ga. 18" FN Police Tactical Shotgun

Secondary S&W Model 645 .45acp

Pocket Seecamp .32

Works for me!
 
I live off the road about 150 yds. so 'collateral damage' isn't a concern. I keep my CCW pistol handy, a Makarov and a dbl bbl 12 loaded with 3" #4 right bbl and 000 buck left bbl in corner near bed. that's for an outside scenario. and a .32 Berreta in pocket most always.
 
No neighbors. Love it that way. .357 magnum. But if you do have neighbors or other family members in different rooms of the house, definitely a 12 g.. Preferably tactical so it's as short as possible to manuever.
 
12 Ga #7 , #7, 00,00,00. #7 won't penetrate the wall and kill anyone in the next room, 00 is effective out to 50-70 yd. but won't go 200 yd down the street and kill the neighbor.:o

It's 0 dark thirty and you're asleep, the front door is kicked in, and you are in a fight for your life. A rifle is too unhandy in close quarters with your eyes still blurry. A pistol is too easy to miss with under those circumstances. A load of #7 out of an open choke will cover the hallway and blow LARGE holes in bodies at 10 feet. If the perp survives the first two rounds and goes to cover you can penetrate a sofa or chair and get him with the 00. Even if you don't hit him, he may just surrender after you light up the room a couple of times. A reload of slugs will help convince him to quit.:eek:

If you have a pistol beside the bed your kids are in danger. A rifle even with high cap mags is too complicated to handle in the above situation and I wouldn't have it loaded with kids in the house. A shotgun only requires the slide to be operated and it's ready to go.:)
 
Although I love my 229 I'd take the 12g with 00 in a heartbeat. If 9 x .33 coming out of a 18 inch barrel won't stop him then nothing is going to. :eek:

B
 
A good deadbolt, motion sensing lights all around the house, a small yipping Jack Russell Terrier with better hearing than any of us, and as for firearms, my first choices are:

Mossberg 500
Berretta 92FS 9mm
A large, cast iron skillet
 
I took an old gun rack from a truck and screwed it to the back of the headboard on the bed, then added the old faithful 12 ga. I hate being woke up:D
 
Good discussion!!!

I keep my 1911 with Hornaday TAP loaded and next to the bed and the Mossy 500 stays in the safe with a 000' Slug, 000' Slug, 000 combo. 110lbs German shep stays on the ladies side and a flashlight at mine.

Reasons... The 1911 is for a no time scenario but if I have time the Mossy is my choice, why? Knock down and because a shot gun can become a club and weapon all on its own. How many people here practice fighting with a SG/Rifle with no ammo?

The dog is a great alarm well trained and he's always loaded:D.

The 1911 is loaded with TAP so I don't get blinded by muzzle flash and those hollow points had amazing stopping power.

My neighbors are 20 yards apart on both sides. Not picturesc but I train and drill as to try to keep the advantage with the up stairs, cover and angles.
 
Marlin 336 .30-30 under the bed with a full tube but chamber empty, 150 now and soon to be 125 or 110 grains in it to prevent over penetration...which to me is a bit of a nit pick because priorities are 1) reliable and safe for user 2) sufficiently powerful...and by that I mean no way in hell can it be underpowered 3) quick handling while still being deliberate 4) inscrutibly legal--about as free from sleazy political word gaming as you can get and 5) easy to practice with so it can be made easily familiar, again because primary user for the next half year will by her rather than me and she didn't grow up around use of firearms. Getting those priorities covered is WAY beyond extrapolated hypothetical scenarios. 98% not used at all, 1% gotten out in a panic over noise or sight of suspicion, .5% loaded, .3% picked up.... To me there's nothing better than a lever rifle with that in mind. One bullet at a time that can only go in one very precise direction in a very intentional manner, and all the abuse is on the muzzle end.
 
smooth bore with buckshot, pistol cartridge rifle or your best shootin pistol.

not a rifle or shotty with slugs both will rip through a house end to end.
mabe if you use disentigrating rounds though I have no personal experience.
 
I would choose a good 45. loaded with hornady TAP HP.Because a shotgun can be difficult to move with in tight quarters and shooting off a 12G indoors
will make your ears hate you.

I wouldn't mount a light on my handgun.Think about it...if the mook sneaking into your home sneaks in with a gun and you come around the corner with a
1911 with a surefire X200 mounted on it,whats the first thing the mook is gonna shoot at?Answer-the light.And whats behind the light?Answer-YOU!

Instead,hold the light in your off hand and away from your body.Or if your
rich you could buy some NVG's.And remember to keep the light off untill you see a silouette.You don't want the mook to see the light shining down the hall
giving him a chance to load that pistol and lie in wait...

If you got a wife and kids then I belive you should leave the wife with a shotgun in the bedroom and have her call the police while you man up,grab
your weapon of choice and swiftly but cautiously make your way the kids
rooms,and stay with them!Don't risk taking them back through the house
to the bedroom with a dangerous and possibly armed home invader plundering
about...your wife/GF will be just fine with that shotty pointed at the door.

If your alone then you should wait in the bedroom,call the police,and have your weapon pointed at the bedroom door while the mook does his thing.
That's a "safe" way.But im sure no one here would sit idly by and let their
home get violated.I know I wouldn't.I'd go after the bastard.

Im personaly against rifles being used as home defense weapons.Unless it's
like an M4 using frangible ammo.

Don't worry about the fatiuge of just waking up.The sound of a door being kicked in or a window shattering will wake you up good and proper.Your
adrenaline will kick and getting ungroggy and battle ready won't be as hard you may think.

If you've practiced your home invasion drills,taught your family how to act,
and have a good weapon by your side,your chances of survivability are very high.
 
The large cast iron skillet is a good close quarter fighting tool as suggested by JoeBlackSpade.

It is the favored fighting tool of Irish women. Let me explain: Shortly after I married my Irish born wife twenty nine years ago, she told me in no uncertain terms, that If I misbehaved in anyway toward her; One, I would have to sleep sometime and Two, she would make great use of the very large cast iron skillet given to her by her mom. Needless to say it made a distinct impression upon my mind.

Carry on gentlemen
 
1. Mossberg 590 loaded with 8 rounds of 3" 000 buck.
2. Bushmaster AR15 loaded with 20 75gr Hornady TAP.
3. SAR1 loaded with 75 rounds of 123gr SP.
4. Auto Ordnance 1911A1 Loaded with 8 rounds of Federal EFMJ's.
5. Ruger GP100 loaded with 6 158gr Winchester HP.

Those are my primary home defense weapons. I have no neighbor's to worry about being hit if a bullet go's through
the perp and out a wall.
 
65lb female pittbull 100lb male pittbull
870 loaded with Ranger 00 buck
90-Two loaded with Ranger 115gr +P+
 
Small yappy dog for first alert.
alarm system for second alert.
If all the above fail:
Taurus PT145 with TAP ammo and laser sight.
12ga. SemiAuto with #4 shot and #8 shot.
Ruger Mini14 with 40rd mag with 69gr. ammo.:D
 
ok Slow, this is a swat tactic of mine. what good is a laser if there is no light to see the target. great posts tho seems like most people here have the right mind not to use a rifle as a primary.
 
Back
Top