opinions desired

If she's good with the rifle, let her use that. If you want a cc weapon, buy one and learn how to use it.
I personally like a handgun for HD. Worse case scenario, I can use the pistol to get to my AR 15.
Shotguns are awesome weapons. I just don't like leaving them out.
 
My concern with the shotgun for HD is that in any home invasion shotgun I can fathom, I'm usually using both hands, one on my pistol, the other one is on the phone, holding a flash light, shoving a niece/nephew/LadyFriend behind me, etc.
 
If you're panicked and riding a mad adrenaline overload, being able to grab, aim, and fire a gun as second nature is a much more logical plan than training for convoluted tactical maneuvers.

If someone breaks in next time you're gone, there is a shotgun and a rifle within reach. Is there any possibility at all she'd reach for the shotgun?

The only gun she'll be effective with is the one she's willing to shoot. While objectively speaking a shotty is better for HD than a rifle, it doesn't sound like it is better for her.

It doesn't sound like you're looking into a better home defense gun for her. Unless she decides there is a style of gun out there that she will be more comfortable with and is also a practical home defense gun (ever considered a Governor?), sounds like she already has her gun.

So it really comes down to you. You can use the shotty as an HD gun if you're home, but you can also use a hand gun for the same purpose. Which would you rather have for the time being?
 
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Folks that seldom shoot defend themself daily with firearms . Dont underestamate a human fighting for thier family and self . That being said , always train like you fight . Keep your shot gun cut a corner somewhere and buy another firearm for her .
 
my wife enjoys shooting handguns. she doesn't care for rifles and definitely does not like the shotgun. but she absolutely loves pistol caliber carbines. her favorite gun is a hi-point 9mm carbine and other is the lever action shooting 38spl. they put a smile on her face every time and she enjoys it way more than pistol shooting. a hi-point carbine is around 300$, is extremely reliable and gives that little 9mm round considerable more punch. it's pretty quiet as guns go, and would be better for indoor use than a pistol or shotgun in that respect. the best thing is its cheap enough to whereas you wouldn't have to part with your shotgun, plus if you doll it up pretty, the girls will love it. I am in the process of building her an AR pistol in 9mm ATM, I think she will also like that. something to consider anyways


here's her gun, a few bucks with of krylon has held up nice for the last two years so far


but to your specific question, would I trade a shotgun for a pistol for HD? yes...I would. when I first got into guns, I just bought as many as I could, thinking one was better than the last. for a good period of time, I kept a 12ga h&r pump in my bedroom for HD. it wasn't until I started getting serious about practicing tactics and scenarios that I realized the shotgun was probably the worst option of my collection for hd. there was no way to maneuver from my bedroom into the tight hallway that leads to the kitchen on one side with French doors and the living room on the other with the front door without giving up cover from either front or back. I really wanted the lever-gun to fit the role due to its quietness and powder, but it to was slightly too long and I couldn't take targets nearly as fast as with my pistol. my ar15 gave the same issues, but was better at acquiring and taking fast target, but is extremely loud. in the end I built a 8" 300BLK pistol w/o brace and it has proven to be the best defense for my homes layout, and being somewhat quieter helps too. the shotgun has been locked in safe for a long time. but if all I had was a shotgun or my full-size 9mm pistol, I would have to take the pistol. I can acquire it and have it ready in my hands, safety off, pointed in mere seconds with one hand w/o getting out of bed even. unless I had a short barreled shotgun, that would be impossible. power of the gun, I think, I blown way out of perspective. I think the tactics need to come first, and as a shotgun would make a great gun if you had fair warning, you will likely not and that is where small and compact is necessary. you need to run some drills/scenarios of multiple attackers in your home and see how it fits your situation. but I would bet a pistol would be a better tool for most people.

pistol/rifle platform. best for MY home situation. small enough to acquire quickly and transition from hallways and tight spaces, powerful enough to take care of business
 
Awesome, thanks so much for all the input so far. Keep it coming! I really appreciate the openness and the many perspectives that are looking at this situation.

Like many of you are saying, I know that practice is key. If you have no experience and training to go off of, you are setting yourself up to fail, and defense is not something to fail at. I have learned not to doubt the capabilities of a .22 rifle through personal experience, but I also agree that it has short comings.

One thing that I enjoy about the .22 is the decreased risk of overpenetration. I know that should probably be one of the last things on my mind, but I want to make sure that the casualties are kept to they who deserve becoming the casualty. Does anyone else think about that as well, or am I just over thinking everything?

BTW, thought update, I believe that I will hold onto the shotgun at least long enough that I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that she will refuse to touch it. I mean, I would rather have her be capable and as comfortable as possible...but like a couple of you have deduced, I love that thing.

Don't stop posting and giving insight please! I'm learning a lot from your opinions, thank you all very much. Any and all reccomendations andshowing off of your personal HD rigs would be gladly accepted and enjoyed!!!
 
I'd like to revise my earlier statements somewhat, I missed the part where your wife shoots the Marlin .22 fast and well.

This changes the equation considerably. She can shoot, and there is a gun she knows how to use, and fairly well, apparently. STICK WITH THAT for her, for now, at least.

so, there is a gun she knows, and can use. That's good enough for now. and maybe for always. She has the skill. She just doesn't like the shotgun. Got it now, I think. ;)

We tend to focus on the worst possible case, and if we've got a cannon that will stop the Terminator, everything else should be a cakewalk, right?

but don't sneer at the .22 in the hands of someone with a small degree of skill and a large measure of desperation.

Driving off the attacker is a fully acceptable outcome. Momma should not be doing houseclearing drills, she (and baby) should be forted up, with the phone, where an attacker has to come to her, and meet a dozen or so stingers for the trouble, if they get there before the police do.
 
LoveMyGuns808 said:
One thing that I enjoy about the .22 is the decreased risk of overpenetration. I know that should probably be one of the last things on my mind, but I want to make sure that the casualties are kept to they who deserve becoming the casualty. Does anyone else think about that as well, or am I just over thinking everything?
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If you're referring to wall penetration, a .22 will still zip through many layers of drywall. Just like a shotgun or pistol load, a .22 doesn't have enough velocity to reliably expand or fragment in walls, so it will tend to penetrate more than you expect.
 
A .22lr (like the Aguila I suggested) will not Go through several layers of drywall. Even if it did you still have brick/siding to stop it. And even if it penetrates THAT you have maybe a 5 grain fragment flying all over the place that is most likely going to bounce off whatever it hits. Very unlikely ANY of that happens, near impossible really.
 
LoveMyGuns808,

You have some form of defense while you are home and that is a good thing so don't get ride of it. What you need now is a quality/utilitarian firearm for CC. There are several available for around $450.00. Retain the shotgun and purchase a CC weapon as soon as practical assuming you are not in fear of your safety everyday.
 
I'm not generally a fan of Hi-Point Carbines, but that black and white Hi-Point is very nicely done!
 
Whatever you decide, a home defense weapon needs to have the right balance between accessibility and safety as well as suitability for that purpose. With children in the home, safety should never be ignored. A loaded shotgun or handgun sitting around the house, even if supposedly "hidden" from a child, is a tragedy just waiting to happen (if not by your child then by some visiting, untrained and foolish other child). It generally seems simpler to find the balance between being available and being safe with a handgun, using something like a small GunVault or similar steel safe inside of or on top of a dresser or bedside stand. While there are quick release wall mounted devices to secure a shotgun or rifle, I personally don't know anyone who uses such as device whereas I know many folks who use a small handgun safe.

As to getting your wife to agree to shoot a gun at least enough to be comfortable with it, good luck. I have been trying, off and on for getting close to 50 years to get my wonderful wife to at least try a 22LR at the range, with zero success. She refuses to have anything to do with guns, and prefers I not even talk about guns or gun related issues even though she knows guns are a big part of my life. Just be prepared that your wife might never come around to your way of thinking about guns and that any guns you own will strictly be for your own use.
 
Mosin-Marauder said:
A .22lr (like the Aguila I suggested) will not Go through several layers of drywall. Even if it did you still have brick/siding to stop it. And even if it penetrates THAT you have maybe a 5 grain fragment flying all over the place that is most likely going to bounce off whatever it hits. Very unlikely ANY of that happens, near impossible really.
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A standard .22 LR will go through multiple layers of drywall. Try it yourself or look up some of the tests people have posted online. The bullet simply is not going fast enough to fragment in drywall like a .223 JHP will. And you can't always rely on the exterior stopping the bullet; siding is often pretty flimsy.
 
A standard .22 LR will go through multiple layers of drywall.
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The one I suggested is FAR from standard. A 30 Grain Hollow Point pushing 1750 FPS isn't going to preform anywhere close to that of your standard MiniMag or such (1235 FPS).
 
^^^ OK, but I was referring to standard .22 ammo. But even that load you mentioned isn't going fast enough to reliably fragment in drywall, so it will still tend to penetrate several layers because the bullet stays mostly intact.
 
Mosin-Marauder said:
No need to have that much to do in a HD situation. I'd be more concerned with defending my family than calling 911.
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Very fair statement. However, if I'm going to drop the hammer on some punk I want to make sure that both the Cavalry is coming and I get the word out first that someone is unlawfully in my home. And also for the dispatcher to tell the Cavalry not to shoot the guy in his fuzzy slippers, boxers, and Braves t-shirt.

Vanya said:
You're up to four hands, there, I think.
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Um, who do I whine too if a mod is being mean? :)
I guess y'all didn't hear because classified top secret eagle delta lambda, but I was genetically modified by the Army in an attempt to replace Steve Rogers after he got all insightful
 
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