Please rank your top 5 defensive long-guns for beginner

Jimmy, I totally agree that the plan should be barricade and wait. The problem is that some people have small children and need to get from point A to B to ensure the children are safe. This is where someone may need the "room clearing" capability when considering a firearm. A carbine is short enough to be maneuvered through a house and basic retention techniques will prevent the "the BG will pull it from your hands" scenario.

Should a home invasion take place, you need to establish priorities

Example:
1) Secure firearm
2) Ensure all who are required to be in designated "safe room" are in the proper place
3) Secure "Safe Room"
4) Secure phone

Everyone will have slight variations on the theme, but you need to be able to make it from priority one to final priority with your firearm. For some that's a pistol. For others a long gun. Or a combination:
1) Start with handgun
2) retrieve children
3) retreat to safe room
4) secure long gun

One reason is the house may not be optimally designed to utilize the children's room as a safe room for structural reasons or tactical, such as level of the house or location of a window and tree. Make a plan first and foremost, even if there are no firearms available.
 
Close quarter in home - handgun is what I pick up first.

1. handgun - but the OP said that has been covered...

..so I guess a second handgun and a backup handgun has also be covered? Maybe it's overkill to have defensive handguns and ammo in three calibers? I can hold a pistol longer than I can hold a long arm. I can reload a pistol faster than a shotgun, rifle or AR-15. But I digress from the question.

1a. The AR-15/M-4 carbine holds 10 more rounds than my 9mm XDm and not as much worry about blowing holes through a couple of my neighbor’s homes.

2. I've been running a 12 or 20 gage pump gun so many years, that it would be third runner up (but not my newbie recommendation if they are not going to commit the time and shells to learn to run the gun). I’m using 870’s but suspect Mossberg would work as well.

3. Ruger 10/22 is so easy to manipulate, it makes my list. (Fast is Important if we find there are enough perps for a party or the Zombies are actually Zoombies - but I digress again, mods be merciful).

4. Guess I’d go with a pistol caliber carbine. Beretta or perhaps Hi Point (both are ugly enough to scare off lesser demons).

5. Pick any two of the above.
 
My presumesion's are:

1) not familiar with long arms.
2) recoil is a factor
3) NO idea as to home situation, e.g.; inner-city, suburban, semi-rural, or rural

Given above, I recommend that the person locate a hunter safety course, as this would give them actual use of long arm that might allow a decent idea of recoil, by actually firing.

2) I would recommend that a M1 Cabine be considered as it has low recoil, good out to 150yds, using various soft-nose ammo has better terminal effects.

3) second firearm to considered would be 20 qa., shotgun Pump action.

4) remotely to consider is a lever action 30/30..
 
I recommend that the person locate a hunter safety course, as this would give them actual use of long arm that might allow a decent idea of recoil, by actually firing.
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Hunter safety courses here don't involve any actual shooting.

They show you some different types of guns, and explain how they operate, but there is no range time.
 
My Top Five

After reading these posts last night, I thought about them today at length. As I was in a gun shop today looking for some ammo for my carry gun I thought of what is listed below.
1) Do shoot whatever guns you think might be in your top 5. (Shoot with friends, gun clubs in your area, gun shops that rent guns to shoot in their indoor ranges, etc.)
2) Do go to some matches in your area and watch how people shoot pistols, shotguns and rifles in realistic scenarios. (I know IDPA/USPSA scenarios are only somewhat realistic, but better than nothing.)
3) Do talk to some NRA certified instructors or knowledgeable law enforcement personnel about your choices.
4) Do make a plan for what a home defense situation might look like & practice it. Practice it with your spouse and/or your kids. Practice it with both pistol length and rifle/shotgun length implements (unloaded guns or even toy guns, like the ones I saw today as I was looking for ammo). Working around corners in your home is an eye-opening experience and the difference between handguns and long guns is astounding. You might change your mind after trying different plans with the different types guns. Practice it in daylight and in the dark. It will be worth the time before you make up your mind about what you want to use for home defense.
5) It is OK to change your mind after practicing.
Your choices for home defense long-guns will be unique to you and that's OK. I hope you take the time to try out some of what I have listed in MY Top Five before you buy.
 
It's a NON GUN friend who wants a long gun for PURELY DEFENSIVE USE.

I personally think it is patently absurd to expect any non-gun person to accept a 12 gauge shotgun as their SD long gun.

They DO NOT shoot, . . . have no concept of recoil, . . . have no concept of the muzzle blast, . . . have no concept of the workings of the weapon.

Before you jump on the "870 is the greatest" bandwagon, . . . take em out to a range, . . . let em pump a half dozen HD rounds down range, . . . then ask them if they would use it. You'll probably get that "you know you are kidding" look on their face.

Show them an autoloading, box magazine, rifle: .223, .243, .30 carbine, .44 mag, 9mm, . . . there are just oodles of choices.

Let em pump a half dozen of those rounds down range.

They will thank you, . . . and you just may have made a shooter out of them.

And if you really don't want them ever coming around your door again, let em shoot your 12 gauge with the pistol stock, 3 inch 00 buck, . . . you know, . . . the one with the spotlight, lazer, red dot, and bayonet.

May God bless,
Dwight
 
Don't forget to tell them to hold the pistol grip up to their eyes so they can aim.

It's fun for newbies - don't ask how I know and I know a nationally known trainer who ate his. Also, a grand old skilled TX hunter. Beginner fun :(

NOT!
 
Dwight55 hit the nail on the head in post #68. Just like I said in post #46; I can't understand anyone who thinks a pump shotgun is easier to use for a beginner than a semi-auto carbine.
 
It depends. If they can handle the recoil, the big advantage of the shotgun is its wide availability and low price.

The only carbine that can really compete would be the much-in-the-news Hi-Point pistol-caliber carbine or its slightly (but only slightly) nicer-looking equivalents from Kel-Tec.

Not that either of those is a bad thing, though.
 
1. Hi-Point 9mm Carbine.

More reliable than many think. Easy action for a beginner to learn. Easy safety for a beginner to manipulate. Easy firearm to manipulate in tight spaces.


2. A lever action carbine in .45 Colt.

A pump action shotgun has a slide-lock that could become a problem for someone who doesn't intend to use their gun often. A lever action carbine would generally not have that problem.

3. Semi-automatic .410 with 18.5in barrel.
 
For me, taking handguns out of the equation, would only be one pick and its a 12 gauge semi auto loaded with 00 buck. If a semi auto was out of the price range then any pump loaded same way will do. Both platforms very easy to load and learn on. If i had to pick more options im gonna go with what i have that i feel like i could make a good defense with in my house and i would say a ruger 10/22 and a marlin 336 30-30. Hands down though a good 12 gauge.
 
Don't forget to tell them to hold the pistol grip up to their eyes so they can aim.

It's fun for newbies - don't ask how I know and I know a nationally known trainer who ate his. Also, a grand old skilled TX hunter.
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Glenn,

I learned the hard way underwater.

No, not with a cruiser 12 gauge, but with a spear gun. First time I fired it I was in the Gulf of Mexico spear fishing under some oil rigs. I aimed while holding it just somewhat forward my face. BIG MISTAKE.

Knocked the regulator out of my mouth (but I got it back in thankfully!) That little blunt gizmo at the back of the spear gun is there for a reason. You put your other hand against it so it won't recoil back into you.

So yes, hold the shotgun 'Rambo' style least you eat the gun.

Deaf
 
I personally think it is patently absurd to expect any non-gun person to accept a 12 gauge shotgun as their SD long gun.
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It doesn't have to be all or nothing. At 7 yards,(the size of a very large room), a 20 ga does significant damage without the worry of over penetration through walls. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwXiQvKwcVs
I prefer hand guns, but the OP asked about long guns for SD. Any gun can be used for self defense, but do you really want something that can take out your family in the other room or a neighbor?

As far as holding someone at bay for an extended time, IMO, just as hard with a hand gun. Most of the time you will not have the phone in your other hand, so you will have to go get it.

Again, average citizen, probably not willing to invest a few house payments in the platform and ammo and lots of classes...
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20 Ga shotgun will set you back less than $300 for a name brand model.

As far as length goes, most people don't shoot handguns from the hip, so add your arm length. A short shotgun, (most youth models), are relatively easy to shoot from the hip.
 
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Danny 1954 said:
a 20 ga does significant damage without the worry of over penetration through walls
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This is only partially correct: Yes, a 20 ga. shotgun is very effective; but, just like a 12 gauge, it has problems with over-penetration.

The myth that a shotgun won't over-penetrate is just as incorrect as the myth that a .223 will over-penetrate. Buckshot zips through interior walls like crazy, and smaller loads aren't much better; at close home-defense ranges even birdshot is clumped together enough that it will over-penetrate.

If you're worried about over-penetration inside your house, a shotgun is the last gun you should be using.
 
1. Something similar to what they have used before. Familiarity helps with using a firearm.
2. something in the same caliber as there handgun. They are more likely to have ammo if it is all the same.
3. Something they think is cool. More likely to practice with a gun you like
4. Something with cheep ammo. Practice more for less money
5. Something fun. If the gun is fun for the owner to shoot they will practice more
 
Something similar to what they have used before. Familiarity helps with using a firearm.
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That's true. Someone who has hunted rabbits with their shotgun for years would be well served using that gun for home defense. Someone who shoots cowboy action matches with an 1873 replica lever rifle might be fine using that for home defense.


Pump shotguns have a lot going for them. Low cost and power are two big advantages. But for someone new to shooting who is only getting a gun for home defense, I think a semi auto rifle would be the easiest firearm to learn.
 
When it comes to HD shotguns, I like the .410. Easy on recoil, and the new SD ammo hits hard. Unless shotgun sports like clays, hunting, or 3-Gun are in the immediate future, the .410 pump or semi-auto will do just fine.
 
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