Practical Self Defense Use for Rifles?

kraigwy said:
The best is what's available at any given time. How many people take their rifle to an ATM machine, or a Connivance Store, or while setting on your couch watching TV? Is your AR within reach right now, while typing on the computer?
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I want to agree with you; because I think a pistol is a critical part of any layered home-defense plan, assuming you are actually willing to use the advantage of convenience to carry one with you at all times around the house. However, I think you error in limiting "availability" to only whatever is within reach right now. That's an ideal; but realistically, if you have so little notice that you can only respond with whatever is within reach right now, then your security plan has big gaping holes in it somewhere. There should be fences, alarms, cameras, dogs, reinforced doors/windows, intercom, SOMETHING, that gives you some extra time.

Some say that if you knew you were to be in a shooting situation, get a rifle. I say if I know I'm going to be in a shooting I would be somewhere else.
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I think avoidance is a great strategy outside the home. Sitting at home though, I don't know that abandoning the house and fleeing is a great alternative. That is probably one of the few situations where I'd make an exception to the "don't be there" strategy - and it is hopefully one of those situations where availability is going to include weapons that aren't immediately within reach.
 
I was a victim of a home burglary/invasion in an upscale community about 2 months ago. I sleep with my pistol near my bed, and my rifle(AR15) is in the closet. I was woken up by the sound of someone trying to break my bedroom door open. I was very disoriented and didn't know what was going on, but after one second when i realized that i was in danger, i reached for my handgun which was on my window seal and right as i cocked the pistol the door opened. The criminal didn't get inside before he heard my gun cock and started running for the exit. I ran out the room with my pistol in hand to see the criminal running out my backdoor. In this situation, a rifle simply would not have done. The pistol was almost instataneous to deploy and may have saved my life. It was right as i cocked the gun (USP Compact 9mm) the the criminal stopped trying to enter my room and ran. If i had woken up hearing noises down stairs, then i would have got my rifle out of the closet, but with the few seconds i had to arm myself the pistol was the obvious choice with no doubt in my mind. Reaching for the pistol was automatic.
 
Thanks for sharing. That's exactly what I was describing in my earlier post. I keep all three by my bed; handgun, AR&AK, and 870. Different situation/threat = different weapon. You may be here due to having options.
 
I am recommending Ruger 10/22 mounted with red dot sights and/or Willlams peep sights and zeroed at 15 yards for such use. Low noise, no recoil, extreme ease of use, good accuracy very low danger of over penetration. Everything we want in a crowd scenario but good "stopping power".
However, I have friends in the FBI and also from 4 large city police agencies and I have some access to their files. Chest hits with 22 LR rounds are very often fatal, and nearly always “Turn Off" a criminal, even when that criminal is not killed

Interesting theory, I will have to study this some more.
 
The home invasions I have seen on the local news always have 4 things in common.

1. They usually happen late at night when the home owner is asleep as well as the neighbors.

2. There will be atleast two criminals involved though reports have had home invasions with as many as four criminals involved.

3. They are attracted to 3 things the home owner has, Drugs, Money, or guns. ( the most recent was a 66 year old man who was murdered by two teenage punks for his gun collection. The homeowner had his gun safe in the middle of the living room and kept his window shades open for all to be able to look in his house.)

4. At least around here most of the home invaders flee once one of them is shot by the home owner. An example of one was when these 3 teenage punks broke into this man's home late at night, and he shot one of the invaders dead the others rushed out the door so fast that one of them broke his ankle and the police caught him with no trouble.

Whatever you have to defend your castle with just make sure you are a master of it's use and you will do well if push comes to shove.
 
I guess if I set up my security system right, I can have a AR15 by my bed and I would be able to grab it in a second, in plenty of time before the intruder could get to me. To get into my bedroom, you can't break in from outside. You'd have to break in another way, and I could have my security system set to where I'd know long before the intruder could reach my bedroom, assuming he's foolish enough to stay after an alarm goes off.
 
Maybe in full auto mode? Well 2 things
1. Cyclic rate wont change between FA snd SA, thats all on you. And I bumpfire an sks all 10 rounds in 2.13seconds in a 2foot pattern at 10 yards... How fast is your 10shots of 9mm? I guess faster than I shoot a 9mil.
2. Recoil to the wrist and shoulder are controlled alot differently, if you dont believe me then fire a 12gauge from your shoulder, then with an outstretched arm.
They make HD ammo for ARs for a reason. Sorry if I came across as rude, Im grumpy.
 
I've been toying with the idea of getting an AR15 for fun, but I want a better reason than that to get one.


Besides some sort of SHTF scenario (I don't buy into the doomsday stuff), what would be a practical self defense use for an AR? I'm not saying we shouldn't own them at all, I just want a good excuse to buy one besides plinking.

I guess it'd be good for Home Defense, but most felonious attacks occur outside the home. So what self defense use would call for an AR15? If someone's far enough away to where I'd need a rifle I'd rather just run.

But the AR would certainly have a big advantage over a pistol in a close self defense scenario: 30 rounds, more stopping power, less recoil, faster follow up shots, etc... But when would the chance of you even being able to have your AR near in case of such a thing ever occur? At least a pistol you can always have on you.
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Actually the beauty of it all is that being an American and having the Second Amendment you don't need an excuse to own an AR15. You have right to own one regardless your intended use.

It can be used quite effectively for home/self defense depending upon your choice of optics and ammo. The lighter ballistic tipped bullets tend to self destruct rather than over penetrate. I have an EoTech XPS 2-0 with iron sights mounted on my RRA LAR15. It's within easy access at night when all is quiet and the lights are out.

I also have a 12GA Mossberg 500 loaded with #5 shot just as easily reached in the PM. While neither gun is under the pillow, or on top of the nightstand they are easily retrieved in a pinch.

The first weapon I can obtain and put into action the quickest is my HK45C pistol. If I can get to the AR, or 12GA first that would be my preference, however the HK will suffice at close range. It is carried on a daily basis and I practice with it weekly. I also take my AR to the range weekly as well.

I can hunt with my AR. Varmint and predators are my favorite furry critters of late to hunt. I can convert it to a scoped 6.8 SPCII for larger predators as well as deer and plinking with either configuration is just a ton of fun.

A long gun has distinct advantages over a pistol when it comes to lethality and range. A pistol is more convenient to conceal and in most cases is easier to get your hands on in the dark when being brought out of a deep sleep by a dirtbag that wants what you have and is willing to hurt you to get it.

Get yourself an AR. They are made to do more than just hang crap off of the rails and look cool at the range. They are very useful self protection tools that will save your bacon if so called upon to do so. Buy, practice and enjoy.
 
L Kilkenny, I carry concealed a lot more often than I hunt.

I target shoot a lot more often than I hunt, too. And it's easier to find handgun ranges than rifle ranges.

I can carry a handgun anywhere it's legal (which is most places, in MO). I can't carry a rifle or shotgun so easily.

So, in your case, handguns have less utility.

The number of hunters in the US is being outpaced by the numbers of SD or CC firearm owners. Your case may not be the norm.
 
First off, forget about 30 round magazine capacity. Yes, I know that those nice curved sticks are what "belong" in the rifle, BUT, we are talking about home defense here, not defending the firebase from viet cong.

One thing not mentioned (much) is that any selfdefense use of a gun has to be justified, and that decision is (sadly) not just yours alone. After the fact, police, and maybe the DA and perhaps 12 of your fellow citizens will make the final decision on actions you took under duress.

And they have all the time in the world to decide if what you did was "reasonable".

I'd be thinking that, if you use an AR with a 30rnd mag, its not going to look like you were only doing what you had to do, and no more. Certainly, someone will try to make others believe that is the real case, and not the fact that you were attacked. Its happened before.

Now, if you are a vet, or an enthusiast, and have spent literally thousands of hours living with your AR, and its handy when the time comes, then by all means, use it. But if you're not, there are better choices for this kind of application.
 
44 AMP, in the nice, rural neighborhood where the wife and I are buying a place, a deputy sheriff neighbor has advised us a burglary team of 8 guys was going around hitting houses.

Sometimes all 8 would go; sometimes smaller groups.

They got busted when a couple of them hit his house during the daytime, not realizing that 1) he was nearby on the property, not at work, and 2) he had a large and unfriendly dog.

Two got busted on the spot, and the others got identified.

Now, burglars aren't necessarily violent. But burglars who surprise home-owners have been known to become violent.

I wouldn't rule out the potential utility of high capacity magazines.

I'd just be prepared to defend my choice of weapons and accessories, if necessary.
 
I would look at a AR not chambered in 223 if I wanted one for HD. There are a couple rounds available where they basically blow out the 223 case to chamber something around 30 cal at lower velocities. At the range for HD seems like the answer in an AR platform. Pricey ammo or you have to reload.
Isn't there a 12ga AR out there?

There are several historic but recent scenarios where people have successfully used rifles to defend themselves. LA Riots have a few instances with video proof. Of course Katrina has also had claims surrounding it. The world doesn't have to end for LEO to be too busy to keep things settled for a few days.
 
3 gun progression.

I live on 50 acres in southeast Alabama and I like this mentality: I have a .40 S&W semi auto pistol in my nightstand to keep them off of me. I have a 12 gauge shotgun to keep them off my porch. And I have a remington 700 .308 to keep them off my property.
 
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