Rifle/Carbine vs Shotgun vs Handgun for HD POLL

Best for HD: Rifle/Carbine vs Shotgun vs Handgun

  • Rifle/Carbine

    Votes: 13 8.0%

  • Shotgun

    Votes: 54 33.1%

  • Handgun

    Votes: 26 16.0%

  • Combination of the above

    Votes: 69 42.3%

  • Use a phone and hope the police show up in time

    Votes: 1 0.6%
  • Total voters
    163
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Right now my only viable option is an AK74 w/ a 16" bbl. As I am still in the early stages of building my gun collection; the other guns I have are ones I've had since I was a kid (a Mossberg 20ga pump and a Ruger 10/22).

For me the AK is fairly handy and I feel very comfortable shouldering and pointing it, much more so than some of my friends' ARs (this is just me personally). My only concern is overpenetration.

I think my next gun is going to be an 870 tactical though and that will most likely be my go-to HD gun.

I know I put combo in the choices and that most people like the idea of a backup weapon but my gripe with that is actually being able to effectively employ both. I don't sleep with a holster on and trying to handle both a long gun and a handgun while moving to engage an intruder just seems like it would be distracting and too time consuming, especially as I am trying to go from 0% alertness to 200% alertness.
 
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Maybe I'm a bit critical, but "combination of the above" is a bit optimistic in my opinion. Barring a long, drawn out gun fight, the ability to "swap" weapons doesn't seem all that feasible. If engaged, why in the world would you want to discard a shotty to unholster a pistol, or vice versa? Or if someone was advancing quickly, why waste time ascertaining a secondary firearm? Just my thoughts, and some of you may have experience that differs, which is fine. I'm always looking to learn.

I have pistols and a HD shotgun (Mossberg Maverick). I'm not under the delusion that shotgun will magically difuse any situation (one shot kill, bg pees his pants, etc.), but I do believe I'd trust it foremost. Sure it doesn't have the manueverability of a handgun, but I believe under duress I can be much more accurate and I believe the "hits" would have much effectiveness than a solitary handgun round. Just my $.02.
 
Maybe I'm a bit critical, but "combination of the above" is a bit optimistic in my opinion. Barring a long, drawn out gun fight, the ability to "swap" weapons doesn't seem all that feasible.
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Thats kind of what I was getting at in my last post. I'm not saying you should only have one gun available for HD but when the SHtF I don't think trying to arrange multilple guns is the best idea. Grab you're favorite, check it quick and move to engage the threat.

EDIT: BTW I am curious to hear the person who voted for "Grab the phone and hope the police show up in time" defend their choice :D LMAO.
 
Most of what I've read has said that for "purely" home defense a Short barreled (18" ) tactical shotgun ( No stock but pistol grip for maneuverability ) with Buck shot or bird shot ( to avoid over penetration) is the best Home Defense weapon there is. The sound alone is enough to scare an attacker off. Also the fact that in a high stress situation and a moving Attacker , a shotgun gives a bit more room for error.
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Congratulations on working an astounding number of popular shotgun myths into a single, succinct paragraph. Misinformation may not be much of talent; but condensing it in such an easy to read format surely must be ;)

In honor of your achievement, I have searched the TFL archives for threads discussing and debunking those particular myths and hotlinked them to the corresponding myths in your quote for ease of reading.
 
Most of what I've read has said that for "purely" home defense a Short barreled (18" ) tactical shotgun ( No stock but pistol grip for maneuverability ) with Buck shot or bird shot ( to avoid over penetration) is the best Home Defense weapon there is. The sound alone is enough to scare an attacker off
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Apparently most of what you have read is wrong. Shotguns need stocks, don't use bird shot for defense, and the sound might scare some but don't count on it.
 
My semi-scientific

Testing of the sound of a pump shotgun action as fear inducing...
Okay I couldn't stand the suspense further!!! All this hub-bub about the sound of a shot gun racking a shell will send a man running...
So I took all the shells out of mine, Checked it 2 more times and YELLED... FREEZE MUTHA F'ER And racked the action... Didn't scare me one bit... But my little pitbull mix female ran out of the room and momma's pomeranian/chihuahua cross bailed under the bed hitting her head on the way! So I shut off the lights (might work in the dark) tried it again and same result (NOTHING) I didn't run or poop my pants. Just stood there...
So I got the bright idea to include a second party. Called momma in the room and after explaining the hollerin' and why her dog was cowering and shaking under the bed I told her to just Cycle the action real hard and fast... DERN IT!!! Nothing again! Had her do the loud yell first (this was easy as she was still mad I scared her dog) and last result same as the rest... NO NEGATIVE REACTION OF FEAR! Don't believe it will work on more than a couple chicken dogs!
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From this thread...
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3133205&highlight=momma's+dog#post3133205
Pardon the searching, it was hard to find the post...
Brent
 
Congratulations on working an astounding number of popular shotgun myths into a single, succinct paragraph. Misinformation may not be much of talent; but condensing it in such an easy to read format surely must be

In honor of your achievement, I have searched the TFL archives for threads discussing and debunking those particular myths and hotlinked them to the corresponding myths in your quote for ease of reading.
Click to expand...



lol , Wow I'm glad I got an award for something AND i listed in there "what I've read" .


A couple things though ... The pistol grip while perhaps not as ideal as a stock , at the range I am thinking of ( especially in my very small home ) I believe that it would be a more maneuverable weapon in a panic. Obviously not as comfortable for recoil , but this is not my target shooting fun gun. I would be shooting it enough to feel comfortable at hitting a 5-6 foot man with it within 20 feet, then storing it and hope I never need it.


The link the you added had many many people also agreeing for bird shot .... so that seems like a pretty popular opinion piece that I believe could go both ways... So Bird or Buck , either/or would be a viable option depending on what you want out of it. Your post to the Over penetration issue is also riddled with people on both sides of the few point with some people having instructors say the same to them. So again ... either/or dependent on your views.

Obviously the sound alone is not a sure fire way to scare anyone off.... But there was a study of inmates who were asked .... and the Sound of the pump action shotgun would stop them in their tracks.... Obviously there are always various difference attacks and scenarios ... in a burglary , or a situation where someone is quietly , hunting YOU , the warning of the firearm and the sound of the pump action " may be enough" to scare them off. I often tell my GF when at home at night , if she ever feels the need to draw while in her Bedroom , To make sure as she announces the firearm to Rack the slide right after so they will know it's not just an idle threat and may cause them to think twice about coming through that door.

As for the room for error , I'm not saying you don't need to aim. With the shorter barrel , though , you had a little more room for error and wound infliction. At that close of range there is not going to be alot of expansion , but a 1-2" hole may mean the difference and catching him in a vital , and grazing his body....




So while I don't claim, to know all of the "facts" that you guys site to counter the "myths" I listed... It would certainly apear that they are very very common "myths" and there is a reason they have so often been repeated....

You know my GF tells me all the time that " Milk is good for you " is a Myth as well , and that pharmecutical companies and Vaccinations are the Corporate genocide leaders of the free world....

My point with this ? the post was a matter of preference question and why ... Perhaps my reasons are myths to you all , but I believe in them for the reasons I listed over a handgun or a rifle as MY "perfect" home defense weapon"



Thanks for my award btw :)
 
Twellons, My 18 inch barrel with regular stock is FAR MORE mobile! It can be carried with my right hand in a few positions and all of which have my finger in a ready position. Don't get me wrong, it won't fit crossways in all hallways but I doubt that is a battle ready position as the bad person will be to front or rear and not alongside.
I have the ability to carry barrel up or down just like your PGO, I have the ability to shoot from a low hip or midsection position just like the PGO, but I am able to tuck the stock under my arm and clamp down for defensibility which you cannot, I can go to a full shoulder mount position which you cannot. I can fire mine while looking down the barrel for best accuracy which you cannot. And if I run out of shells or suffer the rare jam I have a double ended club which the PGO does not...;) Food for thought...
To quantify my opinion I have un-countable thousands of rounds with a PGO as well as the regular stock design and a few thousand with the AR shaped stock.
Brent
 
Those are all very valid reasons Hotdogs , and Appreciate the listings of why you prefer the Stock. Perhaps some of those are good reasons for me to try and see how well I could do the same ( using my rifle ) to test and I may also prefer the stock.

I think many here forgot this was an opinion thread , and listing reasons why someone feels the way they do on their opinion may help others to form new opinions... the previous " YER DOIN IT WRONG" replies to my post were not very helpful. lol
 
Twellons, the reason I linked to those posts is because they had really good information in them if you take the time to read them and critically think about them. Even better if you follow some of the suggested links.

If all you intend to do is tabulate how many people had a certain opinion and decide that >X number of people sharing your opinion validates your opinion, then you are in for a very interesting life. Particularly since some of the more informative posts in those threads show facts that directly contradict many of those opinions and those facts are never rebutted.

ETA: As for the "yer doin it wrong" posts, look at what hogdogs typed in response to a single sentence of yours regarding a fairly simple issue. Now look at the more complex issues you touched on - most people don't have the inclination to write a 5k word essay on why they think your opinion is wrong supported by their reasoning on each issue. Thus the links to past discussions - which apparently a waste of time also.
 
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While I was at work , I was unable to read through all of the links you provided , but I did skim all of them and saw many views and arguments for both sides...

I guess my point was that popular opinions weather right or wrong , disagreed with or not , are just that.... opinions... Now perhaps I mistakenly saw your post as a denial of others opinions and stating your view and opinion as fast ...

The fact of the matter is that even the links you posted are still just " What I've read" information. And always something to take into consideration from the more experienced.
Instead of giving your personal reasons for your feelings simply linked off of OTHER peoples views opinions and reasons.... It's what you've read and studied and believed in . ( According to your response to me , although I'm sure tyou have more personal experience )

My opinions are not based strictly on X number of opinons > Y so therefore X must be true...

Although that plays a part in my views, I do in fact take both point of views and think about them and digest them and place them into my specific situation and make my own opinions and choices... ( The same goes for politics, food selection , cancer risks etc... ). Basically I don't believe everything I read on the net, in a book , or see on a movie ... but I take the various opinions and process them and accept those which I "feel" are true in my opinion and what is a "best case scenario" or me and my family. Is this always correct or the most knowledgeable ? No... Is it a true opinion based on my knowledge and experience ? Yes.


So perhaps it was a misunderstanding of what you were trying to get across , but the multitude of links trying to prove my views incorrect , did nothing more than come across to me as " Your ignorant and need to do more research" while at the same time displayed that MANY many other people share my view.


I can refer you back to the Milk and Vaccines argument . My GF can link me 25 sites and references to say they are terrible for you and dangerous and it's a massive lie that society believes.... I can also link just as many arguments that say Milk is good for you and Vaccines necessary ... So who's to say who is right and who is wrong ? Both reference studies of facts in given cases... It's a matter of opinion based on belief and other circumstances and scenarios that helped form those views.


Now , to say " I disagree with your opinion because...." Well now that's a healthy debate and something I look forward to in order to expand my view and understanding. " You're spreading myths and falsehoods as you can see here..." Is nothing more than touting your opinion as fact... based on other peoples opinions and views.

Hotdogs method of listing his personal experiences and views of WHY he has his opinion was in no way negative and was simple a good method of listing why he, as a person, disagrees...


So again , perhaps a misunderstanding .... but back to the subject at hand , A shotgun , short barrel ( perhaps with PGO or stock ) and Birdshot is my current opinion in answer to the question. I'm not really sure how so many of these replies came back to my single post.... I'm feeling the love though ;)
 
So while I don't claim, to know all of the "facts" that you guys site to counter the "myths" I listed... It would certainly apear that they are very very common "myths" and there is a reason they have so often been repeated....
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Myths that are commonly repeated are still myths. You will find no quality shotgun instructor, AFAIK, that will subscribe to any of those myths.
 
No can of worms for me.

I prefer them all.

Each has good points and bad.

I keep the handgun the most cause I carry it daily. But I'd be quite happy with my M1 Carbine/AR/AK or Mossburg 590 any day. There is no conflict to me between them.
 
Quality of instructor is objectionable. One of the links about Bird shot mentioned someone who had an instructor teach them to use Bird Shot for home defense....


Again... It's all objectionable to what one is taught and by whom. Back to the Milk argument.... Herbal Doctors teach on thing ( My GF is studying to be a natural Herbalistic Doctor) ... Modern Medicine Doctors teach another... Both offer studies to show why the other is a myth and wrong.... Who you YOU believe and rely on ?

Herbal Docs that claim against Milk and Vaccines and medicines of most kinds ?

Or Medicinal docs that have guided you your entire life ?

Both offer compelling arguments based on studies and viewpoints.

Anti's offer studies and view points , us Pros offer studies and viewpoints... I Offer "my" view based on my beliefs and views of both sides of the arguments ... and I am PRO.

I don't claim that my view if fact or best for everyone. Based on my views, education, experience thus far and situation ... They will work best for me until my view changes based on my own understanding and belief through education and open minded acceptance of other's views. .
 
This is my new HD weapon of choice...

DSCF1861.jpg
 
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