Shotgun for home defense, weaknesses and strong points

What I did try to get across, and some may have not have picked up on it is:

You cannot kill someone over property ... PERIOD!

Theft is NOT a death penalty crime!

If someone is threatening you with serious bodily injury or death you have the absolute right to defend yourself.

You don't want cops, citizens, or others killing your son or daughter because they may have made a bad decision to steal something. There are appropriate responses for that crime, and execution is not one of them.

I have been threatened with deadly force, and I have arrested folks for theft, and there is not a correlation whatsoever...
Click to expand...

I agree with most of what you're saying. I think people are a little too bloodthirsty. And I always cringe when I hear people with these "Can I shoot?" questions. If you have to ask, you shouldn't shoot.

But theft and burglary are two different things. You don't know that burglars are there just to steal something. And you have good reason to believe that they are at least armed with a crowbar, screwdriver, knife, or some other burglary tool.

Your comment about sons and daughters- I have two sons who are bigger than I am. If someone that size broke into my home I would likely shoot, and I'd expect others to do the same. I've told my kids this, repeatedly. Hopefully, they have the sense by now not to break into people's homes. If they're not any smarter than that, there are plenty of other things in this world that can kill them, too.

Life is harder. It's harder when you're stupid. If you're stupid enough, life's shorter, too.

I do agree with your assessment of the shooting in MN. That was murder plain and simple. Similar to the Ersland shooting. Once the threat has been neutralized, there is no reason to shoot again. Call the police, whether it's Thanksgiving, Christmas, or St. Patrick's Day.

There is the small issue about your comment about the death penalty. Self defense has nothing to do with punishment- they are two different things. Even if something is a death penalty crime, it doesn't mean you could carry it out as a punishment, any more than you could fine someone for jaywalking.
 
There is the small issue about your comment about the death penalty. Self defense has nothing to do with punishment- they are two different things. Even if something is a death penalty crime, it doesn't mean you could carry it out as a punishment, any more than you could fine someone for jaywalking.
Click to expand...

You missed the point, this is not what I said...
 
For the last 30+ years, I've used the same shotgun for my primary HD weapon. This same shotgun and I also have countless hours together hunting and drilling. I know it, confident with it, can operate it in low light conditions and have spent the time shooting it with defensive loads so as to know what patterns best for my home situation.

I pray my shotgun will remain only for hunting and I can pass it down to the kids.

My handguns would be what I would grab first as they are usually kept the closest to me but their sole purpose is to escort me to the shotgun if at all possible.
 
Last edited:
For the last 30+ years, I've used the same shotgun for my primary HD weapon. This same shotgun and I also have countless hours together hunting and drilling. I know it, confident with it, can operate it in low light conditions and have spent the time shooting it with defensive loads so as to know what patterns best for my home situation.
Click to expand...

This is exactly why the shotgun is so good for home defense ... because most American boys grew up with a scattergun in their lap!!! It is natural like throwing a baseball to them...
 
Last edited:
Oh, I hate to be the stat guy but I doubt that most grew up with shotguns. I would alter the statement to stay that many grew up with the gun and thus being familiar with it, might stick with it.

I do think specific shotgun SD training is useful though. Even if you did use it in the field. You probably didn't pie around corners to sneak up on a duck.
 
I do think specific shotgun SD training is useful though. Even if you did use it in the field. You probably didn't pie around corners to sneak up on a duck.
Click to expand...

Absolutely!

This is why I feel the niche of the shotgun for HD is purely defensive. If I need to sneak and peek I am using a handgun.
 
I do think specific shotgun SD training is useful though.
Click to expand...

...and naturally, the same holds true when choosing a handgun for SD as well.

Playing Rambo through a woods shooting cans or target shooting with a handgun will familiarize you with your handgun but is NOT the same as SD training.
 
Last edited:
No pistol grips

I watched the first and second videos I generally agree.

one thing I didn't see in either video, unless I missed it, is the importance of a shoulder stock. Shotguns without a shoulder stock are not good for anything IMO, you need to be able to aim the stotgun. If you think you need a shotgun with just a pisol grip then you really need a pistol.
 
Theft is NOT a death penalty crime!

The death penalty is a state punishment. Self-defense is what civilians can do under certain circumstances.

A home invader probably won't yell out "I'm just here for the TV!"
 
Theories of the legalities of lethal force are not relevant to the tactical use of shotguns. Let's stay on the topic.

If you want to debate whether you want to kill someone for your TV, go to L and CR and you might study up on the history of the law.
 
As noted, some are getting too off topic.

In regard to SD training ... most cops do much of such training, but just like martial arts some trainers and some others taught theories that are static, and based on CYA principles of their department, city or state. There is no magic in training if you don't have the skill sets to apply the theories. You can teach a dog calculus all year long, but never a building will he build.

Shooting cans, moving targets, and learning balance by any means DOES make you better at SD... Doing training without those skills is a waste of time. A fighter is a fighter, and the skills are the same be it a sword, karate, or guns ... make no mistake on this. Joe Desk jockey cannot learn to play a piano, do a waltz, knock out multiple opponents, or take on bad guys in his house with WHATEVER GUN, without the skill sets that takes years to perfect ... there is no easy path. Talk is cheap, show me how you shoot under stress, real stress where life and death is at stake, and then lets talk about all these theories and how they improve you as an individual shooter.

Point being ... take your classes, but train, train and train again IN THE REAL WORLD, WIND, SNOW, RAIN, INDOORS, OUTDOORS, DARK, SUNLIGHT, CANS, TARGETS, RABBITS AND DOVE, BUT SHOOT!!! Then learn balance and how to move, control your heart rate under duress, impervious to stress while hitting targets, and if needed, take on the bad guy with the gun not working, or you wounded or injured...

Do you hunt and can see in 3D where the heart lies as the body moves? Most training uses flat targets facing you square … this doesn’t happen often in the real world. Animals or people do flight or fight, and they don’t do it flat, they are down charging or running away, or angled coming at you or away. Can you hit the heart in all these angles, distances, and timing needs … this is what can shooting does, and hunting does, and other real world practice of field use does. Can you shoot while breathing heavily, which is just what you will be doing when the … Hits the fan! Life and death, and down and dirty is nothing like training, nothing. The training just keeps the skills sharp, IF, the skills come naturally in the first place, and they damn won’t come naturally from taking a training course and going back home to the computer job. Natural reactions take years of repeat training, muscle memory is key, not mind memory. Keep it simple, do you have a safety or do you not? Whichever it is, practice with that on or off ALWAYS. You do as you train under stress!!! This goes for shotguns, handguns, or rifles or bows.

What gun you use, wherever it is, or what time it is, DOES NOT MATTER.

Back on point, a shotgun is a great choice for home defense made even better when you have the skill sets to make it work to the full potential of the design!

YOU CAN SURVIVE, OR YOU CANNOT... BAD GUYS TRAIN ALL DAY IN PRISON FOR COPS, YOU, AND OTHER VICTIMS!!!!
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top