Shotguns for Home Defense

As I stated sometime ago, anyone with a brain would probably crap in his/her pants if they were on the receiving end of hearing a shotgun being pumped/racked.

I believe that it's important to make scary noises as well. That's why I train to start up a gas-powered chainsaw as part of my house clearing drill.
 
A shotgun is easy to hit with

And also easy to miss with.

The mess will not be any more or less than with a rifle or handgun - especially if you're talking about blood splattering everywhere

The main advantage of a shotgun, IMO, is simply the cost of acquisition and ownership - they are generally the least expensive of the three, the ammunition is generally less expensive. They are typically available in more places, as is the ammunition, and even in places with fairly strict gun control, are generally more allowable to be owned - all this while still providing ample firepower for the task at hand.

And if you need to have multiple guns all over your house, you might want to think about moving - not every neighborhood is zombieland

handgun is for tactical search and destroy i.e. going on the offensive

And even here in the Gunshine state, THAT gets you into jail real quick
 
I've been in one shooting and there wasn't blood everywhere even though the round "blew his heart to shreds" Coroner's words not mine there was only a little blood under the body. Cut the carpet with a razor knife taking it away would do it probably wouldn't even have to take the pad.
 
the 870 is my primary HD weapon of choice as well. loaded with #1 buckshot. if i am shooting an intruder in my home it is to kill.

not tickle,not maim. the bugger will not be sueing me for my trousers,etc.
 
I'd say go ahead with the shotgun, but try looking at some of the less than lethal rounds out there in 12ga. A shotgun at close range will knock the snot out of anyone, and leave them gasping on the floor. Top load a couple of the less than lethal rounds, followed by a couple of heavy game loads. If it comes to it, put lead to them, but remember, even if it's legal to kill an intruder, you will face your own conscience for the rest of your life. Do what it takes, but take the kill shot seriously, and without the heavy layer of B.S. usually affiliated with these threads. Less than lethal also mediates the real risk of accidentally shooting your kid sneaking back into the house in the middle of the night.
 
Top load a couple of the less than lethal rounds, followed by a couple of heavy game loads. If it comes to it, put lead to them, but remember, even if it's legal to kill an intruder, you will face your own conscience for the rest of your life. Do what it takes, but take the kill shot seriously, and without the heavy layer of B.S. usually affiliated with these threads.

Wow. That's deep.
 
Been in plenty of gunfights, and don't need the hard ass "blast the bad guys" stuff. I'd say the worst thing you can do when considering defense is to talk yourself into thinking you're something you're not. You won't get any awards or real satisfaction for killing someone. Furthermore, there seems to be allot of hard talk when it comes to this topic. Lots of fantasizing, and planning for the day someone gives the chance for glory. Shoot someone in the face with your 00 buckshot in your living room, and see if your wife ever looks at you the same. If you really think you want to kill someone, join the Army, and go 11-B, you'll get enough of it to make you happy to live in a place where you have little to fear, and quit thinking the gun will make you hard.
 
Furthermore, there seems to be allot of hard talk when it comes to this topic. Lots of fantasizing, and planning for the day someone gives the chance for glory.

I didn't see that at all.

I have cleared our house after a burglary. It's a pretty terrifying proposition. I don't go for less than lethal. It's not about being bad ass. It's about neutralizing a threat ASAP. So I strongly disagree.

I don't remember who posted the story about a father shooting his daughter in the neck while clearing a home, but it's certainly a sobering read. It's a good reminder about IDing a threat BEFORE putting your finger inside the guard.
 
A couple of things.
Light, with some exceptions most homes have enough ambient light so that if your eyes are adjusted to the lower light levels, a flash light is not needed.
If you're home is very dark then leaving a nite light on in a hall or living room is all you really need to fix the situation.
In either case, the BG is back lighted and you are not.

Of course this also depends on staying put in a defensive position once you and yours are safe.

If you plan on clearing the house then it is possible that a handgun is a better option. But in that case you are increasing yor risk exponentially.

imho it's better to wait till the nice 911 operator tells you not to shoot officer friendly.
 
Greensteelforge

I take a little offense at your statements of the “we haven’t been there” type. Do you actually know your audience that well?

I would like to address the point of less than lethal rounds mixed with lethal rounds loaded in the same scattergun. I can say it in no other way than, “this is a foolish and unsound thought!”

FIRST right off the top, GREENSTEELFORGE, if you top load less than lethal rounds into your magazine tube they will be the LAST rounds available to you. In shotgun magazine tube loading procedures, the rule of “first in last out” is in concrete! If you were meaning to say “ make your first two rounds less that lethal”, then plainly say that for us fantasizing novice folks who haven’t “been there and done that."

In general threat encounters are fluid affairs that change in nature by very small increments of time. They are also dictated by the aggressor not by the defender. To think that we will have the ability, understanding and speed to regulate when to use less than or lethal rounds in the moment of reaction to a threat is at best flawed and at worst foolhardy. I have been involved in several less than lethal situations, less than lethal was always backed up “as in a second operator” with available lethal force. This is the only sane way to approach the use of less than lethal force.

My next thought is; in the hands of a trained and competent operator, less than lethal is what it is, however at close range a hit to the wrong body part with those little beanbags of powered lead can and do kill! The last thing in the world one should suggest is the means for an accidental death. My thoughts on this are clearly stated in previous threads, we ONLY shoot our fighting scatterguns DEFENSIVELY, when our life is in danger, we never fire as a tool of persuasion.

IN A GUNFIGHT, WE MUST BE READY TO DELIVER THE FORCE NECESSARY; WE NEED TO ALSO PRAY WE NEVER HAVE TO.

Good Luck and Be Safe
 
Less than lethal= two Gsd outside the house or in the house or both

I have an 8 shot 12 gauge loaded and ready

My primary is a .45 acp and with me always

It's all about "Levels" but by the time I deploy the shotgun things have gotten ugly and cleaning up later will NOT be in my mind...YMMV
 
Bob
I take a little offense at your statements of the “we haven’t been there” type. Do you actually know your audience that well?

Agreed Bob. Since that poster claims he/she has
Been in plenty of gunfights
. I think it's open to ask the nature of those gunfights. Not calling anyone out, but it might be helpful to understand the nature of those "gunfight".
 
Some body get this man a rock and a slingshot... my friend, what you are looking for is a gun called the "Magic" and it's not in production yet. Funny how people think a handgun will win the fight when the intruder has a sawed off pistol grip with exceptional shooting skills.... when people "quote" other people... that's when you need a dose of vitamin R... R for reality. :barf:
 
Stainless Winchester,,

Anyone have any info about a _1200 (no.. not 1300....a 1200) stainless marine.. __I have assumed it was just an early 1300, but now I want to buy a rifled barrel for it.... Thanks for any help you might give,,, JS
 
Agreed Bob. Since that poster claims he/she has
You can tell a Cheetah by its spots... or in this case a mall ninja with his pistol gripped shotgun and his Counterstrike commando training.

You clowns who don't listen to the guys with three decades of instructor experience because you think something else works better from your counterstrike and paintball experience can listen to whomever you want.
 
Less than lethal also mediates the real risk of accidentally shooting your kid sneaking back into the house in the middle of the night.
First off the word you sought but didn't find was "mitigate"
Secondly, It doesn't mitigate the
real risk of accidentally shooting your kid sneaking back into the house in the middle of the night.
as you are still going to shoot the kid, just with a load that may only maim him rather than kill instantly. The risk of a LTL load killing is still far to high to fire on anyone you do not have a right to use lethal force. If you haven't identified the intruder as a "bogey" than you have no right firing or even leveling the gun on them. Never point a gun at anything you are not sure you wish to destroy...

Some folks opinions of what is right in HD/SD situations are best left unspoken.
Brent
 
It scares me a bit how many people don't think a light is a good way to go. If someone breaks into my home and I am there (this has happened to me) I want them to know that I know they are there. I make a ton of noise as I dial 911 and after I arm myself and i light the place up. I'm not into sneaking around in the dark. I want to make sure that what ever noise I hear is a threat (1st day in new house hung a plant from a hook in the ceiling, plant fell into the sink sounded like someone breaking in).
As for less-lethal rounds that is just ridicules, if someone is breaking into your house and you make noise, let them know you have called the police and have the place lit up so there is no dark place to hide and they stick around there is nothing about the situation that is "less-lethal". As for them taking you to court for assaulting them with less-lethal ammo, good luck. I don't feel the need to put myself in that situation. Who know less-lethal may just make them mad! As hogdogs said less-lethal is just that "less" not "not-lethal.
 
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