[Spinner]

Here in New Zealand we don't have quite the same freedoms enjoyed by the gun enthusiast citizens of the US. Our cops don't openly carry guns (though the patrol cars carry guns in the trunk) unless there's an Armed Offenders Squad callout (kinda like SWAT team). NZ citizens have to jump thru quite a few hoops to get a handgun licence and nobody in this country has a CCW permit.

We do have a variety and abundance of privately and publicly owned wide open spaces in which to hunt and a variety of deer species to chase with no animal predators or snakes to worry about, so maybe there's balance in all things (?).

When it comes to home defense, however, our cops take a very serious view of anybody even presenting a firearm, let alone using it. And, of course, our anti-gun lobby is pushing for harsher and stricter controls and the safety of kids and the banning of military style semi-automatic firearms yadda, yadda, yadda.

This doesn't mean that we don't have our fair share of burglaries, rapes, home invasions, assaults, kidnaps, armed robberies, murders, etc. In fact, if anything the spread of methamphetamine use in this country is making more violent crimes more common ........ yet I'm not allowed to take precautions to defend me and mine from a goblin with drug-induced psychotic intentions to commit who knows what level of heinous violence. I'm supposed to call the cops who may (or may not) be able to respond and come out to my place to deal with the offender. More likely they'll arrive in time to scratch their heads, pick up a few pieces and notify the relatives.

So, my plan is to have a sporting firearm (O/U shotgun) with a handful of rounds which are clearly intended for sporting use (say duck loads) readily available to confront any malicious goblins. The theory being I can say I heard a disturbance and thought it was a roving dog worrying my stock (or a pesky possum in the plum tree, or whatever) and grabbed the gun to deal with it only to find a badguy intent on mischief.

I'm picking the muzzle of a 12 ga would be a pretty good attitude adjuster but in case the worst comes to the worst, would a load of birdshot at close range (and it would have to be close range to even get close to being at all justifiable) .... say 10 yards or less, be effective? If I have to let a goblin get that close, I don't want him any closer so I'm looking for something to stop him in his tracks if possible.

I know the double shotgun and bird shot is quite restrictive but necessary if the "accidental" home defense argument is to be used. An evil black military looking mankiller pump action (or semi-auto) shotgun would just be impossible to defend.

Other options might be a lever action rifle in .44 mag, but overpenetration is a concern unless I load it for reduced velocities.

Spinner

[Gordon]

I gave a Preacher from NZ ( a Rev. Coad) a Savage 24V .357 over 20gauge with a 1.5X Weaverscope, and a Ruger Centenial Blackhawk .357 in about 81 and he took them back there! He thought himself quite well armed! Anyway I think BBs out of a tightly choked 12ga would ruin the day of any perp to 20yds. You really have no business shooting any one, who is not shooting at you, over 50ft in my opinion. Consider the possibility of a hostage situation where the rifle would be better, and no I wouldn't load down, I'd use a 180grainhollow point at full velocity, it won't penetrate much but my oh my what a wound!;)

[Moparmike]

Spinner, if you dont have a problem navigating your house in the dark with such a long barrel, then the birdshot will do nicely inside of 10yds. If you are familiar with glaser-type pistol rounds and how they work, a shotgun shell inside of 10yds is essentially the same.

That birdshot will act like a slug that breaks into about 200 little peices. Should make some bad guy think twice about breaking in your home right before he dies on your carpet.:D

[CWL]

I wouldn't try shooting someone the size of a Maori with birdshot, it might take a chunk out of em' but that'll only make him angry. Perhaps a shot to the face?

If deciding between birdshot in 12ga over .357 or .44 magnum in levergun, I'd go with the levergun. If you have any variety of buckshot available (you did say deer?) in 12ga, I'd choose that overall.

[mnrivrat]

First - let me say that you have my sympathy and I hope we amercians can continue to fight off the continuing aggression of those that would take away are right to defend ourselves.

With that said - you won't have any problem with the stopping power of a 12ga birdshot round at the distance you are talking about.

[only1asterisk]

Lead BB's or #2 is a fine choice. The larger lead birdshot will do much more than make someone angry at ranges found inside the agerage home.
I use just such a load in my house gun for the first couple of shots.

David

[Dave McCracken]

A couple things, Spinner....

First, your story should encourage us to resist those who'd take away our rights.Gun laws disarm only the lawful, and not the lawless.

Second, birdshot will works very well at close range, and if the perp hasn't a firearm or other distance weapon, shooting should be only at close range.

Third, most gun grabbers really do not care a whit whether your firearm is politically correct. They want all of them.

[fourdeuce82d]

<i>Other options might be a lever action rifle in .44 mag, but overpenetration is a concern unless I load it for reduced velocities</i>

<p>
I'd go w/ a .357 lever gun- I've clocked 158 grain SJHPs at 1800 fps out of a 16" (18") barrel- given the reputation of the .357 w/ 125 grainers @ ~1400 fps...I think that would do the job, with less recoil/penetration.


I keep one under the rear seat of my truck, to back up the Kimber in the console.