Budget home defense rifle

no. 4 buckshot has minimum penetration. You should not rule out shotguns.

.223/5.56 with light >55gr bullets will not penetrate very many walls.

Any rifle round will over penetrate in an apartment. Maybe look at a 20 or 16 gauge with some light non buckshot loads. A rifle in an apt is asking for trouble IMO

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Nuther vote for 12 guage

Hi Point 9mm, .40, or .45 carbine.

.223/5.56 with the right load will penetrate less than most pistol caliber carbines.

if the budget is tight i'd probably go with a 20 guage.

If you are really on a budget a bolt action will work.

Women who have no experience need simple and easy to shoot (as in light recoil). I think this loaded with 3" buckshot would be about ideal. Simple to operate, low recoil, but ample power.

If something like that is out of here price range, then maybe am el cheapo pump 20 ga. like a Maverick which can be had for $200 more or less.

35W

Remington 870 or Mossberg 500 Shotgun in 12 Gauge or 20 Gauge, loaded with buckshot.

Can be found new or used for 300 bucks or less. IMO/IME much better for home defense than a rifle, unless your friend lives in a very large apartment .

Any projectile that will reliably stop a human attacker will penetrate sheetrock.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

monotonous_iterancy said:

That's the question I'm asking if we decide to go with a hi-point. Which caliber?

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9mm. (cuz it'll work and it's cheaper to practice with)

Other options:

Lever Action 357 Mag and load it with 38 SPL+P

.30 Carbine (ok, not exactly cheap)

It depends on the type of ammo available in your area. If there is 9mm, 40S&W, or 45ACP available then the Hi Point carbine is a great choice. If for some crazy reason, you have 22LR around your neck but none of the preceding, then get a 10/22 and a couple of 25 round BX-25 mags.

On the other hand, a 12 ga NEF Pardner Pump will run way less than $200. Take a hacksaw to the 28" barrel and drop it to 18.5 inches and get a ton of shotshells and practice, practice, practice.

The professional way is to buy a tool that uses a pilot to keep it centered on the barrel and cuts the muzzle back.

The unofficial way is to hack it down, then use a file and some care to square it up. You can check with any good straightedge or good straight bench or wall. A steady hand and a little experience can get arguably get this 100% as good as the tool.

As for penetration, keep it in mind, but compensate for it by knowing the safest angles. In my apartment, firing north gives me enough space that anything slowed down from the walls will fall into swampland.

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_451153_-1

Not sure if this link works. The mossberg 500 bantam has a short 12" length of pull, anyone can use it, and regardless of the comments to the contrary will quite effectively end a fight with 4 or even 6 shot. Your friend is wise to consider penetration concerns, so she must also accept that loads to address that concern will be a compromise. 4 shot is not the most effective load for defense, but I can assure you that the typical bad guy will not feel like fighting if he takes one or two blasts to the chest.

ANY handgun, not to mention rifle, will penetrate far worse than a shotgun with 4 shot. The bantam is reliable, and its $259.00 brand new.

SKS, cant go wrong with it. Ammo is available , plentiful and affordable.

A Remington 870 in 20 g .

Budget home defense rifle
Today I was helping a friend move into her apartment. It's her first one, and I brought up the topic of getting a gun. It's her first time in her life on her own, and she's living alone. She's quite independent for her age, and was quite receptive of the idea. So I'm looking for inexpensive options to steer her towards.

Criteria:

1. Handguns are out of the question, because we're both under 21. Besides, for a purely home defense weapon, that kind of compactness isn't needed.

2. It still needs to be handy and compact. She wants something small.

3. Inexpensive, because she's young, and not made of money.

4. The round used needs to have minimal wall penetration, because it's an apartment. That's why I've ruled out shotguns.

The first thing that came to my mind is a Hi-Point carbine. I think it would meet those criteria, as well as being easy to shoot with it's pistol calibers. I've never fired one, so I'm just going off internet hear-say. If there are better options, I'm open to them.

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A SKS only meets one of these criteria, it's cheap. It is one of the worst choices for penetration, it's heavy, it's large, and it is just simply not sized for a female defending indoors. In addition, the bolt is quite heavy, and the blast indoors will be disorienting for a novice, female shooter. An AK would be a better choice if you are looking for a rifle caliber, which i think is a mistake. youth shotgun is ideal. Being a novice of sorts, you are wise to look for advice. Your list, except for a completely mistaken "ruling out shotguns due to penetration concerns" is a decent one. Even buck shot will penetrate far less than a pistol caliber carbine. I have a hi-point 9mm, and I can assure you that it penetrates. 9mm's have that reputation from pistol length barrels. From a carbine, they will be approaching .357mag power & velocity.

Since you have abandoned the majority of "her" list, it kind of sounds like you have your mind made up on what you think she should have.

I have all of the guns you mentioned, plus 50+ others, i shoot a lot and have for many years, and at the end of the day the only one not in the safe standing guard next to the bed is a shotgun.