Carried round count for bump in the night

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thewillweeks

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What do y'all carry for round count to investigate bump in the night/outside disturbances of unidentified origin? I noticed an inconsistency on my part with this. If I'm carrying a 12 gauge I feel content to carry the gun loaded and chambered plus enough to top it off again. That's 11 shells (6 buck, 5 slug) of 12 gauge. With my SKS I grab 3 stripper clips and load the gun, so a total of 40 rounds of 7.62x39. But heaven forbid I grab the AR, then I'm likely to be packing at least 90 rounds, 1 mag in and two coupled together and hooked in a pocket or belt (1st: 20 TAPS, 10 XM193 knock off; 2nd and 3rd: XM855).

So...I don't know why I choose those numbers, they just seem "right" to me. The only one I feel like needs revised is maybe the 12 gauge count, I once sent 9 rounds at a badger...and two extras doesn't make me feel safe. Thoughts? Does anyone else feel less need for a lot of 12 gauge over a smaller rifle round? Do I just carry more because it's lighter??

EDIT:

Just to clarify, we're really rural out here and its not uncommon to come up against several coyotes if you run out at night with a gun. Or in the day to come up against a badger like I mentioned (all 9 rounds were fired from 15 foot and all hit center mass) so that's why I'm inquiring.
 
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I sleep in shorts, not much place to put extra magazines or stripper clips or shell holders. So whatever I can put in or on is what goes. For example my HD shotgun has a +2 extension and a 6 round sidesaddle. For an AR I would put a mag holder on the butt stock.
 
The six in my revolver.

Sometimes, it's an autoloader up there on the bedside hutch, in which case it's the one in the pipe, and the fifteen behind it.

Only time I can remember investigating a "BITN" indoors, we (wife, child, and I) were just walking in the front door one evening, and at that same moment, we heard a horrendous crash of breaking glass from the master bedroom. I directed them to the den at the other end of the house from it, then checked, armed only with the Kel-Tec PF9 that had jumped from my holster to my hand. It sounded like the large window there being kicked in, but it was remarkably intact.

Ended up being that the wall-mounted large vanity mirror in the bathroom had chosen that moment to fall onto the sink/vanity, shattering across the floor.
 
I carry six rounds of .357 magnum 125 grain SJHP full power loads in my 4" GP100 that I use for home defense. If I need more rounds from the handgun, I keep two loaded Safariland Comp II speedloaders loaded with the same rounds and in easy reach.

If I need more than that, the Model 12 Winchester shotgun will start to come into play.
 
Less likely they can grab the barrel like on a shotgun or rifle.
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If someone grabs my rifle barrel I'm going to pull the trigger until they let go.

To answer the OPs question though, I've got a P-mag 40 in my AR.
If I take my handgun I take a spare 13 round mag with it making it 26 rounds total.
 
walking arsenal said:
If someone grabs my rifle barrel I'm going to pull the trigger until they let go.
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This. Also, didn't someone do an analysis that showed due to the fact you extend your arms fully a pistol fully extended (which would be needed for accuracy) is as long or longer than the barrel of a 16" AR? So while the pistol gives advantage to opening doors/operating lights/etc the AR is actually short (scarier)?
 
I have a dog, alarm, etc. I don't check bumps. I sit in the dark waiting if the alarm and dog doesn't get them out of the house then well. They have to come to me. I have insurance.
They just can't make the wrong turn.
 
Eb1 said:
I have a dog, alarm, etc. I don't check bumps. I sit in the dark waiting if the alarm and dog doesn't get them out of the house then well. They have to come to me. I have insurance.
They just can't make the wrong turn.
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Which is a great plan if you don't have family.
 
I do have family, and they are all within 15 feet of me. All of our rooms collaborate kinda.
They are trained to go to a specific corner of the room, and lie flat if they can, or if I haven't gathered them to the safe place.

Like I said, the alarm goes off I have a panel next to the bed that tells me where the entry was made.
Of course if in a family member's room I'd go, but living room or down stairs, etc. Nah! We'll all be waiting.
 
You can carry whatever makes you feel better but I smell a rat here somewhere! You fired NINE 12 gauge rounds at 15 FEET and ALL hit the Badger center of mass. WHAT kind of rounds are you carrying anyway!? At 15 feet light bird shot should have made mince meat of it, let alone any kind of buckshot! I have shot a lot of critters over the 50 years I have been stomping the woods, and any 12 gauge load out there (9 times) is gonna make HAMBURGER at 15 feet. Just how dead does a target have to be before you stop shooting?
 
thewillweeks said:
This. Also, didn't someone do an analysis that showed due to the fact you extend your arms fully a pistol fully extended (which would be needed for accuracy) is as long or longer than the barrel of a 16" AR? So while the pistol gives advantage to opening doors/operating lights/etc the AR is actually short (scarier)?
Click to expand...

At spitting distance you can aim with your body and point shoot while holding your pistol around your abdomen and waist area. Or you can create distance with your off hand to still shoot with your dominant hand. Russian Spetnatz agents hold their pistols very close to their face, but offset significantly to allow the use of a weaponlight or handheld. It makes their footprint smaller but still allows the firearm to be brought to the eye quickly for longer shots.
 
Nine rounds to subdue a small critter?
40 to 90 rounds for checking out the house, from inside?
Guess my five round revolver might not cut it after all.
And here I was thinking I was on top of things.
 
The bedside gun is an AK w/ a loaded 30 round mag, chamber empty and safety off so that I can chamber quickly. All the additional mags are locked up elsewhere, all topped-off with Golden Bear 123gr soft-points.

My typical belt carry is a Sig P226 w/ 18 in the Mecgar flush-fit mag and 1 in the pipe, and a 20 round +2 Mecgar reload in the weak-side pocket. DeSantis pocket mag holder for the mag, and a High-Noon open-top OWB Pancake at 5 o'clock, all topped off with 124 gr. Double-Tap +PGold-Dots.

For pocket carry, I use a DeSantis nemesis for my 340SC with two HSK speed loaders in the weak-side pocket. I know it is a no-no to attempt to carry this 11oz gun with .357 mag rounds, but that's what I keep in it. 125 gr Gold-Dots. Yes, they hurt to shoot. A lot.
 
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several coyotes if you run out at night with a gun. Or in the day to come up against a badger like I mentioned (all 9 rounds were fired from 15 foot and all hit center mass) so that's why I'm inquiring.
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He still had a "center mass" after the first hit? That's one tough critter.:)
 
AKElroy said:
He still had a "center mass" after the first hit? That's one tough critter.:)
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Badgers do beat all...but yeah, that's what I get for grabbing my dad's shotgun and his ammo, not mine. Bird shot has a vastly different effect from buck shot or slugs.
 
thewillweeks said:
Badgers do beat all...but yeah, that's what I get for grabbing my dad's shotgun and his ammo, not mine. Bird shot has a vastly different effect from buck shot or slugs.
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I wonder if you've ever patterned a shotgun with birdshot or buckshot. We do so regularly in firearms classes. At 21 feet (7 yards), birdshot from a cylinder bore makes a pattern about a foot across. Buckshot pattern can usually be covered with your hand.

My experience says 9 shots from 15 feet are overkill for an animal, admittedly a tough animal, that weighs on average less than 20 pounds.

To answer your question directly, my bump in the night gun is a 12 gage pump with 6 rounds of 00 buckshot.
 
20 ga. One in chamber 4 in mag all #4 buck. If I need more than that it's time or arty or air support.
 
40-90 rounds for bump in the night?

9 rounds of 12 gauge to kill a badger?

please let me know where you live so I know not to move there; it sounds exceedingly dangerous and populated with super-animals.

to answer the question, depends. 6 in the 686, five in the Mossberg. If you have to fire your gun in self-defense and don't end it almost immediately, you will just die with more unused rounds in your gun.
 
Looks like several people here trust the stopping power and reliability of a good .357 magnum revolver for home defense.

I know I do!
 
ACP said:
40-90 rounds for bump in the night?

9 rounds of 12 gauge to kill a badger?

please let me know where you live so I know not to move there; it sounds exceedingly dangerous and populated with super-animals.
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My father insists on 8 and 7 1/2 shot in his shotguns. And considering the badger was trying to eat my hound I wasn't in the mood to conserve ammo, or stop before he stopped moving entirely.

And I'm well aware the 90 rounds is excessive. 40 to me isn't, since I carry more than one ammo type. I want something that penetrates and something that doesn't. On the AR my xm855 mags are coupled together so taking one means taking two, so that and my TAP's is two ammo types, and 90 rounds. For the SKS I carry FMJ's and HP's, 20 of each.
 
If was worried about more than 30 in an AR for a BITN I would get a Beta mag because Im NOT going to be carrying extra ammunition around my... well, I sleep with very few articles of clothing on.

I don't use an AR though. I do use a 5 shot 20 ga pump and the wife has a Glock 23 with 2 extra mags handy but not in any position to carry around.
 
My only semi-tacticool weapon resides in the bedroom gun vault. It's an XDm 9mm with 19 round magazine inserted and a mounted light/laser combo. Deadbolts, alarms, noisy Shih Tzu, and a Labby who would gladly show the bad guy where we keep the good stuff (with ball in mouth and tail wagging of course).
 
Well if the 9mm and the .357 didnt work i would just fall back to the safe room and break out the 250 rd belts for the ma duce. LOL really i check the house with a .22mag derringer or a single shot 12 guage with #7.5 shot at house ranges anything bad happens i wake up the wife . She has an ar and a cell phone :) and gets really p***ed when her sleep is interupted.
 
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