What 3 firearms for home defense?
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stonecutter2
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1911 45acp
or
Glock 19
or
Ruger SP101 in 357 with 38spl ammo in it
+
a working cell phone
Hollowpoint ammo in the pistol.
I see no advantage to spending time retrieving multiple firearms, or even selecting which one to get. A pistol (for me) is convenient, easily accessible, and quick to ready. Pick one thing and go with it.
Those are proven pistol platforms that you (of course) must run to ensure reliability of your particular firearm, so you can trust them when it counts.
No matter what you have for home defense - baseball bat, golf club, pistol, shotgun, AR, AK, M60, you must have a PLAN and practice it. Just like fire drills at work and school, a drill at home ensures everyone knows what to do. Don't just rehearse in your head either (though there can be advantages to mental preparation like that), walk around your home and consider a scenario. Unload (if needed) and double check your defensive weapon, then go through the motions. Do it several times and consider how things will be.
In the moment is no time to think about the "easy" stuff. You will more than likely go into auto pilot and then when things get crazy/dynamic/super stressful, you'll be more prepared.
Example: I considered as part of my plan to walk back into a hall to check on my kid, then move forward to clear the upstairs. The problem? My kid keeps their door almost closed (not latched, just almost shut). I'd be walking backwards to keep facing the staircase in case someone came up, and I didn't want to turn to find and push the door open. Solution? I slowly backpedaled, focused on the top of the staircase/hallway and when I got to the door, I just did a hip bump to lightly but forcefully open it and then a quick side glance back confirms they're ok before proceeding forward again. No spur of the moment fumbling around to find and push the door open with my off hand.
or
Glock 19
or
Ruger SP101 in 357 with 38spl ammo in it
+
a working cell phone
Hollowpoint ammo in the pistol.
I see no advantage to spending time retrieving multiple firearms, or even selecting which one to get. A pistol (for me) is convenient, easily accessible, and quick to ready. Pick one thing and go with it.
Those are proven pistol platforms that you (of course) must run to ensure reliability of your particular firearm, so you can trust them when it counts.
No matter what you have for home defense - baseball bat, golf club, pistol, shotgun, AR, AK, M60, you must have a PLAN and practice it. Just like fire drills at work and school, a drill at home ensures everyone knows what to do. Don't just rehearse in your head either (though there can be advantages to mental preparation like that), walk around your home and consider a scenario. Unload (if needed) and double check your defensive weapon, then go through the motions. Do it several times and consider how things will be.
In the moment is no time to think about the "easy" stuff. You will more than likely go into auto pilot and then when things get crazy/dynamic/super stressful, you'll be more prepared.
Example: I considered as part of my plan to walk back into a hall to check on my kid, then move forward to clear the upstairs. The problem? My kid keeps their door almost closed (not latched, just almost shut). I'd be walking backwards to keep facing the staircase in case someone came up, and I didn't want to turn to find and push the door open. Solution? I slowly backpedaled, focused on the top of the staircase/hallway and when I got to the door, I just did a hip bump to lightly but forcefully open it and then a quick side glance back confirms they're ok before proceeding forward again. No spur of the moment fumbling around to find and push the door open with my off hand.
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jdh
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We don't all live on postage stamp sized lot where we can sit on the toilet and have a conversation with the neighbor doing the same. Should a projectile, of what ever type, were to get through the my wall it would have to travel a quarter mile through dense yaupon scrub to get to my nearest neighbor.
There is more to defending the homestead than doorknockers or zombie hoards. The last chicken chasing coyote the needed dispatching on my property was a measured 137 yards away.
Stop with assuming one solution is right for everyone.
There is more to defending the homestead than doorknockers or zombie hoards. The last chicken chasing coyote the needed dispatching on my property was a measured 137 yards away.
Stop with assuming one solution is right for everyone.
stonecutter2
Member
Not sure who this was directed at.
They did say home defense, not homestead. I would consider home defense and home invasion to be pretty much the same thing.
I wouldn't consider dispatching with a coyote as "home defense."
Obviously, if you had a homestead and chickens to protect, you'd have needs for specific firearms.
One cannot assume on these forums that people are going to account for everyone's circumstances...unless they specify certain circumstances. The OP said home defense and I'd venture to guess that the majority of people who use that term aren't talking about keeping coyotes away from chickens.
krimmie
Member
Home defense starts outside the home for me, because most home robberies occur when people are not home. My carry gun is near me when I'm home, and on me when I return home, everything else is locked up in the safe.
old lady new shooter
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Primary weapon 686+. Secondary weapon a blade, for the possibility BG is a would-be rapist not stopped by 7 bullets.
stchman
Member
I have a H&R Pardner Pump shotgun and a Ruger P95 as my HD firearms.
BSA1
member
Which is incredibility poor and uninformed advice.
You attributing your lack of skill and knowledge of self-defense laws to other forum members. What you fail to realize that there are LEO's with many years of experience and training and very knowledgeable lawyers on this forum some of which "have seen the elephant."
Making a statement about "peppering them with birdshot in the butt" along your other comments is hardly to be taken as a "Joke."
Sinsaba
Member
If I'm awake and not in the shower, I'm dressed. If I'm dressed I'm armed. Most often, I'm armed with a Springfield XD 45 Tactical. If I'm asleep, I have my weapon on my bedside table. It has an attached tactical light/laser.
If I hear someone banging at my door at 3:00 AM I have a plan. The wife has the phone, she dials 911 without pressing the connect button. I take my weapon and go to the window and look outside. Circumstances dictate what happens next.
If I hear noise out in the rest of the house the plan is changed up a bit. I give the phone to the wife to dial 911 as before. This positively identifies where she is. I then take my handgun and without lights go to investigate. If it isn't one of the cats but an intruder then again circumstances dictate what happens. If they surrender then the wife still dials 911 while I hold them. If they run, more power to them, she calls 911 and we give descriptions. If they do anything aggressive (if they have weapons or not) the wife calls 911 for the police and medical assistance (for them we hope).
I will not play around. I have no fighting skills. I have severely compromised lower back. I have COPD and I have a weak heart and have a defibrillator implanted. Even a moderately muscled thug can/does put my life at risk.
The other 2 guns?
SBR 10" AR15 and a G19 or G17 on a table in the bedroom. Contrary to popular belief, .223/5.56 is a good home defense round except that it has problems with barriers. Think about that, you are worried about a round that has problems with barriers penetrating a body, going through a wall, going through another wall (neighbor's house) and striking and killing someone?
Think about it, if you take aim with your AR15 and shoot at a human sized target 50 yards away, you will almost positively hit him. What if you don't aim? What if you only point (to the best of your ability) your rifle at him? Your chances aren't so good. What if you know that there is someone 50 yards away, but you only know that they are somewhere in a horizontal plane 11 yards long. The likelihood of hitting that person approaches pure randomness.
Do I want to be a target to prove my point? Not a bit. But really, I have much greater worries if someone has broken into my house that I'm not going to add something that is pure chance to it.
If I hear someone banging at my door at 3:00 AM I have a plan. The wife has the phone, she dials 911 without pressing the connect button. I take my weapon and go to the window and look outside. Circumstances dictate what happens next.
If I hear noise out in the rest of the house the plan is changed up a bit. I give the phone to the wife to dial 911 as before. This positively identifies where she is. I then take my handgun and without lights go to investigate. If it isn't one of the cats but an intruder then again circumstances dictate what happens. If they surrender then the wife still dials 911 while I hold them. If they run, more power to them, she calls 911 and we give descriptions. If they do anything aggressive (if they have weapons or not) the wife calls 911 for the police and medical assistance (for them we hope).
I will not play around. I have no fighting skills. I have severely compromised lower back. I have COPD and I have a weak heart and have a defibrillator implanted. Even a moderately muscled thug can/does put my life at risk.
The other 2 guns?
SBR 10" AR15 and a G19 or G17 on a table in the bedroom. Contrary to popular belief, .223/5.56 is a good home defense round except that it has problems with barriers. Think about that, you are worried about a round that has problems with barriers penetrating a body, going through a wall, going through another wall (neighbor's house) and striking and killing someone?
Think about it, if you take aim with your AR15 and shoot at a human sized target 50 yards away, you will almost positively hit him. What if you don't aim? What if you only point (to the best of your ability) your rifle at him? Your chances aren't so good. What if you know that there is someone 50 yards away, but you only know that they are somewhere in a horizontal plane 11 yards long. The likelihood of hitting that person approaches pure randomness.
Do I want to be a target to prove my point? Not a bit. But really, I have much greater worries if someone has broken into my house that I'm not going to add something that is pure chance to it.
Vern Humphrey
Member
My home defense weapon is an Ithaca M37, loaded with buckshot and a 20" "Deerslayer" barrel. My carry gun is a Kimber Custom Classic .45.
1) Ruger KLCR w/ CT grip, tritium front sight & loaded w/ 125 gr +p .38 Special Golden Sabers. This is my pocket gun that I can carry unobtrusively around the house.
2) HK VP9LE, factory tritium sights w/ a surefire X300U loaded w/ Winchester 127r +p+ Ranger ammo. My nightstand "bump in the night" gun.
3) Tavor bullpup w/ Trijicon MRO reddot w/ co-witnessed irons & mounted X300U. Fueled by 20rd gen3 pmags loaded w/ Hornady TAP. Compact & quick. If I can't handle it with this I've problems no man should have to face.
These ARE the three guns that I use for this. Choices that have been arrived at after much experimentation and deliberation.
2) HK VP9LE, factory tritium sights w/ a surefire X300U loaded w/ Winchester 127r +p+ Ranger ammo. My nightstand "bump in the night" gun.
3) Tavor bullpup w/ Trijicon MRO reddot w/ co-witnessed irons & mounted X300U. Fueled by 20rd gen3 pmags loaded w/ Hornady TAP. Compact & quick. If I can't handle it with this I've problems no man should have to face.
These ARE the three guns that I use for this. Choices that have been arrived at after much experimentation and deliberation.
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lysanderxiii
Member
A pistol, a shotgun and a rifle.....
it was a joke, take it or leave it. as far as my other comments. yes I think a bat, shotgun or handgun for home defense is the best. however its ridiculous to have a fully outfitted AR-15/AK-47 ETC. Also as far as me telling sharing my knowledge with other members. each state is different in laws so forum members need to know their state laws before someone on the forum tells them its okay to dump a 30rd ak-47 mag into someone because he's jiggling your door handle. I also stated how everyone should know their laws in their state. anyone with half a brain could decipher the shotgun buttox comment.
I've been in court and had issues with issues stated above and guess what. I was protecting myself, my dog, my home, my brother because my drunk coke head neighbor decided he wanted to fight cause the dog barked at him. I got put into a cop car, I got a restraining order, I had to hire an attorney and go to court to beat him and live my happy life again. I knew I could protect myself when he crossed my property line with a bat and saying he went to get a gun while the sheriff was 20min away but I chose not too, I chose to control myself so I didn't have to fight for my rights in a court. this is why unless you have a firearm, knife, etc visible in my house im not shooting you. too many gun hoe, I know the law cause I read something on the internet or some guy on thehighroad told me I could say castle doctrine and shoot someone possibly unarmed cause he was in my house. like I said hit him in the head with a bat and be done with it. I even thought about getting bear spray for HD.
If someone comes to my door unexpectedly then my internal alarms will be going off. My friends come to the side door and generally just come on in. UPS, Fedex and USPS come to my front door during the day, ring the bell, and depart. Anyone else on my property is an uninvited intruder, probably harmless, but they do NOT get the benefit of the doubt. My dogs should warn me, my motion lights should be going off(assuming it is at night) and my house is a ways off the road so they had to walk or drive up a long and wide open drive or come through the woods, over barbed wire, through a fenced area with big dogs. My biggest dog has different barks for different intruders. Deer get one bark, strange dogs get a different bark, delivery guys and strangers get a different bark than do friends.
As you may have guessed, I have a layered defense. On those occasions where someone knocks or rings the bell and catches me unaware(happens occasionally) there will be a gun in my hand probably semi-auto 9mm is my current favorite. There is a gun within feet of my front and back door, semi-auto 9mm at both. There is a 9mm carbine beside my bed as well as my carry gun on the nightstand. My pocket carry is almost always on my body if I am about the property. I won't discuss Brands because that really isn't an issue. Suffice it to say that I am comfortable with the reliability of them all.
If someone disables my dogs, disables my motion sensors, disables my alarm, and gets inside without my knowing it, then I am probably dealing with someone that knows their business and intends me harm. A smash and grab thief doesn't want any part of my HD even before he gets to the gun parts. I am probably not going to be surprised but I know that a determined thief can defeat just about any defenses I may have.
As you may have guessed, I have a layered defense. On those occasions where someone knocks or rings the bell and catches me unaware(happens occasionally) there will be a gun in my hand probably semi-auto 9mm is my current favorite. There is a gun within feet of my front and back door, semi-auto 9mm at both. There is a 9mm carbine beside my bed as well as my carry gun on the nightstand. My pocket carry is almost always on my body if I am about the property. I won't discuss Brands because that really isn't an issue. Suffice it to say that I am comfortable with the reliability of them all.
If someone disables my dogs, disables my motion sensors, disables my alarm, and gets inside without my knowing it, then I am probably dealing with someone that knows their business and intends me harm. A smash and grab thief doesn't want any part of my HD even before he gets to the gun parts. I am probably not going to be surprised but I know that a determined thief can defeat just about any defenses I may have.
1) Whatever I happen to be carrying IWB that day.
2) AR-15 with scope - will tag most predators hard enough to end the threat.
3) Mossberg 500 loaded with #4 buck, 00 buck, or rubber slugs, depending on the intruder.
I'm in a mountain community where the smallest lots are 5 acres, and the closest Deputy Sheriff is 15+ minutes away.
2) AR-15 with scope - will tag most predators hard enough to end the threat.
3) Mossberg 500 loaded with #4 buck, 00 buck, or rubber slugs, depending on the intruder.
I'm in a mountain community where the smallest lots are 5 acres, and the closest Deputy Sheriff is 15+ minutes away.
A bat is obviously not the best weapon, but I want to point out that it's a perfectly usable weapon in a doorway or hallway. You don't have to swing for a home run to beat someone down with a bat. You don't have to swing at all.
Of course, most people think of swinging first, but some baton or even bayonet training can go a long way. (IIRC someone developed a pretty simple SD system for sticks/batons using bayonet techniques, but I can't recall who at the moment.)
To be on topic:
At least one gun should be small enough to easily slip into a pocket for those times when you have to answer the door or do chores after dark/before sun up and don't want to put on your cc holster/belt. I like to be comfy at home, so I don't sit around in jeans or slacks with a belt and holster on. That said, I don't see myself using one of the micro .380s. They just seem way to small to manipulate. So maybe something between those and a Shield in size/weight.
If you're downstairs and someone crashes through your door you're going to need a weapon already on you or within arms reach. This will most likely be your regular carry weapon. Engage and protect yourself.
If you're woken out of bed secure yourself with your family and let the threat come to you. Hopefully you're able to call 911 and get help coming. If you have a shotgun this might be the time and place for it.
Don't try to clear the house on your own. There is no good way for a single person to clear a house safely.
If you're woken out of bed secure yourself with your family and let the threat come to you. Hopefully you're able to call 911 and get help coming. If you have a shotgun this might be the time and place for it.
Don't try to clear the house on your own. There is no good way for a single person to clear a house safely.
JB357MAG
Member
M&P shield 9mm on night stand and an AR15 very close by.
Its easy for me cause I live alone and only 1 entrance.
If someone is in my place without an invite there getting shot.
Jimmy
Its easy for me cause I live alone and only 1 entrance.
If someone is in my place without an invite there getting shot.
Jimmy
north east redneck
Contributing Member
J frame .38+P
12 gauge pump
AR15 5.56/.223
12 gauge pump
AR15 5.56/.223
jdh
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stonecutter2 said:
No one in particular or there would have been a quote as in this reply.
stonecutter2 said:
I prefer not to wait until the threat (human or other wise) has violated the interior of the dwelling portion of the property if possible. It makes cleanup much easier and less destructive if it is outside.
stonecutter2 said:
It was a metaphor.
stonecutter2 said:
Live stock, pets, young humans, or adult humans the tools to protect them from what every predator can be pretty much one and the same.
stonecutter2 said:
Conversely one should not automatically assume that what is best for them is best for everyone and no one needs anything else but what they chose.
stonecutter2 said:
Once again it was a metaphor. Would you be less dismissive had it been a pack of feral dogs surrounding your significant other as he/she blissfully works obliviously in the garden of the apartment commons? How about a gang of thugs creeping up behind her as she unloads the groceries from the car in the driveway of your suburban home? Either way there is a potentially lethal threat to a loved one outside the home. Or would you do nothing and wait for the threat to enter the interior of your home?
old lady new shooter
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In California if someone has forcibly entered your home you get the presumption of having been in fear for your life if you shoot him/her. But going outside and shooting somebody that's creeping around your front yard? That's probably not even self-defense. For a case where a member of the household were being attacked in the front yard as in your examples it's probably legal to use deadly force but I don't know if our version of castle doctrine applies, i.e. you might have to prove clearly that your action was necessary. The stupidest part is that we don't have concealed carry here, arriving home is a very vulnerable time.
Aragon
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DeepSouth
Random Guy
I'd take a Sig P220, a Marlin 1895 in 45-70, and maybe another P220?
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