Anyone only have a semi-auto for home defense?

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NO on the shotgun for inside home defense. Too easy to have it deflected or even taken away by a perp around the corner. My HD is a 45acp in every room of my house including an XD45 on each side of my bed, one for me and one for the wife and both loaded with Barnes solid copper hollow points and TLR1 lights.
 
I'd choose a shotty over a handgun any day, if there was room for one and it was convenient to keep. Now having little room to swing the barrel around might be something to consider, but other than that, shotguns are your rock to someone's handgun scissors.
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+1

And with the prices of good, used pump shotguns, there's not much of a reason not to have one.

But if you only have a semi-auto handgun, there's nothing wrong with that. Just pay real close attention to ammo choices and potential over penetration issues.

And as always, practice, practice, practice, with whatever you have.
 
Certainly a Pistol

might be all you need.

But just in case here are some additions including some short rifles and shotguns for those concerned about getting around in confined spaces.

KTPLRhand.jpg

P1010018-1.jpg

This one requires some licensing.

martial-ultrashort-1.jpg

Bushwacker2-1.jpg

870_PG_L.jpg

I like my 18 inch pump shottie with a revolver as backup.
 
knicks118 said:
Just wanted to gauge how many people only have a handgun for home protection as opposed to a shotgun or rifle.

I'm planning on selling one of my 9mm's to upgrade to a FNP-45.

And no, a shotgun or rifle would not work in my apartment.
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Taurus Judge is the "lead off" hitter (buckshot)

2nd at bat is the Glock 26 with Winchester SXT's

Batting "cleanup" is Mr. 870 firing buckshot.
 
DAdams, I find the lever action pistol quite fascinating. Could I impose upon you to give us some background information about it? Thanks.


Timthinker
 
My carry 1911, largely due to budget. (And lack of rifle/shotgun experience, unless you count NFA toys... I basically know my way around a full-auto AK and an M16, but that doesn't mean I can effectively employ either in an emergency.)
 
Timthinker

It is a custom made short barreled rifle (SBR) made by Wild West Guns in Anchorage, AK. They are built up on a Marlin frame. IIRC the round is Govt 45/70. They could probably also do the Alaskan .50caliber, and they can definitely do .45, and 30-30.

If you search back far enough here on THR, there's a few posts by Wildalaska telling all about them.

WWC would like very much to make them as pistols, but Marlin won't cooperate by selling "virgin" recievers that've never had a rifle stock installed.

As such they cannot be sold as a pistol.

http://www.wildwestguns.com/

For some reason the website is having some issues and I don't see the Bushwacker referenced in the site. But they do some really nice stuff.

This one requires no special licensing.

http://www.jbcustom.com/new-mares.htm

publication.jpg
 
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I'm considering trading in my Bulgarian Hi-Power clone for the FNP-45. I know a 9mm would be sufficient but I'd prefer to have a larger caliber for a peace of mind. BTW, I'm using a Beretta 92 right now as HD.

My apartment has narrow hallways, is an open floor plan, and has very thin walls. Also, there are other apartments on every side of my apartment (top, bottom, left, right).

Plus, a handgun is just more convenient to have when you are not a homeowner and want to be mobile.

Of course I would want a shotgun if I owned a home but that's not the case right now. I also only keep one handgun loaded at a time, the rest are locked in a safe.
 
I have a CZ P-01 next to my bed, and a Sig P230 either on me or in a drawer in the living room. I have a really small apartment, so it seems like putting a long gun into action would take a bit too much time, really, though I would consider a shotgun at some point. I'm thinking about getting one for skeet when I've got time for yet another new hobby, and it seems like a good idea to get a shorter barrel to keep on it at home.
 
I have the following loaded and located throught our six-room house:

  • One Sig 228 with 15 rounds of 9mm (bedroom)
  • One Sig 220 with 8 rounds of .45
  • One 1911 with 8 rounds of .45
  • One Colt King Cobra with .38s
  • One 12 gauge pump shotgun (bedroom)
  • One M1 Carbine with 15 rounds

If I had a smaller apt., I would limit it to the two Sigs, both strategically located.
 
I wonder how many walls of your apartment building a 45 round will go thru. Might get the BG, and some of the neighbors.

Man, Frandy, do you live in a scary neighborhood, or what?
 
A Smith & Wesson 6946 is my "what's that noise?" gun. There are other pistols located at various points throughout the house (for like when I'm in the workshop, etc.).
I own about three dozen semi-auto pistols (mostly pocket pistols) and a few revolvers.
I don't own a shotgun and my 11 rifles are all .22LR (except for my flintlocks).
 
Due to just getting into guns within the past year I currently only have a Glock 19 in my nightstand with Gold Dot HPs and the wife has a S&W Model 66 in her nightstand with Gold Dot 38+Ps.

I will have a Remington 870 within the year in case of armed intruders...plus pump shottys are just awesome.
 
Yep...small house.

FNP-9 for immediate HD. Id probably give the wife the rem 870 to keep her company while she calls 911.

And if things got really bad, or extended outside my house...ar-15.
 
Anyone ever think about penetration factors or geometry of fires? What happens with a man stopper when you miss the man (does little Johnny get one in the headlights instead)? If you live in an apartment will you kill a neighbor accidentally? Just asking. Anyone have some good answers?
 
GunnerD said:
Anyone ever think about penetration factors or geometry of fires? What happens with a man stopper when you miss the man (does little Johnny get one in the headlights instead)? If you live in an apartment will you kill a neighbor accidentally? Just asking. Anyone have some good answers?
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I have actually thought about it. I live in a 2nd floor apt. No floor above, but residents on 3 sides. Only 2 of those sides are likely arcs of fire(the third is the back end of the house, where I'd be shooting from, not towards, most likely). IF I were to head out of the bedroom and do any sort of room clearing, a good amount of those shots would be headed toward the 4th, unoccupied side(the outside of the building). Do I ever worry about hitting neighbors? Yes, yes I do. So I try and practice, that way I can try and focus on hitting the target when the time comes. Because if I'm worried about missing at that moment, then I probably will.

Just for info, the only thing I currently have loaded is my .30carbine Ruger Blackhawk. If I have to fire that thing indoors I reckon my eardrums will explode, and I'm slow with it, but it's what I have. If I had a shotgun, AR, AK, etc, then I'd use it, for sure. I certainly hit better with those than any handgun, and hitting the bad guy is the best way to not hit my neighbors(ammo selection is certainly useful, as well).
 
Gunner, yeah, thought of it and have considerded how to fire and at what angles (dropping to a knee and firing upward, etc.) to make sure that line of fire has less problems associated with missed shots going someplace more likely to harm bystanders. I think that should be a first order of business for anyone considering home defense, to walk through your home and take a look at possible entry ways and from where to shoot back. I mean, if your home is facing a daycare center and the BG comes at you from that direction, it might be morally wrong to set up your sights on the bad guy with the center being the backstop; or planting yourself, despite good cover, so that the bad guy is firing in the direction of the daycare center. One of the other reasons I think shotguns are good---less over penetration.

Also, I would certainly recommend taking a defensive shotgun class (any defensive small arms class for the weapon you decide to keep) and explore carrying and handling options which actually are not that cumbersome, to be honest. Some of the more advanced classes will have you alternate between the shotgun and your handgun. Nothing wrong with having both. Not only that, I take exception (at least for myself) to having to hunt around a house/apt or whatever and find the bad guy, unless having to go to your kid's room in a hurry to make sure all is OK.

Have a safe room with clear line of sight outward to entryway(s) into the room, and make the bad guy come to you. And call the cops. I just wouldn't go chasing someone, (or someones) where the element of suprise might be on his/their side and I lose control of the environment. My job is to defend my family and home, it is not to stop the BG if I don't have to, and I can always replace broken China or stolen stereo equipment. Survive the encounter as healthily as possible along with your family.

I am going to leave it to the police to catch the criminal. If it's not worth dying for, I am not gonna fight for it, and that leaves out fighting for my car, jewelry or the few hundred dollars in cash that a home intruder may take. I do have insurance for a reason.

Of course, this is all hypotheical and SD situations can and will vary. I just happen to think staying put in a secure location with a cell phone in hand when broken glass noises are heard at night is more comforting with a Remington 870 loaded with 00 than going downstairs with a handgun.

Though, I do concede the fact that convenience and portability is what handguns do offer....and they're so darned cute, to boot. :)
 
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