Double Barrel for Home Defense
- Thread starter ravencon
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I use a pump-gun, but I'd have no problem using a coach gun. In fact, I saw one in the gun shop last week that really tugged at me and begged me to bring it home. had I not just bought a Mosin Nagant the day before, I probably would have.
hamourkiller
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- Jul 24, 2007
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For mechanically challenged individuals the coach gun is a great choice. Plus its overall shorter length is a great advantage in the house. I would not feel under guned with a short two hole gun that is for sure. Two 3" # 1 buck loads gives 24 .30 cal pellets with each pull of the trigger. That is 48 lead balls down range as fast as you can pull the trigger.
Also if you ever timber hunt ducks, that short double gun will make you leave the others at home!
Also if you ever timber hunt ducks, that short double gun will make you leave the others at home!
Some years ago I had a coach gun with external hammers and got rid of it.
I too liked the idea of being able to keep it loaded with no tension on any springs. However, once the gun is cocked and you have to decock it without having fired it the risk of an unintended discharge is present. This is especially true if you've cocked both hammers. In a high stress situation it isn't easy to remember which trigger goes with which barrel and it isn't easy to block both hammers while pulling a trigger. For me, internal hammers are much safer.
FWIW
There are a number of 1930 to 1950 vintage double barrel guns out there at very reasonable prices. I bought 2 from "Blackbern" (not exactly sure the web site, might be Blackbernllc.com). They were German guns, one from the 1930s, the other from 1952. Great deals, beautiful condition, nice metalwork.
Richard
There are a number of 1930 to 1950 vintage double barrel guns out there at very reasonable prices. I bought 2 from "Blackbern" (not exactly sure the web site, might be Blackbernllc.com). They were German guns, one from the 1930s, the other from 1952. Great deals, beautiful condition, nice metalwork.
Richard
Fast Frank
Member
I used a short Stevens Savage double barrel 12 GA for HD for about ten years.
I never worried about needing more shots or being under gunned.
I actually had to pick it up one time for a petty thief.
I stepped out and pointed it at his head... And he very well might have soiled his undergarments. Apparently he found the view down those barrels intimidating...
It worked just fine as far as I was concerned. I didn't want to kill the kid over his petty thievery, and he seemed quite convinced that he didn't want any of what I was offering.
The thieving stopped that night and never started back up.
I don't remember why I traded that one away, but I regret doing it.
Do I consider a double ideal for HD?
No. Two is enough, but more is better.
I would certainly stand behind a double if that's what is available, but I wouldn't reach past a good riot gun for one.
I never worried about needing more shots or being under gunned.
I actually had to pick it up one time for a petty thief.
I stepped out and pointed it at his head... And he very well might have soiled his undergarments. Apparently he found the view down those barrels intimidating...
It worked just fine as far as I was concerned. I didn't want to kill the kid over his petty thievery, and he seemed quite convinced that he didn't want any of what I was offering.
The thieving stopped that night and never started back up.
I don't remember why I traded that one away, but I regret doing it.
Do I consider a double ideal for HD?
No. Two is enough, but more is better.
I would certainly stand behind a double if that's what is available, but I wouldn't reach past a good riot gun for one.
SASS#23149
Member
I like double guns and would definately not feel under gunned with one.
Hoever..
No way in heck I'm loading THREE INCH buckshot in that little guy.My shoulder and I would be at the emergency room shortly after firing it.
but it would certainly take care of the problem at hand.WHOOOEE,would it ever.
Hoever..
No way in heck I'm loading THREE INCH buckshot in that little guy.My shoulder and I would be at the emergency room shortly after firing it.
but it would certainly take care of the problem at hand.WHOOOEE,would it ever.
BozemanMT
Member
Pros: quick handling, "rather scary" from the business end, not scary to keep around, no real manual of arms (except if ti's a hammer gun), just point and pull the trigger.
Cons: you get only 2, better make it count, hard to tell if loaded and cocked (hammers get rid of the cocked problem, but add another step when one isn't needed). You are completely down when reloading.
sorry, I think a double gun is a bad choice for HD. If it's all you have, then it's better than nothing and I wouldn't preclude that. But, if you have other options, there are many better.
Break ins/home invasions are a high stress environment. I don't care how good of shot you are on the clay range, hitting in an envrionment like that isn't gauranteed. Look at all the shots that go down and people miss from point blank range. While you shouldn't be blasting off shots willy nilly, you should have options available to you, the coach gun limits those options
What happens if there 2 or more guys. (this is more and more common with the home invasion scenario). While i agree that once one gets shot, the rest are probably going out the back, but you never know. And again, the coach gun limits your options
On a pump, or a semi auto, you can reload while still being armed. You shoot one or two, you have a second, you grab a couple and shove them up in the magazine, someone comes around the corner, you are still loaded and could shoot and still have some left. With a double gun, that's not true. You are out of the fight until you finish reloading. The gun is open, you have no options, you have no gun, you now have a club. Also, say you shot one barrel. You open it up to reload, which one did you shoot? You have to pull both and reload.
Hammer guns, you have to cock it before you go fighting. Did you remember to do that? (high stress environment, remember?), adds a few more seconds when you may not have them.
Length isn't an issue, because all shotguns need to be a certain length overall (26" I think, someone correct me if I'm wrong). And shorter pumps and semi-auto's are that long anyway.
If you have a double gun and it's all you have, great, use it. Any gun is better than no gun. But if you are looking for a HD gun, there are plenty of better options available all in the same price range.
Cons: you get only 2, better make it count, hard to tell if loaded and cocked (hammers get rid of the cocked problem, but add another step when one isn't needed). You are completely down when reloading.
sorry, I think a double gun is a bad choice for HD. If it's all you have, then it's better than nothing and I wouldn't preclude that. But, if you have other options, there are many better.
Break ins/home invasions are a high stress environment. I don't care how good of shot you are on the clay range, hitting in an envrionment like that isn't gauranteed. Look at all the shots that go down and people miss from point blank range. While you shouldn't be blasting off shots willy nilly, you should have options available to you, the coach gun limits those options
What happens if there 2 or more guys. (this is more and more common with the home invasion scenario). While i agree that once one gets shot, the rest are probably going out the back, but you never know. And again, the coach gun limits your options
On a pump, or a semi auto, you can reload while still being armed. You shoot one or two, you have a second, you grab a couple and shove them up in the magazine, someone comes around the corner, you are still loaded and could shoot and still have some left. With a double gun, that's not true. You are out of the fight until you finish reloading. The gun is open, you have no options, you have no gun, you now have a club. Also, say you shot one barrel. You open it up to reload, which one did you shoot? You have to pull both and reload.
Hammer guns, you have to cock it before you go fighting. Did you remember to do that? (high stress environment, remember?), adds a few more seconds when you may not have them.
Length isn't an issue, because all shotguns need to be a certain length overall (26" I think, someone correct me if I'm wrong). And shorter pumps and semi-auto's are that long anyway.
If you have a double gun and it's all you have, great, use it. Any gun is better than no gun. But if you are looking for a HD gun, there are plenty of better options available all in the same price range.
Ash
Member
I doubt that in a home-invasion situation that the bad guys will press an attack once the first round is fired. At that point, evacuation becomes priority. In other words, they get the heck out of there cause they soiled themselves. Sure, that may not happen every time, but home invaders invade because they think the home owner is not armed. If shooting starts, the bad guys aren't going to waste time getting into a gun battle but will try to exit through what ever openings are available.
Ash
Ash
BozemanMT
Member
I don't disagree
But what if they don't?
and they surely don't 100% of the time.
What if you let one loose and miss? (very common in a high stress situation?)
Now you're in trouble, and the bad guys know it (If they saw what gun you had).
Why would you unnecessarily limit yourself?
You can't insure against everything, so you make reasonable precautions and buy that level of insurance. You make a decision not to buy insurance for things you deem out of the realm of possbility, or the cost is too high for the minor gain achieved. (ex. you don't live close to a river, so you choose to save the $1000 a year on flood insurance because the possibility of you being flooded is very small. It certainly may flood and you might lose out, but you made a conscious decision that the risk is low and you can live with it). People do this every day in all kinds of decisions.
You have already made the decision to defend your home, the risk is too high. You've choosen to obtain a shotgun as a HD weapon (an excellent choice, much better than a handgun) and now you are choosing which weapon to protect against your level of risk? So, a coach gun costs about $500 (cheapie entry model), and a 870 or an 1100 costs about $500. So, cost isn't an issue. Why would you limit yourself to higher risk level (only 2 shots basically) for the same amount of money?
Now certainly there is some level where the additional "insurance" doesn't pay off. (in one decision you already decided you didn't need a semi-auto 50BMG rifle with 50 rounds because that scenario's risk factor is too low to be worth insuring. (For most people
). But adding a few more rounds to the platform for no additional money seems like a slam dunk to me.It's like if I have car insurance. for $1000 I can have $100,000 worth of liability insurance. For $10 extra (learning the manual of arms for a pump/semi-auto), I can have $500,000 worth of liability insurance. For the low additional cost, isn't that worth it to insure most situations? (and to continue the analogy for $500 more I can bring it to a million, well maybe that's not so worthwhile because how likely is it that I run into a million dollar car? (unless I"m following around Britney
)
KBintheSLC
Member
I have never seen an 870 for more than $300. Though the 870 is my HD shotgun of choice, I would not discredit the usefulness of a double barrel. They are far more diverse than a pump. You can load one barrel with bird/buck shot and the other with a slug. That way you can take any game you see if the SHTF. Now is it ideal for home defense? You may argue that. Is it enough for home defense? I say heck yes it is.
Ash
Member
Oh, I would lean towards the 870. I just have never, ever, heard of an invasion, burglary, robbery what ever where the baddies chose to shoot it out with the home-owner over a TV.
Now, if murder is in their minds, that could be a whole other can of worms. How prevalent are home invasions for the purpose of murder without theft in mind?
Ash
Now, if murder is in their minds, that could be a whole other can of worms. How prevalent are home invasions for the purpose of murder without theft in mind?
Ash
wnycollector
Member
Until a few years ago, my HD shotgun was an old central arms 16ga that I cut down to 18". I kept it loaded with #1 buck and did not feel undergunned.
That little thing looked mean
That little thing looked mean
1 old 0311
member
I have kept one for years, along with a CZ Hi-Cap 9mm. If my house gets invaded by more than 15-20 I may regret it, but till then the alarms, and dogs will keep me updated.
Okiecruffler
Member
No offense meant here, but I'm having trouble imagining where people live where they need a 8 round shotgun stoked with slugs mainly to shoot their way to the AR15 with full battle gear in the corner. I believe in being prepared for just about anything, but gangs of drug crazed rifle weilding maniacs busting thru my door in the dead of night? I'm not saying it couldn't happen, but I think I have a bigger chance of being probed by alien visitors. But hey, maybe that's just me.
It's not unusual lately to hear about having 2 or more BG's rush into a home. I have an old Wing Master with a used 20" barrel & a mag tube extension. My hope is to only need to dust it & oil it until I hand it down to my sons, next best plan is scare a BG away by the sound of racking one into the chamber. Beyond that, I'd rather have rounds I don't need than need rounds I don't have.
Rob96
Member
I am a city dweller. It is not unusual to see in the news about 4 or more thugs doing a home invasion. In fact a person I work with has a son who this happened to. He ended up being knocked out from being pistol whipped then being repeatedly kicked "as a lesson" to the others in the room. Also recently we have gotten as close as we ever had to a Rodney King type riot. I am glad that my shotty does have a 7 shot mag tube.
A double gun wouldn't be my first choice (an 870 is) but I wouldn't feel unarmed with one.
My HD plan has been reasonably well thought out and doesn't focus on my shotgun. It's focused on survival of me and mine. Any shotgun will work although some will work better than others.
And I once pressed a double into service for HRD (Hotel Room Defense.) At an out-of-town trap shoot some years back there was an incident at the cheap hotel I was staying in. Bad guys were still the loose and while the incident didn't involve me directly it was concerning enough that my 32" Krieghoff Model 32 was taken out of the case, loaded and set on the floor beside my bed. I'd have rather had my 870 but I slept well that night.
My HD plan has been reasonably well thought out and doesn't focus on my shotgun. It's focused on survival of me and mine. Any shotgun will work although some will work better than others.
And I once pressed a double into service for HRD (Hotel Room Defense.) At an out-of-town trap shoot some years back there was an incident at the cheap hotel I was staying in. Bad guys were still the loose and while the incident didn't involve me directly it was concerning enough that my 32" Krieghoff Model 32 was taken out of the case, loaded and set on the floor beside my bed. I'd have rather had my 870 but I slept well that night.
KBintheSLC
Member
Apparently, you have never fallen victim to violent, armed criminals. Well, I have, and all I can say is that being under-armed can really ruin your day. Not to say that I needed a belt-fed, hard-mounted machine gun to deal with them. Just that 6-7 rounds of 12 ga in my hands would have really made my day... instead, I made their day. I am lucky they didn't pop me in the head before they left.
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