Home defense carbine: AR, AK, or M1 Carbine?

[Dr_2_B]

A buddy of mine who lives in the suburbs asked my opinion on this so I'm passing it on to you guys. He has a Glock 21 in 45 caliber on his night stand. To back it up, which of these three would you recommend? He seems to shoot all three pretty well and says all have been fully reliable.

PS: He only has these three, so please choose which of these three you believe he should employ.

 

[Mags]

None if he lives in the suburbs, unless he doesn't care much for his neighbors. Rifles can penetrate walls very easily and I would not use a rifle for HD unless I lived about 1 mile in each direction from the nearest dwelling.

 

[FlyinBryan]

agreed.

no carbine in the burbs.

if he must have a backup, hed be better served with a handy little scattergun.

 

[SodiumBenzoate]

"None if he lives in the suburbs, unless he doesn't care much for his neighbors. Rifles can penetrate walls very easily and I would not use a rifle for HD unless I lived about 1 mile in each direction from the nearest dwelling."

You say that like a .45 won't go through a wall, into the next house, and still have lethal potential.

The bottom line is that hitting your target is the best way to avoid hurting your neighbors, no matter what kind of gun you're shooting.

 

[aka108]

High cap. 12 guage far better choice.

 

[RatDrall]

None if he lives in the suburbs, unless he doesn't care much for his neighbors. Rifles can penetrate walls very easily and I would not use a rifle for HD unless I lived about 1 mile in each direction from the nearest dwelling.

Hornady TAP 55 grain .223:

http://sgcusa.com/Ammunition-Rifle/...ington-55-gr-(Item-#-83276)/product_info.html

 

[Mags]

You say that like a .45 won't go through a wall, into the next house, and still have lethal potential.

Agreed

Hornady TAP 55 grain .223:

I don't think so its going over 2700 fps.

But I guess ammo choice and hitting your target will all come into play.

 

[Mr.Revolverguy]

Better to be safe than sorry but in a crowded suburban area I would go with something like a Beretta Storm in 45ACP. Same ammo for both weapons.

 

[ejnogarb]

Some people have the awful habit of never answering the question accept to say "none of the above" or "not that, but this" when the OP clearly says choose one of these three.

 

[Roadwild17]

Take a look at some of the frangible ammo out there. I've herd (second ot third hand so its not really worth a whole bunch) that you can blow a watter Melony up with a round and the same round wont make it through 2 peaces of sheetrock with a 2x4 stud in the middle of them.

I sounds a little like an exaduration to me, but ya never know until you try.

 

[Maverick223]

I like the M1 Carbine. Decent punch, but no over-penetration; decent range, but not to the unnecessary extreme; very reliable, but not overly heavy. The 12Ga is still better for any short range engagements IMHO.

 

[harmonic]

Some people have the awful habit of never answering the question accept to say "none of the above" or "not that, but this" when the OP clearly says choose one of these three

And if the choices given are entirely unsuitable, then we simply refuse to play the game.

Heck, why not defend your apartment with a Barrett 50?

 

[Mags]

Some people have the awful habit of never answering the question accept to say "none of the above" or "not that, but this" when the OP clearly says choose one of these three.

Option 4 says "He would be better served with NO carbine "

(I just figured out how to quote)

 

[PT1911]

Shotgun...

 

[Kindrox]

The .223 with the right ammo choice is the most likely to be stopped by walls, and likely more so than the current .45 choice.

But in the future, if this is a problem, can't beat a shotgun for stopping after two walls (bird shot).

Bits of the .223 will still be going after four walls (dry wall). Should be less lethal than a solid .45 slug though.

 

[Mags]

Don't quite understand your post Kindrox the way it is now seems some what contradictory could you expand.

 

[benzy2]

If there is any chance he could get a 12 gauge with 000 I would do that but if not I would probably go M1 carbine or some of the frangible .223. Even the .45 will have the ability to punch clean into the next house over if everything happens wrong. 000 seems like a better primary and secondary but it wasn't an option. A used 870 is cheap. If its worth doing, its worth doing right. Why risk someone's life over not picking up a used $250 shotgun?

 

[Avenger29]

You definitely don't want the AK in 7.62x39. Great weapon, but the 7.62x39 round keeps on truckin' through walls.

.223 would be a good choice.

Hopefully he either has or is willing to invest in an Aimpoint and a mounted light. The light is a necessity, the Aimpoint would be a very, very nice item to have.

I don't know about the M1 Carbine. I don't know about mounting a light to the M1...nor do I know about the .30 Carbine's penetration...

Just about anything suitable is going to over penetrate walls. I think .223 is one of the rounds that strikes the best balance.

 

[H2O MAN]

I also have a G21 for HD and it's backed up by my new .45-70 Guide Gun and an old HK/Benelli M1S90.

 

[Guitargod1985]

None if he lives in the suburbs, unless he doesn't care much for his neighbors. Rifles can penetrate walls very easily and I would not use a rifle for HD unless I lived about 1 mile in each direction from the nearest dwelling.

Okay, let's set this straight.

Many loads for the .223/5.56mm cartridge (see Hornady TAP above) penetrate significantly less out of a rifle barrel than either a 9mm or .45 out of a handgun. Yes, you read that right. This is especially true of the lighter loadings, not in spite of the high velocity, but because of it.

Take a closer look at the ballistic gelatin in the photo. Notice the little pieces in the wound channel? Those are fragments of the bullet, which breaks into pieces upon impact at high speed. Once fragmentation occurs, the loss of inertia results in rapid loss of momentum, whereas a .45 bullet (for example) will retain most of its mass and continue traveling quite a ways. The M193's 55 grain projectile's primary wounding mechanism is through fragmentation, which WILL occur even out of a 14.5" barrel within the close quarters of a HD situation.

BTW, I personally (as in through experience) have seen a 230 grain .45 ACP travel through not one, but TWO adjacent apartment walls and embed itself in a stud in the third.

Do some research on penetration and fragmentation before making assumptions. A great website for this kind of info is The Box of Truth. Google it.

 

[Mags]

Guitargod did you even read post number 13 before you quoted me?

But what I really can't believe is that we are recommending for someone to usa a rifle for HD in the suburbs can you imagine how that will look to the DA? Not to mention the tactics required for rifle use in CQB. Along with the mere speed of the bullet I don't care what the ammo company says I am not willing to risk an innocent life on the fact that my 223 round traveling upwards to 3000 fps is supposed to disintegrate in 1/2 inch drywall.

 

[10-Ring]

In the 'burbs, I'd say :none of the above -- I'd go pump shotgun

 

[freakshow10mm]

Seems funny to have a long gun backup a hand gun. The long gun should be the primary weapon, the handgun is subordinate.

 

[possum]

if it was me i would choose the ar but that is because that is what i am best with, had the most training and time spent on, as well it is modular and set up for that type of mission. white light etc.

 

[gimlet1/21]

If he must have a shoulder fired weapon, how about a 9mm carbine. KT sub 2000 would be a novel choice.