Home defense for the wife

[cracked butt]

The other day my wife bought up a concern about home security for the new year when my work schedule will change. I hadn't given it much thought until then because we do live in a very safe neighborhood, but with having a young child at home, its now become a concern. I told her she could grab the shotgun of the rack if she needed to, but she mentioned that its locked and she dosn't have a key, and the ammo is in the garage- good points!

I personally haven't given much thought as to how I would take care of a home intrusion myself- I'm 6'4 and 250 lbs and really don't have too much fear of other people, but I think its time to change my atitudes for her and my kid's safety.

Here's what I have to work with- Bolt action rifles- mainly 30-06, 8x57, etc -probably not too useful. 12 guage shotgun w/ 28" barrel- probably too cumbersome. beretta 92 - large grips, slide is hard for wife to rack easily, but she can shoot it well. Ruger mkII .22- wife can handle it well, but I feel its too light for defense.

I frequent this area of THR alot, and know there is alot of people with alot of knowledge here, so I'm asking for opinions on what I should do. I need advice for storing a weapon in a safe manner, but have it readily available, what weapon would be good for my wife, or if I would be better buying her something else. She's not much a gun nut like I am, and probably won't be easily swayed into getting another gun.

 

[DragonRider]

Who makes the 12 Gauge, get a 24 or 18.5 inch barrel with 2 3/4 light recoil loads, or add to your collection with a 870 pump youth model in 20. Kill a few birds with it, house defense, easy for your wife to shoot, and your starting your collection for you kid Part of that line of thought is staying put and keeping the door locked and dealing with whatever comes in while on the phone to 911

Since she can shoot the Beretta 92 you may want to get a Gun Vault and keep that in the bedroom so that she can also access it if she prefers that.

A large part of home security is how your house is set up. Does she keep the child in sight at all times? Does she enjoy to shoot with you or is it a last resort? Since she mentioned it I dont think so, but I dont know her. This may be the time to get her in the mind of regularly going with you to either the trap or pistol range.

Good Luck,

John

 

[Edward429451]

add to your collection with a 870 pump youth model in 20.

Thats the one. 20" barrel with screw in chokes so still good for hunting and trap shooting, yet fems can handle it effectively with ease. Sidesaddles available from tac star.

 

[cracked butt]

The shotgun is a browning- barrels are pricey.
the 20 guage for my son's future collection sounds like a great idea though

The big problem with the setup of our house, is that the child's bedroom is on the opposite side of the house from the master bedroom. gunroom is currently beyond child's bedroom, and a front door, and a rear patio door (probably the most likely entrance for an unwated visitor imho) are both between the master bedroom and child's bedroom. A working phone is in MB but not in other end of house.

 

[Gordon]

I take the wife out on the occasional date to Indoor range (with a dinner after as bait) . If you can get her to put 200 rounds thru Ruger , then 50-100 (what ever is confortable) thru the Beretta at shilos. 7 yds at first , 15yds later. Then get a quick access pistol safe and leave the 92 loaded in chamber for both of your HD. Trick to makeing range dates pleasant is having good ear muffs for her (31DB reduction) and treat her like she was a beautiful lady you never met before, with lots of respectful, not bossy, hands on. Just a hint!

 

[TonyB]

Yeah the quick action safe is a good idea....if she can't do the slide on the 92,maybe change springs or have her use the 22..like Col.Cooper says.."it's hard to beat a 22 to the eye socket."......or find a gun that's "hers"...my wife likes my G17 and shoots it well for not really being a shooter.....

 

[Smoke]

I second the 870 Youth model.

I recently added one to the cabinet for that reason ( and for the kid when he's big enough )

I have a lockable cabinet that keeps the overflow from the safe in my closet in the masterbath. (safe is through the kitchen and in the office)

It contains a bunch of guns that I'm not overly concerned with and also houses the 870 Youth for the wife, and one handgun with mags. Both are loaded, not chambered. They are strictly for bumps in the night, armadillo invasions, rattlesnake elimination, defense from other predators/vandals.

Smoke

 

[Highland Ranger]

Lots of books on the subject . . .

One of Massad Ayoob's books talks about setting up your house to be invasion resistant. Have a look on Amazon . . .

Need to have the right kind of house I guess, but he talked about one where all bedrooms are upstairs, one bedroom was "fortified" (good solid door, no way to punch through sheet rock etc., cell phone and all the guns)

Dog at the bottom of stairs who doesn't like strangers.

House is invaded, wife dials 911 behind locked door, while dog attacks intruders, you set up at top of stairs and shoot anything that gets by the dog.

Bad day for the bad guys . . .

 

[ReadyontheRight]

I second the idea on the Gun Vault. I suggest you spend a little more and get the large one. It can fit 2 pistols on 2 shelves (and even 4 if they're not too big). Might be a good excuse to get a nice little .38 for her.

http://www.gunvault.com/

Gun Vault also makes a quick access long rifle safe. I have no experience with this model, but it seems a good option for a shotgun in the closet. The kid's friend's curiosity factor is just too high for me to have any guns at all exposed.

http://www.gunvault.com/longgunvault.asp

Others here have more tactical experience, but running your ideas by the folks here, reading some of Ayoob's work and talking various situations through with your wife is an excellent idea.

Super-Kudos if you can get her out to the range for ongoing training.

 

[clubsoda22]

a semi automatic 20 or 12ga.

 

[Penforhire]

Another vote for a Gunvault. The multi-model is big enough for two handguns plus mags & speedloaders PLUS enough room for a box of 12 ga. That's what I put in mine. I keep the handguns ready to fire and my 870 is in a closet (no lock on it) with no other 12 ga ammo in the house. As it happens my significant other shoots both my handguns just fine.

She wouldn't have to rack your Beretta if it is kept ready to fire.

Seems to me the MkII might suffice for her. Not for the purpose of killing an intruder but to scare them off. First off, a .22 muzzle looks a lot bigger when pointed at you. Second, the bang is loud enough too. Third, she just might drop 'em in their tracks anyway.

 

[Trebor]

If you are only going to use the guns you have on hand, I'd reccomend getting a small two-gun safe for the bedroom. Teach her how to use the Berretta than put it in the safe loaded & chambered, with the hammer down and the safety OFF. That way if she needs to use it, it's ready to go and all she has to do is point and shoot. Put an extra loaded mag in the safe and make sure she knows how to reload from slide lock (she should be able to do this even if she can't work the action enough to chamber a round with the slide forward). If she is more competent than this with the Berretta, even better.

I'd also put the Ruger .22 in the safe, just in case she empties the Berretta and can't reload it for whatever reason or if it has a stoppage that she can't clear herself.

If you are going to buy another gun, consider the Kel Tec carbines that use Berretta mags. It would be easier to shoot then the Berretta. I also like a M-1 Carbine in this role, but they are getting pricey these days.

I will say these are minimum suggestions. The more experienced and knowledgable she is, and the more guns she is competent with, the more options you have.

 

[dave5339]

Gee,

I guess my wife is a little different.

Her 20" barreled 870 is on top of the safe loaded with buck shot with a surefire mounted to it. She generally is carrying her Kimber Ultra CDP in a Smartcarry rig, plus there is a pistol in a quick access safe, let's not forget the big safe, (lot's of stuff in there), and the bad guy would have to get through two large Ridgebacks.

I pity the bad guy, I really do.

Semper Fi

 

[WYO]

Consider buying a revolver that she can handle, or teach her to work the slide of the Beretta 92. She can easily rack the slide on the 92 by placing the rear sight against a firm object and pushing the gun forward, then move the gun and let the slide go. (We practice one handed reloads and most people do it using their shoe heels or belts. In a house, furniture works.) Even if she starts with the chamber loaded she needs to know this skill. Using a shotgun for going down the hall and retrieving the child is not a good idea. This is especially true if the child will have to be carried instead of led or if she needs to use a flashlight simultaneously.

Also, my wife and son can each handle a 20 gauge Remington youth model, but they also don't have any trouble racking semi-auto slides, and I must say that the 20 in that light package can produce some rather stout recoil with full house loads. I would not recommend it for the occasional shooter. A 12 gauge semi auto has less recoil IMHO.

 

[Glamdring]

$80.00 will get you a NEF single in 12 or 20 (I would suggest reduced recoil loads if you go with 12 gauge) get a butt cuff and bolt to gun.

Get a used K frame ($200.00 or less) in 38 or 357 loaded with 38 specials 158 +P LHP.

K frame can be "made safe" by putting padlock thru trigger guard behind trigger, I use plastic coated padlocks for that use.

The NEF is a single shot, it doesn't take much work to make a locking clamp that holds in vertical or horizontal against a wall. It is a break action gun with exposed hammer, if stored empty you have to break it open to load. The locking clamp prevents that.

 

[nutznwomen]

Sell some of the redundant rifles and:

a. Have her go to a women's oriented training course
b. Have her pick out a gun that she is comfortable with.
c. Don't pay too much attention to stopping power issues so that you
get her something she can't shoot

If she doesn't want to go to a course, you don't want to pay for it, etc., then:

Buy a reasonable 38/357 revolver with a comfortable grip - like a SW 65/66. Load it with mild but reasonable 38 spls. Maybe you can get her to dry fire it a bit.

Last, I have the suspicion that you are untrained personally. This is because you say that you have little to fear as you are a big guy. Sorry, a home intruder of slight stature can just shoot the big target. Also, if you do some knife training, you will see a little guy regard you as a side of beef.

Many average size guys invading your house will just sweep you aside if you just regard your size as the important variable.

 

[Bob F.]

LOTS of good suggestions above. But, do you wanna get shot with a .22???
She can keep a Berretta 21 or Taurus in her pocket and put a sserious hurting on anyone before she gets to the bedroom/gun safe. Love my 21 except it's .25 rather than .22 (much cheaper to shoot) amazingly accurate with "pocket pistol" sights.
Bob

 

[cracked butt]

Thanks for the replies, they all seem like good suggestions.

I think I might go with a gun vault and the 92, I have hi-cap magazines for it anyway, I'm kind of thinking that a 15 rd magazine loaded with the decocker in the fire position might be better than a 5 or 6 shot DA revolver.
I'm going to have another talk with her and see if I can get her out to the range over our Christmas break to get her refamiliarized with the piece- she has shot it a few times in the past and does really well with it, I'll have to show her the trick someone mentioned about hooking the rear sight on something solid to pull the slide back in case she needs to clear a jam.

What would you all think about a lightweight carbine like a Ruger 10/22 for home defense? I used to have a rem 597 that I didn't like and sold, and later found out that she liked that rifle because the semiauto action was fun for her to shoot, but it jammed frequently. What about a deerfield carbine? She's expressed some interest in deer hunting also, but I haven't been able to push her over the edge quite yet, maybe a nice Christmas present would be good? I'm thinking that if I can find something that she'd like, she might take ownership of and be willing to use it.

 

[MicroBalrog]

Err, why not actually get an EBR?

 

[tetleyb]

I'll echo what Nutznwomen said:

Get your wife to a competent firearms training course. Attend the course with her, if possible. Nothing better then a good training course, to back you up, in a court of law should the worse happen. It also gives you peace of mind, knowing she knows how to properly handle a firearm.

 

[G-Raptor]

The first question is whether you can get your wife to a "gun class" without browbeating her into it? If you can't then you have to deal with some simple realities. Forcing her into it will only build anger and resentment.

Assuming this is the case, the first thing I would do is get the gunvault most have suggested. Put it in the bedroom where she has easy access. You can keep the Beretta fully loaded and decocked inside. NEVER open it when the kid is in the room (until they are old enough to handle a gun and you've taught them how). Kids see everything, even when you think they're not watching.

The next thing is to teach her how to properly rack the slide on the 92. A lot of women have a problem racking the slide due to their lesser upper-body strength. The common technic used by most men just doesn't work for them; i.e. holding the gun at full extension and "slingshotting" the slide.

The technique that works better for women is to hold the gun close to the chest, HOLD the slide in an overhand grip, PUSH the gun forward with the strong hand, then let go of the slide.

Finally, I agree with the recommendation on the 20 gauge youth model for maximum firepower. The youth model tends to fit women better and there's nothing you can do with a 12 guage (at 5 yards) that you can't do with a 20. But here again, you'll have to evaluate whether she's ready to step up to the shotgun.

 

[tetleyb]

G-Raptor has brought a good point to me.

I am fortunate, my wife is a police officer, a SWAT Team Member, and a Firearms Instructor. She attends the training courses I attend. Therefore, my comments were a little biased.

 

[artherd]

I second, third, and fourth the recomendation of firearms training

If she can comfortably and accurately shoot a 92, then she is more than able to rack the slide! Possibly not 'slingshoting' it, but holding it close for certin. If she can shoot it, she can be taught how to work it gently.

Get his and her's Berettas! I don't know your wife, but often being treated as an equal (ie, no 'I can handle the big gun, while you need a little wimpy thing.) often goes a long way towards boosting a woman's (or any human) self confidence. While the baddie is going through your stuff, she'll be thinking "I'm just as good a shot as he is, just as well armed, you've got two armed and PISSED OFF parents up here, Mr ????head, get ready!"


Self confidence is crticial in defensive firearms use.

So get trained together! Learn how to protect your family together! Learn who's going to go right and who's going to go left when the ???? hits the fan. That kind of partnership and interaction can even stregenthen an already strong relationship.

I would also not arm ANYONE in my house, untill I felt they were capable of checking their background before shooting, even when scared ????less at 3:00am (as I would be.)

 

[ksnecktieman]

graptor wrote my thoughts exactly. Have her try the beretta, it is much easier to hold the slide, and push the gun than to pull the slide back. Maybe show her that,, (UNLOAD IT THREE TIMES AND RECHECK IT FIRST) if you hold the slide, she can push the gun to move it. If she is right handed, down to the right side, left arm fully extended, and gripping the rear of the slide, push the pistol towards the floor. ergonomics, she can push harder with her dominant hand than she can pull with her off hand. The safeties on opposite sides of the beretta slide can act as handles (make sure she does not apply it, or remembers to check it afterwards). Tell her that the proper way is to drop the slide, not lower it.

Good luck, and if all she can use is the ruger, it will do the job if she just keeps shooting.

I agree on the shotgun too. 12 or 20 is unimportant, just do NOT buy heavy loads and intimidate her. She does not even need to know she is shooting light loads, and they will perform fine at home defense ranges.

 

[lycanthrope]

Large German Shepherd.