Ok. The assumptions many have made about
lightly armed attackers, and them being few in numbers as well others saying birdshot is viable for home defense: these are all assumptions. Cut to the chase, some one is in YOUR HOME, where they don't belong, assuming they are few in numbers, poorly trained, not wearing body armor of some sort and that they are gonna run at the sound of shotgun chambering a shell, that they are not organized or motivated, etc all of these are DANGEROUS assumptions = Decreasing your odds of coming away from the encounter alive and keeping your family safe from harm. You might be thinking, "come on, the chances that they are wearing some kind of bullet resistent vest or armor or something is ridiculous". Great, you just took up the same rationale as the sheeple who think YOU are being "ridiculous" for choosing to arm yourself to defend your family in your home or out in the world. Plan for the worst, pray for the best.
Next, assuming that your 1st shot with a shotgun is going to hit its mark at 3:34am is a pretty high assumption (it is of some comfort to know that you can have 29 more opportunities to stop the attacker). Lump that assumption with the slow recovery/follow up shot time with a shotgun and you are decreasing your odds of coming thru this situation unharmed. And in the slow reload time if you expend your 6+1, or 7+1, or 2 in some peoples cases, and again you are decreasing your chances of survival as well as endangering your family as you have not stopped the threat and they are still moving about in YOUR HOME while you try and find some more shells. How many extra shells do you keep as reloads on hand and accessible? I bet many are
assuming on getting the job done with whats in the shotgun...
To the folks that say that our soldiers are only using 5.56x45mm weapons platforms, (M16/M4) because that is what is issued to them, I disagree. Many of our brave troops carry shotguns in combat, as breaching tools. They don't employ their shotguns as a primary weapon because they are not as effective as their carbines. They use the M16/M4's because they work well for their intended purpose. They are light, accurate, and pound for pound you can carry alot more ammo than compared to .30 class weapons. Clearing a room in Tikrit can be compared to clearing your living room, it is all about tactics. Sure you probably don't own flashbangs, frags, and your not supported by 3 or more buddies, but the same theories apply, use surpise when possible, split the pie, don't get tunnel vision, and fast is slow-slow is fast for shot placement.
I own shotguns and swiss army knives and I agree with the analogy of them being similiar type tools. Swiss army knives are great at nothing but are better than not having anything at all for tools. They are horrible for whittling, horrendous as a screwdriver, painful for use as a file, etc, but they can get the job done but not very effectively or efficiently. If I am defending my families lives (which is the highest honor), I don't want to use a tool for defense that is equivalant to the Swiss Army knife, the shotgun. I want to use the sharpest blade, something capable of precision, and with just enough heft to its mass to be made for the task at hand. Likewise, if all you have is a swiss army knife (shotgun), it is surely better than harsh words and balled up fists at getting the job done.
Again, concealability is moot for HOME defense, you are at home, if a shifty car comes onto your driveway, why are going outside to investigate? You loose all elements of surprise, and you are choosing the shifty cars drivers place for a possible confrontation. Wait inside and observe, turn on exterior lighting, and if something is amiss and needs reaction by you the homeowner, concealabilty is moot. I cannot think of an example right now, but if a situation warranted you going outside and needing a firearm, why conceal it if you need right then. Plus outside the engagement distances are increased compared to in-the-home distances, this puts a minus in the shotguns category because with greater distance, the less effective your shot placement is going to be (which is nothing if the projectiles don't actually hit something vital, ie it is all about shot placement and not all about 4,000 lbs of energy). Bottom line, Shotguns loaded for home defense are not as reliable as a carbine at getting appropriate shot placement as engagement distances increase. Sure you could use slugs and get some more distance, but now you have to unload your buck and upload your slugs = time lost, advantage gone, and you assumption has decreased your chances of surviving.
And to the double barrel shotgun post,
, I hope you at least have a cap and ball revolver to follow up your 18th century technology SxS. At least upgrade get a pump action Maverick or a used Ithaca M37 with some more capacity. Taking your life and your families life in the context of an assumption that 2 shells of buckshot is all your ever gonna need is taking a risk that is un-necessary.
I am glad that this site is having this dialogue and debate. Home defense is important and I am glad that this topic is being discussed.
I am not a shotgun hater(I have a passion for collecting Ithaca Model 37 featherweight shotguns), nor do I purport to be a die hard "The AR15 is the best rifle in the world" type person. I enjoy shooting my Mausers as much, if not at times, more than my AR's. I shoot trap and skeet when I can find the time, and I participate in CMP rifle matches and am looking forward to the Appleseed shoot in Van Etten, NY in 2.5 week.
