Home defense options

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Yes, I know that is what he means, and that statement was poor wording on my part. The point I am making is that any gun is "liable" to kill and that should not be a reason not to use one in a self defense application.

In my mind, should I get into a self defense situation, it is a kill or be killed situation. I will not refuse to use a weapon because it is "liable" to kill when my life is on the line.
 
12 gauge with 1 birdshot for a warning, then a bunch of 00 buck and a couple slugs. I also keep a variety of martial arts tools handy and my favorite, the machete. Just try bursting in my door, you're gonna lose whatever parts comes thru first, then my wife will shoot you.
 
HBrebel said:
12 gauge with 1 birdshot for a warning, then a bunch of 00 buck and a couple slugs.
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I figured that 000 buck was for the warning... Ooops...

Seriously though, the minimum size shot that I ever keep in a shotgun is "BB"... Anything smaller just bounces off the shells of armadillos unless you are really close...
 
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12 gauge with 1 birdshot for a warning, then a bunch of 00 buck and a couple slugs.
Click to expand...

My warning would be the sound of my (cruiser ready) 870 being pumped. After that it's all buck shot. I figure that if someone broke into my house that's more than sufficient. (Missouri Castle Law)
 
Whichever one was on my hip all day will sleep on the nightstand beside me at night. Currently, that's an S&W N-frame in .45LC. (There is also a 12-gauge in easy reach.)

Four furry mobile alarms will get the festivities started.
 
12 gauge 870. But then I don't really defend my "home". I defend those that are in it. The 12 gauge will certainly stop the first 5 people that try to come through the safe room door.

If I find I can't stuff new shells in fast enough, I'll club folks trying to climb in over the bodies as the wife loads an AR. :)
 
Wow hard thing. In Germany I think it's not legal to use buckshot for home defence. If I imagine what it does with a human...a buddy of me made an video of shooting 00 buckshot on a paper target and in my oppinion it's a big scattering circle so I wan't see this mess with a human beeing.

Look at this

:what:
 
Currently I use a 14.5inch DD AR loaded with 75 Grain Hornady TAP.
As soon as my paperwork comes back I will be using my 11.5 inch AR with an M4-1K Can on it.

Backup is an M&P9 with a light.

I don't trust a shotgun for Home defense. To slow on followup shots and to limited in use.
Slugs Penetrate to much and I prefer 1 hole per trigger squeeze to buckshot.

You should use the weapon that you are most proficient with. So for me that is the AR followed by the Handgun. Shotgun isn't even a consideration. For someone with more Shotgun experience it may be different.
 
kwelz said:
I don't trust a shotgun for Home defense. To slow on followup shots and to limited in use.
Slugs Penetrate to much and I prefer 1 hole per trigger squeeze to buckshot.
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One could argue that with a 12-gauge at typical home defense distances, it does result in "one hole" per trigger pull... OK, a relatively large hole...
 
denti said:
Wow hard thing. In Germany I think it's not legal to use buckshot for home defence. If I imagine what it does with a human...a buddy of me made an video of shooting 00 buckshot on a paper target and in my oppinion it's a big scattering circle so I wan't see this mess with a human beeing.

Look at this

:what:
Click to expand...
That was at 25 meters. That is not a typical personal defense distance. I can see it being appropriate if you catch someone breaking into your car, but then you have to wonder if the buckshot would do more damage to your car than the crook was going to do to it by breaking into it. In a defense of your person against a home invasion type scenario, the maximum distance you will be firing will pretty much be whatever is the largest open area in your house -- maybe 20 ft or so. At that distance, a 12-gauge does not put out all that large of a pattern -- probably about the size of a dinner plate...
 
Yes officer, I gave him a warning...

12131 - "exactly! I just don't get this warning shot nonsense. Use the firearm for its intended purpose, shoot the criminal when your life is in danger."
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Bang! Bang! Bang! Stop or I'll Shoot!!!
 
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A very bright flashlight (even have a strobing option on mine) to disorient and my Taurus 4510 with PDX1 shotshells. While I investigate the possible intruder my wife would be ready to dail 911 while covering herself with her Ruger LCP, we have drilled this a few times so we are both on the same page. The corridor layout of my home puts home defense in our favor.
 
S&W M64 3 inch barrel with MagSafe or Glasers. Its my wife's revolver and she can shoot it well. I generally have my G26 carry gun on me at home. Theres a Mossberg 500 with ghost ring sights and low velocity LE OO buck as backup.

Probably not a good idea to answer the door with a shotgun. Ive heard of people being arrested when the police came to the door and saw the shotgun. A pistol can be kept out of sight.

Just my .02.
 
Ive heard of people being arrested when the police came to the door and saw the shotgun. A pistol can be kept out of sight.
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I don't see how this could happen unless you are not legal to possess a firearm. While I probably wouldn't open a door with a shotgun, people can carry long guns wherever they want in their own house. (I think)
 
Mossberg 590-A1 loaded buchshot, slug, and repeat. Backed up by one of my pistols. Usually either an XD9 or a G22. Nothing beats a shotgun short of a crew served weapon for ending confrontations. As far as not being able to move around with a long gun I'm not leaving my bedroom. Lock on bedroom door, cellphone next to my gun, and get behind cover.
I have insurance if they want my t.v., laptop or whatever. It would be different if my children were still home. Moving through a house looking for an unknown is dangerous. SWAT teams take up to a dozen guys to clear a house with bodyarmor, all manner of weapon, and a medic. I'm not going looking for trouble. I'd probably find it.
 
When I answer the door, I first peek out of the blinds (without moving them if possible), always with either my pistol or shotgun in hand. If I recognise the person, the weapon is secured, but if it is someone I don't know, I either tell them to go away, or if I open the door, I block it with my foot so it only opens a little, and keep the weapon in my left (I'm a lefty) hand behind the door.

I had better have the right to hold a gun in my house.

::EDIT:: I do love the sprinkler idea though! :p Not sure the kids in the neighborhood would appreciate it, they run around to much here.:D
 
what I meant by a "warning shot" was that if you pop into my home uninvited, you will catch a chest full of birdshot from about 10'-15' away. If that don't take you down, you can decide to turn and run or stay and catch some 00 or a few slugs.
 
Layer one - Slightly nosy neighbors, including an older retired lady who doesn't sleep much. Well maintained lawn and shrubs. Outdoor floodlighting on motion detectors. 4.5 ft chain link fence around property perimeter.

Layer two - reasonably hardened entry points, intrusion alarms, and a noisy dog.

Layer three - Communication code words, Firearms, phones, and variations-on-a-plan that we've walked through a few times.

Layer four - Traditional Marine Corps K-Bar (really weak on the knife training though), 5 ft oak hiking staff, baseball bat, Magcharger, a win-at-all-costs attitude, and multiple exit strategies.
 
We haven't yet gotten the pair of big dogs we'd like.

If it's after bedtime, it would be our shotguns. Her 870 is loaded with 00 Buck and has same on the Side Saddle. My rifle sighted Winchester 1200 Marine is loaded with slugs (even since we started noticing bear in the back yard) and has 00 Buck on the Side Saddle.

My 1911 is nearby. Her revolver (.38 or .357, depending which she has been carrying) is nearby. She also sleeps with big knives nearby. Knowing the true stories behind her scars, I'm not going to argue...

If it's not bedtime, it's going to be what's on me: a Kimber 1911 if I'm dressed, a pre-68 German PPK if I'm in my bathrobe.

Tactical level (Sure Fire or Streamlight Polytac LED) lights are always with us, along with smaller 4 Sevens Preon II for general use.

We're going to do more with hidden guns in the house. We have lights and lamps all over the place, ready for power outages.

I'm not happy with the adequacy of our locks and deadbolts. We've added some motion lights, but need to add more.

We need to get a camera system (not a peephole) for the doors, along with greatly improved "porch" lights that light up the visitors, not the door.

What you'll use is what's on you when you need it. So never be unarmed.
 
If it's not bedtime, it's going to be what's on me: a Kimber 1911 if I'm dressed, a pre-68 German PPK if I'm in my bathrobe.
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If you carry a nice PPK like that in your bathrobe, then I think you should refer to it as a smoking jacket. Kind of a Bond....James Bond thing.
 
Hey, I like that. :) It is sort of a dark maroon and black color. I just need to trade terry cloth for silk, then I'll be cool. Right? ;) (Actually, I've wondered if one could make a "travel" robe from parachute material, and have it compress to jacket pocket size when not in use.) Didn't Hefner do the smoking jacket thing to death, back in his prime? I like Connery's Bond. Actually, I'm not authentic, because my PPK is a .380 while Bond got his in .32 in Dr. No. Streamlight PolyTac LED (and a good pocketknife because I'm always using a knife) in the other pocket. The Walther is just the handiest small thing I had to drop in that pocket; one of my small revolvers would work, too.

I just recently bought my Beloved Kathleen the latest Sure Fire Fore End for her 870, so her regular Sure Fire flashlight may not even be needed. We like the light idea. Lights keep getting smaller and better. And now LaserMax is advertising a fairly compact rechargeable green laser.
 
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