Mindset-Skillset-Toolset
Those are listed in order of importance. Mental preparation (mindset) is paramount. I am a former LEO, and had experience even prior to that in dealing with armed intruders. Home defense is, IMO, the easiest to get your mind around. Home invasions have become more common in my area in the last few years. Since I don't own a cash business or deal drugs, I'm an unlikely target, but when these happen, they happen fast - so unless you have a gun at hand, you are probably screwed. While I own both a S&W M&P 15 Sport and a Mossberg 500 configured as a fighting gun, I find them difficult to have at hand at all times. I am proficient with both. I've busted many clay birds, shot dove and ducks, and killed hundreds of ground squirrels - and found little value in these activities as far as preparing to confront a human attacker, other than developing familiarity with the weapon. When a person is coming at you, especially an armed one, they don't resemble a clay bird or any type of game in any way. Put the sights center mass and squeeze the trigger, repeat until they stop attacking.
My skillset is biased toward handguns. I practice more with handguns because I carry one everywhere I legally can. It's also easier to practice, as there is an indoor range two miles from my house. I can't carry at work, but I can carry until I get there and all the way home. When I step out of my truck, I'm armed. When I enter my house, I'm armed. If I stop off at the grocery store, I'm armed. When my grandkids are over, watching a movie or playing in the yard, I'm armed. When I'm puttering around working on my old Jeep, I'm armed. When the kid I've never seen before is trying to get me to buy a magazine subscription, I'm armed. When the car I don't know rolls up my driveway, I'm armed. And I'm armed with a weapon that I am intimately familiar with, have fired thousands of rounds through, and have complete confidence using.
While the debate over superiority of a shotgun vs a rifle vs a handgun vs a RPG vs a crossbow can go on forever (and will), none of these weapons are worth a thing if they are not available when and where you need them. There are those who will claim that the only use for a handgun is to fight their way to a rifle - a situation that is mostly fantasy for civilians, unless they are poor shots with a handgun. Being hit with a 9mm or larger hollowpoint will cause most attackers to pause to reconsider their plan. A GOOD hit will take all the debate out of it. At the ranges that I could justifiably use deadly force, any of my carry pistols will suffice.
For those that disagree, please find me an incident where a civilian used a 9mm or larger pistol to defend themselves and it was not enough gun. A real-life one, not a movie or video game.
Of course, if by some strange circumstances I was sitting on the couch with a shotty or AR with SD loads when the time came to use it, I'd use it. It's just much more likely that I'll be wearing a handgun.
Those are listed in order of importance. Mental preparation (mindset) is paramount. I am a former LEO, and had experience even prior to that in dealing with armed intruders. Home defense is, IMO, the easiest to get your mind around. Home invasions have become more common in my area in the last few years. Since I don't own a cash business or deal drugs, I'm an unlikely target, but when these happen, they happen fast - so unless you have a gun at hand, you are probably screwed. While I own both a S&W M&P 15 Sport and a Mossberg 500 configured as a fighting gun, I find them difficult to have at hand at all times. I am proficient with both. I've busted many clay birds, shot dove and ducks, and killed hundreds of ground squirrels - and found little value in these activities as far as preparing to confront a human attacker, other than developing familiarity with the weapon. When a person is coming at you, especially an armed one, they don't resemble a clay bird or any type of game in any way. Put the sights center mass and squeeze the trigger, repeat until they stop attacking.
My skillset is biased toward handguns. I practice more with handguns because I carry one everywhere I legally can. It's also easier to practice, as there is an indoor range two miles from my house. I can't carry at work, but I can carry until I get there and all the way home. When I step out of my truck, I'm armed. When I enter my house, I'm armed. If I stop off at the grocery store, I'm armed. When my grandkids are over, watching a movie or playing in the yard, I'm armed. When I'm puttering around working on my old Jeep, I'm armed. When the kid I've never seen before is trying to get me to buy a magazine subscription, I'm armed. When the car I don't know rolls up my driveway, I'm armed. And I'm armed with a weapon that I am intimately familiar with, have fired thousands of rounds through, and have complete confidence using.
While the debate over superiority of a shotgun vs a rifle vs a handgun vs a RPG vs a crossbow can go on forever (and will), none of these weapons are worth a thing if they are not available when and where you need them. There are those who will claim that the only use for a handgun is to fight their way to a rifle - a situation that is mostly fantasy for civilians, unless they are poor shots with a handgun. Being hit with a 9mm or larger hollowpoint will cause most attackers to pause to reconsider their plan. A GOOD hit will take all the debate out of it. At the ranges that I could justifiably use deadly force, any of my carry pistols will suffice.
For those that disagree, please find me an incident where a civilian used a 9mm or larger pistol to defend themselves and it was not enough gun. A real-life one, not a movie or video game.
Of course, if by some strange circumstances I was sitting on the couch with a shotty or AR with SD loads when the time came to use it, I'd use it. It's just much more likely that I'll be wearing a handgun.
