Good shotgun for home defense?

[pickled]

Originally Posted By: wantin150
Leftlane,
Nothing can be mistaken for that sound of a shotgun racking a round. Nothing can really match that power in a tight situation. You can put a lot of lead down range very quickly. However, if you have children or other people in the household, a pistol "may" be a better option depending on the load.

This is so true. Back in my day of living in a rough city the clapper on a floor lamp (don't laugh), an 870 and a bedside S&W .357 4" barrel were all I needed to get by. I had the 870 loaded in this configuration with an improved cylinder. BB's, 00, BB's, 00...maim, kill, maim, kill. One night some crack heads were trying to kick my back door in at my kitchen I ran over to the fridge and yelled at them while racking in the first shell. They booked...deadbolts and doorstops are your friends. I am so glad I left that hole!! I still maintain my system to this day though and with the, "Make my day law" here in CO you got a green light to act against perps.

 

[chevrofreak]

Even though I have an 870 and a Glock 17, as well as many other firearms at my disposal, the semi-auto AK is always the gun I reach for. It's got a forward grip and a mounted flashlight, a flash suppressor, and 30 rounds on tap. I can fire it one handed if necessary.

I firmly believe that a light mounted to the gun is necessary for home defense. There are far too many cases of mistaken identity deaths because the person fired without identifying the target in the dark.

 

[SecondMonkey]

I have a 12 gauge. It's locked and unloaded in the closet...it's the last thing I want if someone breaks in. My .44 and .45 revolvers make SO much more sense in a home defense situation. Easier to carry. Easier to manuever. Easier to stop someone with one shot. Easy to shoot one handed. Less recoil. Why anyone would ever want a long gun in the house I will never know...

 

[farrarfan1]

Originally Posted By: Mucho_MPG
Flashlight mounted to your Glock/MP/HK/etc. handgun rail or onto to the front of your favorite shotgun. If you are gonna sit there with a handgun in one hand an a freakin' mag lite in the other, you're not too bright.

Apparently I'm not very bright I guess, but I'll take my chances using the training I recieve and my own experiences in moving through and searching dark buildings.

 

[alreadygone]

I keep a hand gun nearby just to keep 'em ducking till I can get my hands on my shotgun!

Bob

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: SecondMonkey
I have a 12 gauge. It's locked and unloaded in the closet...it's the last thing I want if someone breaks in. My .44 and .45 revolvers make SO much more sense in a home defense situation. Easier to carry. Easier to manuever. Easier to stop someone with one shot. Easy to shoot one handed. Less recoil. Why anyone would ever want a long gun in the house I will never know...


I personally wouldn't use a shotgun with a standard stock for home defense, but the pistol grip/short barrel configuration is super easy to maneuver. With 00, just keep it in the chest vicinity and it's game over.

The recoil is nothing as well IMO - but recoil in general doesn't bother me one bit.

 

[Drew99GT]

Here's a good read.

"The 12 gauge shotgun is the most devastating and lethal weapon yet devised for inflicting rack and ruin at close range. A safe bet for ammunition selection is to use the 2-3/4-inch 00 buckshot load. The impact of one of these shot shells is essentially equivalent to getting hit with a nine round burst from a submachine gun."

http://www.internetarmory.com/shotgun_ammo.htm

I love the ammo guide for the 10 gauge.

 

[farrarfan1]

Nobody is going to argue the effectiveness of the shotgun when it's used under the right circumstances, but it does require a certain amount of marksmanship and they do have some serious limitations. At close range when fired from a modified or full choke barrel it will have a fairly tight pattern. You may end up with a spectacular hole in a wall or an entertainment center, ringing ears, complete loss of night vision in a dark room and a bad guy full of adrenalin and whatever drugs he has circulating in his system but no wounds.If it's a long shot in a large home or business he may only get hit with one or two pellets.

I'm not trying to talk anyone out of choosing what type of weapon they want to protect themselves and their families with. All I'm trying to do is share some information and suggestions, some of which have been learned the hard way.If you don't feel safe with anything less than a 600 Nitro Express next to your bed then by all means that's what you should have available.

 

[leftlane]

I havent ever shot in the dark so I'll have to do that and try it with the little flashlight I have that goes off soon as I let off of the button. No I wouldnt shoot until they were identified by sound or sight as friend or foe.

I have a .45 taurus pt945 pistol also, which I wonder is it worth considering any buckshot rounds for the .45? I have 230gr fmj and hp rounds but I'd be concerned about shooting either in my home.

 

[farrarfan1]

Leftlane as wantin150 suggested go out and fire the weapons in the dark with/without a flashlight so you can experience it.
Here's a little drill if you want to test some things for yourself. Set your alarm for 2 or 3 in the morning to simulate a window breaking or your dog going ape**** that would wake you up.Grab the shotgun and start moving through your house looking for the threat.Obviously I don't know what kind of home you live in but for the sake of this discussion let's say it's a typical bi-level home. Maybe you have kids, grandkids or an aging parent sleeping on a different level than you.You may have to negotiate halls, stairs, corners, closed doors, toys on the floor etc with both hands securing the shotgun.Then try it with the .45 and a flashlight used just for brief flashes to light the area and look for the target. Quick brief flashes while moving, not a steady light on.

 

[Tempest]

Quote:
the semi-auto AK is always the gun I reach for. It's got a forward grip and a mounted flashlight, a flash suppressor, and 30 rounds on tap.

I hope you know good lawyers.
Quote:
My .44 and .45 revolvers make SO much more sense in a home defense situation. Easier to carry. Easier to manuever. Easier to stop someone with one shot.

Say what?
Quote:
Grab the shotgun and start moving through your house looking for the threat.

I think this is BAD advice. I understand if you have to protect other people, but getting people to a single room and barricading yourselves there with a weapon pointed at the door and a phone with 911 on line is the best option. Looking to shoot someone will only cause you more trouble than whatever the thieves take. Let the police handle the situation as they have the training, rights, presumption, and liability insurance to handle bad guys.

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: Tempest
Quote:
the semi-auto AK is always the gun I reach for. It's got a forward grip and a mounted flashlight, a flash suppressor, and 30 rounds on tap.

I hope you know good lawyers.


Why? A semi auto AK is perfectly legal. You can buy them at stores. You can buy a brand new semi auto M4 if you want. That would be sweet for home defense!

 

[farrarfan1]

Originally Posted By: Tempest

I think this is BAD advice. I understand if you have to protect other people, but getting people to a single room and barricading yourselves there with a weapon pointed at the door and a phone with 911 on line is the best option. Looking to shoot someone will only cause you more trouble than whatever the thieves take. Let the police handle the situation as they have the training, rights, presumption, and liability insurance to handle bad guys.

I agree a safe room is the best option but I used an example of family members being on different floors than you are on. If I'm upstairs and the threat is downstairs where my teenage son's bedroom is and the computer room that my teenage daughter spends time in then I'm going downstairs to the threat.

Also, I suggested this drill to leftlane so he could get a feel for moving with two different weapons.

 

[Tempest]

Quote:
Also, I suggested this drill to leftlane so he could get a feel for moving with two different weapons.

Fair enough.
Quote:
Why? A semi auto AK is perfectly legal.

I'm talking about the aftermath and the reaction that any police/prosecutor/jury (civil or criminal) might have. Not to mention the noise and penetration problems that come along with a .30 cal rifle. Bolt on a bunch tactical do-dads and it looks all the worse.

 

[Panzerman]

I ussaully get myself into trouble on these gun topics but I cant stand the temptation. Shotguns are your best choice handsdown. I wouldnt worry about court and lawyers during a home invasion.You need to take care of the threat, and if you shoot him them you better be prepared to kill them, thats when the lawyers come in. You want one story, your story. The reason you want a shotgun is that rifles(AK47s included) and large handguns are made for hunting and overpenetration is the biggest concern, anyone that keeps a rifle(bigger than a .22 or a big hand cannon for defense watchs too much tv. You may get the badguy, you also may get your family or your nieghbors. If door wont stop it, a wall wont either. Shotguns are easy to operate, hit stuff in low light, have restricted range, and they just look menacing even in the hands of a 80 year old woman. Beleive me if you kill your neighbor becaiuse you were using a AK47 with armor piercing and emptied your 40 round magazine at the intruder, there will be lawyers, lots and lots of lawyers.

 

[chevrofreak]

Any round that is sufficient for home defense will penetrate a wall. Shotguns included.

 

[farrarfan1]

There is no "best choice" of a weapon system for home defense, just like there is no "best" oil, fishing lure, hamburger, car,running shoes and the list goes on and on and on.

 

[SecondMonkey]

Originally Posted By: Tempest
Quote:
My .44 and .45 revolvers make SO much more sense in a home defense situation. Easier to carry. Easier to manuever. Easier to stop someone with one shot.

Say what?


Do you know of anyone who has been hit with a 300 grain hollow point in any vital area that kept on fighting? Sure, a shotgun full of buckshot has more "killing power", I'll give you that, but dead is dead. A .38 special should be plenty in your house.

Furthermore, I can launch all six shots from a single action .44 Mag one handed in about 6 seconds, and have them land in the same chest cavity. Can't do that with a shotgun. The clunk of a revolver being cocked in the dark is just as threatening as racking up a shotgun.

 

[SecondMonkey]

Really, more than worrying about the stopping power of a gun, you should worry about the situation you might be using it in.

- It's 4:00AM. You're awoken by a noise. You're groggy and tired. It's dark. There might be a bad guy in your house. Which do you want to fumble with - a giant shotgun or a nice little pistol? With either choice things probably won't go as smoothly as you imagine they will.

 

[Tempest]

Quote:
You're groggy and tired. It's dark. There might be a bad guy in your house. Which do you want to fumble with - a giant shotgun or a nice little pistol?

Long guns point more naturally than do pistols due to their reference point on the shoulder. They don't "float" the way pistols do.
Quote:
Do you know of anyone who has been hit with a 300 grain hollow point in any vital area that kept on fighting?

Studies have shown .44 Magnum has no better shopping power than any of the other major calibers. Most of the energy is wasted out the back, so all that is gained is more noise, recoil and flash. And talk about over penetration.
A single #3 buck 20 ga. shell has the potential to land multiple hits with a single pull of the trigger, with minimal recoil, flash, noise and wall penetration.