Posted on 02/22/2013 9:03:26 PM PST by martin_fierro
Had to go to work at daylight, needed the shortwave.
Ruger 357 magnum LCR
I don't remember who posted it, but I'm glad he did because I fell in love with it right away after reading a few reviews.
Some Pros: small, easily concealable, lightweight, compact, hammerless (won't snag on your clothing when you pull it out), reliable (won't fail to feed or eject), powerful.
Cons: small -- a 357 magnum bullet won't have the muzzle velocity and energy that is advertised on the ammo box when fired out of a gun with such a short barrel. It's going to ruin your night vision if you fire it in a darkened room... lightweight polymer -- so it will kick like a mule... compact -- only holds five rounds. But Speer makes a 357 magnum round specifically designed for snub-nosed revolvers that greatly ameliorates some of those negatives.
I wouldn't rely solely on it for home defense (I also keep a loaded 12-gauge shotgun and a .45 caliber 1911 nearby while at home), but it complements those other defensive tools nicely; I can slip it in my pocket and work outside the house without feeling encumbered by a heavier weapon.
Circuit Judge, fire .410 shotgun and 45 Long Colt.
Revolver, blued (not chrome). Brand etc barely matters, just dont buy cheap crap. Get at least a .357 if this is the extent of your gun buying and its only for the house/vehicle.
Simple and effective. I like it!
I’m partial to the Mossberg 500 or Remington 870 tactical or 887 tactical pump actions, in 12 gauge, for the home defense shotgun. Go with a tactical load instead of a 20 gauge to reduce recoil if that’s an issue, and with smaller shot to avoid over-penetration if that’s your concern. The Remington pumps have excellent reliability and the 12 gauge is the right size for home defense, even for a smaller woman (with the reduced recoil tactical loads).
As for the handgun, there are thousands of models because so much depends on shooting style. I like a Taurus Judge (with a Glaser .45 Colt Safety Slug or a .410 load with the right size shot), but your situation is unique, as is every shooter’s.
OK, you do not own a gun now so you probably do not shoot much and your wife does not shoot much.
You do not want a semi automatic pistol for home defense. If you are woken in the middle of the night and if either one of you grab the pistol and fumble around with it, I will lay odds that 10 out of 10 times you will limp wrist the first shot and the pistol will jamb. Due to the state of mind you will be in and your experience level, this is what will normally happen because you will not have the grip correct on a semi automatic.
The best home defense weapon out there by for is the shotgun. What kind is debatable. You want a low maintenance, one that everyone can handle the recoil and one that easy to operate for beginners. You may wind up with two different calibers and one on each side of the bed or locations in the house. Maybe one in the bedroom and one in the safe room where you evac to when intruder has breached your outer door.
On ammunition, no slugs should be used and nothing bigger than #4 buck shot in the caliber you select. This will help to eliminate wall penetration.
Outfit your weapon with a small in size but large lumen flashlight and/or lazer. Do not rely on lazer as aim point designator, but for intimidation when bounced off of mirrors/walls/picture glass. Can give the image of multiple shooters that the intruder is facing. I have this setup in my house using mirrors and picture frame glass down the hall into the living area. Combining lazer and focused light creates a illusion for an intruder in unfamiliar surroundings.
My personal preference: 2 - Mossberg 590 loaded to the gills with 3” #4 Buck Shot w/ slide in mount between mattress and boxspring that cradles one on each side of the bed. P226 Sig Sauer 40 S&W loaded with EFMJ (Expanding Full Metal Jacket)w/ 3 extra mags. If you have never experimented with EFMJ bullets, they are amazing. They expand to 1.5x the original size everytime and only penetrate 10” in ballistic gell. Get some for home defense.
Good Luck in your adventure and what ever you buy in a shotgun, get to a range with the shells you are going to shoot and pattern it. Most ranges have a “pattern” station where you can shoot into a piece of paper and look at your pattern the shotgun produces.
If you and your wife are not going to shoot these much, I like a comparatively cheap "red dot sight" to make the shotgun more user friendly. I mounted one on this (rem 870-specific) rail in three minutes total:
That includes mounting the rail. I bore-sighted the red dot in five more minutes, and at 20 feet, the group centers within half an inch of the red dot, and aiming accurately is incredibly fast. I prefer top-quality optics for a rifle at long range, but on the shotgun a $30 red dot will do the job for home defense.
KISS warm and fuzzy simplicity that husband AND wife can operate easily.
Double barrel 12 gauge, over and under or side by side....
http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=105010
AND
3 inch barrel on a S&W or Charter Arms revolver in 38/357 or 44 Special
http://gunner777.wordpress.com/2006/12/08/sw-686-us-customs-model/
http://www.charterfirearms.com/products/Charter_Bulldog_74420.asp
These are Keep it simple silly (KISS) concept firearms for the basics of home defense.
With carefull shopping you should be able to find both shot gun and the “bulldog” from charter arms in 44 special and the Stoger double barrel 12 gauge for less than 750$ total.
Loads recommended for the 12 gauge are #4 buckshot.
Loads for the 44 special are 200gr Gold Dot HP’s from CCI Blazer
44 special and 12 ga number 4 Buckshot is plentiful and on the shelves and still pretty cheap .....
My suggestion only. Bought the same packages for sisters and Mom years ago and they love em.
The CA bulldog can be carried concealed easily if you desire to do such... The Stoger Double is a good package as well for the “House Gun” . With both barrels loaded and a stock sock of six spare you have 8 rounds of #4 buck at hand.
Stay safe...
You've made a couple of good points so far (shot size and ear muffs).
The NRA published a study they did a few years ago that number 7 or 7 1/2 shot would stop anybody within a room size area, and would not penetrate the other side of a drywall wall. I just read about keeping muffs with your gun, to minimize your disorientation after the gunshots. I've got to do that myself.
+1 on the Walther P99 or P99c (a compact version). The most ergonomic pistol ever for people with small hands. Get the AS model (Anti-Stress), not the DAO model (Double Action Only). 15 rounds in the magazine, plus one in the chamber. No safety (just like a Glock). First trigger pull is long and stiff, then it's short and light for the remainder of the magazine.
>>”You’ve made a couple of good points so far (shot size and ear muffs).<<
Ear muffs?
It doesn’t make sense to handicap yourself by eliminating one of your best advantages in a low-light/high stress situation.
/johnny
I would like to buy one of these too. Linky?
.
LAWL. That’s a keeper.
I like the Taurus OSS 24/7 Tactical line. Solid weapons.
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