Posted on 04/27/2016 4:40:32 AM PDT by marktwain
Over a hundred universities and colleges have embraced the concept of having "assault weapons" on campus. It is worth noting, that when the university administrations buy the weapons for their own use, the menacing nomenclature of "assault weapon" is magically transformed into "semi-automatic rifles".
Campus administrations all over the country who have been claiming that allowing adults who have concealed carry permits on their campus will chill free speech and academic freedom, have no such concerns with having "assualt weapons" on campus, as long as the weapons are in the hands of the people they command. From abcnews.go.com:
Once a rarity on campuses, semi-automatic rifles are becoming a standard part of the arsenal for college police forces — firepower they say could make a difference the next time a gunman goes on a rampage.
In the hands of the people, AR 15 rifles have been routinely decried as "assault weapons". In the hands of university and college administrations, they are necessary tools to defend the school.The weapons are rarely seen in public and often stashed away in cruisers or at department headquarters, and many schools won't talk about them. But federal data and Associated Press interviews and requests for records reveal that over the past decade, at least 100 U.S. college police agencies, and probably many more, have introduced rifles or acquired more of them.
"A bad shot with a rifle is better than a good shot with a handgun," said Skip Frost, who until February was deputy chief of police at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which offers a semi-automatic rifle to every officer.It is easy to find police who extol the virtues of the AR-15 rifle. From bluesheepdog.com:
That same philosophy can be applied to the selection of rifles, and the reason a rifle can be more advantageous than a shotgun in some situations. Probably the most commonly used patrol rifle in American law enforcement is the AR-15. This weapon allows the officer to field up to 30 rounds of .223 rifle ammunition at the start of an engagement. Should the need arise, extra magazines are relatively easy to carry and quickly add to the officer’s ability to engage armed criminals, multiple adversaries, and even those who themselves are armed with rifles and maybe ballistic armor.As citizens who are not police officers face exactly the same threats that police do, it is obvious that the same advantages of the AR-15 apply to them.
In the hands of a citizen, it is a dangerous "assault weapon" whose only purpose is to kill as many people as possible as quickly as possible.
Orwellian doublethink.
Kent State is what happens to guys sent out as props to stop protest. King George is what happens when they are given strong orders.
I would rather a peppering of armed students, no group to beat down on and confuse, no group to threaten their jobs over.
Freedom requires responsibility....teach it.
..King George is what happens when they are given strong orders....
And when King George gives strong orders, the road to Concord and Yorktown is what happens.
Huh? This does not compute. Am I dense because I am pre-coffee?
It means that any ordinary Shmoe with a rifle is probably going to kill a pistol expert at 200 yards. Among other things.
They are talking about the skill required to make effective hits.
Rifles commonly outrange pistols by about 4X. Travis says it well. Rifles are just easier to hit the target with.
By “bad shot” they mean the person who is shooting, not the placement of the shot.
Yes, if the zombie hoards (rioters, looters, gangsters) are moving on your rural home with arms and still outside. Once inside in my suburban home(or any urban setting), I'll rely on my 870 shotgun with the blinding light attached.
A reasonable protocol for most invasions at night.
1. NEVER assume they are inside just for your stuff. Too many have died hoping they take the stereo and leave;
2. ALWAYS have a pre-planned room to group in that can be locked from the inside. If no lock, wedge something up against the door;
3. ALWAYS call 9/11 (if able) and tell them you have a home invasion and in fear for your life, or similar phrase. Those simple words hold a lot of weight in criminal and civil courts. Leave the line open, but don't talk anymore than necessary;
4. NEVER go hunting for them in the darkness of your home if possible. Hide with your shotgun facing the door;
5. If you do have to go hunting because of limited time to gather other family members from different rooms, make sure you have that "blinding" light attached to your barrel, whether a shotgun or handgun. A laser pointer is also recommended for handguns;
6. When they attempt to break through your hiding place or you can see them approaching an occupied room (when hunting), that is the time to switch the safety to "red means dead" and fire at will, providing you're certain it's not a family/friend/neighbor. Make sure you know where your rounds are heading so as not to harm those you're trying to protect. Myself, if I have the shot, I will go for the lower torso to keep the pattern low. Unlike movies, that will take them down with a 12 gauge shotgun once hit in the groin and/or legs. You know what to do if by chance they are firing off rounds while on the floor;
7. Once the police arrive and the invaders have been neutralized or left, lay your weapon on the floor some distance from you when you open the door and raise your hands and back up;
8. Depending on your States's "castle doctrine", do not chase them outside and continue shooting.
Some may argue that a light will give the intruder a target. Fair enough. Just don't turn it on until you see the body in motion. It will probably take about a second for you to identify them as a friendly or not. It will take them longer to get past the shock and brilliance of the light even if they start firing blindly. Believe me, they are BRIGHT! I had my wife test mine (off weapon) even after adjusting to night vision and pretty much saw the Sun.
Thanks for the clarification.
I was thinking along the lines of the old saying “A handgun is solely for fighting your way to your rifle” type of meme.
I used to hear it like this: “Any idiot with a rifle can hit what an expert will miss with a pistol.”
And yes, I know how to fire my 870. Went to "fam fire" last year at the local indoor gun range. We shot .410, 20 gauge, standard 870 12 gauge, and a semi-auto 5 round 870 12 gauge (fun).
What I learned from that fam fire was how to shoot other than from the shoulder which is what the Navy taught in my day. The instructor showed us how to fire under the armpit and beside the waist. I hit the target in all 3 positions, although my center was better from the shoulder. No surprise. Still, I'm glad to have learned to shoot from the waist with the arms just swinging back and no recoil in the shoulder.
Sorry to ramble on. If you have any advice for a shotgun inside home defense weapon other than I mentioned, please advise. If you would prefer to discuss this via Freepmail, please do. I've always respected your military opinions and believe you are the go to guy regarding weapons.
So, what rounds are you using in your shotgun?
A shotgun is a good defensive tool, but either buckshot or slugs will penetrate a lot of walls, but may not penetrate soft body armor.
An AR-15 is just as intimidating, will penetrate soft body armor even with expanding/fragmenting rounds, has 3 times the capacity, and is easy to shoot.
With careful choice of ammo, it will not penetrate more than two standard walls.
Nice to have hearing protection with either one.
Both are good options, IMHO. The light can easily be mounted on the AR platform. It is a very good accessory.
I do like the idea of the AR 15 with a suppressor.
I got a rabbit-eared coach gun for my wife. It’s dead simple and about as intuitive as you can get.
I'm also thinking of a M-1 Garand which is legal in my state. Just don't like the clip feeding operation compared to a bottom loading magazine on the AR-15.
As for load in a AR-15, that's why I'm asking questions. As I said, my in home defense is the 870. I'm asking about rifles just in case things go sideways and a gang was approaching outside with weapons in hand. At that point and distance I wouldn't really care about penetrating a neighbors wall. Also doubt such zombies would be wearing body armour. Probably want a laser light more than a bright light if shooting outside of the house in "self-defense".
What's your recommendation between a M-1 30-06 and an AR-15 5.56? Can an M-1 top feed accept a scope? Not being a marksman, I would want a scope.
I like optics on rifles. There are a great many good options today.
The Garand is a good rifle, (great in its day), but the en bloc feed was always the least desirable characteristic.
If you like the Garand, the M-14 type that takes detachable magazines is the way to go, but there are several other .308 or 7.62X51 systems that work well. The FN FAL types are pretty good, some like the HK 91. Also, there are side mounted scope systems for the Garand, if you are so inclined, but they are kind of a pain.
I am partial to the AR platform because they are relatively cheap, and have numerous accessories.
One of the big reasons I like the AR-15 for home defense is the large deterrent factor. Just the sight of one is very intimidating, partly because of all the hype.
On considering your scenario of a “gang outside with weapons”, much depends on where you live and your neighbors.
It is my opinion that if things go that far south, neighborhoods will self organize local militias very quickly. In that case I still prefer the AR, but almost any rifle will do.
As I envision these militias, they will be armed with everything from single shot shotguns and Marlin .22s (similar to the autodefensas in Mexico) to AR-15s, M-14s, Garands, and everything in between.
Thank you for your input.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.