Posted on 11/11/2005 9:42:03 AM PST by Mr. Mojo
Women fought off attackers in a pair of overnight incidents in Charlotte, in one case firing shots at an intruder.
The first took place shortly after midnight in the 5100 block of Eaton Circle, off Morris Field Drive near Charlotte/Douglas International Airport.
Police say a woman was asleep when she was awakened by a man who had forced his way into her home.
The man cut the woman with a knife, but she responded by grabbing a gun near her bed and firing at the intruder. She failed to hit the man, but he ran out of the house and fled.
The woman said the intruder stole some of her property.
The victim was treated for the knife wound at Presbyterian Hospital.
The second incident happened around 3:30 a.m. on High Meadow Drive, in the Montclaire community of south Charlotte, near Archdale Drive and Interstate-77.
A woman said she was walking past a vacant apartment at the Treetop Apartments when a man pulled her inside and attempted to pull off her clothes.
The woman said she grabbed a board and hit the man, temporarily stunning him. The woman fled and called police.
When police responded, they found a man still inside the vacant apartment and arrested him. The victim was not injured.
It's got everything going for it as home defense artillery for the inexperienced and that is most of us who have never had to shoot at someone in our own home. I've mentioned a bunch, you brought up the light weight, plus there is the fact that the shotgun can lay under the bed for years and, unlike semi-autos, will still work reliably.
I really love the fact that with just two magazines I have 30 rounds at my disposal (31 if you want to carry one "up the pipe"). I figure if I can't get the job done with that many, well, at least I can take along a sizeable escort.
At "across the room" distances, only the coroner will be picking out their pellets. I seem to recall that the NRA did some lethatity studies of close range home defense weapons, and the shotgun came out on top. It's really the only home defense weapon capable of producing what's called a "rat hole" wound, caused by the failure of the pellets to spread out. That's just NASTY.
This particular Mossberg model is a .410 with a spreader cone. If it doesn't kill the intruder, it will definitely impress everyone involved. But, hopefully he'll bleed out before EMTs get there.
Mass. has/had a "Castle Law" where you could shoot a crook inside your home but not if he was outside poking a gun at your window, so you had to shoot them and drag them inside before the cops got there.
You might consider this product:
http://www.gunvault.com/
I think this is the one I heard about that's easy to unlock in the dark with one hand.
Women are definitely arming themselves in greater numbers these days--and we at Second Amendment Sisters are doing all we can to keep those numbers growing!
In vino veritas.
20 gauge pump gun. Loaded with #3 buckshot it will stop anything on two legs at across-the-room range, and the recoil is light enough that my wife enjoys shooting it.
Any reputable make is OK, but I like my old Remington 870. I hear that the newer Remington 870 Express models aren't as reliable as the more expensive 870 Wingmaster, which is the one I have had for over 45 years. The Mosssberg model 500 is said to be very reliable, and you can get it at some retail dealers in this area for around $200.
Handguns are good bedside guns if you don't have kids in the house, I don't so I keep a .357 on my nightstand. The shotgun stands in the corner of the room, if I have enough warning I would go for it instead of the handgun. But if I am awakened by an intruder who is already in the room the handgun would be handier and quicker to get into action, and a .357 magnum is nothing to sneer at.
Thanks - saving your post while I research. I have put a shotgun at top of my Christmas wish list - what a world we live in that I would do that. I have shot a 410 before and it was ok. Shot my Dad's 12 ga and it was not ok. :o)
Thanks for your advice.
And the evil are usually cowards. A little bit of fight will make more than half of them run for the hills.
Oh for crying out loud! What a ridiculous law.
I'm going to look at the Mossberg you mentioned. Tried the Ruger above and am impressed.
Their theory was if the perp was outside, he had a chance to run away and, therefore you would not be in fear for your life. Mass. has a lot of laws that are ridiculous.
Are you looking for a carry gun or one for home defense, or both?
The "Model 88" "Maverick by Mossberg" is a pesonal defense weapon with a barrel just over 18 inches and a 5+ 1 magazine capacity.
It's a pump action, and it will handle magnum loads.
It also accepts many of the Mossberg add on parts that fit the Model 500.
I believe it was $149 at Academy Sports.
I carry a 9mm, but i would reach for the shotgun with all the confidence in the world.
I'm afraid that can be said for a lot of states.
Looking for both, actually--in one and the same gun.
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