Posted on 10/10/2008 12:41:21 PM PDT by doug from upland
http://www.learnaboutguns.com/2008/03/30/selecting-a-gun-for-home-defense/
Selecting a Gun for Home Defense
Published by the LearnAboutGuns.com
Many people purchase their first gun for home defense, and the question of which type of gun to pick is a common one. The three basic choices are a handgun, shotgun, or rifle. Of the three, I would recommend a shotgun for most situations, with handguns being recommended for people who lack the physical ability to handle a shotgun. My recommendation for the “ideal” home defense shotgun, and the pros and cons of each of these firearm types, in the order which I recommend them, are discussed below.
My ideal home defense firearm is a 12 gauge pump action shotgun with an 18″ barrel and a magazine capacity of 6 shells or more, such as the Remington 870 XCS Marine Magnum. 12 gauge is the most common shotgun gauge these days, and 12 gauge shells are amazingly effective when loaded with 00 buckshot (pronounced “double ought buckshot”). The 18″ barrel is the minimum length generally allowed by law, and does not make the gun too cumbersome inside a home. The pump action is the pinnacle of reliability, and makes it easy to keep the gun stored safely but ready to use at a moment’s notice. The gun will be amazingly effective at close range, and the risk of over penetration through exterior walls and subsequent injury to neighbors is lower than with a rifle or handgun.
The gun I listed as my 1st choice, a Remington 870 XCS Marine Magnum, costs about $900, which is nearly three times as much as as basic pump action shotgun such as the Remington 870 Express. The benefit of paying for this more expensive gun comes in the form of better build quality, a corrosion resistant coating, a nice recoil reducing pad on the stock, and the ability of the gun to easily accept magazine extensions. If you feel like spending more on the Remington 870 XCS Marine Magnum go for it, and if not the standard Remington 870 will still provide excellent protection for your home and loved ones.
1st Choice: A Shotgun:
Pros: Incredibly effective. Less risk of injury to neighbors due to over penetration of walls. Cons: Harder to maneuver with in tight spaces due to larger size than handguns.
I would generally recommend a shotgun for home defense, because shotguns are (rightfully so) generally considered to be the most effective short ranged firearm. Rather than shooting a single bullet with each pull of the trigger as a rifle or handgun would do, shotguns shoot multiple pellets. These multiple pellets are more likely to stop an attacker but less likely to pass through the exterior walls of your home and injure your neighbors (note that I say *less* likely, as there is always a risk to bystanders). The recoil from firing a shotgun is heavier than a handgun, but this heavier recoil is more than worth the increase in effectiveness (although there is more to the effectiveness of a firearm than the kinetic energy of its projectiles, you can compare the 500 ft-lbs of energy from a .45 caliber bullet to the 2000+ ft-lbs from a shotgun firing 00 buckshot). For those who are new to guns and not accustomed to recoil, let me assure you that you will quickly get used to it after a few trips to your local range. For those who have a physical condition that does not allow them to tolerate heavier recoil, I would suggest acquiring a gas operated semi-automatic shogun (such as the Remington 11-87) which will be more gentle than a pump action or double barreled shotgun. Another option is to use low recoil shotgun shells, which as the name suggests, will be more gentle than standard shells. Such low recoil shells are going to be slightly less effective than standard shells, but this difference is trivial in the home defense scenario, and some experts recommend low recoil shells for home defense over standard shells.
Another consideration that applies to shotguns and rifles is the length of the firearm. In smaller homes with narrower hallways, a barrel that is too long would make the firearm difficult to maneuver with. For this reason I would suggest a barrel length of 18″, rather than the 30″ barrel which might be more appropriate for hunting or trapshooting purposes.
There are also some accessories you may want to consider for your home defense shotgun.
2nd Choice: a Handgun:
Pros: Easier to maneuver with in tight spaces do to its small size. Lower recoil than most shotguns and rifles. Cons: Less effective than a shotgun or rifle.
A handgun, such as one from the Springfield XD line of pistols, would be my 2nd choice recommendation for home defense.
Handguns are generally less effective than shotguns or rifles, as their projectiles have less energy, but they do have the benefit of being easier to maneuver with in cramped quarters, such as smaller houses and apartments. Handgun bullets will generally penetrate exterior walls more than shotguns, but less than rifles, meaning the danger to your neighbors is higher than with a rifle but lower than with a shotgun. My recommendations for the proper pistol self defense calibers are here. Those who are unsure whether they should select a pistol or revolver will find this article helpful.
Another benefit of handguns is that they often have less recoil and can be less intimidating to some people. Indeed my girlfriend is more comfortable with handguns than with rifles or shotguns, as discussed here. You may also wish to consider certain accessories for your home defense handgun.
3rd Choice: a Rifle:
Pros: Generally much more effective than a handgun. Cons: Rifle bullets have a tendency to over penetrate walls, increasing the danger to your neighbors. A rifle would be my last choice for a home defense firearm, although it would certainly be preferable over throwing sticks and stones at a home invader.
Rifles are generally more effective than handguns, however rifle bullets are able to penetrate much further than the shot from a shotgun or the bullets from a handgun. This creates a much greater risk to your neighbors, without much benefit to you. Rifles are generally designed for longer range shooting (e.g. 100 yards, and much further +) so there is no appreciable benefit in rifle designed for long range shooting within your house, since if you are ever forced to shoot a home invader it will be at very close range. Indeed, shooting at someone who is 100 yards away is almost impossible to justify as self defense. Although rifles are great for many purposes, home defense is not usually one of them, since rifles possess the drawbacks of shotguns (heavier recoil, more physically bulky and difficult to maneuver with in close quarters) while having none of the advantages (such as less of a risk of over penetration). That said, pistol caliber carbines can be a viable self defense option.
Now that you have selected a gun for home defense, pick the proper ammunition.
Notes:
When discussing the risk of overpenetration, I assumed that the shotgun ammunition being used was 00 buckshot from a 2.75″ shotgun shell, that the handgun ammunition being used was somewhere between 9mm and .45 caliber, and that the rifle ammunition being used was somewhere between .243 and .30-06. Although the danger of over penetration may be lower with shotguns than with handguns or rifles, the projectile(s) from any gun can over penetrate and pose a danger to innocent bystanders. Even if you are forced to fire your gun in self defense or defense of your family, you should not endanger the lives of your neighbors or other innocent bystanders. Also, it should go without saying that firing at a human being is the absolute last resort and is only justified to prevent death or grievous bodily harm from being inflicted on yourself or a loved one. The decision to possess a gun carries with it the moral responsibly to use the utmost care and good judgment. Similary, it is the responsibility of the gun owner to ensure the gun is not stolen by criminals or misused by children, and to comply with any applicable laws on the storage of the firearm.
Decent advice. I use a .44 Magnum lever action rifle instead of a shotgun, because 1) both of my shotguns have long barrels, and 2) 10 rounds ready to go. The lever action sounds a lot like a shotgun being racked.
With both bedrooms upstairs, a bad guy can steal what he wants downstairs (I don’t have much worth taking, and don’t believe in wandering around a dark house with a cocked gun). If he comes upstairs, he’ll have to turn the corner into the line of fire of my .44.
I also have a Ruger .45 semi-auto for tight quarters, but the .44 is pretty sweet to use.
Sounds like the Battle of Lexington.
Teen Shoots, Injures Man Trying To Break Into House
Police Say Shooting Justified
POSTED: 5:36 pm EDT May 23, 2006
UPDATED: 7:00 pm EDT May 23, 2006
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — A 15-year-old boy shot and injured a man he said was trying to break into his home early Saturday morning.
Maxine Chandler opened the door of her Hollywood home at about 3:30 a.m. Saturday, expecting her husband. Instead, she said she was faced with a man trying to kick down the front door.
Images
“When I closed that door, he just went crazier. He picked up the bicycle and threw it at the window,” Chandler said.
As the intruder, identified by police as 22-year-old Keil Jumper, threw his bike against the front window, Chandler’s son, Javaris Granger, 15, reached for his father’s gun.
“I thought he was going to kill me,” Chandler said. “The most thing I need to stress is that 911 did not respond.”
“He busted through the door, and when he busted through the door . . . he was going crazy and stuff. His eyes looked at me, and that’s when I got scared. I just shot the first shot. What made me really have to take action was my mom. I was more like in fear for my mom, because she was scared,” Granger said.
Granger was also trying to protect his 12 sisters and female cousins, who were asleep in the house.
“I’m very proud of him,” Chandler said.
“I’m proud of myself for protecting my family,” Granger said.
Granger, a freshman at McArthur High School, said he has practiced shooting a gun with his father at Markham Park before, but never imagined he would have to shoot at an intruder in his own home.
Hollywood police called it a justifiable shooting, NBC 6’s Amara Sohn reported.
Hollywood police said Jumper might have been on drugs. Jumper is now in serious condition at Memorial Regional Hospital with gunshot wounds to the abdomen and legs.
My husband and I have been discussing getting our first firearm, and have decided to invest in a shotgun. He’s a former Marine, but I have never used a gun. Should I take a class first then buy, or buy and learn how to use the gun we buy? This is a major step, as I have refused to have a gun in the house for 35 years of marriage.
Mid 20s, African American male, suburb of Chicago, law student, no use for Jesse Jackson, grew up in an anti-gun family.
Thanks much! Is that $209 total? (w/18 1/2” barrel)
Shotgun with slugs.. will stop PeeWee Herman, Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant.. or a BEAR if need be..
If they keep coming after you foolishly reveal your location with that Rambo rack the slide BS, they’ll probably cap yo ass.
Shotgun, 12 or 16 gage, #9 bird shot, wax seal the end of the shell, make three small equal cuts at the wadding.
One thing he didn't mention is although the pump is technically probably the most reliable, if you add in the human equation, the auto might be, as long as it is something like the 1187 or 1100 etc.
People do sometimes short shuck a pump. I would bet it happens more often than a good auto jamming.
I will admit I keep a 12 gauge pump in my house. It is a Winchester 1200 defender with 18 inch barrel and extended mag tube. Also has a pistol grip stock, not the cut off stock but a full sized one with a pistol grip. It really does make it easier for me to handle now than I have arthritis in my shoulders and hands.
I keep it loaded with double ought buck but at times I have used #4 buck and even magnum BB shot. It probably doesn't make any difference tho I keep the 00 buck just in case I end up outside and the bad guy is in a vehicle. I would prefer a Remington 870 but for all practical purposes the Winchester is just as good and it was a great buy at $189 at WalMart.
For a handgun, I keep a Browning Hi-power tho a lot of others would be just as good. I particularly like the Sig P226. For the average person, a .38 revolver loaded with +P hollow points would be about ideal.
For a rifle, I agree one of the pistol caliber short carbines would be nice. You could do a lot worse than a Ruger 10/22 with a reliable high capacity magazine.
Adrenalin takes care of this for you as part of your Fight or Flight instinct.
There are many testimonials from gunfights as to what the adrenalin does by the way they reacted and observed. The Tunnel Vision effect.
The flash of my 44 gives great snap shot of my next shot on hogs at night. I don't even hear the blast during the rush.
Welcome to FR btw.
It also makes it very easy to use for left handed shooters as well. That was a reason why it's been chosen by the US Military.
I sleep better knowing that I can defend Mrs Chan and Baby Chan against any parasite who dares threaten them.
I feel the very same way you do my friend. But do be sure that the lovely Mrs. B-Chan is as proficient with your firearm of choice as you are.
And when Baby-Chan is old enough, start him or her on training, too.
Stay safe Mr. Chan. There are interesting times ahead.
L
bttt
If you have never used a gun take a class. You’ll be much happier with your shooting and learn how to correct problems instead of just through trial and error.
Nice thing about shotguns is that you don’t really aim, you just point in the general area of your target :). But still even if the “class” is learning to trap shoot then you’re better off then nothing as hitting a small flying disk of clay is a lot harder then a stationary large target.
muzzle blast yes, but as far as sound, i wouldn’t worry, if you have a goblin coming at you, you’re gonna go to tunnel vision.
odds are that you won’t hear anything and you won’t feel the recoil.
Upon impact, the round expends all of its kinetic energy nearly instantly and fragments, forming a large cavity. Overpenetration is nearly impossible. A hit anywhere on the torso, head, or thigh is nearly always lethal.
A miss won't penetrate walls, doors, or aircraft skin and cause collateral damage. I'd be willing to wager Sky Marshalls pack with JPF. Diagram below:
You just made a good point that no one has been talking about. I wonder what the odds are that Israel will attack Iran before the end of the year if Obama wins. It would certainly be their last chance of getting our support before Iran can develop a full arsenal of nukes. It amazes me that a large number of Jews in this country will vote for Obama. Did it say in the Bible that the Jews will be blinded?
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.