Posted on 01/06/2013 9:42:01 PM PST by ru4liberty
This question pertains to a diminutive woman in her mid-60s. She has a .38 handgun but has been told by a few people (shooting range owner, RTC instructor's cousin, co-worker, etc.) that the best thing to have is a shotgun. They pretty much said that sometimes the only thing a perp needs is to hear the cocking of the shotgun and he'll flee the scene.
I wanted to tap into the expertise of those FReepers who are knowledgeable of such things so I can pass along the info. Also, her funds are limited (fixed income), so any recommendations that would keep her from having to spend too much and where would be the best place to buy it would be helpful.
Why do you suggest a small handgun for HD?
If you don’t have to carry it concealed, the bigger the better, no?
OK, here's another nugget for you: clearing a building room to room is work for professionals, not homeowners.
Shotgun definately.
20Ga if the user is small, 12Ga otherwise.
I recently read an article written by a coroner about the best home defense weapon. His pick was shotgun also. Not likely to harm neighbors, difficult to miss the target and the shotgun has the most close range knock down power of all personal weapons.
Surrender your principal advantages, which are concealment and preplanned field of fire.
LLS
Best advice I've seen on the entire thread.
Most if not all home defense weapons are in the hands of people who aren't formally trained and who practice infrequently at best. Last thing you'll be able to do under duress and scared shitless is remember how to do things like release the action on a pump shotgun, release the slide safety on a pistol, etc. A "pick it up, point it and pull the trigger" is what will work best for most people. If it's not loaded and ready to fire, you may as well have a rock or a baseball bat.
Also, no better reference than Box of Truth to understand what you are shooting. Many myths laid to rest here from "point and spray" to using a .410 for defense.
Mr. niteowl77
To: ru4liberty
This may sound odd, but I’m a big proponent of a .223 rifle. Easy to shoot, accurate and the rounds tend to break up when the hit something, so they aren’t a big problem with over-penetration.........
Sorry but I con’t concure. The .223 is designed to “wound” not “kill”. If it were me or the perp, I would choose to do the later. A wounded perp can still do damage to you. A shotgun slug or several OO Buckshot will do it real good and at close range, leave a very large hole, ending up more than likely, fatal.
That is complete BS. At seven yards, the spread for 00 buckshot is about six inches or less. Using the sights to aim is extremely important at close range.
She could get the Beretta Xtrema2 12ga. semi-auto shotgun and has minimal recoil (can be fired with one hand)...... It can fire 12 rounds in less than two seconds. Check out the video......”
Great shotgun, but remember they were talking on a budget?....The cheapest I found was 750.00 online, not really a budget gun.....
Great recommendation...
I’m just 60 and have a 20 gauge pump action....
Love it.
For personal, concealed carry protection, will get something like a .38
This old broad ain’t gunna be victimized!
“....for an elderly woman....”
You do realize, don’t you, that 60 is the new 40?
I would normally say a 12 gauge shotgun...but given her age and frailty, I would say a .410 shotgun...pump.....loaded with self defense rounds.
I think a 20 gauge would be too much recoil for her...and a 12 gauge would likely break a shoulder or arm.
I will say this....a good sized revolver shooting .357 magnum rounds will have less recoil than a small one shooting .38 special ones. My model 66 S&W has very little recoil with .357 mag rounds. It’s extremely manageable.
“This may sound odd, but I’m a big proponent of a .223 rifle.”
You’re right - it does sound odd. A .223 is OK for outdoors use but fire it inside a room and you would not be able to hear anything for several hours. The muzzle blast would be a factor indoors as well.
If she's interested in trying out different guns, take her to a range that rents them, and try 'em out.
The lady in question is not going to be getting younger and her strength will deteriorate over the years as happens to us all.
Shot guns - a .410 would be fine. A youth model would probably fit her well and I think they run about $85.00 at Walmart. A .410 round at 15 feet is quite lethal. At some point, howver she will not be able to use it well becuase of advancing age. Just the way life is. According to my EMT friends, many perps are taken down with single shot shotguns and I doubt whether a semi auto or pump would make much difference.
Current pistol - .38 works well with hollowpoints or Glazer rounds and if she likes it she should stick with it.
The best answer is using a layered defense.
1. Good locks on doors
2. A dog that will bark
3. Her .38
In my own home the perps won’t hear a sound. They will see a bright light and then nothingness. Sounds will identify your position and give up the element of surprise and I am not willing to give up those advantages.
I would recommend a small pocket revolver of about 38 caliber that can be with you easily at all times, that requires little preparation such as loading and chambering a round. When awakened at night your pistol should be available, loaded, and quickly in firing mode. The idea that you can keep your weapon locked in a gun safe and also be prepared for a home invasion is wishful thinking.
Laser sights are OK. I think they’re a great training aid to help teach people that no one can hold a gun “rock steady” on an aiming point.
For short-range, rapid-aiming situations, I’ve yet to see any training or advice equal that given me by Jim Cirillo: Learn where you’re pointing the gun. Humans can point at stuff rapidly. Get a set of grips on a revolver that helps you “snap-point” the gun as fast as you could point your finger at something across the room. Stuff the gun out there. Pull the trigger.
Cirillo used to do this exercise with people at 7 yard ranges: He’s tape over the rear sights (especially on semi-autos) with electrical tape. He’d teach people just to learn how to see that their weapon was canted up/down/left/right when they “pointed it out there” in front of them at the target.
When people did this, people who couldn’t group inside a foot at 7 yards were suddenly throwing down groups you could easily cover with a fist. Too many people get hung up on perfect sight alignment at close range, when the rear outline of the gun and your ability to naturally point will get you a shot on center of mass (within a couple inches) right the heck now.
So laser sights: In a dark room, I worry about two things: One, they lead back to you. It’s like the old military adage: “Tracer fire works both ways.” The second thing is that people start becoming fixated on the little red dot instead of the situation. But for some people, especially people who would need to put on their glasses to see a set of sights, I think that they’re a big win.
Nothing wrong with a .38 revolver if you know how to use it.
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