Daily Bulletin: Shotgun VS Handgun for home defense

[JFrank]

I don’t prepare any special recipe for an intruder, just the run of the mill 00 buck shot and if that ain’t enough I got a 45 ACP with a full mag handy. If that still ain’t enough my wife can throw herself at um like a spider monkey!

 

[garandman]

I don’t prepare any special recipe for an intruder, just the run of the mill 00 buck shot and if that ain’t enough I got a 45 ACP with a full mag handy. If that still ain’t enough my wife can throw herself at um like a spider monkey!

have you informed your wife of that final part of the home defense plan?

 

[jackson1]

Home defense, even personal defense. I have grand kids frequently at my house. All my guns are in safes. My preferred weapon is a baseball bat, and I pray I never need to use it. Practice weekly with my handguns, but wonder if when push comes to shove, whether or not I could shoot any better than Joe Pickett.

Had 2 events in m life where the presence of a gun might have been helpful.
One, A college kid came to my door at 4 in the morning, Yanked the door out of my hand and tried to enter. Threw a punch at him and missed, the guy decided to leave. An hour later a neighbor and the police came to apologize for going to the wrong house. Showed the cop the 2 cased shotguns and boxes of ammo. Sons had high school trap in the morning.
Had a fellow tailgate me from my house to the gas station. Got out of his car a ran toward me yelling how much he disliked my driving. Reached behind my back and said, if you don't like my driving you will hate my shooting. People should understand that an old guy with a cammo hoodie on and a 4 wheel drive pickup, should probably not be messed with.
I go to bed early and get up early. Rarely go to big cities. Can be in the UP in an hour and a half and never see a large city on my way to Wyoming or Montana. Will die happy if I never have to defend myself.

 

[bsekf]

I vote for the Mossberg 500, 3 inch Mag, 20 inch barrel, cyl bore. 1st: 3 inch #4, all the rest: 3 inch 0000 buckshot (25 cal).

Best have a plan that the family understands. Wife calls 911 while the Airedale and I confront the intruder.

Bill

 

[Rsadams]

After training with both for law enforcement a long barrel isn't what I would want for close quarters simply because it can be grabbed say around a corner etc , plus i like having one hand to grab or push with which is hard to do trying to hold on to a long barrel weapon and why i prefer a pistol for that reason.... This is just my personal preference and why... No matter what you use train like you fight with it and know it's limits and yours...

I can't express enough why you should own a home alarm , it protects and limits the time someone will stay in your home while your out and also will wake you if someone breaks in... Not every bad guy boots a door or smashes a window with a brick.... You can break in with very little noise and we all like to think we wake easy but sometimes that's just not true... With modern alarms not only doors and windows are monitored but you can select which motion sensors and were are on when your at home.

Waking from a dead sleep all of a sudden is bad when it comes to fast thinking and fighting I learned this when my wife accidentally hit the away button on her alarm remote when driving away one morning which turned on everything on my alarm including ALL motion sensors... I rolled over asleep and Bam the alarm went off , I can assure you it woke me..lol.. it's those few seconds when your trying to figure out WTF is happening , it would be great if a bad guy wasn't in the room with you...

 

[rr2030]

I wonder; after being startled awake, how many here have been trained to properly clear a home, AND not have your weapon taken away from you by someone wide awake on crack ?

 

[johara1]

I guess I'm old fashion, I still like a .38 model 10 Smith. With 148 gr hollow base wad cutters loaded backwards with 3 gr. of bullseye. No jams and it will put the intruder down.... jim

 

[rr2030]

After training with both for law enforcement a long barrel isn't what I would want for close quarters simply because it can be grabbed say around a corner etc , plus i like having one hand to grab or push with which is hard to do trying to hold on to a long barrel weapon i prefer a pistol for that reason.... This is just my personal preference and why... No matter what you use ,train like you fight with it and know it's limits and yours....

Exactly ! You MUST lead with your weapon, not a great plan.

 

[MikeT49]

Not a fan of shotgun for home defense. At home defense range, the shotgun pattern is about the size of an orange so the thought that you don't have to aim is a myth. In a stressful situation, you may miss so I want as many rounds as possible, thus a pistol with a high capacity mag and a spare mag is the right tool for the job.

My Judge pistol has a 3" rifled barrel. I have shot it into a old piece of drywall at about 7'. The pattern is more like a basketball than an orange. I have shot at a coyote at 25 yards with 00 buck. Didn't hit it because the pattern is so spread out at that distance.

 

[Rsadams]

Exactly ! You MUST lead with your weapon, not a great plan.

Yes sir , bad guys aren't coming out and standing were you can see them , they can see and hear also.... More than likely they will be armed and if there's no reason to go after them I suggest you barricade yourself in a room after calling the police... If they come in after you all you have to do is cover that door way... In that situation either weapon will work just fine... As another poster said , if you haven't been trained to clear a house , DON'T do it... The bad guy knows were you are and you don't know were he is and has a huge advantage at that point... I have done it by myself and it's a very scary thing to do... Plus , please don't rack a shotgun and give away your position... If the bad guy hasn't run away by then he is either trapped inside or is going to fight back or both...Plus there maybe multiple Intruders , bad guys normally come in twos and even threes...

 

[JFrank]

have you informed your wife of that final part of the home defense plan?

Ahhhh
Not yet

 

[garandman]

Yes sir , bad guys aren't coming out and standing were you can see them , they can see and hear also.... More than likely they will be armed and if there's no reason to go after them I suggest you barricade yourself in a room after calling the police... If they come in after you all you have to do is cover that door way... In that situation either weapon will work just fine... As another poster said , if you haven't been trained to clear house , DON'T do it... The bad guy knows were you are and you don't know were he is and has a huge advantage at that point... I have done it by myself and it's a very scary thing to do... Plus , please don't rack a shotgun and give away your position... If the bad guy hasn't run away by then he is either trapped inside or is going to fight back or both...Plus there maybe multiple Intruders , bad guys normally come in two and even threes...

Alot I agree with there. But you say (1) the bad guy knows where you are and (2) racking your shotgun gives away your position. Both can't be true.

Bottom line....you nailed it. Best idea is to stay in your room that only has one entry point, barricade the door, call the police, and cover that single entry / choke point. Racking the shotgun, and yelling "I am armed and have called the police" are two of the best available methods to the best possible outcome - never having to fire a shot.

A weapons mounted light can also give you a competetive advantage.

 

[Rsadams]

Alot I agree with there. But you say (1) the bad guy knows where you are and (2) racking your shotgun gives away your position. Both can't be true.

Bottom line....you nailed it. Best idea is to stay in your room that only has one entry point, barricade the door, call the police, and cover that single entry / choke point. Racking the shotgun, and yelling "I am armed and have called the police" are two of the best available methods to the best possible outcome - never having to fire a shot.

A weapons mounted light can also give you a competetive advantage.

Lol , well I didn't meen it like that but you are correct in everything... I live in Texas so everybody has a gun at least in their home.. Even bad guys have guns.. if I am in a locked room and you're trying to get in to get me , well that's on them... If you're not trained to fight guarding that one way in is way easier.. I have been trained and will still take that situation over going and looking them if I don't have to...

 

[garandman]

Lol , well I didn't meen it like that but you are correct in everything... I live in Texas so everybody has a gun at least in their home.. Even bad guys have guns.. if I am in a locked room and you're trying to get in to get me , well that's on them... If you're not trained to fight guarding that one way in is way easier.. I have been trained and will still take that situation over going and looking them if I don't have to...

So true about "house clearing." If yer not a trained professional .... Leave it to the pros.

 

[akajun]

The reference article is flawed in its first photo. I was taught to do building searches/ move in enclosed areas with my pistol at the center of my chest. This is done to not announce your position while moving and to keep the gun from getting taken away. A long arm will get taken away from you a lot easier. Also firing a shotgun inside a home with birdshot buck or slug will make no difference, in inside distances it all stays together into one big slug. As far as concerns of overpenetration with a handgun vs a shotgun, again, its all one big slug and will penetrate the average home constructed of drywall/paneling.
The best weapon in home defense is your mouth, Get on your cellphone and call the police, then announce that you are home and have called the police all the while making ready with your weapon. The object is to get the bad guy out of your home without firing a shot.
Remember, no matter how right and justified you are if you shoot someone your gonna pay a lot in lawyer fees even if you don't pay out a settlement.

 

[garandman]

@akajun .....BOOM!!!!!!!!! Nailed it.

 

[johara1]

The reference article is flawed in its first photo. I was taught to do building searches/ move in enclosed areas with my pistol at the center of my chest. This is done to not announce your position while moving and to keep the gun from getting taken away. A long arm will get taken away from you a lot easier. Also firing a shotgun inside a home with birdshot buck or slug will make no difference, in inside distances it all stays together into one big slug. As far as concerns of overpenetration with a handgun vs a shotgun, again, its all one big slug and will penetrate the average home constructed of drywall/paneling.
The best weapon in home defense is your mouth, Get on your cellphone and call the police, then announce that you are home and have called the police all the while making ready with your weapon. The object is to get the bad guy out of your home without firing a shot.
Remember, no matter how right and justified you are if you shoot someone your gonna pay a lot in lawyer fees even if you don't pay out a settlement.

That all sounds good if you live in town. But out in the country, they will be gone for a half an hour before the law gets there...... jim

 

[Tommie]

That all sounds good if you live in town. But out in the country, they will be gone for a half an hour before the law gets there...... jim

Very good point.

 

[Bc'z]

That all sounds good if you live in town. But out in the country, they will be gone for a half an hour before the law gets there...... jim

Exactly, we went a few years with no sheriff's service past 5pm, state boys wouldn't show up unless there was blood, weather accident or other. It was definitely the wild wild west around here for a bit.
To quote a LEO that I spoke to.
"You do whatever you need to to protect yourselves!"

 

[4xforfun]

HMMM...according to 30330 Joe, who was at the time the the 2nd most powerfull man in the world ()...a double bbl shotgun. Just take it outside the back porch and fire both BBLs into the air. That is all it will take!!