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Daily Bulletin: Shotgun VS Handgun for home defense

msinc said:
As to telling the "bad guys" the cops are on the way....don't underestimate the fact that if you know it takes 45 minutes for a response in your area the bad guys just might know it too. Might be worth a try to get them out faster though.
As far as having a "long gun" taken away from me.....I have an 870 with a bayonet and an 18" barrel, the safety is off and my finger is on the trigger and the slack is taken up. The "bad guy" is welcome to try, in fact, I'd like for him to. And no, they aren't going to hear me rack it for effect...it's already chambered, what they do hear "for effect" wont require any further decision on their part.
They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure...I had two break-ins, one was 16 years ago, the other 10. Put up the cameras and an alarm system and haven't had trouble since. I don't live in a high crime area, but if they think you have something they will find you.
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The police would be the best thing that could happen to him at that point. I’m not against a long gun by any means, for me, a pistol is a better choice. More rounds, and much easier for me to practice with.

My problem with the shotgun mentality is the misconception that racking the action makes them run, or that is not as easy to miss. Both false.
 
Westhunder said:
My problem with the shotgun mentality is the misconception that racking the action makes them run, or that is not as easy to miss. Both false.
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Statistically, the presentation of *any* firearm in self defense will de-escalate the conflict in some 75% of cases. Or more. Some say as high as 90%.

Only a true nut job would keep coming when they hear a shotgun being racked. *IF* they hear it.

That said... a shotgun is *not* any part of my HD plan. Too low a capacity / too long of a barrel for efficient maneuvering inside the home / re-loading not even conceivable in SD scenarios. Shotguns are for little birdies, clay and feathered. :)
 
At my place in Mt. the only thing to prep for is an occasional Bear snoopin around.
Rip off’s and creeps have to worry about me , Hell” we got an excavator handy for digging deep holes :cool:
 
My home defense 870 has a rifled choke installed. Adds a little shot pattern spread at bad breath shooting distances.
 
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I'm just going to share my experience here. I know 3 guys who concealed carry and have loaded guns ready to go in their house. None of them have shot more than 20 rounds through their carry gun this year, much less their home defense guns.

They are a danger to themselves and their neighbors. We all have a responsibility to society when we decide to arm ourselves. My personal belief is 50rnds per gun per month for minimal marksmanship. You fall to the level of your training under stress and these guys have no training.
 
Pistol all the way! Long barrels in a house are a pain. Now if I lived on a ranch or was in a different situation I might go another direction.
 
mauser284 said:
Pistol all the way! Long barrels in a house are a pain. Now if I lived on a ranch or was in a different situation I might go another direction.
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If the ATF changed the rules a very very short magazine fed 12ga shotgun not much longer OAL than 22 inches with stock would be great! Load it up with #7 or #4 and go to town! It would be purpose built just for home defense. Special loads to minmize flash and it goes without saying all loads would be subsonic.
 
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In my opinion a long gun of any kind is not a close quarter weapon, so I prefer the hand gun. At a range of an average room in a house, the pattern of a shotgun is about 1 1/2", so where is the advantage of a shotgun?
I haven't been trained to clear a room or a house, but I know how to clear MY house. If I decide to investigate, I know my house better than anyone. I can go through my house without any lights on and I even know where the floor squeaks.
I don't want to kill anyone, but if it comes down to me or them, I am shooting. I understand that forcing me to shoot is the same as forcing me to hire an attorney afterward. I don't want or like either... but you gotta do what you gotta do.
 
High cap 9mm handgun is my primary home defense weapon. My Wife's is a Browning 1911 .380 full size. We trained with shotguns a bit but at 20ish' (the longest distance one could shoot inside my house) a shotgun does not spread enough to make hit probability any better than a pistol. It does kick like a mule and make duck and shoot from cover very much more difficult. Too much for Mama to handle.

I am presently checking out PCC like the Sig MPX and others.

VooDoo
 
Folks...nothing will turn your stomach like busting a cap on another human being. It's just not natural. With that being said, I cleared many many houses by myself with no backup within 45 minutes. There is NO getting used to that. Woes of small town policing.
And for the sake of humor.....there should be a building code against those damn full height mirrors at the end of long hallways!!
 
My preference for a scattergun isn’t about increasing hit probability. IMO the advantage of a shotgun is its ability to stop a threat with just about any hit.
 
If you are a Good shot a Handgun, if not a Shotgun, at the Normal ranges in a House, a Shotgun,w/ traps loads,will stop about anything in North america, & 4 buck up is Very Dealy
 
garandman said:
@1shot ... cuz I d rather not shoot another human being. The cycling of the pump action is a universally known sound that will send 99.9% of crims running. ( I actually recommend pairing that sound with screaming… " I am going to blow your MF ing head off you MF er! " ) They already know yer present. Its not giving anything away.

I taught CWP classes also. And from both a legal and safety perspective, never firing a shot is the best alternative. Not to mention a mental health perspective of not having killed another human, or having to clean his brain matter off your wall, or having to think about the spot in your home where he bled out every time you walk past it.

And given our anti gun (ONLY for self defense) and overly litigious society that favors criminals rights... Id prefer not to put my fate in its fickle hands.
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Not trying to stir the pot here but if I am at the point of taking up arms within the sanctity of my own home with an intruder all bets are off and being civil is no longer an option.
The shotgun is an excellent close quarters defense weapon but to many people have the wrong notion that you can just point and hit without properly aiming.
A shotgun even with a cylinder bore at typical CQB distances within a home requires aiming, I personally prefer a segmented 1 oz slug payload in my 590A1 I keep beside the bed if there isn't allready a 16" AR sitting there loaded with 50 grain ballistic tips.
With that being said it is somewhat trivial considering anyone stupid enough to break into my house will be getting mauled by a German Sheppard and a 90 pound Catahoula before I ever lay hands on a firearm.
At that point I can take up a defensive position and enjoy the show until the police show up.
 
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garandman said:
Statistically, the presentation of *any* firearm in self defense will de-escalate the conflict in some 75% of cases. Or more. Some say as high as 90%.

Only a true nut job would keep coming when they hear a shotgun being racked. *IF* they hear it.

That said... a shotgun is *not* any part of my HD plan. Too low a capacity / too long of a barrel for efficient maneuvering inside the home / re-loading not even conceivable in SD scenarios. Shotguns are for little birdies, clay and feathered. :)
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Might consider a KelTec KSG 12 gauge pump...much shorter than normal and 15 rounds.

Dan
 
Get a freakin UZI , let yer hair and fingernails grow long and don’t sleep :D
 
Being armed gives you a chance, it's not a guarantee.....Most need to get some training.

Hand guns suck for home defense.

AR15's and shotguns are my go to for home defense.
 
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