Primary Home Defense Weapon System

[Sweatnbullets]

Taking everything into consideration... incapacitation, overpenetration, speed, accuracy, reliability, weapon retention, and ease of use. What would you prefere for your primary home defense weapon? Handgun, shotgun, or a AR15/.223? And Why?

[itgoesboom]

Shotgun for several reasons.

1. Most versatile. It can handle almost any threat in your home.
2. Different levels of power available to you, from slugs, to 00 buckshot, birdshot, even bean bags.
3. Easy to hit with. I dont know anyone that cant hit at short range with a shotgun. They might have to go down to 20 ga, but thats still effective.
4. Scare the **** out of your attacker. Nothing is as scary as facing down the barrell of a loaded 12ga. Except maybe when its slide is racked. So the shear intimidation factor.


I.G.B.

[Hkmp5sd]

Yep, like itgoesboom said, the shotgun is the best selection for a primary home defense weapon. Even the dumbest crook in the country knows what the sound of a shell being racked into the chamber sounds like.

[jmlv]

best for close quayters. shotgun is artillery for static defence from saferoom. roving burgler alarms also tend to attack strangers<G>
Roving Burgler Alarms:

[pbarrick]

My preference is for the AR-15. It's got more ammunition capacity, less recoil and it's easier to hit with than a shotgun. 5.56mm is also less likely to overpenetrate a Bad Guy at close quarters distances (it's less likely to overpenetrate than a 9mm, in fact) because it dumps all it's energy into the target and breaks up during entry.

It's entirely possible to miss with a shotgun at close range. The shot column doesn't start to disperse until it's somewhere around 7 yards out and most fights occur well within 7 yards. That means you've got a .72 (12-gauge) carbine with 8 or so shots, regardless of whether it's loaded with bird shot, tactical buckshot or a slug.

Weapon retention with a long arm is an issue whether it's a shotgun or a rifle. Retention skills, empty-hand skills and/or the ability to transition to another weapon (knife, stick, pistol, etc.) are all critical to successful weapon retention at close quarters.

[CMichael]

Shotgun.

With a handgun it can take multiple bullets to stop an assailant. Once blow from a shotgun they assailant is stopped -- period.

If I am defending my wife or my family from imminent harm, I want to use something that has the best chance of getting the job done as quickly as possible.

Michael

[CMichael]

I wanted to add that it's easier to hit the target with a shoulder held weapon than a hand held weapon.

And that makes a differences too.

Michael

[wingnutx]

Handgun first(.45 Sig 220), since it is easiest for me to grab and be instantly ready with. If I determine that I have time, then I grab my shotgun.

My AR-15 may replace the shotgun, once I get a shorter upper and decent sights. It's easier for my tiny little girlfriend to fire, too.

[yorec]

Depends on the home to be defended, level of competence of those doing the defending, and what kind of yard is around the home.

Less trained people are more comfortable with shotguns - they're ultra reliable and easy to use in addition to thier great offensive qualities. Good fight stop power and theres that intimidating shotgun slide rack that has grown to its legendary status. So I give the shotgun the nod for the best all around home defense weapon.

Handguns are a backup for a longgun. That's about it excepting for some real scarey "tunnel rat" stuff that I'd not really call defense of the home. Their real value is concealability for sticking behind your leg when going to answer the door or carrying in a waistband when you've heard a bump in the night and don't really expect it to be more than the dog knocking over his water bowl again.

Short carbines in .223, wether AR 15, Mini 14, AK 74 or some other platform, are loud and will cause hearing loss when fired indoors. Other than that they do everything a homedefense long arm should do - quick incapacitation of a threat, smaller chance of overpenetration, multiple strike capability, great accuracy at short or longer ranges, etc...

So my recommend for folks choosing a home defense gun from scratch for the first time is get a shotgun. It'll do the job wonderfully. Then get a handgun for backup purposes and general carry when the shotgun gets left in the closet. And finally get a carbine in .223 when you've leared to be proficient with the other two and have identified areas in defense area that may need a carbine's unique abilities.

Anyone jumping uninvited into my saferoom at home will find my wife waiting with a 12 ga Mossberg 500 loaded with #4 buck and myself with an AR 15 loaded with 55 gr SP. I doubt they'll ever have the chance to find out what kind of handguns we each carry to supplement the main arms.

[vulcan]

I would choose a handgun for these reasons:
1)easier to wield & clear tight corner with
2)can be hidden in pocket when answering the door
3)frees one hand to turn on switches, dial phone, & carry children
I also would pick a revolver because:
1)squeeze trigger again instead of racking slide for dud round
2)no safety or slide to operate(especially if woke up from sleep)
3)also easy for wife to use if I'm away

A auto pistol is also fine if you & wife are very familiar with controls.

[KeithC]

I'll buck the trend a little and go with a handgun, if only because I'm defining "primary" as "the thing you're most likely to have if there's an issue". I think the shotgun wins for "best overall choice" but I tend to putter around the house alot during the day and live in a fairly residential area. It's way easier - and more discrete - to wander around with a pistol in my waistband than it is to tote the ol' 1300 everywhere.

Tactically, I'm also in a good spot. The dogs sleep in the bedroom, the wife has her own .357, we lock the bedroom door every night, we don't have kids yet and there's a chime alert on all the windows and exterior doors. If something subtle wakes us up, we've got good mutual coverage. If something not-so-subtle wakes us up, we've got 9-1-1 and enough speedloaders to keep us busy until the cops show up.

If I lived further out in the boonies and/or was more concerned about LEO response, it would be a different story.

Keith C.

[flinch_of_gt]

While the shotgun is the preferred CQB weapon of most people, my Persuader would probably be the last weapon I would grab to defend my home. Under stress, shotguns frustrate the heck out of me. My tactical reloads are terribly slow, my follow-up shots aren't very fast, and I don't practice enough with my scattergun to be proficient in a life-or-death situation.

My philosophy revolves around one principle: defend yourself with the gun that you are most comfortable and proficient with.

In my case, that's a shorty AR and a Sig P228.

[Sweatnbullets]

You guys know your stuff. I am a new member coming over from another forum and I think I found a home here.

Personally I have a HG on the night stand, but it's just there till I get to my 590A1 with a Surefire forend in the closet.

I've been reconsidering my choice, due to the overpenetration problems of the shotgun. I've been taking a number of carbine courses lately and feel the AR15/.223 is better choice for me for two reason. (1) the number of family members that live at my house (2) the layout of the house that could require a 20-25 yard shot.
Rule four and overpenetration is my biggest concern.

Another consideration would be in the case of a hostage situation. I know the pattern of my shotgun, but every once in a while you can get a "flyer". I would be much more confident in a hostage rescue shot with my AR.

[flinch_of_gt]

Consider this:

www.ammo-oracle.com

The definitive guide to 5.56mm NATO and .223 Remington loads.

[Sweatnbullets]

The definitive guide to 5.56mm NATO and .223 Remington loads.

Thanks, good info.

If you haven't seen this yet, check out
http://thecurmudgeon.freeservers.com/fa-index.html

Go to AR15 advocacy then articles/info. Great essay:

Benifits of the .223 cartridge in contempory police work.

Also good ballistic tests and comparisons info.

[Hard Ball]

A .45ACP automatic loaded with 11 rounds of JHP. If I had to chosse between a rifle and a shotgun, I would pick the rifle.

[Mannlicher]

again, somewhat against the grain, I keep my .30 M1 Carbine handy. Two 15 round mags on the butt, and a 30 in the mag well. The 110 JSP rounds are more than adequate around the house.

I keep several shotguns on hand, Mossberg 590, Remmy 870, but I really like the handy little Carbine.

[tag]

G-19 with a M3 flashlight attached on the nightstand, shotgun just a few steps away. The reason for this is simple: the handgun is easier to grab and use while lying on my back. I would use the handgun in the event that the burgular had made into my house and I was caught by suprise. If I had time, I would transition to the shotgun and pass the 19 off to the wife.

[Gomez]

For me, the AR platform is a "no-brainer". I used to be a big shotgun fan, but I can no longer think of one single thing that the shotgun does as well as, or better than, a compact .223.

The AR:

is shorter, lighter and handier.

has a greater ammo capacity.

has less recoil.

has better sighting options.

has less penetration.

has greater operationaly commonality with my pistol.

Sure it's noisy, but so's a shotgun.

It costs more than my shotgun. Big whoop.
Its less-PC than my shotgun, but then my shotgun isn't very PC.

[wingnutx]

I've been reconsidering my choice, due to the overpenetration problems of the shotgun.

You can also just switch to smaller buckshot. I go with #3, Federal Personal Defense rounds.

[Melos]

Gomez,

Re

a compact .223

For those of us who have no experience with rifles,
can you make recommendations re brand, options, etc.?

My experience is limited to 870s and revolvers...

[PeterGunn]

I completely understand the desire to have THE most effective weapon available to defend one's domain, but I have made my selection based on another factor.

I have 3 levels of firearm defence in my home all of which will hopefully allow me to retreat in the master bedroom. The master is the eaisest room to defend in my home as the bed seperates the me from the door and allows me to access the phone and more effective weaponry.

First, I am usually always armed when in my home. I ususally have a SIG 225 or 226 in 9mm on my hip. When asleep, I have a Kahr E-9 under my pillow in condition 3, or a Bersa series 95 in condition 2 with the safety on. On my wifes side of the bed, I keep the SIGs and a S&W 4506 with 4 spare mags ready to go. A cell phone usually is not to far away.

No long guns or shotguns in the bunch, and no .357 or .44 revolvers in the mix either. Why? First, once in the bedroom my target will have to pursue me through a standard door frame. My target is limited and should be easily hit given the circumstances. Second, I dont follow the "One-Shot-Stop" garbage that seems to be so purvasive today, because I double and triple tap all targets. Three, No BG is worth my hearing. I have fired shotguns, and rifles at indoor ranges and am certain would cause permanent damage if fired indoors with no hearing protection (which is the likely senario). Handguns may cause some loss, but not nearly what is certainly to accompany more powerful weaponry.

Is this a compromise??? You bet!!! One that I am fully aware of. But with the time and energy put into an effective home defence plan, I believe that the short comings are addressed.

Just my 2 cents.

[Gomez]

Melos:

Most of the major vendors are making decent AR15 platforms, so I wouldn't get wrapped up on brand. Armalite, Bushmaster, CAV-15, DPMS,Rock River Arms, even Olympic Arms all offer suitable products.

For a standard production AR, I've been impressed with the Rock River Arms M4 Tactical Entry model. It's as short and light as you're going to find. And it's, pretty much, "good-to-go" as is.

http://rockriverarms.com/m4_entry_tactical.htm

I'd probably add a Fobus/First Samco M33 handguard set, mount it sideways and attach a SureFire 6P, so I've got a whitelight source. And then, after my budget had recovered from buying the AR, I'd pick up a good optic. I'm partial to the Trijicon Reflex with the 12.5MOA triangle and, also, to the EO Tech HoloSight. After that, all's that left (on the equipment end) is a sling, spare mags and ammo.

And then, of course, train, train, train

[Melos]

Many thanks, Gomez.

[HS/LD]

870 w/ surefire


HS/LD