Shotgun for home protection

[troy_mclure]

ive shot many shot shells of in a house, both shoot houses in the army, and a abandoned house when i was a teen.

it IS loud, but it isn't incapacitating or disorienting.

[Slopemeno]

Yep. The shotgun is probably the least-loud choice you can make under the circumstances.

[Katrina Guy]

Well said, don't forget in the court room visual of the incapacitated "victim" with the oxygen mask and IV tubes etc etc that accompany him, don't leave out his attorney parading in front of the jury the Termainator / Rambo looking firearm, complete with bayonets and flashlights and extra shells on the stock etc etc.
People really ought to give some thought not only on what HD ammo to choose but also on how their firearm "looks". That's the subject for another thread, point being of course the difference between a defensive (looking) weapon and one that a jury can easily view as an OFFENSIVE (looking) weapon. For that reason plus I don't want a cumbersome gun, I elect not to add anything on the tactic-cool side, to my shotgun.
Back on the topic of this thread, Brent said it well also regarding justification.
Listen and learn people, this is 21st Century America, not the Andy Griffith show.

[Chuckusaret]

I always say KISS, but I have also strayed and tricked out a Mossberg 500 Cruiser, only to strip it back to original purchased configuration. Not only was it to clumsy, I thought of the idiots that would think it was an assult weapon if I ever had to go to court with it.

[1911rocks]

I want to validate some earlier post.

1) Shooting indoors shotgun or not. For those who have fired weapons within a confined space without hearing protection ( battle rifles, shotguns, SAWs, etc). The first trigger pull is a surprise! NOT DEBILITATING!! However, if you've never been there don't wait until dark thirty, when you're half asleep and scared. Find an old abandoned house, a barn, an indoor range to try it. Remember, take everyone along that may fire the weapon under those circumstances.

2) Less than lethal....less than smart. True LE persons use LTL ammunition. However, they in immediate access to Lethal firepower.

3) Tueller Drill http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tueller_Drill. Intruders who break in early in the morning/late at night understand that there will more than likely be a confrontation. They are at an advantage. They are awake, mentally prepared, and typically have an accomplice. Couple that with the probability that in most homes of less than 4000sq/ft will take less than 3sec to get to the occupied areas you can see that the Defender is working uphill. One last thing. In two story homes people will most likely keep HD weapons close to where they sleep, BG know this. When the BG are interviewed later regarding break-in at 9pm - 12M they will often state the fact they had surveyed the habits of the homeowner and knew he slept upstairs and felt there was less likelihood of the homeowner being armed if they caught the homeowner downstairs. Moral of item 3 ...where you are is where a weapon should be. IMO

[PDBreske]

You want the best option for keeping your home safe? Get a dog.

Big dog, small dog, any dog is the best deterrent to someone thinking of entering your home. My dogs lose their minds when they hear a noise in the neighborhood, and there is no way I'd want to walk into a house with that kind of racket coming from the other side of the door.

I also have a bone-stock Browning BPS High Capacity with 00 buck x 7 and a Springfield XD45 near the bed. If the bad guy gets that far it means he's already killed the dogs and I will just start shooting through walls to end his life ASAP.

[Cold_DeadHands]

I agree with that - dogs are a great alarm system and make BG's think twice about doing something they shouldn't.
I have BIG German Shepherds & a Doberman with a real nasty attitude outside...one of them always running the place. Inside I have a Pit bull and Lab mix. By the time anybody would get close to the house I would have enough time to get armed & have a smoke while I watch him / them coming to the front door. If the door opens there are 7 buckshot loads and 17 rounds of 40S&W waiting for the intruder(s).
If it were me...I'd pick a different house to break in, one w/o dogs and with less lights on outside.

[Amendtwo]

As suggested by nemoaz, I do have a .410 for home defense - Mossberg pump with pistol-grip stock. It is light and controllable, even with just the pistol-grip, and it would be more user-friendly for my wife than one of my handguns. With either of the S&B buckshot loads, I believe it would be effective at bedroom/hallway distances.

[T.A.Sharps]

A 410 for HD?

Wow.

I hope you at least mean slugs???