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Old May 1, 2010, 11:48 AM   #1
DanThaMan1776
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Interesting Delima

Until I can muster up more money, my home defense options are a single shot (break barrel) 12 ga. or a Glock 17. Obviously the 12 with 00 Buck would be ideal but I'd have to reload every shot but on the flip side I have serious concerns over using a 9mm for home defense (carry is another story).

What would TFL do?
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Old May 1, 2010, 11:54 AM   #2
Stevie-Ray
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I'd use the Glock with a good PD cartridge. But then I purely suck at shotgunning.
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Old May 1, 2010, 11:54 AM   #3
SouthCali
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what are your serious concerns?

Personally, between your two options, i would go with the 9mm for HD. One shot then having to reload doesn't cut it for me if two guys are walking up your stairs! and with a break-barrel you dont get the chilling affect of pump-action.

working with what you got, 9mm, is the answer.
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Old May 1, 2010, 12:05 PM   #4
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The result is often shotguns being used in improper roles such as a primary weapon without a stock or supporting pistol,


http://pro-patria.us/COMBATSHOTGUN.mht
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Old May 1, 2010, 12:43 PM   #5
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The 9mm has put millions of people in the ground.
Buy some Federal HST 124gr. hollow points, they expand to 3/4"
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Old May 1, 2010, 05:51 PM   #6
Terry A
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Here's another vote for the Glock in .9mm. That's a very good home defense gun! The .9mm's of today are no joke. They'll kill dead! Besides that, long arms are very difficult to move around with in your own home. Takes two hands, can be easily grabbed, etc. We've all heard this before. With a pistol, you still have one hand free to work lights, be on the cell phone to the police, etc.

You're not under-gunned w/ that Glock at all my friend!
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Old May 1, 2010, 06:54 PM   #7
wally626
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Not that I have anything against a Glock 17, but for similar money you should be able to find a good pump action shotgun if you would prefer that.
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Old May 1, 2010, 07:12 PM   #8
Crosshair
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I would have the 12 gauge as primary. After you shoot the 12 gauge you transition to the Glock 17. The stopping power of the 12 gauge is simply too great to ignore.

You would probably want to get something you can toss over your shoulder that will holster the 17. Then practice practice practice.
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Old May 1, 2010, 07:28 PM   #9
cracked91
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Glock 17 ALL THE WAY!

Yes, the stopping power of a 12 gauge is great, but your only gonna get one shot. 9mm is a very deadly round. People play it down, but when is the last time you saw someone shot by one?

Load it up with hollow points, and call it good.

Because if you have got a cracked out, drug crazed, pcp addict busting into your house (this always seems to be the debate when it comes to stopping power) and he/she would not go down with 2 or 3 hollowpoints to the chest, you would still probably have to deliver a pretty good hit, probably almost dead center mass, or head, with the buckshot to put them down.

Also with the 9mm, you can have an extra mag.
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Old May 1, 2010, 07:50 PM   #10
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You CAN miss with a shotgun. Follow-up shots would be a very high priority for me in this case and with this "philosophy of use".

I'm not really a 9mm fan (personal preference, no slam on the caliber) but I'll readily admit that modern cartridge/bullet designs have seriously increased the capability from "back-in-the-day".
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Old May 1, 2010, 09:16 PM   #11
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Where might intruders gain sudden entry to your house? Where might you be at the time? Where would your weapon be? Would you be able to get to it quickly? How might your answers to these questions influence your decision?

For decades, I kept a 9MM handgun in the bedroom. It occurred to me some time ago that there is no reason to be assured that I would be in the bedroom at the time of a home invasion, and more importantly, that I might well not be able to get to the bedroom if an invasion were to occur.

I now employ a different strategy. It would not work with a shotgun.
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Old May 1, 2010, 09:26 PM   #12
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I'd have to also go with the glock. One shot doesn't leave room for error. Even though most of us on tfl are good I'm not sure anyone can claim perfection. But I still tell my wife I'm perfect. Since she doesn't argue that means she agrees right? Lol
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Old May 2, 2010, 06:36 AM   #13
Lokpyrite
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Ummm..why not use both? If you NEED to go hot, blast your 1 shot of dbl ought, drop the shotty and give them 17 rounds of love.
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Old May 2, 2010, 07:42 AM   #14
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i use a Glock 17 for both home defence and carry loaded with winchester elite 124g +p hp granted i have never had the need to do more than get it in hand for a noise in the night i have full confidence in it to fill both roles i have other guns but the glock is my prefered for several reasons
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Old May 2, 2010, 08:03 AM   #15
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Glock. All service calibers perform the same, but the 9x19 allows more control and faster follow-ups. Practice and get good ammo (147gr Winchester etc).
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Old May 2, 2010, 12:12 PM   #16
Blue Steel
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I think you can defend yourself well with either one. I would choose the pistol because you don't have to load after every round fired. Modern self defense ammo in 9mm is more than adequate to do the job.

But, if you like the shotgun here is an interesting video clip about deploying it. Advance to 1:45 in the video (or watch the whole thing, its three minutes long).

Defensive Shotgun with Clint Smith
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Old May 2, 2010, 02:23 PM   #17
Michael Anthony
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If your plan is to use a handgun for home defense, train hard in its use. Train beyond punching paper. Train in low light; train from behind cover/concealment. If you are insufficiently equipped, you must overcome it with proficiency.

Lokpyrite and Crosshair's idea of using the shotgun as an opening volley was my first thought, but I would be concerned about flubbing the transition when under stress.

You can train to transition from a carried long arm to a holstered handgun, but this is not usually the arrangement in a home defense situation. (See Old Marksman's post).

Personally, I would probably feel equally comfortable and confident sticking with the handgun only. If I had time to really hunker down I would consider opening with the shotgun.

Quote:
Until I can muster up more money
For less than $200 dollars and a trip to Wal-Mart you can have a more than adequate home defense weapon in the Maverick 88. If you feel undergunned, there are no excuses. This is not a new video game system or Egyptian sheets we are talking about. Quit eating out for a month or two.

"Before all else, be armed."

-Niccolo Machiavelli
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Old May 2, 2010, 02:32 PM   #18
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Since my HD scenario is to hole up, . . . call 911, . . . and defend my hole, . . . I'd do as previously mentioned: start with the 12 gauge, . . . transition to the Glock for more than one.

I seriously doubt, though if there were more than 1 bg in my place, . . . that the other(s) would want any part of me after they saw their partner in crime just get sucker punched by a 12 gauge load of 00 buck.

We're talking about an instantaneously made bloody mess, . . . one bg writhing in either unspeakable pain, . . . or his death throes, . . . an ear splitting crash of thunder (being in front of the 12 that just went "boom"), . . . and probably something about to trickle down the pants leg of the britches of any other bg's in the house.

Yeah, . . . go with the 12, . . . but do the practice thing so that you know how to do it. Also, . . . do you have anyone else with you there? They could reload the 12 for you, . . . as you stand overwatch with the Glock, . . . then trade out for round 2.

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Old May 2, 2010, 03:01 PM   #19
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Your dilemma is artificial.

Point 1
Either gun is likely to be all you need for home defense given that well over 90% of self-defense gun uses don't require the intruder to actually be shot.

Something like 8 or 9 out of 10 self-defense gun uses don't even require a shot to be fired--the attacker retreats as soon as it becomes apparent that the defender is armed.

Of the incidents where a shot is fired, the majority are resolved favorably even if the intruder is missed entirely or only slightly injured.

Point 2
In the event that you are actually required to break an attacker down, a single round of good defensive 12ga ammunition will do the trick if properly placed. Similarly, a good 9mm defensive round is also quite effective if properly placed.

The combination of the two should be more than adequate for virtually any scenario providing the person wielding the firearms is up to the task of making good hits under pressure.

Choosing different calibers and/or weapons won't alter that analysis significantly.
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Old May 2, 2010, 03:32 PM   #20
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you have 2 guns, why limit your self to 1?
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Old May 2, 2010, 04:13 PM   #21
Kmar40
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9mm is a very effective load, falling between 38 Spl and 357 on the power continuum.

Most of the naysayers have never been around a handgun wound and are just repeating and embellishing their old wives tail ignorance.

I know... it looks small because of the short cartridge. However, it's much higher pressure and performs well. It's the choice of British SAS, German GSG9, Israeli Mossad and thousands of other elite units. Just stuff it with good ammo and practice a lot.

Of course, a load of 12g buckshot in the chest will end most confrontations.
You're reasonably well armed no matter which you choose as your "primary". As others have said, carry both.

Last edited by Kmar40; May 2, 2010 at 06:22 PM.
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Old May 2, 2010, 04:28 PM   #22
wayneinFL
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Why not keep both of them for self defense?

Also agree that the money for a cheap used pump or a low dollar new pump is not that big a deal. I've bought used pump shotguns cheaper than you can buy a NEF single break action at Wal-mart.
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Old May 2, 2010, 05:25 PM   #23
LaserSpot
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I say a handgun is much more versatile. What is your plan when someone's pounding on your door in the middle of the night? It could be your drunk ex-girlfriend; could be the neighbor kid who's mom is having a seizure.

With a pistol, you can conceal it behind your back and shove it in your waistband when it turns out not to be needed. If you do need it, you can wrestle with one hand and shoot with the other; no long barrel for them to grab onto.
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Old May 3, 2010, 10:24 AM   #24
EdInk
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Another vote for the handgun. I would not want to be reloading every shot in a CQB. I could empty half the magazine in the time it takes to reload. If your first shot is not perfect, you're possibly in trouble.

Also, it is alot easier to maneveur a pistol inside a home.
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Old May 3, 2010, 12:14 PM   #25
sonick808
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You have to go with the glock. Not only is capacity 17 vs. 1, the action on the 12ga is slow! Perhaps use the 12ga as a backup, but your glock should be your primary weapon regardless. Letting off one round of 12ga and dropping shotguns, transitioning, etc. etc. isn't realistic. If someone "kickdoors" on you and barges in, you raise your glock and fire into center mass (repeatedly)
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