Home defense weapon preference

[moreluck]

100%winner and still champion.

That guy on your avatar is from San Juan Capistrano...

 

[moreluck]

Let's think about this:
If More flashes an intruder will he be blinded?

I honestly don't know!

Now you know I meant a camera flash ....asked you because you are a photog.

 

[Lead Belly]

That guy on your avatar is from San Juan Capistrano...

Is he? I know him as the character Hurley from the show lost.

 

[moreluck]

Is he? I know him as the character Hurley from the show lost.

Right.

 

[Lead Belly]

Now you know I meant a camera flash ....asked you because you are a photog.

You gotta love photog.

 

[sailfish]

I'm more comfortable with a handgun than anything, mostly because I shoot them more than anything and you still have a free hand. If I had a larger home though my AR would be my go-to for home defense. The 5.56 round had a tendency to tumble upon impact, minimizing the chances of wall penetration.

 

[oldngray]

I'm more comfortable with a handgun than anything, mostly because I shoot them more than anything and you still have a free hand. If I had a larger home though my AR would be my go-to for home defense. The 5.56 round had a tendency to tumble upon impact, minimizing the chances of wall penetration.

5.56 will easily penetrate any interior wall. I would not recommend it inside a house. If you are comfortable with the way an AR feels maybe one of the pistol caliber variants could be a possibility.

 

[sailfish]

5.56 will easily penetrate any interior wall. I would not recommend it inside a house. If you are comfortable with the way an AR feels maybe one of the pistol caliber variants could be a possibility.

A lot factors in including the type of jacket you're using and what kind of walls you have. But anywhere in the tight halls of a house I'll take the handgun nearly every time anyway.

 

[Brownsfan]

A lot factors in including the type of jacket you're using and what kind of walls you have. But anywhere in the tight halls of a house I'll take the handgun nearly every time anyway.

I live in a sub division so not shooting thru walls is definate concern.

 

[Brownslave688]

A shotgun with a short barrel is definitely the best choice. I also have a Mossberg 500 with a pistol grip. I tried also adding a pistol grip fore end which did help aiming but I didn't like the feel of it so switched it back to original fore end and pistol grip stock. The Mossbergs are very easy to customize. My dad gave me one when I was 12 so I grew up shooting one. I have another for hunting but now my preferred hunting shotgun is a Mossberg 9200 which feels and points like a 500 to me but is an auto.

No way. Way too close for comfort by the time a shotgun is gonna do much.

A year or two ago I would of said a .22 was all you needed. Now you can't hardly find ammo.

I'd probably go with a 9 mm

 

[Brownslave688]

The 38 is intriguing cause i think my wife could handle it easier than a shotgun. Probably get both.

My wife's uncle was a Chicago police officer. He recommends a "hammer less" .38 for any beginer women. It's small and takes a firm deliberate pull before it will fire. There's no accidentally setting it off.

 

[sailfish]

My wife's uncle was a Chicago police officer. He recommends a "hemmer less" .38 for any beginer women. It's small and takes a firm deliberate pull before it will fire. There's no accidentally setting it off.

Unusual a police officer would suggest that. Snub noses are a poor choice for any beginner.

 

[Brownslave688]

Unusual a police officer would suggest that. Snub noses are a poor choice for any beginner.

This is coming from a family that owned a gun shop for two generations so I value their opinions.

I think it has more to do with feeling comfortable with the weapon than accuracy.

 

[oldngray]

My wife's uncle was a Chicago police officer. He recommends a "hammer less" .38 for any beginer women. It's small and takes a firm deliberate pull before it will fire. There's no accidentally setting it off.

I must disagree. A compact shotgun is just as easy to use inside a home and much easier to aim. Not to mention the intimidation factor. I agree with Sailboat that the "hammerless" (actually it has a hammer but is concealed inside a shroud) .38 probably wouldn't be the best choice for a beginner. She would be less likely to fire it accidentally but would also but unlikely to hit anything unless she practiced with it. And if she had that extra experience then she should be able to handle a better weapon. A .38 is a decent weapon but you make it sound as if she would be afraid to hold anything else.

 

[Catatonic]

My wife's uncle was a Chicago police officer. He recommends a "hammer less" .38 for any beginner women. It's small and takes a firm deliberate pull before it will fire. There's no accidentally setting it off.

That's what my wife uses. Also, a shiny stainless steel or better, chrome barrel .38 is better. It is better to scare off an intruder than actually try to shoot them.

Almost all self-defence usage of a firearm takes place within a 9 to 15 foot range (3% 0-9 feet and 10% over 15 feet). That is why self-defence specialists recommend a short-barrel shotgun over a pistol.
The gun industry promotes handguns and rifles because they cost more and profit margins are higher.

Regardless, I feel comfortable using either a handgun or a shotgun but realizing I don't have time to aim by bringing the gun sights up to eye level. I rarely practice by "aiming" but shooting from the hip level. Once you learn to hit a milk jug from 15 feet without "aiming", you feel safer. An attacker will be able reach you within 1.5 seconds from 21 feet which is the average time to retrieve your pistol and fire.

Just my opinion based on experience and training.

 

[Brownslave688]

I must disagree. A compact shotgun is just as easy to use inside a home and much easier to aim. Not to mention the intimidation factor. I agree with Sailboat that the "hammerless" (actually it has a hammer but is concealed inside a shroud) .38 probably wouldn't be the best choice for a beginner. She would be less likely to fire it accidentally but would also but unlikely to hit anything unless she practiced with it. And if she had that extra experience then she should be able to handle a better weapon. A .38 is a decent weapon but you make it sound as if she would be afraid to hold anything else.

It depends on the woman. My mom doesn't want to be in the same room as a gun. My wife is begging the guys to give her a shot with the desert eagle.

 

[oldngray]

That's what my wife uses. Also, a shiny stainless steel or better, chrome barrel .38 is better. It is better to scare off an intruder than actually try to shoot them.

Almost all self-defence usage of a firearm takes place within a 9 to 15 foot range (3% 0-9 feet and 10% over 15 feet). That is why self-defence specialists recommend a short-barrel shotgun over a pistol.
The gun industry promotes handguns and rifles because they cost more and profit margins are higher.

Regardless, I feel comfortable using either a handgun or a shotgun but realizing I don't have time to aim by bringing the gun sights up to eye level. I rarely practice by "aiming" but shooting from the hip level. Once you learn to hit a milk jug from 15 feet without "aiming", you feel safer. An attacker will be able reach you within 1.5 seconds from 21 feet which is the average time to retrieve your pistol and fire.

Just my opinion based on experience and training.

A shotgun will not spread more than a couple of inches at close range so the wide shot patterns often shown in movies are a myth. You don't need precise aim but if you can point and shoot which is a more natural movement with a shotgun you should be on target.

 

[toonertoo]

She scares everything away. Must be the blue eyes. And we have a pistol, IDK what kind, barely know how to shoot it.

 

[oldngray]

View attachment 26978

She will slobber on an intruder?

 

[Harry Manback]

View attachment 26978
She scares everything away. Must be the blue eyes. And we have a pistol, IDK what kind, barely know how to shoot it.

Ask him to take you to the range and show you how it works.

I've got a few and my wife knows how to operate all of them. Doesn't make her a gun nut, it makes her a responsible gun owner.

It also makes me confident that if she had to use them, she will.

Ask him, he'll be happy to show you, I promise.