What caliber handgun do you guys recomend for home use?

[Hammer]

You mean if you killed someone if you home? Yeah, you would probably be acquitted. But then you'd be charged for the sawed-off.



<< So be it. Under protection privlidges, your case in court would be sympathetic. Even federal laws have loopholes. >>

 

[Kerouactivist]

I suggest you go to the guns store and ask them where the pet store is and get a dog, and maybe a security system if your that parinoid......

 

[Jfrag Teh Foul]

My personal choices would be as follows...

In handguns, I would choose a .40 from H&K or Sig... (.40 to me seems to have the best of both worlds in that they have near the stopping power of a .45 but accuracy near to that of the 9mm). It would be a bit high powered for an apartment, but just about any gun would go through the normal drywall in an apartment. With the .40 I would use the hydrashock (sp?) rounds as they tend to be a bit slower in velocity and would have tremendous stopping ability.

I agree that a good 'ol yard cannon 12 guage is great for dropping capacity, but the problem I have with using that as home defense is that in an enclosed environment such as a apartment... you could be limited by the size of the weapon.


Also, if your state allows it, I would suggest you take the concealed weapons permit course available... not only will it give you some practical knowledge of gun safety, it would also give you better insight into the gun laws.

 

[Jfrag Teh Foul]

I suggest you go to the guns store and ask them where the pet store is and get a dog, and maybe a security system if your that parinoid......

Ok, and what do you suggest he do when the person who is breaking in shoots the dog because he is armed? Ask him to wait while he goes and gets another dog, or ask the perp to wait for about 3-5 minutes before he robs or kills him while the security system gets a cop to you?

 

[mgravy]

<< How about a 20 gauge pump? >>



Positives and negatives to a pump or automatic. The pump creates quite a noise which could either scare the perpetrator away or disclose your position. It would have to depend on the circumstance, which is unpredictable anyway. With an auto the chance of jamming is probably more of an issue. Personally, I would choose a sawed auto (12ga. or 20ga.) and keep that one weapon for protection only. Buy it used and rebuild it cheap. It will probably never see the light of day but that's a good thing, as long as it is accessible (to you only!). And I agree, a dog is generally good for announcing, but it better be an aggressive breed and even then it can still be shot.



<< ....But then you'd be charged for the sawed-off >>



That would still be up to a judge/jury regarding the circumstance. -I'd take that risk!

 

[killmeplease]

If it's just you, I'd suggest the 12ga route. If your wife is of the small variety, a .357 with a 6" barrel. But if your wife can handle it...........12ga, my friend. Very bad damage, great stopping power and little aim required. Another nice thing the 12 gauge has is a great silhouette.

 

[Hammer]

I wouldn't take that risk cause I know I'd lose. Good luck convincing a jury that you need a sawed off shotgun. I would be perfectly content to use a legal grandfathered Glock 18, flip the selector to auto, and empty 31 rounds into the guy.



<< That would still be up to a judge/jury regarding the circumstance. -I'd take that risk! >>

 

[Novgrod]

If it's just you, I'd suggest the 12ga route. If your wife is of the small variety, a .357 with a 6" barrel. But if your wife can handle it...........12ga, my friend. Very bad damage, great stopping power and little aim required.

Erm, I can understand if you don't want to read the entire thread, but all the info is in there.

While a 12-ga has excellent damage and great stopping power, it has very, very, very much aim required.

shotgun spread expansion

The commonly quoted figure is one inch of spread per yard; that is, at most in-house ranges you'll have about three inches. That requires a whole helluvalot of aiming; about the same amount as a handgun really. It's easier to aim with a shotgun, but please don't say there's "little aim required."

Also note shotgun stuff.

I can't verify the accuracy of either of these, so make of them what you will. Point being, shotguns are best at ranges where you very much need to aim.

 

[Mookow]

<< If it's just you, I'd suggest the 12ga route. If your wife is of the small variety, a .357 with a 6" barrel. But if your wife can handle it...........12ga, my friend. Very bad damage, great stopping power and little aim required. Another nice thing the 12 gauge has is a great silhouette. >>



A 12 gauge is easier to handle than a 357. The 12 gauge transfers the recoil straight into your shoulder. The 357 goes from your hands, through your arms, to your shoulder. I fired my first 12 gauge when I was twelve, and probably 110lbs. I didnt have a problem with that. I had a problem when they had me use my great-uncle's side by side, and every now and then, no matter which trigger I'd pull, both barrels would go off simultaneously. Thats when I learned how to land on my back as softly as I could, and make sure there were not any rocks behind me .

 

[Nefrodite]

anyone have the link to the full auto convert glock? have it on my hd, intersting small burst from that would certainly take you down, just hold down and point if someones charging u i guess.

and what about those hollow point bullets that mushroom or shatter inside the body?

 

[tcsenter]

<< 12 gauge is easier to handle than a 357. The 12 gauge transfers the recoil straight into your shoulder. The 357 goes from your hands, through your arms, to your shoulder. >>

It is also a liability in a CQB situation, too much length for someone to grab onto and fling you around the room with. It also affords plenty of leverage, with which someone can easily disarm you (and break your fingers/wrist at the same time).

Sure, the goal is not to let them get that close. That is often not your choice in a home defense situation.

 

[Nefrodite]

what happens if you fire while their hands are on the barrel though.

 

[LethalWolfe]

<< If it's just you, I'd suggest the 12ga route. If your wife is of the small variety, a .357 with a 6" barrel. But if your wife can handle it...........12ga, my friend. Very bad damage, great stopping power and little aim required.

Erm, I can understand if you don't want to read the entire thread, but all the info is in there.

While a 12-ga has excellent damage and great stopping power, it has very, very, very much aim required.

shotgun spread expansion

The commonly quoted figure is one inch of spread per yard; that is, at most in-house ranges you'll have about three inches. That requires a whole helluvalot of aiming; about the same amount as a handgun really. It's easier to aim with a shotgun, but please don't say there's "little aim required."

Also note shotgun stuff.

I can't verify the accuracy of either of these, so make of them what you will. Point being, shotguns are best at ranges where you very much need to aim. >>



I'm gonna disagree a bit. Let's say I'm 9ft away from someone so, using the the 1in per yard formula, the spread will be 3" when it hits. Using a Colt .45 at the same distance I'll be trying to hit you w/a projectile .45 inches in diameter. Which has a better chance of landing on target? The 3" spread from the shotgun, or the round from my Colt that is less than a half inch in diameter? That said, of course all weapons have to be aimed to be effective, but I'd rather take my chances shooting from the hip in the dark w/a shotgun then a rifle or pistol.

I'm not trying to insinuate about stopping/killing power of a shotgun vs. a .45 at X amount of feet, I'm just saying that a 3" spread is more likely to hit home than a single round from a rifle or pistol.

Lethal

 

[Mookow]

<<

<< 12 gauge is easier to handle than a 357. The 12 gauge transfers the recoil straight into your shoulder. The 357 goes from your hands, through your arms, to your shoulder. >>

It is also a liability in a CQB situation, too much length for someone to grab onto and fling you around the room with. It also affords plenty of leverage, with which someone can easily disarm you (and break your fingers/wrist at the same time).

Sure, the goal is not to let them get that close. That is often not your choice in a home defense situation. >>



For the record, I wasnt arguing in favor of the 12 gauge over the 357 Magnum. I was, however, refuting the opinion that a 357 is easier to handle than a 12 gauge.

 

[Mookow]

<< anyone have the link to the full auto convert glock? have it on my hd, intersting small burst from that would certainly take you down, just hold down and point if someones charging u i guess.

and what about those hollow point bullets that mushroom or shatter inside the body? >>



First of all, they actually used to make full auto glocks. It's called the glock 18. On full auto, I doubt you can get the whole magazine on target. The key is to fire a burst, then reacquire your target, then fire another burst. Watch how recoil affects this guy, and how he fires in bursts, not the whole clip

Another gratuitious glock 18 link from the same page

 

[killmeplease]

<<

<<

<< 12 gauge is easier to handle than a 357. The 12 gauge transfers the recoil straight into your shoulder. The 357 goes from your hands, through your arms, to your shoulder. >>

It is also a liability in a CQB situation, too much length for someone to grab onto and fling you around the room with. It also affords plenty of leverage, with which someone can easily disarm you (and break your fingers/wrist at the same time).

Sure, the goal is not to let them get that close. That is often not your choice in a home defense situation. >>



For the record, I wasnt arguing in favor of the 12 gauge over the 357 Magnum. I was, however, refuting the opinion that a 357 is easier to handle than a 12 gauge. >>



My wife has little problem with my .357, but has a hard time wielding a shotgun. I was speaking from personal experience.

When I made the appearant mistake of saying the shotgun took "little aim", I was speaking relative to my .357 alternative.

Fair enough?

 

[Hammer]

Like Mookow said, the Glock 18 is the real deal, the Glock 17 is almost identical except its not full auto, but can easily be converted. People try to pass them off as 18s.

Fixed Mookows 2nd Link