What gun to purchase for home protection?

[wabbitslayer]

Mossberg 500; 12 gauge pump, 18.5 inch no-choke/cylinder barrel, 00 buckshot.


Unless there's a hostage situation and you're going to need to drop the bad guy with a head shot while he's holding a loved one, in which case I'd go with a Glock17L with tritium night sights (or better yet, a laser sight so you can do the cool red dot on the forehead thingy).

 

[dabuddha]

can't go wrong with a 12g mossberg 500

ya it may be a pump but just the action of it can put fear into anyone.

ftfy

 

[BlitzPuppet]

You guys have been playing too many video games.

Exactly.

Even shooting across a large living room, the shot spread is only going to be a few inches or maybe half a foot. Accuracy is still necessary.

You're quick to make rash generalizations. It depends on the size of the barrel, if the barrel has a choke, and the ammunition used.

Hint: Slugs aren't that easy to aim with a regular bead sight.

 

[Phoenix86]

 

[NetWareHead]

Are beanbag or other "less lethal" rounds for sale to civilians for shotguns?

Not a gun owner, but I'd personally prefer a pistol over a shotgun. Wouldn't mind both though.

Why would u want a less than lethal round? You wound someone, they are still a danger. The guy escapes and you have a lawsuit on your hands for his injury etc.... Or you may even go to jail for some charge when all you were trying to do was defend yourself.

There is a Latin expression: testis unus, testis nullus. Means "one witness, no witness" If you are the only one who can provide an explanation over what transpired when a criminal broke in, you can keep your own ass out of jail much easier. Instead, a living dirtbag survives and claims he was at your house because he wanted to "say hello", now you need to lawyer up and all of the headaches associated with that.

 

[MrPickins]

You're quick to make rash generalizations. It depends on the size of the barrel, if the barrel has a choke, and the ammunition used.

Hint: Slugs aren't that easy to aim with a regular bead sight.

Believe me, I understand shotguns and the factors that affect spread.

Unless you have a sawed off, you're still going to have to aim the thing...

 

[poofyhairguy]

You guys have been playing too many video games.

Too many zombie movies.

 

[BlitzPuppet]

Believe me, I understand shotguns and the factors that affect spread.

Unless you have a sawed off, you're still going to have to aim the thing...

I just use a mindset that you don't have to be AS precise with your aim when using a shotgun than with a rifle or pistol. I've always lived in houses/apartments with long hallways, so I always felt that a shotgun fit my needs perfectly. The main thing is that each individual pellet doesn't have that much energy and tends to stop pretty quickly when hitting an object.

Full power rifles are never good for home defense in an apartment or sometimes even a suburban setting.

I still like this guy's tests: http://www.theboxotruth.com/the-box-o-truth-1-the-original-box-o-truth/

I never said you didn't have to aim it, that's just absurd.

 

[LTC8K6]

don’t want to spend time at a range to be a crack shot

Then please do not purchase a firearm.

Has a spread so accuracy is not as important

No. There will be virtually no spread with a shotgun at home defense distances.
Accuracy is very important with a home defense shotgun.

 

[LTC8K6]

I just use a mindset that you don't have to be AS precise with your aim when using a shotgun than with a rifle or pistol. I've always lived in houses/apartments with long hallways, so I always felt that a shotgun fit my needs perfectly. The main thing is that each individual pellet doesn't have that much energy and tends to stop pretty quickly when hitting an object.

Full power rifles are never good for home defense in an apartment or sometimes even a suburban setting.

I still like this guy's tests: http://www.theboxotruth.com/the-box-o-truth-1-the-original-box-o-truth/

The same guy says you have to be just as precise with a shotgun.

 

[edro]

#1: Do you have kids?
If so, you need to think a lot more about this decision in terms of accessibility.

I would recommend a 6 shot revolver for home defense, since it is the simplest to use (for you and wife).

 

[pontifex]

I would think that you would want a large spread weapon like a shotgun as your aim will probably suck balls in a defense situation. Something like a cheap 12 gauge semi auto or JUDGE revolver would be adequate for your needs.

Shotguns are NOT large spread, especially at home defense distances.

Stop perpetuating this myth!!!


wow, saw several other uneducated people say the same thing. Go watch some youtube videos.

 

[BlitzPuppet]

#1: Do you have kids?
If so, you need to think a lot more about this decision in terms of accessibility.

I would recommend a 6 shot revolver for home defense, since it is the simplest to use (for you and wife).

^

Please lock up whatever you have if you do have kids...only a proper safe will do.

 

[amdhunter]

 

[NetWareHead]

Shotguns are NOT large spread, especially at home defense distances.

Stop perpetuating this myth!!!


wow, saw several other uneducated people say the same thing. Go watch some youtube videos.

This. Shotguns have a spread, just not as large as video games and exaggeration would have you believe. You still need to be an accurate shot even with a shotgun.

 

[pontifex]

Any gun you get is going to need maintenance. leaving it behind a headboard, it's going to gather dust which can affect its function.

 

[Sattern]

I'd suggest you get a small pistol, you can conceal it inside your clothing and then give the robber a surprise wake up call.

 

[Phanuel]

Shotguns are NOT large spread, especially at home defense distances.

Stop perpetuating this myth!!!


wow, saw several other uneducated people say the same thing. Go watch some youtube videos.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/the-box-o-truth-3-the-shotgun-meets-the-box-o-truth/

A massive 2 1/2" spread at 4 yards (In case people are wondering, I'm being sarcastic, that's not much spread at all). I still wouldn't use a shotgun for home defense, especially a pump. I'll stick with a pistol and a phone to the police.

 

[SP33Demon]

Why would u want a less than lethal round? You wound someone, they are still a danger. The guy escapes and you have a lawsuit on your hands for his injury etc.... Or you may even go to jail for some charge when all you were trying to do was defend yourself.

There is a Latin expression: testis unus, testis nullus. Means "one witness, no witness" If you are the only one who can provide an explanation over what transpired when a criminal broke in, you can keep your own ass out of jail much easier. Instead, a living dirtbag survives and claims he was at your house because he wanted to "say hello", now you need to lawyer up and all of the headaches associated with that.

This is a good point. You want a lethal round, and nothing is better than a 12gauge slug at 3000+ft/lb of force. Only a long range hunting rifle is breaking the 3000 ft/lb barrier for force. Consider that even with body armor, a 12gauge slug has a real possibility of killing them from blunt force trauma. I like to mix Accutip slugs + 00 buck + police defense rounds (think 3 large ball bearings and some pellets) in my AK shotgun for home defense. With 12 shots per mag, I could probably take out a small gang if I had to.

If your wife is going to use it, then she's going to need to practice because they can get heavy for smaller women (assuming they don't lift weights) and the recoil will move them so you want her to be ready for that. I added the gel pad to my stock, as well as the best muzzle break which kills most recoil so she can shoot it comfortably.

The whole aiming a shotgun debate is silly, we're talking a 1-2 inch spread which not many other guns will grant such lenience to the user. Yes, you still have to aim but with practice if you are missing from 10-20ft away, then that is just an epic fail.

 

[DrPizza]

You're quick to make rash generalizations. It depends on the size of the barrel, if the barrel has a choke, and the ammunition used.

Hint: Slugs aren't that easy to aim with a regular bead sight.

At this point, I cannot tell if everything you've stated in this thread is based on experience, or if it's all based on video games and things you read online. I grew up hunting in NY. Until a few years ago, the ONLY gun you could use for deer was a shotgun with a slug. The vast majority of hunters, at least in my experience, used the regular bead sight. (It was easy to tell who got the new scope for their 12 gauge - they had a black eye.) I'm not sure how long your hallways are, but if you can't regularly put the bead on a target at 20 yards - while experiencing the same adrenalin rush (big buck vs. home invader) - you shouldn't be in the woods, and if it weren't for grocery stores, Darwin and evolution would kick in and let you starve to death.

At in-home distances, even with a long hallway, shot spread isn't significant enough to make a difference. If you're not on center of mass, I doubt a few pellets in an arm is going to stop a determined intruder any more than the racking of the pump. Shot that will deeply penetrate, such as #00 buckshot from a 3" shell is going to sail right through walls, capable of severely injuring someone in the next room. Or to put it another way, shot and slugs designed to kill a deer, and by extension, probably appropriate for killing an intruder, is capable of going through walls quite well. Shot designed for shooting targets, killing squirrels and bunny rabbits - much less likely to be lethal; though, I suspect but am not certain it would also get the job done of stopping an intruder.

And, lastly, when it comes to aim - <speculation at this point> I have minimal experience with handguns, but I would think that shotguns are a heck of a lot easier to aim than a handgun, though slower; the aim of a handgun being something that could only be remedied by repeated practice at the gun range. (Or, for people like me, practice in the back yard.)

Oh, and lastly, slugs - they go in one side of a deer and out the other side. Where they go from there, I don't know. (Rule of gun safety: always know your target and beyond.) If penetrating walls of your house, and then the neighbors house is an issue, slugs aren't the way to go. My personal best guess is that steel shot would be the safest for protection of next room/outside of house.

And, my recommendation to the OP: if you're not going to practice at the range, then shotgun for the reason of aiming. It's a bit slower to aim due to its inertia, but it also ought to negate the need for 9 shots. edit: with a turkey load.

 

[brandonb]

Shotguns are NOT large spread, especially at home defense distances.

Stop perpetuating this myth!!!


wow, saw several other uneducated people say the same thing. Go watch some youtube videos.

Nobody is saying there is a 3 foot spread (or larger) at 10-20 feet.

But a 3" spread is better than no spread at all when trying to drop a target. What if you have unsteady hands with a 9mm? What if you aim at the chest and pull the trigger while nervous? Sure, you're aim might be off, and you might shoot them through the lung rather than the heart. I'm sure still devastating. But I'd rather bet on the 9 pellet and 3" spread where the other 8 pellets may or may not puncture the heart even if the aim is off by a bit. 3" inches is a huge spread when shooting at the chest area. The person will go down immediately. I'd rather bet on that one shot than having to shoot multiple times with a 9mm.

One shot one kill. That's what I bet on if someone is breaking into my house. A shotgun will give you that result with a higher percentage.

 

[Phoenix86]

http://www.theboxotruth.com/the-box-o-truth-3-the-shotgun-meets-the-box-o-truth/

A massive 2 1/2" spread at 4 yards (In case people are wondering, I'm being sarcastic, that's not much spread at all). I still wouldn't use a shotgun for home defense, especially a pump. I'll stick with a pistol and a phone to the police.

I'd argue 2.5"-3.5" spread is significantly bigger than a 9mm, or whatever, as such aiming is less important.

But yeah, these, I don't know, near 1' spread you see in movies is comical at best. You need to aim any weapon.

To the OP: you can't really go wrong with a shotgun for home defense. In general easy to use/maintain. Don't use birdshot, unless, as the box o truth article mentions, you are being attacked by birds.

Revolvers for handguns, again, simple and easy. Speed loaders make reloading very fast with practice. Of course other typical semi-auto pistols will do the job. These require a little more understanding of the weapon, but it's not rocket surgery.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I recommend you do not purchase a firearm. You say you do not want to take time to be proficient and learn home defense. You want 9+ rounds to offset a lack of competency. Your's is a recipe for disaster.

 

[Phoenix86]

a few pellets in an arm is going to stop a determined intruder any more than the racking of the pump.

Also from the box o truth article.

I “racked” the shotgun several times during the tests, and no bystanders lost control of their bowels.

That's pretty scientific if you ask me.

 

[BlitzPuppet]

At this point, I cannot tell if everything you've stated in this thread is based on experience, or if it's all based on video games and things you read online. I grew up hunting in NY. Until a few years ago, the ONLY gun you could use for deer was a shotgun with a slug. The vast majority of hunters, at least in my experience, used the regular bead sight. (It was easy to tell who got the new scope for their 12 gauge - they had a black eye.) I'm not sure how long your hallways are, but if you can't regularly put the bead on a target at 20 yards - while experiencing the same adrenalin rush (big buck vs. home invader) - you shouldn't be in the woods, and if it weren't for grocery stores, Darwin and evolution would kick in and let you starve to death.

At in-home distances, even with a long hallway, shot spread isn't significant enough to make a difference. If you're not on center of mass, I doubt a few pellets in an arm is going to stop a determined intruder any more than the racking of the pump. Shot that will deeply penetrate, such as #00 buckshot from a 3" shell is going to sail right through walls, capable of severely injuring someone in the next room. Or to put it another way, shot and slugs designed to kill a deer, and by extension, probably appropriate for killing an intruder, is capable of going through walls quite well. Shot designed for shooting targets, killing squirrels and bunny rabbits - much less likely to be lethal; though, I suspect but am not certain it would also get the job done of stopping an intruder.

And, lastly, when it comes to aim - <speculation at this point> I have minimal experience with handguns, but I would think that shotguns are a heck of a lot easier to aim than a handgun, though slower; the aim of a handgun being something that could only be remedied by repeated practice at the gun range. (Or, for people like me, practice in the back yard.)

Oh, and lastly, slugs - they go in one side of a deer and out the other side. Where they go from there, I don't know. (Rule of gun safety: always know your target and beyond.) If penetrating walls of your house, and then the neighbors house is an issue, slugs aren't the way to go. My personal best guess is that steel shot would be the safest for protection of next room/outside of house.

And, my recommendation to the OP: if you're not going to practice at the range, then shotgun for the reason of aiming. It's a bit slower to aim due to its inertia, but it also ought to negate the need for 9 shots.

I have a C&R license and over 23 firearms including 1 shotgun that has a 18.5 and 28 inch barrel. I've shot slugs, birdshot, 00-000 buck at targets lined up in a row at about 20 some odd feet just to see the spread. And I hate slugs, I couldn't hit crap with those sights and the recoil was too much since the shotgun was super light.

Everything I said is purely based on video games .

Honestly I intentionally tried to keep everything short and to the point to avoid making a long post like your's .

I don't get to shoot my shotgun much as there aren't many ranges set up for them, the only one close to me is aimed for skeet shooting which I haven't done in YEARS.