What gun to purchase for home protection?

[WackyDan]

I asked the clerk in Ace Hardware and he told me shotgun. Reason being is that you don't have to be a good shot and hand gun bullets go through walls. I personally would like to get a Mossberg 500.

Those shotgun pellets love going through walls too.

 

[Carson Dyle]

I asked the clerk in Ace Hardware and he told me shotgun. Reason being is that you don't have to be a good shot and hand gun bullets go through walls. I personally would like to get a Mossberg 500.

Others may not, but I honestly believe you when you say you actually asked this question of a clerk in an Ace Hardware store. And then posted it here like it was gospel.

 

[Red Squirrel]

A fully automatic powder actuated frame nailer. Crucify those bitches to a wall while you wait for the cops.😀

 

[Paladin3]

OP, it's a personal decision, but here's my thinking...

Handguns beats shotguns in ease of use and handling.

Double action revolvers are easier to bring into play than autos, unless you have a DA auto with a round in the chamber and safety off, or cocked and locked SA auto.

Autos often carry more rounds than a revolver, but require a bit more handling to get used to racking the slide, flicking the safety off and making ready to fire. Again, if you go with a DA only auto with a round in the chamber, it is as easy to fire as a revolver after you disengage the safety. This may be my personal preference, but I don't mind having a shotgun nearby for backup.

Shotguns have more firepower, but take longer to bring into play, and can be more than you want in a tight space like your bedroom. Using a shotgun doesn't leave a hand free to dial 911.

Much is said about accuracy and the importance of training, but I don't think you need to mad skills to point and hit someone with a revolver across the distance of the average bedroom. And, yes, I've trained in law enforcement shoot/don't shoot simulators.

Mental training, knowing that you know what to do when the time comes, is just as important as actually training with your gun at a range. You can be a fantastic shot but not mentally ready to handle an intruder in your home in a calm and controlled manner.

Which leads me to say that you need to stop looking for a solution to your question here. Consider the advice given, do some research on your own, and then make the decision that will work best for you and your situation.

 

[Mide]

Just get a Glock 19, hollow-points, learn to shoot and you're good to go.

 

[John Connor]

Those shotgun pellets love going through walls too.

So I guess the clerk was full of shit then...

 

[John Connor]

A fully automatic powder actuated frame nailer. Crucify those bitches to a wall while you wait for the cops.😀

😀 Wish it were real.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

There is only one thing I can recommend anytime I hear this question:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2tEFmNF3Jg

 

[z1ggy]

Holy crap this thread is still going? Oh boy, this is going to be another 400 reply thread I think.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

So I guess the clerk was full of shit then...

They usually are. Have you been to a Best Buy recently? Do you really trust the guy behind the counter to give you good electronics advice?

 

[poofyhairguy]

They usually are. Have you been to a Best Buy recently? Do you really trust the guy behind the counter to give you good electronics advice?

Last time I went to a Best Buy I asked for an MHL cable and they had to get their "smartest guy" to tell me such a thing doesn't exist. That was back in 2012.

 

[SP33Demon]

Those shotgun pellets love going through walls too.

Well duh, that's one of the perks of 12g shotgun 00 buck. Intruder tries hiding behind drywall, you have homefield advantage so you know the terrain and proceed to blast him from the other side of the wall. Intruder pisses and defecates in their panties and simultaneously gives up.

Now, if you're talking about going through walls of a duplex or apt, they are usually separated by cinderblocks and insulation. Go look up on youtube what happens to 00 buck vs a cinderblock at 15 yards. Most times it will penetrate the first part but not usually the second, the pellets lose a lot of energy after the intial impact vs brick/cement. Of course it depends on the angle and distance as well.

Summary: 00 Buck will definitely penetrate through drywall, but not necessarily insulated cinderblocks separating apts.

 

[SP33Demon]

Chances are home protection happens in the dark.

Use a military flashlight to blind them first. Also, your statement gives shotguns even more advantage. I'll a 1-2 fist sized spread over a thumb sized one in the dark, under pressure with unsteady aim any day of the week.

 

[LTC8K6]

Those shotgun pellets love going through walls too.

Go with #4 buck then. You get twenty one .24" pellets.

Not #4 shot, #4 buck.

Should still kill the bad guy, but go through less of your house.

Really though, you will always have to worry about what's behind your target.

 

[LTC8K6]

So I guess the clerk was full of shit then...

OO buck will go through several interior house walls like butter.

 

[Phoenix86]

There's no perfect ammo that will go through people but not walls (obviously some is better than others). You want the minimum to go through people, once you hit that mark you want to go through as few other things as possible.

OO buck is generally the recommended home defense shell.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Use a military flashlight to blind them first. Also, your statement gives shotguns even more advantage. I'll a 1-2 fist sized spread over a thumb sized one in the dark, under pressure with unsteady aim any day of the week.

Pfft. Get flashbangs.

 

[surfsatwerk]

Pfft. Get flashbangs.

Pfft, build a moat around your house and fill it with sharks with frikkin lazer beams on their heads.

 

[LTC8K6]

There's no perfect ammo that will go through people but not walls (obviously some is better than others). You want the minimum to go through people, once you hit that mark you want to go through as few other things as possible.

OO buck is generally the recommended home defense shell.

Well, "through people" is not what you want. :biggrin:

 

[HumblePie]

Holy crap this thread is still going? Oh boy, this is going to be another 400 reply thread I think.

There is literally whole website forums dedicated to this very subject that are very active to date.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Before talking about brand, you need to figure out what gun you want and what your budget is.

Shotguns are good because they intimidate. You really don't want to USE your gun. But a shotgun is more visible and more accurate if you don't go to the range on a regular basis.

I would look at 9mm guns if you are concerned with having a larger magazine (number of rounds). I've got a Springfield XD 9mm that holds 16+1 rounds. There is no thumb safety on the XD, so you may not feel comfortable with it...don't fall into the "You have to buy a Glock nonsense". Glocks are overpriced and I never cared for the way they fit my hands or even shoot. To each his own...

A 45 caliber handgun may be better for you if you're concerned with rounds going through walls. The larger sized round is more likely to break apart when going through walls...this ends up in a slightly safer home-protection gun if you are shooting in the house. The downsides are more expensive ammo and fewer rounds in the magazine due to the size of the round.

Around here there's a few gun shops/indoor ranges that let you shoot the guns they sell....to try before you buy. Look around to see what options you have if you go the handgun route. You want to get something that you can easily operate and one you feel the most comfortable reaching for without worrying about accidental discharge or trouble loading it.

If you buy a gun, shoot and clean it fairly regularly (once or twice a month) to maintain your comfort level and to maintain its operation.

 

[MrPickins]

If you think its just as easy to aim a 9 mm pistol at someone and stop them vs a 12 gauge shotgun or 410 judge pistol, then you would be wrong.

Did I ever say that? 😕

I was simply dispelling the myth that you don't even really need to aim a shotgun.

 

[WackyDan]

Well duh, that's one of the perks of 12g shotgun 00 buck. Intruder tries hiding behind drywall, you have homefield advantage so you know the terrain and proceed to blast him from the other side of the wall. Intruder pisses and defecates in their panties and simultaneously gives up.

Now, if you're talking about going through walls of a duplex or apt, they are usually separated by cinderblocks and insulation. Go look up on youtube what happens to 00 buck vs a cinderblock at 15 yards. Most times it will penetrate the first part but not usually the second, the pellets lose a lot of energy after the intial impact vs brick/cement. Of course it depends on the angle and distance as well.

Summary: 00 Buck will definitely penetrate through drywall, but not necessarily insulated cinderblocks separating apts.

They sure as shit will go through my drywall and the exterior wall behind it and into my neighbor's house. Every house/neighborhood is different, but our houses were built without plywood sheathing and just foil backed cardboard. *Somehow that was ok for code here back in the 90's. So I'm a bit more sensitive to my liability to my neighbors. 🙂

 

[MrPickins]

Now, if you're talking about going through walls of a duplex or apt, they are usually separated by cinderblocks and insulation.

Not around here. Usually it's a double stud wall with a sheet of 3/4" drywall acting as acoustic insulation.

 

[Raizinman]

Just get a Glock 19, hollow-points, learn to shoot and you're good to go.

I am swayed to the Glock 9mm. Can you tell me what the main difference is between the Glock 17 and Glock 19, or is it just size? There also appear to be various generations of Glocks. Is the latest generation the better one?