Poll: 9mm pistol vs AR style 9mm for home defense

[bbbass]

I have both.

A Public Defender with .410 PDX1 copper slugs and BBs for the bedroom shot, and a 10.5" AR15 (.223 with hunting loads) with WML for house clearing. I practice switching from right hand to left hand for corners. (Note, I really don't like house clearing, and if you are by yourself or just you and wife, it's not necessary... hole up behind the bed and shoot anybody that comes in the bedroom. Call911.)

 

[Aero Denezol]

The pcc. Provides an extra bit of stability in a potentially stressful encounter, but is still small enough to easily maneuver.

With a cheap red dot, mine's a tack driver.

^^^Yes. AR9 (or any small PCC) w/ a red dot zeroed for 25 yards. Easier to wield accurately under stress. 2nd would be a handgun with a laser.

It takes a lot of skill and practice to become a good handgunner. Add a little stress (like a shot timer) and most people's form goes to sh* and they can't hit the broadside of a barn. But if your living situation only allows for a handgun, then that is 100 times better than a baseball bat or a knife.

 

[L84Cabo]

There is no universally correct answer to this question as there are far too many variables.

For example, are you the dedicated primary defender where all you have to worry about is neutralizing the threat...OR...might you need a hand to work a phone to call the police...or to wrangle small children, etc., so a pistol would be a better form factor for you.

Maybe you're a small female or someone who is particularly recoil sensitive and an AR pistol would give you a lot more control.

Or maybe your home is particularly close/tight and an actual pistol would make the close quarters easier to navigate.

There is no "best"...only "best for you and your situation."

Wax on...Wax off!

Wolverines!

 

[Hueco]

I voted PCC. Between a handgun and a short barrel PCC…I don't get why anyone would vote handgun…

The PCC has a brace, two hand grip in a more controllable stance, the same red dot, same light or better…My personal PCC is an 8" barrel so I'm getting more velocity in those hollow points than my pistol.

Yea. PCC all the way.

That being said…there's a reason why the 5.56 is currently loaded and on standby for home D. Until I get the .300Blk done, it's the king.

 

[titsonritz]

I'd rather have an AR any day of the week but if I'm dealing with the size and weight I want the power to go with it, give me a 5.56 over the 9mm. Hits are the only thing that count and ARs are much easier to hit your target vs a handgun. Handguns suck as a defensive tool, they lack power and they are more difficult to make hits, especially extremely accurate hits. The only thing they got going for them is their size, they are handy, which is why people carry them.

 

[sobo]

Between the bed and the nightstand...



'Nuff said...

 

[titsonritz]

Between the bed and the nightstand...

View attachment 1146228

'Nuff said...

My man, dat's wat I'm talkin' 'bout.

 

[titsonritz]

Of the two pictured....I'd go with the Glock 'cause the other firearm has no sights....

First thing I thought too.

 

[titsonritz]

I don't get why anyone would vote handgun…

^^^This.

 

[BGP1776]

If I have the choice (because I don't have a PCC staged everywhere but do have handguns staged), it's going to be my PCCs. Both are shorter OAL (Banshee 300 5" Barrel and AK-V 10" Barrel) so they can easily clear a house.

PCC is just superior over a handgun in most cases...not sure why so many voted handgun. PCCs are just more accurate, typically carry more ammo and more easily deploy lights / lasers.

Here on the West Coast with the predominate types of building materials they use here, make sure you load JHPs to avoid overpenetration and of course for better stopping power.

 

[bbbass]

Between the bed and the nightstand...

View attachment 1146228

'Nuff said...

#METOO

 

[bbbass]

Only the very best for MY home invaders!!!

 

[sobo]

Only the very best for MY home invaders!!!

30 rounds of 69-gr JHP goodness awaits...

 

[bbbass]

30 rounds of 69-gr JHP goodness awaits...

Oh well, it's only 20rds of 55gr PSP for me. I had a 30rd mag, but searched out and bought a 20rd mag from Amend2... they don't make many cuz the 30 is in higher demand. The 20rd is more manueverable (sp) IMO. And my barrel shoots 55gr better. A 10.5" chrome lined upper from an outfit that used to be in the San Juan Islands but went out of biz... "Hardened Arms" IIRC.

 

[sobo]

Oh well, it's only 20rds of 55gr PSP for me. I had a 30rd mag, but searched out and bought a 20rd mag from Amend2... they don't make many cuz the 30 is in higher demand. The 20rd is more manueverable (sp) IMO. And my barrel shoots 55gr better. A 10.5" chrome lined upper from an outfit that used to be in the San Juan Islands but went out of biz... "Hardened Arms" IIRC.

I find that the heavier boolittz are more accurately placed when fired out of the shorter barrel.
I was all over the paper at 25 yards with a 55-gr HPBT, but zoomed right in on a dime with the 69-gr bullet.
That particular pistol has an 8½" bbl with a 1:7 twist, so the bullet barely gets one revolution before it's out of the barrel.

 

[bbbass]

I find that the heavier boolittz are ore accurately placed when fired out of the shorter barrel.
I was all over the paper at 25 yards with a 55-gr HPBT, but zoomed right in on a dime with the 69-gr bullet.

What twist?

Or does it make a diff in short barrels???

 

[osprey]

Ima 77 stmk fan out of the 5.56 shorties for hd. A 62 hornady sp or speer fusion/gd would be my next choice.

 

[sobo]

What twist?

Or does it make a diff in short barrels???

I was editing my post to add the twist rate while you were posting your question.

IMHO, a faster twist in short barrels makes all the difference. Spin, baby, spin!
That and a heavier bullet, for stability. I found the 55s were fliers and mostly unrepeatable, whereas the 67s and above held good accuracy.
Some might even say that the 62s and above are stable, but I save my steel-tip LAP rounds for close encounters with vehicle-borne threats...

 

[bbbass]

I was editing my post to add the twist rate while you were posting your question.

IMHO, a faster twist in short barrels makes all the difference. Spin, baby, spin!
That and a heavier bullet, for stability. I found the 55s were fliers and mostly unrepeatable, whereas the 67s and above held good accuracy.
Some might even say that the 62s and above are stable, but I save my LAP rounds for close encounters with vehicle-borne threats...

Mine has a 1:8 twist, so I might try heavier if I can find some single box PSP or JHPBT at LGS. My shortie shoots well enough at 10yds for HD (2"), I don't think I need 25yd accuracy unless I'm going outside... which I'm not.

(ETA: since I'm half blind in my right eye, that's about as good as I can shoot.)

 

[DirectDrive]

Load every other round a tracer.
That way the bad guy gets a cool light show before he hits dirt.
It's the kinder-gentler thing to do.