Bedside/Home Defense Long Gun?

[Knute]

I'm under the impression the last few years has seen a large increase in modern sporting rifles for a primary "bedside" home defense weapon.

Do you agree with this as a trend and if so, why do you think so many are choosing 5.56/223 over handguns or 00-buck?

Happy Labor Day everyone

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[BlindedByScience]

Range, lethality, and ammo capacity. A 12ga is without question a formidable round, but my 300BLK gives me 60 rounds (2 mags) and the ability to engage effectively at the edges of my property. I have both available as needed. Eyes open....

 

[Patriot1775]

Brown Bess loaded with assorted nuts and bolts! Just kidding.

 

[Old Noob]

Range, lethality, and ammo capacity. A 12ga is without question a formidable round, but my 300BLK gives me 60 rounds (2 mags) and the ability to engage effectively at the edges of my property. I have both available as needed. Eyes open....

I do agree with this but, I have neighbors close. I do not want to kill my neighbors.
I choose to have a shotgun with #4 shot as ready under my bed before I go to sleep. Good stopping power but will not go though my neighbors walls.

 

[3MTA3]

The weapon you use for things that go bump in the night should be the one you are the most familiar with and comfortable using.
.
I think people are getting more black rifles than ever before due to pandemic and political unrest, so now they are more available to people as options, where in the past it was a pistol and perhaps a hunting rifle to choose from.

An AR with a 55 grain bullet is also a pretty good urban choice as a wall will cause it to tumbleand not over penetrate. My go to might become my new AR pistol once I have shot it enough under different conditions to trust my life to it. For now it's either my KSG or one of my existing AR's.

 

[Knute]

Range, lethality, and ammo capacity. A 12ga is without question a formidable round, but my 300BLK gives me 60 rounds (2 mags) and the ability to engage effectively at the edges of my property. I have both available as needed. Eyes open....
[/QUO

The weapon you use for things that go bump in the night should be the one you are the most familiar with and comfortable using.
.
I think people are getting more black rifles than ever before due to pandemic and political unrest, so now they are more available to people as options, where in the past it was a pistol and perhaps a hunting rifle to choose from.

An AR with a 55 grain bullet is also a pretty good urban choice as a wall will cause it to tumbleand not over penetrate. My go to might become my new AR pistol once I have shot it enough under different conditions to trust my life to it. For now it's either my KSG or one of my existing AR's.

Great comments...thank you. There is a ton of 5.56/223 home defense ammo opinions out there in forums and YouTube types, and many point to your 55gr choice. Do you think a 55gr HP is best or the FMJ like the military used?

Especially if you have close neighbors

 

[dobeman]

1. 12 Ga pump at the ready. 00 buck.
2. a Taurus judge with 410 shells. stuff in the back of the undies while hefting the 12 Ga
3. a 44mag lever gun nearby.
4. high cap XDM 45 acp with laser/light.
then a various selection of 357 magnum revolvers within reach.

 

[Stomper]

All of this is literally within reach or a couple of steps away from me in a quick access safe when I'm in bed at night... I like options, and my mood at the moment will account for my response.

 

[3MTA3]

Great comments...thank you. There is a ton of 5.56/223 home defense ammo opinions out there in forums and YouTube types, and many point to your 55gr choice. Do you think a 55gr HP is best or the FMJ like the military used?

Especially if you have close neighbors

I use XM-193 FMJ. It's designed to tumble and fragment, so a hollow point isn't needed to prevent over penetration. If you saw pictures of the fellow who got shot in the arm in Kenosha it's effectiveness is pretty well demonstrated there.

Hollow points will also work effectively, but they aren't designed to tumble and fragment but to mushroom and penetrate. I would think they would penetrate a wall much easire than the frangible FMJ.

I'd avoid M855 and other solid core designs as those won't tumble as easy when they hit a wall and are designed to penetrate a helmet at up to 600 yards. Good choices if you are trying to penetrate a light barrier, but IMO not the best for home defense
.

 

[Tony617]

With the possibility of multiple BG breaking into your home I keep an AR pistol close by my bedside now. I did keep a 16" AR but now i have an AR pistol. The Mrs and myself have gun mufflers that we put on our nightstands and have an alarm system as well. I use 64gr Gold Dot JSP in my ARs.

Due to current situation of civil unrest we tend to keep the alarm on when we are inside our home now. The alarm is set to home mode where the motion sensors are disabled but the perimeter sensors are all armed. I also wear a side arm all of the time when i am home as well.

 

[Ura-Ki]

AR loaded with 55 gr Varminators for the Bump in the night, and a ready mag loaded with Hornady Black 75 grain Softpoints for those who think armor will protect them! Backed up by a 10 mm auto loaded with 185 gr Hollowpoints! there is also a .12 gau, pump loaded with 2 3/4 "T" shot by the door should I need it!

 

[uberguy]

A 20 gage is better in urban settings, I prefer the fairly inexpensive Mossberg SA-20 (semi-auto). It's available with a 3 round extension from Choate and rail for a flashlight if that's your thing, handy in the dead of night.

An AR pistol is good too, when using frangible ammo at home.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Benelii nova
But wish it was a the semi auto.
Ar-15 I think is not helpful while half asleep

 

[oldcorpgunny]

I would be opposed to a long gun for in-house activities. If I were awakened from a sound sleep I might fumble around with a long gun. I'm used to having a Block on the nightstand and it's simply easier for me to respond quickly with that particular choice. I too have close neighbors and would want to get sued for blowing their house apart or injuring them. Just my opinion.

 

[2Wheels4Ever]

Give me an AR over a scattergun for HD and day of the week. Much higher capacity, less penetration than 00 buck, faster follow up shots and more lethality than #4 at a bit of distance. The idea of 6-10 shots doesn't sit well with me if more than one guy decided to visit.

 

[uberguy]

To each there own, that's why there are so many choices to pick from. But at home, there aren't large distances involved unless you're Bezos or Gates, in which case others are paid to handle it for you ;-)

 

[PaulB47]

I like an AR-15. At one point the gun writers were suggesting using varmint bullets to prevent over-penetration, but I haven't noticed that lately. Is that still a good idea, or not?

 

[oldcorpgunny]

A spear or bayonet works in close too.

 

[Alexx1401]

I LONG ago started keeping a PCC for the "bump in the night" gun. My reasons were for one I shoot the PCC's all the damn time. They are fun. So I can shoot them very well. I still have one "home shotgun" Win 1300 Police model. It was gift from Wife when we were dating so can't really sell it It's long been a safe queen though. It's sure as hell never been fun to shoot so it of course does not get shot much. I also like having the capacity of the PCC's. Sure I will never need it but I like having it. This crazy crap going on now days makes me even more comfortable having them.

 

[Knute]

I like an AR-15. At one point the gun writers were suggesting using varmint bullets to prevent over-penetration, but I haven't noticed that lately. Is that still a good idea, or not?

Not sure...I've heard various smart guys talk about heavy 75/77gr for short barrel M4 but have not seen any ballistics tests on these either...