If you had to defend your home and loved ones, what Caliber?

[wichaka]

When the adrenaline is going full force, I doubt if you'll lose much if any hearing.

 

[Dirt Sample]

12 GAUGE AT THE READY AT ALL TIMES! Sorry for shouting, Im easily excited when talking about guns

 

[808hondacrguy]

My dog lets me know whats up when intruders are involved. She goes ballistic if anyone sets foot in my yard or driveway. She is very good at keeping hobos and jehovahs away, the most viscous bark i have ever heard, echoing in my living room scares everyone. If the barking persists, then my weatherby 12 ga is with me when I head up there.

 

[Jim Colvill]

9mm Makarov on me. .45acp JHP in the carbine for home defense

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Agreed. I was in a 12x14 room when a .38 went off. Instant deaf for several minutes.

Yeah, ol' Uncle Don had a ND in his living room with a .30-06! Everybody's ears rang for days!

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

I keep one of my daily carry firearms next to me every moment Im in the house.

We pulled our "hidden" firearms when we had folks stay with us for a bit and I never got around to putting them back. Thus, I just carry my firearm in every room including the bathroom. (Had a Hipoint in the cabinet, now just a dive knife in the shower 24/7)

Sometimes its a .357, .45ACP, sometimes its a 12g or rifle.
(Usually when Im working on one of them, otherwise its just a pistol)

Luckily our back door is blocked by a bit of our stuff, the front faces a wall so we'd hear/see them before they piled in.

Either way, if my woman and I are home and someone comes through that door the outcome wont be pretty.

Carry everyday and expect the worst.

 

[Joe13]

Ahh the old caliber war.

Who is shooting it?

Who are they shooting at?

What senario?

I'm sorry, but I gotta laugh at the, "it's gotta be at least a .380", stuff.

I highly doubt that anyone, including a PCP crazed zombie, will be able to continue to attack while getting pelted in the face with .22lr. But I just like to play the devils advocate.

The point about noise in the house is a very good one; if your head is ringing it is hard to keep thinking.

Also, I've not seen this yet but over penetration is a real possibility in urban areas. Could I defend myself with my .308 - hell yea! Would it likely kill one of my neighbors? You bet! Same with .556 or 7.62x39 etc. if you live in a city or suburb you are not being responsible IMO using anything but hollow point fragmenting pistol rounds.

For theory's sake though, if you stubble into my house in the middle of the night (or day), then you will meet Mr. 357 mag or Mrs. 9mm.


Just my two cents...

 

[DeanfromOregon]

Ah this one again. I am equally comfortable with a 1911 of a glock 17. I need to harden up my perimeter a bit more and I need to have something stored downstairs that is hidden and secure.

More cameras would certainly deter most shenanigans.

If I get to thinking too much I may move into a treehouse in the front yard

 

[RicInOR]

@Joe Link and others - this is what I would call a "religious" thread.
Reference this thread.

For the rest of you - the OP has 12 posts as I write this, does that not say "troll alert"

Maybe it's legit - maybe it's just stirring the pot.


@JYD911 - Use your Search Fu - this topic is all over the internet and many Internet Gun Experts have weighed in on the issue.



Unfortunately I have lost the link to my favorite video of comparison, or I would share.

 

[Classic]

AR pistol, frangible rounds so I don't take out the neighbor with either a 40 round mag or a 100 round drum.
Green laser added to the rail so ya paint and make them disappear

 

[Redcap]

I'll take my R1A1 since none of my neighbors are close, though my 1911 or CZ82 (whichever is the carry weapon of the day) are never far away either.

 

[str8shot]

I will, thanks!

Here's a link to one.
<broken link removed>

 

[RumpleForeskin]

5o BMG or bust.

 

[Mbeef61]

My dog lets me know whats up when intruders are involved. She goes ballistic if anyone sets foot in my yard or driveway. She is very good at keeping hobos and jehovahs away, the most viscous bark i have ever heard, echoing in my living room scares everyone. If the barking persists, then my weatherby 12 ga is with me when I head up there.

Best security out there. People jump when my pit speaks.

 

[Three Bars]

Joe13, yea, over penetration should always be a major concern if you live in the city.

Knowing that, the strongest load I've used is a .357 with a lighter faster bullet that doesn't generally go through and through. But I sold my S&W 686 a few months ago.
Now I sleep with my 1911, and again I use 165 grn JHP for the same reason as above.

 

[orygun]

I love these kinds of threads just to see what is the "answer of the day".
I usually carry a .45, but sometimes a .40. What ever I'm carrying that day will be the "night weapon".
Whoever mentioned a 30-06 going off in a house I can only say, a few days? Geez. The only time I've fired my '06 without ear muffs is when hunting. Like Wichaka mentioned, the adrenaline keeps the ears from ringing, but the follow up shot on a deer a couple a years ago was painful. To fire it off inside of a room? Naw, not my idea of fun. I have a 12 gauge "defense" shotgun. Probably similar results to the rifle.

However, deaf beats dead.

 

[bzltyr]

If the Chihuahua doesn't work, then the 40, or 12 gg

 

[RicInOR]

Found it.

 

[MountainBear]

Mmmm, Garand goodness...

 

[techiej]

My preferred caliber is my faithful German Shepard.

Next would be a 9mm as 17+1 should be more than adequate. Lots of options after that but I suppose if push came to shove then 30.06 delivered through my Garand. I might be deaf by the time the 8th round goes off and I won't hear the clip ring out but doubt that anyone would hang around after the 1st shot anyway. Of course, one or more neighbors may have more ventilation as well .

More seriously, I think that the best caliber is the one that you can deliver on target the best and is handy and loaded.