Tactically speaking, which is better for home defense, a pistol or a shotgun?

[Spray-n-pray]

Not to threadcrap you Joey, but I don't think I would go with less-lethal shotgun shells. If you have a legal reason to hit someone with a beanbag, you have the same cause to hit them with buckshot.

As for penetration, a load of 4 buck will do plenty of damage at indoor ranges. I don't know about 3" loads, but a 2 3/4" shell holds something like 27 pellets of .25 cal. Although 00 buck is great, the problem with overpenetration is within your own house, not your neighbor's. It would be bad enough to have to shoot someone at all, much worse if a stray slug or 00 buck pellet (.33 cal.) went through the wall and hit your sleeping child or roommate.

Since the original question was about a pistol or shotgun for HD, I personally have both, but if I had to get up in the middle of the night, I would grab my pistol and leave my wife in the room with the shotgun. The pistol is much easier to maneuver in the house, and can be used one-handed, giving you the ability to use a light switch or open a door if necessary. Try doing (unloaded) drills in your house to see which you prefer and you feel most comfortable with. Ultimately, as others have posted, there is no one answer for every situation.

Since I have been in school all night, I am now through with typing for a while...

 

[gunnails]

For me it wold be a shotgun, mostly cause I am more comfortable with shot guns.

I heard one poster say

A pistol is what you use to fight your way to your rifle or shotgun

I thought that made sense.

 

[darkminstrel]

A dead intruder in your house in the middle of the night is clear cut self defense. A wounded intruder in your house in the middle of the night is a clear cut civil case against you for wounding them. Less-lethal is for LEO/MIL O N L Y; because they have lawyers that cover their butts.

 

[Rammer80]

My question is do you keep your Shotgun or Hand gun loaded? Because i have my shells about 5' above my bed on some shelves in the boxes. and my Shotgun about 3 feet away. I'm just curious as to what other people do.

 

[dario541]

I'll go with a shotgun. It is easier to hit with in a tense situation. The FBI teaches their agents that, if they're confronted with several hostiles with varying firearms, say, handgun, machine gun, rifle or shotgun, get the guy with the shotgun first! A police officer once told me that the sound of a pump action shotgun being cycled in a dark room can cause the puckering of certain posterior muscles in an invader and may cause him to remember that he had a previous engagement at that time. I like #4 buckshot. It will not penetrate through your walls and hit your neighbors. This was proved by Pistolero magazine in the 80's when they ran articles demonstrating shotguns versus sheetrock. I believe that these articles are available on the internet. I will also have my 9MM close by for backup.

 

[Trlsmn]

1 more vote for #4 buck!

 

[MarkSBG]

I heard one poster say

A pistol is what you use to fight your way to your rifle or shotgun

I heard, and have repeated, this at one of OFAs great training days...

A handgun is a good weapon to fight back to your rifle that you never should have put down in the first place.

 

[Blackfeather7]

Here is my Bedside Buddy, Saiga 410 w/ pistol grip, fore end grip, flash suppressor, SIG tac/laser combo and 15 round Surefire magazine loaded with Winchester SuperX 3" "000" Buckshot. His little friend on the nightstand is a S & W 642 w/crimson trace laser just in case some zombie makes it to the bedroom before I can grab the Saiga.

 

[Searcher451]

There are no absolutes when it comes to home defense because you just can't anticipate every threat that's out there. That's why I always have a 12-gauge nearby, along with a 9mm and a .380 and a .25. Not having young children in the house any longer is convenient for this set-up, of course.

 

[raindog]

My question is do you keep your Shotgun or Hand gun loaded?

Absolutely. In a GunVault next to my side of the bed.

You really need to think out the scenarios from start to finish...

Realistically, what is the scenario in which I'd need a gun at my house?

If it's daytime/evening, I either have my carry on me or it's very near.

If it's 3am, I'm going to be woken up by either (a) an alarm going off, or (b) a German Shepherd Dog who goes ballistic at squirrels in the backyard, much less some crackhead coming through a window.

There will be noise and commotion. On top of my GunVault are my glasses (I'll need them and I always put them there). Open the vault, take out the Glock. Either switch on the SureFire or use the Gripswitch.

In my case, any intruder has to deal with an alarm (cell-equipped), a pissed-off dog, and a blinding light. That's all before I have to even think about taking a shot, and frankly I hope the above makes him turn tail. I'd rather have him run out than have me shoot him.

I think glasses, a flashlight, and how they will wake up are the things people often overlook. Also, my gun is in a quick-open GunVault because I have kids.

 

[raindog]

The best self defence gun looks something like your "grandfathers" gun. Something old and "civil" although well functioning. I would rather have a jury looking at a bolt action shotgun or a revolver than my AR, AK, or Glock if I were detained for a black and white or gray self defence shooting and sitting in the defendants seat after a grubby unshaved 7 or more days in jail. On that note I would suggest a revolver due to portability, doors, stairs and rails, ect...

Going from arrest to jury trial in 7 days is a mighty speedy trial indeed! I think they let you shave and wear fresh clothes when you're in the docket...

 

[The B]

all shooting go before a grand jury.. in oregon at least.

chosen a self-defense weapon based on anything other than your ability to use the weapon to kill as efficiently as possible is foolish.

not trying to be a dick, but seriously.. why do people insist on all this talk about getting in trouble after shooting someone? does it matter the least bit? no. all that matters is that you have the highest probability of survival going into the shooting. an old "bolt action shotgun" leaves you with a relatively LOW probability of surviving such an event.

you guys need to get some professional instruction.

 

[dario541]

Actually, it is very true that a gun hating shyster attorney will make you look like the Devil incarnate if you use an evil "Assault Weapon ('THESE GUNS ARE MADE FOR ONE THING ONLY-TO KILL!')" in a home defense situation. Almost every time a gun crime is commited the media will constantly refer to "Assault Weapons", so I think it is prudent to NOT use anything that can be called that for home defense. I'll take my pump shotgun.

 

[chris61182]

all shooting go before a grand jury.. in oregon at least.

chosen a self-defense weapon based on anything other than your ability to use the weapon to kill as efficiently as possible is foolish.

not trying to be a dick, but seriously.. why do people insist on all this talk about getting in trouble after shooting someone? does it matter the least bit? no. all that matters is that you have the highest probability of survival going into the shooting. an old "bolt action shotgun" leaves you with a relatively LOW probability of surviving such an event.

you guys need to get some professional instruction.

So when else are you supposed to talk/think about it? While yeah, the concern is with ultimately surviving the encounter why would you frown upon anyone also preparing for and thinking ahead to the legal/civil aftermath?

 

[Benny503]

bkb00000 is right, I will worry more about my life and the love one then be in front of jurry. Have you all hear "Rather judge by 12, then carry by 6"? Not that I want to kill anyone but if there is the sistuation that need to handle with my firearm the last thing I would worry is to be arrested. This is why we all need practice on self defense scenerios, train, practices and apply Oh get professional instruction as well... we spend thousand and thousand of dollars into this hobby, why not spend a few hundred to get the right training


BTW: if you can afford get both shotgun and handgun, if not then go with handgun because you can carry outside the house

 

[The B]

Actually, it is very true that a gun hating shyster attorney will make you look like the Devil incarnate if you use an evil "Assault Weapon ('THESE GUNS ARE MADE FOR ONE THING ONLY-TO KILL!')" in a home defense situation. Almost every time a gun crime is commited the media will constantly refer to "Assault Weapons", so I think it is prudent to NOT use anything that can be called that for home defense. I'll take my pump shotgun.

let's break it down...

The likelihood that you'll be in a shooting is extremely rare to begin with: more people hit Megabucks every year than shoot someone in self-defense.

Even if you do hit the gun-toter's lottery and shoot somebody, the odds that you'll be prosecuted for a crime are also low- because you're a good upstanding citizen and you'll only shoot when necessary, RIGHT?

Now the odds of surviving a shooting are also pretty low- I don't have any hard data to give, but i do know that most people confronted with a stranger intent on killing them usually don't survive. Your only chance of increasing survivability is to gain skills hone them to a sharp edge through relentless training and always keep/carry the most efficient killing device available to you- semiautomatic firearms.

Is this helping any? People envision standing in a hallway, calm as a baptist pastor on sunday morning, with a shotgun pointed at a masked man... but that's just not how it's going to be. Given the infinate variables, infinate scenarios, the fact that you will NOT be the least bit calm... do you still think intentionally limiting your firepower is a good idea?

don't even think about what happens after- you need to focus on HAVING an "after."

 

[The B]

So when else are you supposed to talk/think about it? While yeah, the concern is with ultimately surviving the encounter why would you frown upon anyone also preparing for and thinking ahead to the legal/civil aftermath?

do all the planning/thinking/etc you want- that doesn't have to, nor should involve limited weapon options.

for instance- how many of you, if they made concealed carry illegal, would carry anyway? i would. some of you will say "oh yea? why carry a gun you cant use?" and my answer would be, "i'd rather my wife and children live, even if i have to sit in prison for it."

you guys gotta get out of the Big Daddy mentality. I fear my government as much as you do- but I'm not going to cow to them. i'm not going to let retarded laws and retarded prosecuters effect my self-and-family-defense decisions.

 

[chris61182]

do all the planning/thinking/etc you want- that doesn't have to, nor should involve limited weapon options.

for instance- how many of you, if they made concealed carry illegal, would carry anyway? i would. some of you will say "oh yea? why carry a gun you cant use?" and my answer would be, "i'd rather my wife and children live, even if i have to sit in prison for it."

you guys gotta get out of the Big Daddy mentality. I fear my government as much as you do- but I'm not going to cow to them. i'm not going to let retarded laws and retarded prosecuters effect my self-and-family-defense decisions.

Perhaps much of that is still addressing those talking about bolt action weapons and not so much at me. All I was advocating was thinking ahead to the whole situation from start to finish. If that involves thinking about the repercussions of choosing an AR-10 over Grandpa's M1 Garand or your 1187 over a Saiga-12, now is the time to think it over and practice with what you intend to use.


Bringing it back on topic to Joey's original post on the issue of tool selection, I'm personally in favor of a shotgun as I'm far more proficient with long guns in general. To be exact I've chosen a Saiga-12 as it gives me 100% reliable semi-auto but with the children in the house also lets me quickly and easily separate the ammo from the gun. Of course I willingly loose public perception in front of a jury but that's the cost of my children's present safety.

 

[chris61182]

Then I'm a fool. I'll continue to be the fool and try to look at the whole picture. -The Fool-

If you practice and are proficient I'd hardly call you a fool.

 

[spider]

I have two shotguns. one under my bed and another in the closet inside a Mossberg "Just In Case" Tube Storage case. Before that I always had a 5" 1911. But I gotta say when you're racking a round into the chamber of a mossberg 500, isn't that intimidating enough?