Thoughts on shotgun for home defense.

[PaulZ]

I have a story from my friend in the CHP. He and his partner routinely checked doors in industrial areas at night. When a door was unlocked they would do the "Starsky and Hutch" entry with the pump gun. Just to relieve the boredom!
One night there was an actual burglar and when the shotgun was racked he came out crying and begging. He was startled to say the least!

 

[westcoastal]

Ranch style house my bedroom on one end, other bedrooms at the other end. Living room kitchen and both entrances in the middle. So even tho I keep my 9mm Bersa on my night stand I keep the mossy 12 with the 18.5" barrel. beside the bed also. Last thing I want is a 9mm round going thru an intruder and then down the hall and thru a door or wall to one of the other bedrooms. So I'll always grab the shotgun first. Besides it makes a much bigger hole from first to last

 

[Blitzkrieg]

OP is in a rental unit, and penetrating walls into adjoining units would make me choose a round that would not possibly kill the 7 Y.O sleeping in the next unit. Makes for bad press when this happens.

Steel duplex heavy waterfowl loads (like #4 and BB size) and careful aim

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Well I'd start the scale lower (5.56 has too much penetration) but your point is accurate.

The problem I've always found with a shotgun for home defense is how to keep it ready. I have kids, and keep my firearms loaded. For pistols, I can get a quick-open GunVault. For shotguns, I haven't seen anything that is both handy and fast-opening yet safe against unintended access.

One undeniable advantage of the shotgun is the terror-inducing sound that racking a shell makes. Of course, you have to store it with an empty chamber to use that effectively.

5.56 FMJ has maybe 50% more hard surface penetration than buck and common handgun rounds, BUT there are disintegrating tac loads that are no more than these other caliber choices

As I have said before racking is a bad idea tactically. If they are crazy, on drugs or want you or yours really bad all you have done is:

1) Inform them you are waiting and armed

2) Where you are by the sound

3) That you have one less shot

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Yep nothing like a knock at the door at 2am and you chamber a round and say whose there.
I scared the crap outta a pizza guy one night was pretty late and I did not order Pizza and he parked
and was looking for the house number and I saw no car. I chambered one and asked, he said who and I opened the door guy looked like he was gonna piss. I laid the gun to the door side as I saw him step back.
Told where the address was, guy kept apologizing. Felt bad for the guy just trying to do his job. I digress that's how it has effectiveness.

Pizza guys?? Can we get real? How about 4 to 6 armed cholo gangsters that want your guns, cash and some fun with your old lady before they vamoose?

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Not true, a properly loaded 5.56 carbine has less penetration than defense worthy 9mm or 12ga. rounds. FACT

Emphasis on properly loaded, agreed

 

[chariot13]

^^^This

Racking your gauge to “scare off” a treat is crap for tactics. I read one AAR where a home owner heard someone break-in, he fell back to the bedroom and shut the door, retrieved his twelve and waited. When he saw a shadow under the door he racked his weapon and was immediately greeted with a hail storm of 7.62x39 slicing through the door and hallway wall. He was lucky to have lived.

Is that better Salt?

I happen to agree with what you are saying. Trying to instil fear into those that wish to instil fear into you, if it can (such as governments like to do) Is giving away your 'coups de main'.

 

[MountainBear]

That does sound reasonable to a normal man but; LEGALLY you could be screwed to the wall

Not necessarily. All you have to do is prove that you were in fear of death or serious physical injury. I'm not a lawyer, and not giving legal advice, but if you can demonstrate that to a grand jury, then by Oregon statute, that would be legal, correct?

 

[notazombie]

Your best move is to STFU and let your attorney handle it.

Great advice in many situations.

 

[762fullmetaljacket]

Use your pistol to fight your way to your shotgun.

 

[chemist]

titzonritz, I personally know someone for whom the sound of racking a gauge convinced an intruder to flee - right through the front-room plate-glass window! So it does work sometimes. Is that the reason I chose a 12 gauge? Of course not. You can't carry a self-defense weapon without an implicit admission that you'll use lethal force if and when needed.

 

[458Socom]

Well for me if someone breaks into my house I would want them to go down quick, my bedroom is on the second floor and the neighbors that are close are single story houses. I am using my shotguns loaded with winchester pdx1, between me with my Mossberg 590 and the wife backing me up with the S-12 they will have to deal with 29 rounds before a reload.

http://www.winchester.com/Products/New-Products/Pages/pdx1-12.aspx

 

[davemata]

Who needs to actually rack your shotgun anymore? There's an app for that...

I don't mind using the sound of a shotgun racking to instill fear, but for me, I'll rack that shotgun after I've already fired my first shot. My Mossy only holds so many rounds, and losing one for "scaring" purposes is not my bag of crumpets. You've also just told them where you are, and that you have a shotgun.

Now this is just my opinion, and I've never used a shotgun to make a point, however if I had to right now, there would be no warning racking sound until I had to reload, and by then for the intruder it would probably already be too late. I've got that mossy loaded with milsurp 00.

 

[shooter58]

My plan is to use any rifle, shotgun or pistol I happen to have handy at the time (you never know what gun might be on the coffee table or next to the bed at any given time). No racking sounds either. Fire arm will become visible to intruder a split second before it goes bang… On second thought, that may not be a plan at all but that’s what will happen anyway.

 

[PaulZ]

Pizza guys?? Can we get real? How about 4 to 6 armed cholo gangsters that want your guns, cash and some fun with your old lady before they vamoose?

 

[USMCInfantry]

I have to put in my two cents on the shotgun issue.
Go stand up a piece of plywood(heavy plywood is great).
walk as far away as the longest straight line in your house.
Put a load of #4 bird shot in the gun.
Hit the plywood with it(this is where most people screw up).
Look at the plywood and tell me if you think it would stop a human being from aggressive action.


My preference entering the houses overseas where resistance was likely was a Benelli auto 12 gauge issued by Uncle Sam.
Bad guys sometimes forgot to die when hit with an M16(or even scarier M246SAW) but the the 12 gauge never had any takers for another round.... For what it is worth.

Catastrophe to be on the receiving end
We all have to decide what we are comfortable with, but I have a 590 next to me when I sleep, and I could care less if the noise of racking a round is intimidating, only the second dirt bag will hear that noise as the first is full of #4s before I have to slide another big red shell into the chamber.

 

[PaulZ]

I like this but; would it stop the drug crazed gangs of Cholos out to get Blitzkrieg's old lady!

I have to put in my two cents on the shotgun issue.
Go stand up a piece of plywood(heavy plywood is great).
walk as far away as the longest straight line in your house.
Put a load of #4 bird shot in the gun.
Hit the plywood with it(this is where most people screw up).
Look at the plywood and tell me if you think it would stop a human being from aggressive action.


My preference entering the houses overseas where resistance was likely was a Benelli auto 12 gauge issued by Uncle Sam.
Bad guys sometimes forgot to die when hit with an M16(or even scarier M246SAW) but the the 12 gauge never had any takers for another round.... For what it is worth.

Catastrophe to be on the receiving end
We all have to decide what we are comfortable with, but I have a 590 next to me when I sleep, and I could care less if the noise of racking a round is intimidating, only the second dirt bag will hear that noise as the first is full of #4s before I have to slide another big red shell into the chamber.

 

[PaulZ]

Oh hell yes! you will spend big bucks on a lawyer if they decide you violated whatever CS law they have on the books in your jurisdiction!

There are rules to self-defense in my home?

 

[USMCInfantry]

Really? As we dealt with guys hopped up on jihad who shot up dope to keep fighting that was the best way us dumb grunts could find. Does surviving three combat tours mean you did it right?

P.S.
Insurgents moved in large groups, when you found one usually more appeared rather quickly.

Maybe you should get a squirt gun and fill it with ammonia.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I like this but; would it stop the drug crazed gangs of Cholos out to get Blitzkrieg's old lady!

I've actually been there, so for me it's no joke. My lady is a near 10, blonde and has been targeted several times. I suppose I don't have a sense of humor about it, until the aftermath

And no, birdshot is not a manstopper, it's for little birds.. lacks penetration and blood loss factors