What gun do you use for home defense?

[AngryRedTicTac]

Yes, you break into my house you are getting shot with a 50 beowulf. Im not planning on having to go to your trial as your lawyer makes you out to be the victim.

This is pretty much my approach now, I have my 458 SOCOM with 140gr ARX at the front of the safe. Less worries of overpenetration, NO worries of the chosen round not accomplishing it's task. I am going to have to look into the Shotlock, that is really cool!

 

[Alexx1401]

fixed it for you...

kudos for securing your guns. It doesnt matter how many you have and there is too many variables for anyone to say what a good balance is. Id say a main full size safe somewhere and then a small quick access pistol safe mounted somewhere in the master bedroom is a good balance.

That's how I did it when the kids were little. Still have a couple of the gun boxes with the simplex locks. Rarely used any more. Only if someone is bringing little ones to the house. Nice to have them then.

 

[Captain O]

G 20 at the bedside and an Auto Ordnance M1 Carbine for house clearing.

The last line uttered in the motion picture "Babe" seems fitting:

"That'll do, Pig. That'll do."

 

[Alexx1401]

Dumbest bubblegum I have read today. You aware of the size of a birdshot pattern at even 10 yards? 7? Over penetration is important to me and .32 caliber 00BK sure loves drywall.

Yeah and I run a modified choke too... in an 8+1 semi auto. But that won't stop anything man sized I guess from sheer shock factor.

When I first saw the post on this I figured it would turn quick, always does. Most of us who have a shotgun for the "home protection" have one sporting no choke. This can of course be easily altered but most are Cylinder or no choke at all. At 30ft it has a good enough spread to make a dandy upland gun in my experience. This is what I used all my hunting years in the SW when Quail hunting. The birds would hold to ground as long as possible and normally only fly if you were almost on top of them. With any kind of choke you had to be real good.
With a person by the time you get 10 or 15 yards you are looking at nasty wounds that look real bad. They (unless you aim for face) are not what I call stopping. a LOT of hunters get hit in the field by carelessness and most survive when it's upland loads like this. If some dobad is in my house with no gun, may be fine. If that dobad is armed and or worse yet hopped up, well not so good. My home is probably a lay out not too many have since it was modified a few times over the years. There is a couple places where there is over a 50 ft line of sight. To me that's too far to trust bird shot. Now if someone insists on using it I have no problem with it. At least they are choosing to have a gun. The odds of ever having to shoot someone in the home are pretty slim. For those of us who choose to use anything other than a shotgun with bird shot the odds of a round leaving the house and getting another expand even farther. For me, a chance I will take. Of course I'm not going to run outside and start sending rounds down the street at my car someone just took off in either.

 

[wired]

I have a much farther than 50 foot max shot length in my house . 80' or so I believe but I have 2400 sq ft on the foundation not counting the garage. 4 Buck is just fine for that and I can dance a tin can at 40 yards with 4 buck all day. Cant say I would trust bird shot at anything over 15 foot.

 

[Alexx1401]

I have a much farther than 50 foot max shot length in my house . 80' or so I believe but I have 2400 sq ft on the foundation not counting the garage. 4 Buck is just fine for that and I can dance a tin can at 40 yards with 4 buck all day. Cant say I would trust bird shot at anything over 15 foot.

Anything I would trust to take down a Deer would work fine for me for taking down some dobad at the same range. Drugs are becoming quite the scourge on society. That and the indoctrination that everyone owes these scum something. They too often get hopped up and lose all fear. They can also be a lot harder to stop than many realize until they see it first hand. I have had quite a few real good fights with someone who weighs in at around 100#'s yet takes 6 or 8 people to get down. It is like fighting with some kind of wild animal. One of them with a gun or even a knife would be scary as all hell in close quarters.

 

[bbbass]

Outside, the type of Plant life you have close to the house can deter would be thieves or trouble makers! These and other mods to the home can and do work far better then a Security system!!!

Poison oak!!

 

[DB is Here]

Glock 21 bedside...but it's only mission is to chaperone me to my Marine Magnum 12 gauge.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

fixed it for you...

kudos for securing your guns. It doesnt matter how many you have and there is too many variables for anyone to say what a good balance is. Id say a main full size safe somewhere and then a small quick access pistol safe mounted somewhere in the master bedroom is a good balance.

We have kids in the house from 2 yo to 22 yo. My solution is an electronic lock box with a button combination for the HD pistol(s). I change the batteries on my birthday, along with the smoke detector batteries. I selected the lock design carefully because I've seen some cheap combo lock boxes that are only held locked by a spring, which can be overcome by a sharp rap on a solid object, like the floor. I've seen videos of a toddler opening one of those boxes by dropping it just right.

I have my box set up so that I can enter the combination by feel in the dark. It is mounted out of reach of the small kids. I've timed myself and I can be laying in bed to start, and be shooting within 5 seconds. I've practiced doing everything that might be necessary in the dark or with my eyes closed.

 

[Koda]

Its always good to hear how others are keeping their guns secure. I like the keyless/electronic pistol safes.... Most come with a backup key, I put in the main safe which is all mechanical entry and Im the only one in the house who knows the combinations.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

We have kids in the house from 2 yo to 22 yo. My solution is an electronic lock box with a button combination for the HD pistol(s). I change the batteries on my birthday, along with the smoke detector batteries. I selected the lock design carefully because I've seen some cheap combo lock boxes that are only held locked by a spring, which can be overcome by a sharp rap on a solid object, like the floor. I've seen videos of a toddler opening one of those boxes by dropping it just right.

I have my box set up so that I can enter the combination by feel in the dark. It is mounted out of reach of the small kids. I've timed myself and I can be laying in bed to start, and be shooting within 5 seconds. I've practiced doing everything that might be necessary in the dark or with my eyes closed.

Its always good to hear how others are keeping their guns secure. I like the keyless/electronic pistol safes.... Most come with a backup key, I put in the main safe which is all mechanical entry and Im the only one in the house who knows the combinations.

That's the way, guys!

 

[Flopsweat]

I make no judgments on what a grown and EDUCATED man decides to use to defend himself. His life, his choice. But folks, please don't go recommending bird shot to people unless YOU fully explain the pros and cons of the round. You don't know who is reading your suggestion. It could be a first time gun owner with very little knowledge. And this is a round that can get you killed if you don't understand it's limitations.

For starters there is no law enforcement agency or credible professional trainer that I'm aware of that recommends the use of bird shot in a defensive gun. This alone should tell you something. It's widely regarded that bird shot lacks the necessary penetration to effectively reach vital organs and stop a threat. Might it be enough to stop a fight in some situations? Yea...at closer ranges (7 yards give or take) it will likely give a nasty wound that MAY stop a less determined assailant...might even kill him. But what about at longer distances? Are you 100% certain your fight is going to stay at the 7 yard mark? What if the guy who broke into your house is wearing a motor cycle helmet and leather jacket? Still want bird shot? What if the guy is hopped up on drugs? Still want bird shot? What if you actually need to take a shot through a door or wall? Still want bird shot?

I mean no disrespect folks. But please be careful in the defensive choices you make...and the advice that you give out. People's lives may literally depend on it.

Thank you!

This is what I've been telling people for years. Some listen, some argue.

 

[DunRanull]

I have a safe full of stuff that I suppose could be used for home defense but there are qualifiers and disqualifiers concerning firearms that make it suitable for HD that make me narrow it down. Keep in mind this is my own opinion and I dont follow herds much so you may disagree and have your own opinion about what makes a home defense gun perfect or suitable for your needs.

1. A Perfect HD gun is a gun I can afford to lose because its probably not going to stay in the safe much. Its going to be somewhere I can get to fast but its not out in the open because I'm not going to put it in and out all the time. If a thief comes in my house he's going to find it after a few minutes one way or another. So it best be a gun I can easily replace. Lugers and Colts arent going out there I dont care how well they they are insured.

2. I don't want over penetration. I know how many walls a rifle and a pistol will go through because Ive shot through old houses. If it will go through 2 walls and still have enough energy to penetrate the neighbor girls skull its not something I want to use to protect my home. For me that disqualifies rifles and just about any handgun bigger than a 9mm. Most of my handguns are 45 Colt and 45 ACP . Both will easily blow through 2 walls with enough zip left to do lethal damage.

3. Its going to be 100% reliable.

So for me and my needs its going to be my Remington 11-87 semi 12 gauge. Ive owned it for 10 years and its never skipped a beat. With 18" choked Police barrel, Mesa Tactical stock with pistol grip , extended safety and extended tube. 8 rounds in the gun . #4 Buck in the tube. It will do 2 walls from 20 foot away but not another layer of sheetrock so the stopping power is right for what I want.

There are a small variety of firearms

 

[DunRanull]

I have a variety of weapons at hand in the house and in the bedroom. We have no kids or grands around here so that's not an issue at this point.
First grab would generally be the bedside G21 with glo-in-the-darks. Next the retired-with-me Mossie 500 "riot gun". After that the AK or AR would make themselves known but hopefully we wouldnt get past the Glock anyway.

 

[41Slinger]

Only my wife and I. Her job is to grab the phone and her 38 snub and get on my side of the bed, I'll be covering the bedroom door, 7 00 buck, 2 slugs and a 45 are the greeting committee. The perp can have anything in the house, just not the bedroom. During the day I'm usually walking around with a 380 in my pocket, it's comfortable.

 

[11Charlie]

I have a springfield XD 45 with a streamlight as primary and a 50 beowulf AR in a shotlock as backup. Yes, you break into my house you are getting shot with a 50 beowulf. Im not planning on having to go to your trial as your lawyer makes you out to be the victim.

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bolus do you leave your 50 in your shotlock when you leave the house? I have always thought that would be to easy to pick up and just carry out the whole night stand and everything if your home was broken into when your not home. But I also like the idea of it being so accessible.

 

[bolus]

bolus do you leave your 50 in your shotlock when you leave the house? I have always thought that would be to easy to pick up and just carry out the whole night stand and everything if your home was broken into when your not home. But I also like the idea of it being so accessible.

Yeah, its a balance between easy access and risk of getting stolen if we are not home. Most of the time it is a coat rack so hopefully they would completely ignore it.

 

[Flopsweat]

Yeah, its a balance between easy access and risk of getting stolen if we are not home. Most of the time it is a coat rack so hopefully they would completely ignore it.

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You could run a chain or cable from the lock to an eyebolt screwed into the floor. That would take a good bit of time to defeat.

 

[11Charlie]

You could run a chain or cable from the lock to an eyebolt screwed into the floor. That would take a good bit of time to defeat.

know theirs some good thinking. I'm going to try that.

 

[Alexx1401]

Yeah, its a balance between easy access and risk of getting stolen if we are not home. Most of the time it is a coat rack so hopefully they would completely ignore it.

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I like that. Some doper in a hurry may well run right past it and never pay attention to it.