Why low capacity for home defense?

[Pete F]

One issue that affects what gun people choose for home defense is whether the gun is just for that purpose or must fulfill other functions too. During the time that I was most actively learning and practicing with guns, I did most of my shooting in the woods while hiking or camping, so needed a woods gun. And the woods gun needed to be concealable, as that's advantageous tactically for self defense against humans. And it needed to be fine for self defense against bears, cougars, and feral dogs. I also, when camping, wanted a woods gun that was accurate enough to take small game with. Or to rescue my dog if she got into a tangle with a bear at some distance. So very accurate revolvers in 357 or larger were what I carried in the woods, thus got good with.

I stick with revolvers for home defense because I am so much better with them than semi autos. But that happened because my practice patterns produced a situation in which my home defense guns had to be good woods guns and edc guns too. And in that era, that took a revolver. (These days 10mm semiautos would be an option.)

Actually, when I did go out just to shoot taking multiple guns, I enjoyed the revolvers more, too. I find loading magazines really irritating. Even with mag loading devices. Reloading a revolver is completely different, and to me enjoyable. A contemplative, almost Zen act.

I learned with a revolver and feel most comfortable with one. They always seem to go bang. This is not to say that I don't have my share of autos.

My grandson got a peek inside of my gunsafe and asked me why I had so many revolvers - he is in his 30's. I gave him an oral lesson and we are going out shooting soon with no automatic pistols or rifles. I will report on how he feels afterward.

 

[EPS]

I learned with a revolver and feel most comfortable with one. They always seem to go bang. This is not to say that I don't have my share of autos.

My grandson got a peek inside of my gunsafe and asked me why I had so many revolvers - he is in his 30's. I gave him an oral lesson and we are going out shooting soon with no automatic pistols or rifles. I will report on how he feels afterward.

One thing about revolvers is if it doesn't go bang you just pull the trigger again.
Unless you are empty chances are it will go bang.
Automatic different story .
You better know what is wrong and how to fix it.
Bad round just rack it .jam strip mag rack reinstall mag rack it so on and so on.
There is a good video on YouTube with Clint from THUNDER RANCH.
its a old video but he goes over three different auto gun with the same thing .
TO GET THE GUN RUNNING AGAIN.

 

[EPS]

The one that says pistol malfunction clearance 6.22

 

[EPS]

10 yeas old

 

[Pete F]

One thing about revolvers is if it doesn't go bang you just pull the trigger again.
Unless you are empty chances are it will go bang.
Automatic different story .
You better know what is wrong and how to fix it.
Bad round just rack it .jam strip mag rack reinstall mag rack it so on and so on.
There is a good video on YouTube with Clint from THUNDER RANCH.
its a old video but he goes over three different auto gun with the same thing .
TO GET THE GUN RUNNING AGAIN.

The problem with that is tap and rack or remove mag does not always work. I got a bad mag with a new gun and it was a pain to clear. The cartridge nose dived, couldn't rack the slide or drop the mag. This is probably the least likely scenario and the reason that I function test all my mags, but it did happen.

 

[2506]

I keep a .38 Special with +p and a speedloader in my bedside table. Just enough firepower to get me to my Mossberg 500A1 with 12 rounds of 00 buck.

Same here, except an 870.

Since I've never been in combat or any live-fire defensive situation, I'm assuming massive amounts of adrenaline and brown stuff in my jammies if something happens and things go south in the middle of the night. I chose a revolver because of all my handguns they require the least amount of "thinking" to operate.

 

[EPS]

The problem with that is tap and rack or remove mag does not always work. I got a bad mag with a new gun and it was a pain to clear. The cartridge nose dived, couldn't rack the slide or drop the mag. This is probably the least likely scenario and the reason that I function test all my mags, but it did happen.

That's ok I'm going to go all caps here.
THATS WHY DO NOT CARRY A GUN AND MAGS THAT YOU HAVE NOT USED AT THE RANGE.
I have a new S@W 9mm shild only two hundred rounds through it.
I don't carry it yet.
Maybe after 250 or 300

 

[EPS]

My Glock 19 X.
I wanted to carry from the get go.
So I picked it up went to the range.
Fired 300 rounds.
Didn't really like the sights.
Change them went and fired 300 rounds.
All the time I was using different mags
So my gun had 600 rounds through it but because I used 4 or 5 different mags they only had 100 or so through each one.

 

[EPS]

I saw a guy one time go to the gun shop buy a gun .
Take it to the car load the mag's charge the gun and put it in his holster.lol
STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES.

 

[leadcounsel]

I tallied the mentions of use of guns to defend against attempted home invasions just in this thread. I've experienced two. PNWguy one. AndyinEverson two. That's five. There may be others even among those on this thread. These incidents were obviously problems needing solutions, not "solutions waiting for problems". All five incidents were solved without firing a shot, by merely presenting the gun, which is the result of the vast majority of defensive uses of a handgun. In all cases, the problem was solved very nicely and spawned no additional problems.

You can add me to the list. I had a incident of home defense with no shots fired but where a gun encouraged the intruder to leave.

 

[Teacher Todd]

For me, it is 1911 style firearms. My hands are tiny and I can not accurately shoot double stack magazines. The HD weapon is an AR-15 SBR with a 10.5 barrel and a 30 round capacity either.

 

[EPS]

We all take chances every day but that's one you don't need to do.
For example you buy a new car you get in and put on the seatbelt.
You are trusting that that seatbelt will work.
You can't test it .
The only way to test it is to crash your car.
Not with a gun you want to trust your gun will work when you need it.
But you can test your gun before you take a chance on your life with it.
JUST SAYING.

 

[leadcounsel]

We all take chances every day but that's one you don't need to do.
For example you buy a new car you get in and put on the seatbelt.
You are trusting that that seatbelt will work.
You can't test it .
The only way to test it is to crash your car.
Not with a gun you want to trust your gun will work when you need it.
But you can test your gun before you take a chance on your life with it.
JUST SAYING.

Airbag is a better analogy b/c you can test your seatbelt by just swiftly tugging at it and feel it lock up.

 

[EPS]

Airbag is a better analogy b/c you can test your seatbelt by just swiftly tugging at it and feel it lock up.

Well ok but have you been in a car ACCEDENT.
There is a big difference between a little tug and a 50 mph crash .
But I get what you're saying. And I didn't always have air bags lol I'M almost over the hill.
Lol

 

[leadcounsel]

Well ok but have you been in a car ACCEDENT.
There is a big difference between a little tug and a 50 mph crash .
But I get what you're saying.

Yes I have.

And if a tug locks up the seatbelt, then a crash would logically also lock up the seatbelt.

 

[EPS]

Yes I have.

And if a tug locks up the seatbelt, then a crash would logically also lock up the seatbelt.

But will it or will it break free .
There is no way to know .
But even if I go shooting my gun 600 rounds.
There is still no guarantee it will work on 601.
But at least after I did the testing and the drills
I can fix it.
We are getting off topic .
So I will leave it at that well maybe not.
This thread was for home defense gun .
I will say this.
You better know how to use your gun in the dark .
I mean unload reload fix a jam or what ever because in the dark if you can't fix the PROBLEM.
You are a victim.
You want a gun FOR HOME DEFENSE YOU BETTER BE SURE IT WORKS AND YOU BETTER BE SURE YOU CAN WORK IT .
WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED.

 

[EPS]

Lol I can use my guns better than a computer.
Otherwise I would post videos of people drawing there gun and getting a failure to fire or trying to shoot a bad guy with the safety on.
There are hundreds of videos on YouTube .

 

[Wombat of Doom]

I saw a guy one time go to the gun shop buy a gun .
Take it to the car load the mag's charge the gun and put it in his holster.lol
STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES.

I frequently do this with new guns on the way home. If I need it, I don't need a fancy paperweight. Then I run about 350 rounds through it before I carry it again. But I always have a well tested primary.

 

[Wombat of Doom]

You can add me to the list. I had a incident of home defense with no shots fired but where a gun encouraged the intruder to leave.

Add me to the list.

 

[EPS]

I frequently do this with new guns on the way home. If I need it, I don't need a fancy paperweight. Then I run about 350 rounds through it before I carry it again. But I always have a well tested primary.

I have a gun on me when I'm buying a gun .
No need to depend on the new one.