Why low capacity for home defense?

[PNWguy]

I've often thought that a claymore on the front porch aimed at the door might be useful in many different situations.

We are approaching Girl Scout cookies season. Those of us doing carb-free diets view the little munchkins as domestic terrorists...

 

[PNWguy]

And I've had to draw my firearm a few times, but since the thread was about home defense, and I have chosen to live in low-crime areas most of my life, I only had the one instance of a confirmed home invasion attempt..

 

[jerseyrefugee]

Was on another forum and guys were talking about their nightstand guns and most of them had 1911s or revolvers.

I have a S&W M&P40 full-size with a weapon light and 15-rds of .40 S&W ammo. The next gun I get to is an Extar EP-9 with 33-rounds of ammo and a weapon light.

My thinking is that this is my castle and my fortress. I am not limited to size or capacity, like when I carry in public, when responding to threats or attacks against my home, so why not have my highest capacity firearms handy?

Just wondering if anyone here has chosen a low capacity firearm as their home defense weapon and why. Guys in the other thread were all seniors and used what they were most comfortable with, which I can respect.

 

[jerseyrefugee]

Speaking for myself , a consideration with heavy calibers would be where my neighbor's home is. I have a 410 pump by the bed with home defense rounds in it. I also have a .380 very close by. I have neighbors on both sides of my home.. I would not to think I fired a .40 0r 45 and the round went through the wall of my home and into my neighbors home hurting an innocent person. Like I said... just my thought.

 

[deadseed]

i keep my XDM .40 with 16 round mags and a CTC wrap around grip laser by me at night,also a fedarms FR99 12 gauge semi with 10 round mag also with a laser
if and when i get woke up in the middle of the night by intruders ,it will be dark and i'll be blurry-eyed and dont want to have to try to find sights in the dark

oh yeah,ole lady keeps her FNX .40 with 14 round mags on her side also.
we have a direct line of sight at the door so dont think there will be anybody coming in we dont see,specially since there is a light behind them as they enter,thats the front door,the back door is a slider with a special lock that cant be disengaged from the outside nor can the door be lifted out of the track.

 

[Tully Mars]

Just wondering if anyone here has chosen a low capacity firearm as their home defense weapon

No.
A P13, 870 w/extended tube and a HK MP5K on my side within reach.
Wifey has a M&P 9mm, 870 20ga w/extended tube on her side within reach. Multi firearms are hidden throughout the house and property.

 

[OldBroad44]

And I've had to draw my firearm a few times, but since the thread was about home defense, and I have chosen to live in low-crime areas most of my life, I only had the one instance of a confirmed home invasion attempt..

I'm with you. Now that I have the option of living in a low-crime neighborhood, that's my choice too. I had two attempted home invasions and 2 other DGUes during ages/periods when I was too poor to have that option. I've lived in my current house/neighborhood 26 years now without any problems. Sure is nice.

Interestingly, I've spent a huge amount of time hiking and camping alone in the woods--up to 8 months one time, just coming back to civilization once a month to replenish supplies--and never had any problems. (The gun was almost always concealed.) Though I also had a dog.

How many times did you have to draw your gun in a DGU situation other than the home invasion?

 

[rick benjamin]

G27 +9

 

[titsonritz]

Speaking for myself , a consideration with heavy calibers would be where my neighbor's home is. I have a 410 pump by the bed with home defense rounds in it. I also have a .380 very close by. I have neighbors on both sides of my home.. I would not to think I fired a .40 0r 45 and the round went through the wall of my home and into my neighbors home hurting an innocent person. Like I said... just my thought.

Another school of thought from the good Dr. Roberts...
The Presumptive Hazards of Over-Penetration

 

[a6m5]

My go-to home defense in my apartment is HK USP .45ACP. I am concerned about over-penetration & have 12 rounds of hydra shok JHP in the gun.

I do own a shotgun which I could load with birdshot or something, but I personally couldn't use something that long in hand-to-hand combat type range(again, apartment).

 

[titsonritz]

I am concerned about over-penetration & have 12 rounds of hydra shok JHP in the gun.

If "over-penetration" is a main concern, use an AR with proper load.

I do own a shotgun which I could load with birdshot or something,

Birdshot is for the birds.

 

[OldBroad44]

Another school of thought from the good Dr. Roberts...
The Presumptive Hazards of Over-Penetration

Actually, the data they cite do not match the conclusions. They are trying to say that over-penetration of bullets fired by LE isn't as much of a problem as under-penetration because LE usually misses. Huhhh?

They define "over-penetration" as hitting the intended bad-guy target and going through to create a problem. Defined in that restrictive way, your bullets don't over-penetrate if you miss the bad guy, even if they all go through several walls and into other people's houses with enough energy left to kill the residents. This definition doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[a6m5]

If "over-penetration" is a main concern, use an AR with proper load.

I did consider it. Again, long gun would put me at a disadvantage for reason mentioned.

Birdshot is for the birds.

I think 12-gauge from 10 feet or so will knock you down. If they still wanted to fight & required a follow-up shot, I'd be surprised if they survived that.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Bullets do weird things at times when they hit flesh...and any projectile has the ability to pass through the intended target , even after expanding , or not as the case may be.

Not trying to argue here with anyone...Just saying that with any bullet or shot , there is a risk , even if your shot hits the intended target...Just something to consider , I am not saying what to use or how to use it...
Andy

 

[PNWguy]

How many times did you have to draw your gun in a DGU situation other than the home invasion?

Once in Marshalltown, IA, in 1993. Girlfriend was at a laundramat when a group of young hispanic men wouldn't let her leave. I showed up and tried to walk her out, and they blocked my path. So I told her to wait and I went out to my pickup parked out front, retrieved my Ruger P90 .45, and walked back in gun in hand and they scurried out the door. Got my concealed carry permit a few months later.

Then another time I was doing census work in Idaho in 2000 in a little white trash town called Onaway. Pulled over next to a driveway on a gravel road to look at the map and a guy came running out of his garage screaming and cussing at me about being on his property. Came running up to my rolled down window reaching into his jacket. I drew my Glock 22 and leveled it at him and he stopped abruptly, and started backing up saying he was calling the cops. I took off and never heard anything about it again.

Many other times I've had to have my gun out and ready while driving in Arizona when someone road raged me.

Oh, and one time in `93, I was driving from Iowa to Idaho in my `70 Torino GT musclecar on a secondary highway going from Montana to Wyoming, deep on the rez, trying to take a shortcut on Highway 212.

I had to take a leak, so I pulled over on a dirt road that went up a small hillside with a bunch of switchbacks. Drove up far enough to find a turn around spot and some trees. Turned around and stopped, and while I was doing my business, I saw an old yellow Ford F150 pull off the road and pull across the dirt road, blocking my exit.

They were only maybe 300yds away and I could see them clearly and they could see me. They just sat there in their pickup watching me and presumably waiting for me to come back down so they could do God knows what.

I decided that was a good time to do some target practice, so I got out an empty pop can and set it up on the hillside. Got out that Ruger P90, and proceeded to fire a couple of shots knocking the can around. They promptly started up their pickup and took off.

Probably a couple of other incidents I don't recall right now, but I will never be without a firearm at home or out in public.

 

[Diamondback]

@a6m5, offtopic: Interesting choice of username there, "Zeke"... (Military historian here, planning toward a Masters in WWII Studies.)

 

[2A2Dend]

I have G21 with a surefire on my NS. Wife has a G19 with +p's and a surefire on hers. I just got a Beretta 1301 w/9rnds 3" 00buck also accessible. Our home is laid out where our bedroom is at the end of the kill zone.

I have had to draw my pistol on someone. Three actually. One morning I left for work. Wife was home, pregnant and in bed. I'd gotten about 3 miles away, then realized I'd forgot something. Turn around, home I go. As I near my home there was a hulk of a beat up van parked in my driveway. I grabbed the revolver, got out of my truck and went on the property. Looked to the left, right, then straight to the back of the house. Behind the house was a (I'll be nice) illegal alien. I immediately but the bead on him and asked WTH he thought he was doing. Private property, la ley prohibe (spelling), and motioned with the pistol the direction I wanted him to go. I (and he) back-tracked the way I came. As I walked this guy down to the entrance of the property, two more of his type appeared at the other end of the house. That was when I took three steps away from the one, to get all of them in my line of sight. Those two were more nervous than the first, as they made their way towards me. Again, I motioned with my pistol at the drive gate, saying la ley prohibe. None of them could (would) speak English, but they understood gun. They got in their van and left. My wife, was scared to death, hunched into a ball into the corner of the bedroom on the floor. I did not know if they were armed. I don't think they were by their movements or gestures. All I knew was they were in my safe space. Adrenaline was flowing. I shook for near 3 hours after it was over.

What I learned. I learned I need to be ready, so my family stays safe. I don't call 911.

Not a home invasion, but scarey. Towing a 24ft travel trailer. Some guy and a girl come up beside us by Belfair, Wa as we traveled to the camping area. This fool was trying to force me off the road. He come along side, very close to my truck and being stupid. I showed him my 357. They disappeared rather fast. At that point I did dial 911 and explained the situation. I was told there were no officers near. At that point I hung up. No point talking.

 

[OldBroad44]

Wow, 2A2Dend. That's about as scary as it gets. You away from home. Pregnant wife unarmed. Three attackers. Thank God you forgot something and returned in time.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

In a firefight accuracy wins over spray-and-pray every time. I shoot rapid fire 5" groups at 50 feet with my 1911.

 

[PNWguy]

In a firefight accuracy wins over spray-and-pray every time. I shoot rapid fire 5" groups at 50 feet with my 1911.

But I'm more accurate than you and have twice the ammo...