What Do You Use For Home Defense?

[IMightBeWrong]

Handgun primarily, and not because it's my first choice. Home defense is about more than a bump in the night. The most common form of home defense is in broad daylight, not the middle of the night while you're asleep in your underpants. How many times have you been watching the news and seen that somebody's home was invaded by someone who rang a doorbell, got the homeowner to open it, acted like they were selling something, needed help with a flat, whatever, while their friends start running and helping to force the homeowner in while they push right through the front door? It happens every week on the news out here, and I never hear anything about a homeowner that answered a bump in the night.

Home invasion happens unexpectedly and intruders make plans to overcome you. Your home defense weapon will be what you have. Make sure that isn't just fists. Carry your handgun, even in your own home, if you have one for personal protection. Going by statistics, you're more likely going to be forced to use your everyday carry pistol for home defense than a long gun simply due to opportunity. Your other option is to answer every doorbell ring, girlscouts included, with a shotgun or a rifle at the ready.

That said, if I had a choice and could get something to magically appear right when I needed it... I would personally choose a shotgun. With this said, I think that an AR-15 would be better for most people. The rounds fragment more so than handgun rounds or 00 Buckshot in walls. They're easier to handle and your family can pick it up and shoot it easier as well. Plus 30 rounds beats 5-8 most of the time. The one shot lethality of a shotgun is devastating, though, and I am comfortable enough with one that I would still take it even though most guys that know better than I do seem to be taking their rifles as their first choice nowadays.

8 Experts Pick Their Home Defense Weapon of Choice

 

[OkieStubble]

Excellent post @IMightBeWrong. I dunno how much you MightBeWrong, but there was a whole lot of right in your post.

 

[Bevel Boy]

S&W 357 Mag Revolver, Remington 12 Gauge pump, Glock 40 cal, and various combat knives...all stashed around the house at various points.
Yes, one handgun is staged next to the door...Girl Scouts beware!

 

[OkieStubble]

Girl Scouts beware!

I said, I wanted the mint cookies!!!

 

[Bevel Boy]

Love the mint cookies comment Okie!
The whole front door is kind of a overkill with me. Got a locked gate for the drive way and the dogs let me know if anybody's down there. I have walked down to the gate with the 12g the couple of times someone's honked and it's not a mail truck. Doesn't really go over to well here in Southern Cali!

 

[OkieStubble]

Yeah, I always have the frame of mind that if someone wakes up in the middle of the night with a stranger standing over them, there are other home defenses they should worry about, not what kind of gun they have and where they keep it.

 

[Bevel Boy]

Yep. "If they make it into my bedroom I screwed up a long time ago" is my thinking.
I was a bit cautious/paranoid BEFORE deploying to the places/situations I've been deployed. Now...well some people would say I'm a little over the top. I say I'm prepared

 

[OkieStubble]

Yep. "If they make it into my bedroom I screwed up a long time ago" is my thinking.
I was a bit cautious/paranoid BEFORE deploying to the places/situations I've been deployed. Now...well some people would say I'm a little over the top. I say I'm prepared

Lol'd. My Grandfather would rip a really loud one now and then, and when we looked at him in shock and disgust, he would just grin and say, "it's better to be tight than loose."

 

[tromboneliness]

Great post, @IMightBeWrong.

I'm simply more confident with the AR15, more accurate and faster than a pistol. (Geezer fast, of course. Red dot sight helps. )

That said, there have been numerous tests done with rifle, pistol, and shotgun ammo, and with the exception of birdshot all of them seem to overpenetrate in a house, or layers of drywall. Even a tumbling .223/5.56 makes holes in things.

It may be that we need to accept that misses (and sometimes hits) are going to penetrate more than we'd like no matter what we're shooting.

 

[Jeff10236]

That said, there have been numerous tests done with rifle, pistol, and shotgun ammo, and with the exception of birdshot all of them seem to overpenetrate in a house, or layers of drywall.

That depends upon how you define "overpenetration". If you expect drywall and other typical construction material to stop even a .22lr you are being unrealistic. The definition of overpenetration isn't whether a bullet will go through something you logically should expect it to go through. Misses are always going to be a problem. Overpenetration is when you hit your attacker and the projectile continues through the attacker to be a potential hazard to anyone on the other side of the attacker (including through a wall or two). How likely is the round going to overpenetrate your target and become a threat to those beyond him/her?

From most testing I've seen, the best to worst rounds to avoid realistic definitions of overpenetration are:
1. .223/5.56: Due to the low density they have a tendency to stop in the attacker.
2. Birdshot in a shotgun (though it is a poor defensive round since it isn't likely to stop your attacker)
3. Slow velocity handgun rounds (.45ACP, .45LC, .38spl/+P) in a handgun
4. Buckshot or #3 in a carbine
5. Higher velocity handgun rounds (9mm, .40S&W)
6. Slugs and high velocity handgun rounds (.357SIG, .357mag, .44mag) in a handgun
7. Magnum revolver round out of a carbine
8. 30/30 and 7.62x39 rifle rounds
9. All other rifle rounds

Depending upon where you live, you may not want to go above #3 (me since I'm in an apartment), other places through #8 may be fine.

 

[tromboneliness]

That depends upon how you define "overpenetration". If you expect drywall and other typical construction material to stop even a .22lr you are being unrealistic. The definition of overpenetration isn't whether a bullet will go through something you logically should expect it to go through. Misses are always going to be a problem. Overpenetration is when you hit your attacker and the projectile continues through the attacker to be a potential hazard to anyone on the other side of the attacker (including through a wall or two). How likely is the round going to overpenetrate your target and become a threat to those beyond him/her?

Actually, we agree Jeff. I just thought that IMightBeWrong implied that .223 might penetrate less than others in a significant way. (I might have that wrong--heh--about IMightBeWrong's post.) In any case we often hear often that this or that caliber/load/firearm type will penetrate less in a house or apartment than others, an idea that seems to have been debunked.

I simply used "overpenetrate" when I meant "penetrate." Sorry for the confusion!

 

[Jeff10236]

I see that now, sorry about that. Other than the .223 not penetrating a wall implication, and possibly "the one shot lethality of a shotgun is devastating" he has a good post (I don't know if he means a shotgun is more likely to stop an attack on one shot, or if he means the discredited "one shot stop" claims of some years back). I do often carry a gun while at home and if I lived in a CCW state where I'd usually carry a gun out of the house (other than on my way to/from work since no guns are allowed at schools) and there would be no problem if I forgot to take it off when I left, I'd always carry while at home.

 

[OkieStubble]

That depends upon how you define "overpenetration". If you expect drywall and other typical construction material to stop even a .22lr you are being unrealistic. The definition of overpenetration isn't whether a bullet will go through something you logically should expect it to go through. Misses are always going to be a problem. Overpenetration is when you hit your attacker and the projectile continues through the attacker to be a potential hazard to anyone on the other side of the attacker (including through a wall or two). How likely is the round going to overpenetrate your target and become a threat to those beyond him/her?

From most testing I've seen, the best to worst rounds to avoid realistic definitions of overpenetration are:
1. .223/5.56: Due to the low density they have a tendency to stop in the attacker.
2. Birdshot in a shotgun (though it is a poor defensive round since it isn't likely to stop your attacker)
3. Slow velocity handgun rounds (.45ACP, .45LC, .38spl/+P) in a handgun
4. Buckshot or #3 in a carbine
5. Higher velocity handgun rounds (9mm, .40S&W)
6. Slugs and high velocity handgun rounds (.357SIG, .357mag, .44mag) in a handgun
7. Magnum revolver round out of a carbine
8. 30/30 and 7.62x39 rifle rounds
9. All other rifle rounds

Depending upon where you live, you may not want to go above #3 (me since I'm in an apartment), other places through #8 may be fine.

Great post Jeff. Your excellent post shows exactly why the firearm, any firearm and any caliber or projectile is absolutely the last resort in home defense. Perimeter fencing can be a defense. Electronic monitoring and notification can be a defense. Protective animals can be a defense. Double paned windows, solid doors, heavy duty door jambs and quality dead bolts can be a defense.

Proper and well thought out strategic planning, involving the layout of not only the inside of your home, but also the exterior in how it relates to other homes near you is whats vitally important. Then, the purposeful tactical/defensive contingencies for the chance of eventual use of said firearm, is much more important, than the type of weapon and/or it's caliber, power and over penetrating abilities.

 

[Ron991]

Ya know for 50+ years I have listened to "what is the best gun for home defense", yet I very seldom ever hear about having a plan for you're family. Ours went something like this. When our kids were small yet old enough to understand, they were told to if they EVER heard any commotion in the middle of the night they were to lay down next to their beds only untill either Mom or Dad came to get them and do not move not matter what happened. It was beyond imperative that I knew where everybody was. I had to be positive (if ever needed) where my line of fire could or could not be immediately directed. Just a view from the cheap seats.

 

[Highspeedlane]

Ya know for 50+ years I have listened to "what is the best gun for home defense", yet I very seldom ever hear about having a plan for you're family. Ours went something like this. When our kids were small yet old enough to understand, they were told to if they EVER heard any commotion in the middle of the night they were to lay down next to their beds only untill either Mom or Dad came to get them and do not move not matter what happened. It was beyond imperative that I knew where everybody was. I had to be positive (if ever needed) where my line of fire could or could not be immediately directed. Just a view from the cheap seats.

That's a very smart approach.

 

[shavefan]

A dog. And one seriously ornery cat....

 

[J---]

.38 special 5 shooter loaded ready to go. If I have time then I'd load up my double barrel with some light load that would least likely to go through too many walls, but will do great stopping power within 12 yards!

 

[JonesHall]

Handgun primarily, and not because it's my first choice. Home defense is about more than a bump in the night. The most common form of home defense is in broad daylight, not the middle of the night while you're asleep in your underpants. How many times have you been watching the news and seen that somebody's home was invaded by someone who rang a doorbell, got the homeowner to open it, acted like they were selling something, needed help with a flat, whatever, while their friends start running and helping to force the homeowner in while they push right through the front door? It happens every week on the news out here, and I never hear anything about a homeowner that answered a bump in the night.

Home invasion happens unexpectedly and intruders make plans to overcome you. Your home defense weapon will be what you have. Make sure that isn't just fists. Carry your handgun, even in your own home, if you have one for personal protection. Going by statistics, you're more likely going to be forced to use your everyday carry pistol for home defense than a long gun simply due to opportunity. Your other option is to answer every doorbell ring, girlscouts included, with a shotgun or a rifle at the ready.

That said, if I had a choice and could get something to magically appear right when I needed it... I would personally choose a shotgun. With this said, I think that an AR-15 would be better for most people. The rounds fragment more so than handgun rounds or 00 Buckshot in walls. They're easier to handle and your family can pick it up and shoot it easier as well. Plus 30 rounds beats 5-8 most of the time. The one shot lethality of a shotgun is devastating, though, and I am comfortable enough with one that I would still take it even though most guys that know better than I do seem to be taking their rifles as their first choice nowadays.

8 Experts Pick Their Home Defense Weapon of Choice

seriously speaking, after reading this post I then understood the reason my father gave me a gift with a handgun after my marriage. I have never been attacked at my home and I really would not wish for one. But if it happens, I won't have anything to worry about as my Remington 870 Marine Magnum Pump Shotgun is ready any time any day. But for such shotguns, I would recommend best red dot sights. Red dots are mainly made for close range. and short guns are among the best home defends ammo as long as I can tell.

 

[jkingrph]

[QUOTE
From most testing I've seen, the best to worst rounds to avoid realistic definitions of overpenetration are:
1. .223/5.56: Due to the low density they have a tendency to stop in the attacker.
2. Birdshot in a shotgun (though it is a poor defensive round since it isn't likely to stop your attacker)
3. Slow velocity handgun rounds (.45ACP, .45LC, .38spl/+P) in a handgun
4. Buckshot or #3 in a carbine
5. Higher velocity handgun rounds (9mm, .40S&W)
6. Slugs and high velocity handgun rounds (.357SIG, .357mag, .44mag) in a handgun
7. Magnum revolver round out of a carbine
8. 30/30 and 7.62x39 rifle rounds
9. All other rifle rounds[/QUOTE]

I would like to take exception to #3. I would hate to be hit with a load of birdshot. #9 at a defensive range, and lets face it , that would be close, would create a rather devastating wound. Inside most homes, with drywall construction, overpenetration of those loads would act more like a heavy slug and plough right on through at least a couple of layers.

In my area, Texas, we are allowed to use deadly force to protect personal property, even that of neighbors, and that has been tested in courts. Would I try to use birdshot to shoot a perpetrator robbing my storage shed which contains a lot of high dollar lawn care equipment, no at nearly 100 feet, probably not real effective in stopping, it would probably discourage, but at my front or back door, yes, they would never know what hit them, and if they survived the initial hit would probably bleed out before any help could arrive. Increase the shot size, to #6, 4 or 2 , goose loads, and range and penetration increases. Try a load of birdshot at a close up range on a jug of water and see the results.

 

[OkieStubble]

Great post Jeff.