Handgun or shotgun for home defense

[Joe Williams]

The shotgun is my choice. Pistols are quite ballistically limited and I won't deploy one as a primary if a long gun is an option like it is in a home defense situation. You give up very little maneuverability with a shotgun and it is quite possible to discretely answer the door with a shotgun in hand.

Answering the door with a shotgun discretely in hand, and actually using it, can be two different things, as I hope the security footage below of me defending my castle against a fierce attacker shows:

 

[ak keep the second]

Pistol in hand, shotgun with in arms length just like in the picture above! well done joe

 

[HK45Mark23]

How about both!!!

This is the home defense shotgun I own

precisionweaponscorp

This one is probably best known.

superShorty


This one is also really good.

safetyharborfirearms

 

[dustjunky2000]

Contemplate this if you will: Supposing that some of those rubber pellets miss the BG and start bouncing around your house, how will you react when they come back your direction? I still think that less-lethal buckshot is an extraordinarily bad idea in HD...

You do make a good point there.

After considering the different situations as well as the arguments you and others have presented, I concede. All eight are now 3" mag 00. Thanks for the advice guys!

 

[VUPDblue]

You do make a good point there.

After considering the different situations as well as the arguments you and others have presented, I concede. All eight are now 3" mag 00. Thanks for the advice guys!

Let me continue a bit, if you will... 3" 00buck is a wicked round, don't get me wrong. I have used quite a bit of it and it is devastating and punishing at the same time. No question that it will take down an adversary, but the problem I have with the full-house 3" magnums for HD is that they are quite punishing and they make follow-up shots unnecessarily difficult. I'm a big fan of the low recoil or standard recoil 2 3/4" loads because they are less punishing on the shooter, but just as devastating on the target. They make follow-up shots easier and you can stuff more of them in the gun. That said, if you can go through an entire tube of the 3" magnums and feel confident that you can then do it in a dynamic HD scenario, by all means, go for it. I prefer to make things as easy on myself as possible, and as bad on the BG as possible. For me, the 2 3/4" Flitecontrol 00buck fits that bill. It puts a devastating amount of lead/energy on target while easing the brutality of recoil against my shoulder. It's a match made in heaven!!!

 

[dustjunky2000]

Let me continue a bit, if you will... 3" 00buck is a wicked round, don't get me wrong. I have used quite a bit of it and it is devastating and punishing at the same time. No question that it will take down an adversary, but the problem I have with the full-house 3" magnums for HD is that they are quite punishing and they make follow-up shots unnecessarily difficult. I'm a big fan of the low recoil or standard recoil 2 3/4" loads because they are less punishing on the shooter, but just as devastating on the target. They make follow-up shots easier and you can stuff more of them in the gun. That said, if you can go through an entire tube of the 3" magnums and feel confident that you can then do it in a dynamic HD scenario, by all means, go for it. I prefer to make things as easy on myself as possible, and as bad on the BG as possible. For me, the 2 3/4" Flitecontrol 00buck fits that bill. It puts a devastating amount of lead/energy on target while easing the brutality of recoil against my shoulder. It's a match made in heaven!!!

Makes sense, however all I have on hand is 60 2-3/4" birdshot, 10 rifled slugs, 5 of the rubber 00, and the 3" 00 mags. Might have to wait for a gunstore trip to pick up more.

 

[HK45Mark23]

This is the best full length shotgun!

Saiga Conversions

Here is their youtube.

YouTube - wraithmakercqb's Channel

I live just a few miles from this company.

20 and 30 round mags and simiauto, wow!!!

 

[lovemachine]

I loved those pictures. Made me laugh so hard. But really thats a very good way to demonstrate how you should answer the door for someone you don't know. But to be honest, if a kid with a gun was at my door like that, I really don't know how I'd react. I'd be so surprised. Wouldn't know to laugh or be scared

 

[schapm]

Having kids in the house is a pretty poor excuse for not using what you consider the "best" choice for defense. If anything, knowing that my wife and two girls are counting on me to do what it takes to keep them safe from harm makes me more motivated to use the best tools available for HD. I consider, as it seems many do, the 12ga the top choice for this task. If I have time I will also pull on my pants with holster already on the belt and take the handgun along as well, but the Mossberg 500 is the #1 choice.

In the spirit of taking away excuses-
www.mossberg.comhttp://www.outdoorsuperstore.com/product.asp?prod=284064

No offense meant to anyone, btw, but this is serious business here and we would be neglecting our duty to not treat it as such.

 

[DCR]

Noob again.
You guys with the shotguns -- where's the flashlight?
It's pretty easy with a handgun, how do you deploy the flashlight holding a shotgun?

 

[schapm]

One way
http://www.commandarms.com/product.asp?pID=314&cID=95&c=293554

Another way
Shotgun Weapon Light Products provided by SureFire

 

[baldmax]

Here is a good web site to answer your ??

The Box O' Truth - Ammo Penetration Testing

Look through it. They test in real world situations.

 

[DCR]

Thanks guys

 

[Hoosier Gun Coat]

shotgun. try waking up out of a deep sleep, crusty eyes, and try to look down the sights of a pistol. I want to just point in the general direction and shoot.

 

[Joe Williams]

shotgun. try waking up out of a deep sleep, crusty eyes, and try to look down the sights of a pistol. I want to just point in the general direction and shoot.

If you are too sleepy and eyes too crusty to see your sights, how are you to differentiate between a bad guy and your kid getting a cup of water?

 

[smitty12b]

If you are too sleepy and eyes too crusty to see your sights, how are you to differentiate between a bad guy and your kid getting a cup of water?

Crusty eyed and blindfolded are two different things. I, like you, wear glasses, and without them I can see a zit on your face at 20ft but at 2ft I can't focus, making it very hard to get a descent sight picture. That's why I prefer the shotty. As I said earlier, use what works for you.

 

[Joe Williams]

Crusty eyed and blindfolded are two different things. I, like you, wear glasses, and without them I can see a zit on your face at 20ft but at 2ft I can't focus, making it very hard to get a descent sight picture. That's why I prefer the shotty. As I said earlier, use what works for you.

I'm in the same boat re: glasses. Left eye is 20/200, right is 20/460. Thankfully correctable to 20/15 in each, but there's no way I'm pulling the trigger on any gun in my home without glasses on!

 

[smitty12b]

Sadly,2 of my 3 kids have the same problem as me. My youngest,17, has worn bifocals since she was 2. Until a few years ago my right eye was 20/20 and my left was 20/360(just there for decorations) but now after years of doing all the work( I didn't wear my spec much) the right eye can't see squat up close.
I hope we see you and that young intruder at some matches this summer.

 

[Joe Williams]

Sadly,2 of my 3 kids have the same problem as me. My youngest,17, has worn bifocals since she was 2. Until a few years ago my right eye was 20/20 and my left was 20/360(just there for decorations) but now after years of doing all the work( I didn't wear my spec much) the right eye can't see squat up close.
I hope we see you and that young intruder at some matches this summer.

He, Cathy and I are scheduled to shoot the ACT match in March. It'll be the first match for both of them. After a couple of those, we'll determine if either are ready to move on to some sanctioned matches.

Boy is a tad excited, working hard on learning how not to screw up! I've got his mindset changed from "win the match" to "shoot it safely," but it was tough. He is very competitive. Now, he's working on how to move safely with the gun, finger out of the trigger guard when not moving, etc.

 

[smitty12b]

Last year ACC had a couple .22 uspsa style matches, that along with some steel matches would be a great start. I haven't taken a class at act but I have shot with Coach and Rhino, they are both top notch.
Just watch you wife around Rhino, he's a smooth operator.