Self Defense in Apt Complex

[12voltguy]

ar15 .223 with frangible ammo,done

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frangibility

[Blackhorse2010]

A friend of mine is an ex County Deputy Sherrif. His advice is if you have to shoot someone just keep pulling the trigger until it goes "click" and bulletts stop coming out. 1 or 2 well placed shots is pre-meditated, a whole magazine, regardless of the damage done, simply shows that you paniced and just "pointed and made it go bang" until it was empty. Better defense in court = less jail time

Unless you've been to multiple defensive handgun training courses (which a lawyer is sure to dig up).

[sirgiles]

A friend of mine is an ex County Deputy Sherrif. His advice is if you have to shoot someone just keep pulling the trigger until it goes "click" and bulletts stop coming out. 1 or 2 well placed shots is pre-meditated, a whole magazine, regardless of the damage done, simply shows that you paniced and just "pointed and made it go bang" until it was empty. Better defense in court = less jail time

please don't follow this.

[corcoraj2002]

please don't follow this.

+1 with the cost of ammo still pretty pricey compared to this time last year, from the movie Michael Collins, "Lads less of the riddlein".

[jazman]

I think she is better off with a 20 gauge shotgun, maybe a nice small coach SxS that she can handle with no problems. Get the gun, have her practice and shoot a couple of hundred rounds and she'll be good to go.

[AE102]

20 gauge shottie like others have said, and if you are allowed to have a dog, I'd get a small apt dog. Also, just tell her not to open the door to anyone, since we're getting criminals that dress up as delivery or utility people.

[BCDavis]

Yeah, people always imagine robbers coming into the house like in a movie.
Breaking down the door, guns blazing, etc.

It's much more common for them to show up with a clipboard,
looking like they are taking a survey, or selling something,
and let you open the door for them.

If they are actually breaking in, it's because they think you are
not home. Most burglars will run away if they think you are
home in the house. They want to steal your stuff while you
are away at work, etc. Actual armed robberies more often
happen at ATMs, or dark parking lots. Very fast. They
just want fast, easy cash. It's very rare for robbers to
want to take the huge risk of doing a full-on home-invasion.
They will only do that if they think you are very rich, and have
a lot of wealth in the home for them to steal. In that case,
they want you there, so you can open the safe for them, etc.

Anyhow, to address the original post, I agree with the idea
that if you need to use a gun, then only use it to kill. If you
want to just scare someone away, get a hand-held siren,
or pepper spray, or a whistle. She needs to decide if she
wants to use a gun to kill someone who is trying to kill
or rape her, or if she only wants to use "scare tactics".
If the main concern is the neighbors, get Glaser Safety Slugs.
They are designed to break apart when they hit walls.

[DavidR310]

The whole point of using snake shot was because of over penetration. Not a method of using less-than lethal.

She and I both would like her to use jhp, but several families live in the complex and it would tear me up to know that one of them got hit by a stray round.

I figure several rounds of snake shot in 38 special would be better than a rape whistle.

[SacTown]

The whole point of using snake shot was because of over penetration. Not a method of using less-than lethal.

She and I both would like her to use jhp, but several families live in the complex and it would tear me up to know that one of them got hit by a stray round.

I figure several rounds of snake shot in 38 special would be better than a rape whistle.

In this scenario if you and her are not comfortable with proper SD loads like most have mentioned, you may be better off with a good tazer than .38 snake shot. The snake shot more than likely won't incapacitate. It will only inflict pain. JMHO

[digdug74]

Honestly, given the short distances within the confines of an apartment, a 12 or 20 gauge shotgun loaded with heavy birdshot might not be a bad idea. My guess is it 'ought to be enough to put a BG down at close range and while it might still go through a few pieces of drywall and insulation (as in apt complexes) in the event of a miss, my sense is the pellets will probably have lost enough steam by that point to not cause too much damage on the other side.

[pastureofmuppets]

So I was talking with my Dad about my plans for having my GF defend herself while I am away.

I don't think that quite reads how you meant it to read

Best advice I can give is to get her to a class. Plenty of good instructors throughout California, there will be one near you and... and this is important, let her choose the gun. Don't decide what is best for her, let her decide. (That is also relationship advice )

But, get her into a class so she is confident and aware of how the self defense laws work. For example, the NRA ones always have either a lawyer or a police officer do a section.

A friend of mine is an ex County Deputy Sherrif. His advice is if you have to shoot someone just keep pulling the trigger until it goes "click" and bulletts stop coming out. 1 or 2 well placed shots is pre-meditated, a whole magazine, regardless of the damage done, simply shows that you paniced and just "pointed and made it go bang" until it was empty. Better defense in court = less jail time

I would really not take that advice to heart. Shoot them until they stop being a threat. Nothing more, because once the threat has stopped... you are not defending yourself anymore.

[12voltguy]

frangible ammo

[durandal]

Snakeshot is out of the question unless you want to pay for the attackers medical bills.

Get her a good flashlight with crenellations, so it can be used as an impact weapon, a pistol that she can handle in a caliber that wont overpenetrate, with hollow points. Check brassfetcher's youtube channel. and a good blade.. Something she can deploy easily and hang onto with wet hands.

[bigbearbear]

Yeah, people always imagine robbers coming into the house like in a movie.
Breaking down the door, guns blazing, etc.

It's much more common for them to show up with a clipboard,
looking like they are taking a survey, or selling something,
and let you open the door for them.

There's been a number of pretty violent home invasion recently:

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_24093256/san-jose-four-s-f-men-identified-home

San Jose. 5 black kids, 2 guns, broad daylight. Storms into the house that has 2 females with children, luckily for them someone called the cops and 4 of them was arrested. One of them, presumed to be armed, is still on the loose.

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_24022255/san-mateo-police-at-least-one-wounded-during

San Mateo. 3 men, burst into the home and held a knife to a pregnant woman. Home owner shot and killed 1, injured 2 others, and was also hit in the resulting exchange of fire. Cops found guns and multiple bullet holes in the house.

Looks like they now come in crews of 3 or 5, always armed. If your gf has only a snake shot, things won't end well.