Home Defense

[protohyp]

If you have family and kids forget the shotgun. Over penetration is not the only thing you need to worry about. No way you’re going to be able to carry children, shield your wife and carry a flashlight or even operate a WML properly if a shotgun is your choice. No way your pumping that thing with a cell phone in your hand either calling 911.

It’s a simple thing to do at home before you even purchase an HD weapon. Find something that vaguely resembles either an AR, a shotgun and a handgun and run a scenario like I mentioned above and see how well holding a long gun of any type with other people in a household can hinder you.

[Califpatriot]

Please explain. The "trust me, this is what you need" answer doesn't really do anybody any good unless you explain why you're stating that.

Sure. Rifles are unwieldy in close quarters and rifle rounds will overpenetrate. The latter can be ameliorated with use of high end home defense ammo designed for maximal expansion and minimal penetration. Hornady critical defense 223 rounds meet that goal very well. But a Glock 19 will always be easier to manuver than a 30+ inch AR.

The benefit to shotguns is that in a home defense situation, you may be too amped up from the adrenaline to place a shot on a moving target with the same accuracy you may have at the range. The spread of 9-12 pellets of buckshot may let you get away with that.

[jstert]

if choosing a rifle for home defense you are considering ear shattering noise, over penetration, effectiveness, handiness. im unsure if you can cover all four.

imho, in the hands of civilians, a rifle is an outdoors weapon. indoor use is expedient, not by purposeful design. indeed any rifle can be pressed into service defending rooms of a home, but a handgun or shotgun are better picks.

i suggest to get a comfortable rifle for your desired outdoor use and practice alot with it so you become handy with it in a variety of scenarios, but keep a handgun by the bed, or a shotgun under it.

that said, a ruger 22lr charger, loaded with cci stingers in 15 round banana mags, on its bipod on the bed facing the locked bedroom door, with you and family crouched behind it awaiting the arrival of the 911 cavalry, would work for me as a home defense rifle, if a ruger charger could be had in my locale.


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[sonofeugene]

your question makes no sense. The shotgun is the absolute best home defense weapon there is. There is nothing else that works that well. If you're concerned about recoil, check the different calibers.

This. Buy a second shotgun and stash it in a second location. Ideally the same brand/model so you aren't fumbling if you need it.

[TMB 1]

if choosing a rifle for home defense you are considering ear shattering noise, over penetration, effectiveness, handiness. im unsure if you can cover all four.

imho, in the hands of civilians, a rifle is an outdoors weapon. indoor use is expedient, not by purposeful design. indeed any rifle can be pressed into service defending rooms of a home, but a handgun or shotgun are better picks.

i suggest to get a comfortable rifle for your desired outdoor use and practice alot with it so you become handy with it in a variety of scenarios, but keep a handgun by the bed, or a shotgun under it.

that said, a ruger 22lr charger, loaded with cci stingers in 15 round banana mags, on its bipod on the bed facing the locked bedroom door, with you and family crouched behind it awaiting the arrival of the 911 cavalry, would work for me as a home defense rifle, if a ruger charger could be had in my locale.


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A 10/22 compact with stingers would be better.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...+FOS+16.5+1168 $225

[ChuckDizzle]

So much ballistic baloney in this thread.

Sorry to burst anyone's bubble, any bullet capable of involuntary stops will easily pass through interior home walls. The end.

Now some bullets do better at stopping inside a threat. Those bullets tend to be light and fast, ones that penetrate too much tend to be heavy and slow.

Pistols and shotguns (leave birdshot for the birds) typically are heavy and and slow. They retain weight and penetrate deeply.

Rifles, especially the popular 5.56mm variety tend to be light and fast. The projectile will usually turn, deform, and fragment inside the target. Do not use ballistic or varmint tip bullets as they break apart much too soon on target and may not penetrate to a vital depth.

[jstert]

Home Defense

A 10/22 compact with stingers would be better.



https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...+FOS+16.5+1168 $225

i got a used ruger 10/22 with a paratrooper folding stock for exactly this purpose but the folding stock was really heavy and whole setup was surprisingly ungainly. got rid of it. the charger just speaks to me for this use...guess i will have to eventually move permanently to a free state to enjoy one.


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[rugershooter]

Sure. Rifles are unwieldy in close quarters and rifle rounds will overpenetrate. The latter can be ameliorated with use of high end home defense ammo designed for maximal expansion and minimal penetration. Hornady critical defense 223 rounds meet that goal very well. But a Glock 19 will always be easier to manuver than a 30+ inch AR.

The benefit to shotguns is that in a home defense situation, you may be too amped up from the adrenaline to place a shot on a moving target with the same accuracy you may have at the range. The spread of 9-12 pellets of buckshot may let you get away with that.

That's understandable. But if the length of the rifle is a con, shouldn't that also apply to shotguns? Your explanation seems to undermine your assertion that a rifle isn't good for HD.

[HooYah]

For all the internet ninjas...

[ChuckDizzle]

There's nothing ungainly about a carbine or security shotgun. Get into a proper shooting stance with a pistol, now raise up a security shotgun or carbine, look at that the end of the barrel it is just about the same place on all three.

This is a moot point anyway, if you aren't an Army Ranger or Navy SEAL don't try to clear your house, use a door or hallway as a defensive choke point, call the police, wait for the cavalry.

The primary advantage of a defensive long gun is not just stopping power, but accuracy, good hits under stress are extremely difficult with handguns.

[TMB 1]

410 shotgun with slugs would be good but OP asked about low cost rifles.

[ChuckDizzle]

410 shotgun with slugs would be good but OP asked about low cost rifles.

Wouldn't that be just a .45 LC?

[TMB 1]

Wouldn't that be just a .45 LC?

1/5 oz 410 slug weighs less than 45 Colt bullets.

1/5 oz slug=90grains I think. Velocity is about 1800 fps.

45 Colt usually has 200gr to 250gr bullets, Velocity depends on strength of fire arm. Old or weak handgun loads usually about 800fps to 900fps. Strong handguns and rifles can be loaded up to 44 mag levels.

[ChuckDizzle]

1/5 oz 410 slug weighs less than 45 Colt bullets.

1/5 oz slug=90grains I think. Velocity is about 1800 fps.

45 Colt usually has 200gr to 250gr bullets, Velocity depends on strength of fire arm. Old or weak handgun loads usually about 800fps to 900fps. Strong handguns and rifles can be loaded up to 44 mag levels.

Good to know, I've been eyed a Mossberg .410 bantam for my son this Christmas.

[TMB 1]

Good to know, I've been eyed a Mossberg .410 bantam for my son this Christmas.

I got my daughter one when she was a kid. It's a cool little shotgun.