Good enough?

[FORD4LIFE]

^^^My preferred HD weapon.

Barring that, for HD a pistol/shotgun combo is very popular. The most important thing is to learn how to use them properly and effectively.

This is much more practical

[Peter.Steele]

In what situation would I need an AR-15 for home defense?

Someone once said - and I can't remember who it was - that a pistol's best use in combat was to acquire a shotgun, and a shotgun's best use was to acquire a rifle.

[Agent 0range]

Don't let all the tacticool/shtf/3gun-competition talk get you off track. For what you asked about (home defense not firefights) you are MORE then adequately armed. Get some ammo and practice. My ammo suggestions are 147gr 9mm and #4 BUCK (not bird shot) for the 12G.


Dieselpower, I would venture that non-pistol gripped shotguns have killed more people then those equipped with pistol grips will for quite some time. Think WWI, WWII, Korea, Viet-Nam right up into the first Gulf War and even beyond. A buddy of mine was still using a USMC issued, wood stocked Remington 870 to kill bad guys in the jungles of Central America in the early 90s. Plus it is impossible to QUICKLY butt stroke someone with a pistol grip weapon.

I tend to agree more with Diesel in this instance. I upgraded my 870 to a Blackhawk SpecOps stock and couldn't feel more confident with it. Between the 18" barrel and collapsible stock, I can get around corners with much less verticle barrel movement. On top of that, a pistol grip ensures a more secure grip that an intruder is much less likely to break.
Also, there's nothing wrong with slugs in a HD SG. I keep my tube full of the PDX1 slugs that have 3 00 buck pellets packed right behind. No one is walking away from a center mast shot of that. For HD purposes, it just makes sense.

[Foxsweep]

I recently purchased a Springfield XD9 and a Remington 870 12 gauge shotgun. Is that good enough for home defense or should I look at purchasing another firearm? I live in the suburbs.

You can never have enough... But you must add a .45 1911 or 2 in there somewhere!

[Steve_In_29]

I tend to agree more with Diesel in this instance. I upgraded my 870 to a Blackhawk SpecOps stock and couldn't feel more confident with it. Between the 18" barrel and collapsible stock, I can get around corners with much less verticle barrel movement. On top of that, a pistol grip ensures a more secure grip that an intruder is much less likely to break.

Whatever you are comfortable with is fine but it's not the pistol grip per say that gives you less vertical movement, it is the shorter overall length the collapsible stock provides. The less OAL the shorter the arc the weapon needs to move through to bring it into firing position. That's why some Marines used to position their pre-M4 rifles with the buttstock actually protruding over their shoulder when they were doing room clearance (only possible due to the negligible recoil of the 5.56 round). I can swing my wife's youth model, 20G Semi with its shorter LOP into position just as fast as your collapsible buttstock.

While a pistol grip might provide a more secure grip initially, it also makes it harder to maneuver the weapon to break the attackers hold as your wrist is already in a bent position and without taking time readjusting your own grip you can't violently twist the weapon to break the attackers hold on it.

The lack of a pistol grip will allow me to INSTANTLY (which is the key) utilize the weapon in a variety of less lethal ways depending on the situation I find myself facing as I round that corner. Since I don't need to change my hand placement on the weapon it is easy to do a quick jab, a buttstroke, use it to block a swing, push an attacker away to gain space, etc.. All while keeping my trigger finger at the ready if the need arises.

A pistol grip does allow you to quickly shoot someone but slows you down in other situations.

As I said whatever works for each shooter is fine and some of my shotguns do have pistol grips but blanket statements by some that a HD shotgun HAS to have a pistol grip are simply bogus.

Also, there's nothing wrong with slugs in a HD SG. I keep my tube full of the PDX1 slugs that have 3 00 buck pellets packed right behind. No one is walking away from a center mast shot of that. For HD purposes, it just makes sense.

That isn't a true slug load as the 3 pellets give you a little wiggle room. That's why they included them.

I never said slugs won't serve for HD but for your average shooter in a high stress situation a buckshot load is a little more forgiving of rushed aim and won't over penetrate as much.

[Steve_In_29]

You can never have enough... But you must add a .45 1911 or 2 in there somewhere!

1911s are like Lays potato chips. I have 4 and have owned 2 others.

[sunrisefordrene]

You are doing fine...Don't let all of the threads get you off track. Although all of them may have some merit, what you asked...You are on the right track...Now you need formal training..And then practice what you have learned..You now own a Ferrarri..you can either "pose" with it on PCH, or learn to really drive it by training with a professional driver..Your choice..