It’s a never-ending debate. The question: what’s the best firearm for home defense?
Some like a pistol‘s one-handed maneuverability that lets you corral family members to safety or otherwise frees your off hand to use a flashlight, dial 911, whatever. Some like a carbine‘s combination of power and accuracy. A third group touts the shotgun‘s devastating effect at self defense distances.
What happened earlier today in Houston is going to give the shotgun advocates some serious talking points to use in future arguments.
At about 9:30 this morning, three males entered a home in the Channelview area east of Houston. Two people were inside the home at the time.
One of the residents hid while the other one confronted the home invaders with a shotgun. The armed homeowner traded gunfire with the three (apparently only only one of the invaders was armed).
As click2houston.com reports, all three home invaders were killed in the exchange. The shotgun-wielding homeowner was hit, too, sustaining “serious injuries”.
Deputies are at a home in the 1800 block of Amie Michele Ln in Channelview, where 3 males are confirmed dead after an apparent home invasion robbery attempt. A fourth male has been taken to the hospital. PIO is en route and updates will be given from the scene. #HouNews pic.twitter.com/VhSzUipznc
— HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) December 23, 2019
There was apparently a fourth criminal involved who fled, but police are trying to piece the situation (and probably what’s left of the three home invaders) together. Here’s hoping the wounded home owner makes a full recovery.
This has been another successful defensive gun use brought to you by your natural, Second Amendment guaranteed right to keep and bear arms.
Impossible! Shotguns are only for birds and will GeT yOu KiLleD iN tHe StReEts
I thought you were only suppose to fire 2 shots from the Balcony?
You are wrong, Shotguns supposed to be fired only through the door. Just ask uncle Joe Biden.
But, don’t forget Uncle Joe’s mandating a warning shot first.
Yes, but only if there’s ever a problem and you have a balcony.
What if my problem is I don’t have a balcony?
Then you can’t shoot…..You’re shit outta luck!
Unless you use an AR…..
Cool I like ARs better than balconies. Did rooftop Koreans have any shotguns?
Rooftop Koreans had a bunch of stuff.
Lets just say they had Mini 14s for arguments sake. They were big A Team fans. `
….and the target’s standing quietly in the yard.
Shotguns are for birds. Doesn’t mean you can’t kill a human with one. I’ve seen more than a few killed. Even with bird shot. Doesn’t make them the best tool for the job.
what would have killed them more?
anybody else picture foghorn leghorn with a street sweeper? maybe those magpies, heckle(r) and jeckle.
tsbhoa, “What would have killed them more?” A rifle.
Claymore Roomba but within sensible legal options rife and shotgun are top choices.
Agreed.
An AR pistol or SBR is a MUCH better and safer choice.
No one seems to consider BLOOD SPLATTER or size when proclaiming that Scotties are the ultimate or even best home defense weapon. AR-15s shooting say, M193 ammo make 1 little .22 caliber hole going in and usually don’t come out.
12 ga 00 Buckshot makes a HUGE mess and blood splatter is ALL OVER THE ROOM, CEILING, WALLS, CURTAINS, and YOU even in fine particles so small you cannot see them, containing blood borne pathogens of whatever this solid citizen you are shooting happens to be infected with.
Shotguns are proven man-stoppers and fearsome weapons. I own a fine modified (legally) Tac-14 that would stop anyone indoors or out. Give me an AR.
Congrats to they guy in Houston for being a good shot and a solid citizen. Your hearing will probably recover. The bad guys will not.
Thixotropic,
You make a good point, that when perforating the high class representatives of the criminal world, one should still consider the potential for disease and redecorating.
I personally would prefer not to turn my family room into a bloodbath.
Who said he was a “solid citizen?” It’s a trailer park with two adults at home mid morning. That could mean anything, of course, but it sure doesn’t scream solid citizen to me. This was most likely something illegal going on; perhaps drugs being sought or debts attempted to be collected.
The arguments over calibers and weapons are all fun, for a while, but ultimately your efforts at winning a gunfight are better spent avoiding gunfights. Making better lifestyle decisions goes a long way toward avoiding those situations and is more effective than any particular firearm.
“Scotties are the ultimate or even best home defense weapon.” If you are depending on a dog for self defense I would go for something bigger than a Scottish Terrier!
@Charlemagne, I’d just get Scottie to beam the bad guys into the sun.
If you don’t think 00 buck is devastatingly effective at close range, you haven’t seen any shootings with it.
The three intruders found dead inside the residence can only suggest they were blown to bits by OO buckshot as they never had a chance of making it out the door much less collapsing out in the front yard or in the drainage ditch at the edge of the property…..you can’t argue about a shotguns stopping power at close range even with the merits of an AR-15 in such a situation as being deemed the number one choice for close encounters against multiple attackers…..many such attackers struck by 223 or 5.56 rounds usually make it out of the house(they may eventually bleed out), not so much with OO buck shot.
Guess that you are unfamiliar with Buckshot or slugs, eh?
Quartermann, I’ve seen men killed with buckshot and slugs, but I’ll come back to that. The first two deer I killed were shot with 12 gauge single 0 buckshot. The first was a clean kill. The second, not so much. The third deer I killed was with a 30-06. I studied all three carcasses closely. Never took a shotgun big game hunting again. There’s a reason shotguns and buckshot is illegal for deer hunting in some states. Then they started paying me to look at gunshot victims. Even go to their autopsies. Confirmed what I already knew. Rifle! Rifle! Rifle!
@Gadsden Flag: The reason shotguns are illegal for hunting deer in some states is not because it’s ineffective, but because some hunters aren’t very good at knowing the limitations of whatever they are hunting with, and try to take an animal that’s out of the shotgun’s range.
That’s not a problem at all at home defense distances.
Gadsden Flag – “Quartermann, I’ve seen men killed with buckshot and slugs, but I’ll come back to that. The first two deer I killed were shot with 12 gauge single 0 buckshot. The first was a clean kill. The second, not so much. The third deer I killed was with a 30-06. I studied all three carcasses closely. Never took a shotgun big game hunting again. There’s a reason shotguns and buckshot is illegal for deer hunting in some states. Then they started paying me to look at gunshot victims. Even go to their autopsies. Confirmed what I already knew. Rifle! Rifle! Rifle!”
REALLY? Then I guess that you are unfamiliar with COLLATERAL DAMAGE then? Do you have any idea how a rifle bullet penetrates drywall? And of course you realize that even if you fire in self-defense you are RESPONSIBLE for the damages caused? Such as the sleeping child next door being hit by your rifle bullet?
9mm PDWs or SBRs capable of subsonic rounds are available. There’s 9×19 Para or 9x39AK out there – it’s just a matter of choice and your willingness to pay.
If I was facing multiple assailants I’d take a semi-auto 12ga 00 buckshot hands down for home defense. At contact ranges up to 20 yards its sheer firepower can’t be beat.
“There’s a reason shotguns and buckshot is illegal for deer hunting in some states.”
Going by this logic, what about some other states where deer hunting with rifles is illegal and shotguns are a-ok?
Didn’t the Miller Court try to sell something about shotguns or some types not being appropriate military/defense weapons?
The Justices just said that SBS usage by the military was not in their personal knowledge, and nobody presented evidence to them on the subject. It was outside of their “judicial notice.”
A semi auto shotgun with buckshot is essentially the equivalent of a machine gun in CQB. People who bash shotguns have no experience with them.
Then again, most online bashing of anyone’s choice in guns is usually conducted by idiots who probably don’t even shoot guns in real life, and only read about them online.
I’ll take a pump any day. There’s something about that “clack clack” that says everything an assailant needs to hear…..before the final sound.
Yeah. It tells the bad guy to start shooting in the direction of the “klack klack” sound.
Good thing they weren’t in the streets.
Look at the survival statics for a 12 ga shotgun blast to an individual within the dimension of a usual house’s room. A load of number 4 or larger Turkey shots will tear off a limb or at center mass will look like the recipient ran through a meat grinder. Look at the military’s use of the shotgun in close combat back to WWI and the story is told in real time use. The Shock effect of multiple projectile hits is undeniable. I have used a Remington 870 with 18 or 20 inch barrel since 1968 and I have often said, If I have only one gun for all survival and defense situations let it be the shotgun with a short barrel and good sights. It will kill anything from a Brush Bird to a Grizzly Bear. Just load it with the right kind of shot shells and practice using it.
Try 12 ga 00 buck 14 inch 5 rounds pump shot gun, works and dont go through the wall and kill my neighbors. So use what works for you. Takes sheriff 14 minutes to get here.
shotguns, not just for trench bunnies anymore.
good choice…[unless they’re wearing body armor…and some do]…..
PDX or 00 rounds to the chest even with a plate is going to most likely have you out of the fight. If you know they have armor go for what you can, plenty of
potential bleeders to be had.
Trench gun or semiauto 12ga would be pretty devastating in cqb against a pistol. The thought of it is making me laugh. Tough guys try to get paid and only hear thunder coming for them.
Buckshot to Kevlar is unpleasant, slugs to Kevlar range from unpleasant to broken ribs to gaping chest wound depending on load. Any shotgun load to a level 3 plate barring some exotic load is negligible compared to best case with Kevlar.
Roadblocker 10 gauge
I am thinking you are not likely to find a home invader sporting level 3 plate on his knees, once he’s down shove the barrel in his face for 1 more. I leave the shotgun in my safe, but there are situations where I’d get it out.
If you are seeing armed Invaders that are not cops with rifle plates you may want to consider using your rifle on their pelvic girdle and or head area as they are unlikely to notice hits to the 10 ring in any meaningful way.
Agreed Safe. I debated listing pelvis and other options for the well armored assailant. 15ft spread of .00 just below the waist is pretty nasty. Lots of painful chances
I haven’t looked up people taking slugs or .00 to their ceramic chest plate but I’d guess even though not fatal it would drop you. Depending on distance and where you were aiming .00 good chance of getting some flesh.
I wonder what slugs through a long barrel would do to level 3.
Keep in mind, level 3+ plate is the cheapest and most available armor out there.
Slugs have a lot of momentum which is great for soft tissue and light barrier penetration. Against hard armor they would hurt but be utterly unreliable at stunning let alone incapacitating the attacker as the energy involved is rifle round area. With that said even if the invader has the Kevlar groin armor I would generally bet on a shotgun doing enough to get them on the ground unless they are high on meth/coke/crazy. If you have an armored meth zombie you have other problems and probably should question life choices.
Aerindel at this point hesco sells level 4 certified plates under a hundred dollars for a 10×12. Not the latest and greatest in terms of weight but slightly better than what I was deployed with the better part of a decade ago. There are cheaper level 3 plates but I find what is available to be downright amazing.
Chicken Wing,
Shotgun loads will not do anything to Level III armor with a plate. I don’t think it would even hurt very much because a plate would spread the force out over your entire chest.
The advantage of a shotgun is virtually certain hits to soft tissue pretty much anywhere but the chest/torso (assuming that you aim at soft tissue away from the chest/torso).
Thanks for the replies on plates and reaction. I know there’d be no penetration but I wasn’t aware it could provide such a good barrier to the force.
Never heard of Aerindel. Sounds like a good alternative to the ar500 trash people are buying.
Chicken Wing that was a previous poster, for one of the better commonly available level plates hesco 4400 seems to be one of the best bets. You can find lighter plates but the cost jumps quickly.
A couple of tweakers with a stolen handgun between them might target any home that looks like it might have a flatscreen on the wall and an iPad under the tree, but if somebody is outfitting himself and a couple of buddies with level 3 rifle plates to assault my home, I’ve got to think I’ve got personal security issues way beyond my choice of firearm.
If they are wearing armor, then you take off their head.
A pump gun is more reliable but you do have to work the action correctly. An auto loader is faster but can jam. A judge revolver won’t jam but does have only five shells. But as a handheld it’s faster to get into the fight.
Its seems the homeowner was fast and accurate. I wonder how many guns the invaders had? Since the good guy got shot?
Need more information on this one. The bad guys were carried out feet first. Good. They won the “room temperature challenge”.
Revolvers jam. It’s a myth they don’t. And when they do they go down hard.
Thank you. I’ve been hearing that crap for thirty years and still amazes me that people think revolvers or any device with moving parts can’t break. There are enough garbage wheel guns in the world that you’d think the news would have reached everyone by now.
Bull. I have a Detective Special from 1972, which hasn’t been fired in a decade, and I would bet my life on it tomorrow, including the 6th shot. I carry a semi, but my combat plans involve planning to have only one shot, more is gravy.
@ Larry I’m sure Colt, S&W, Taurus and all the revolver owners who’ve ever had their gun malfunction would love for you to let them know it was just a bad dream. Go find a gunsmith and tell him your trusty revolver can never break lol
True dat I had a hand me down German copy of a colt scout and it went out of alignment hit the forcing cone and peppered me glad it was just a 22. I looked for a gunsmith for quite awhile then one day I just oiled it up and put it away.
Chris, I agree. Any gun can jam or otherwise let you down.
The solution is to make a wise choice in what you use as a home Defense weapon, and to PRACTICE with it. If, during a practice session, it fails, find out why it failed, and correct the problem, or replace the weapon.
The person above who says he will trust his life to a revolver he hasn’t shot in years is deluding himself. While the odds are good that it will work to save his life, the odds are far better that a shotgun he’s practiced with recently will actually do so more reliably.
Shooting well is a perishable skill. Simply buying a gun, verifying it works, then putting it in a sock drawer is not the way to ensure it and you will work together to save your life.
to Big Bill
In 2019 it’s much easier to practice. Youtube channels, podcasts, web sites. And most important. Snap Caps. Now you can practice at home as well as at a range. Growing up I was told to never dry fire a gun. So most folks never did practice. Every gun owner should have a set of snap caps for their firearm.
I have Snap caps in five different calibers. And a laser trainer. Sometimes you just can’t get to a range whenever you want to.
Snap Caps are a good aid if your goal is to gain trigger control.
They aren’t good, though, if you want to practice actually firing a gun.
Using snap caps won’t tell you if the gun will function reliably. There are lots of malfunctions that can happen (especially in semi-autos) when firing, but won’t show up with snap caps.
I still love an 870 I want the perp to hear that pump rack jest before intensive pain and darkness
sometimes that sound is all it takes….
I have it recorded on my phone. Sometimes I’m in line at Chik Fil-a and I’ll play it so people get out of my way. Old lady took the last half gallon of egg nog at the grocery store. Pull my cart right up next to hers and play that sound for her.
They hear the sound and run away ? Why would you want that ?
Slide racking for some sort of psychological effect is silly TV and movie stuff, a waste of time. If I were challenged by that sound I’d be shooting first and often.
A defensive firearm should be loaded fully with one in the chamber and the safety on. My Mossberg 500 with 18.5″ barrel is loaded with #4 Buck. Because I live in a small place and don’t want buckshot crossing the street to trouble the neighbors. At the distances where I live that shot column would be devastating even if it were bird shot.
The 500 is chambered, the mag tube full, the safety is on and it sits out of sight where my hand naturally reaches it when sleeping.
On the other hand my Mossberg 590A1 is loaded every other shell with slugs and 00 Buck. Has the Speed Stock with four more rounds and a Side Saddle with six.
Also, the bayonet.
*Because, you know, ZOMBIES!!!
*(actually, use to live in a place with a lot of bear problems, never quite got over seeing a teenager mauled by a bear)
That #4 buck is legit I would run that in my home.
Got the same Mossberg set up.
Just can’t figure out how to explain to the deputy how the perp stuck himself on the pointy thing.
To the rack em crowd disparegers, leave the action open. You get the sound when the round goes into the chamber.
Mostly a happy ending, hope the homeowner is ok.
Glad to know I’m not the only one with a bayonet on my under the bed gun. Unfortunately mine is a genuine military surplus rifle with its original bayonet which is as dull as a cutting board. I guess the military that issued didn’t trust its soldiers with a sharp knife even though it issued them rifles but figured that any enemy soldiers confronted with a screaming maniac charging with a long knife-like object sticking out from the front of a carbine was a scary enough opponent to leave well enough alone. Hopefully we will never have to test the theory in a home defense situation.
Doesn’t have to be sharp. Just has to be pointy enough to make a hole. Thrust, pull back, repeat until there’s nothing standing to stab anymore. Man, that would be a terrifying thing to face.
ING,
Agreed, if the attacker knew in advance how blunt is the bayonet and how determined is its owner in thrusting it through the attacker would likely be in greater fear. A very sharp knife doesn’t hurt all that much, I know.
LMAO!! I know I shouldn’t be laughing but dull bayonet is awesome.
Hard to know how the defender could have done any better, other than not get shot. The recidivism rate for these three goes to zero, no doubt the bloomie bunch will say the defender was acting as judge, jury, and executioner. If more bad guys ended up dead, some of them would move to less dangerous work and the dead ones would endanger fewer people.
Technically speaking would this be counted as a mass shooting? Jokes aside glad the home owner came out on top and hoping for a speedy recovery. As to best gun for home defense the one you have that works when needed.
You bet your sweet bippy it will.
Then let’s hope it is only the minimum number of killed.
Probably just another retail outlet….Last day of Xmas special sale on the meth.
A friend used to work for company that specialised in repairing drug houses. He had numerous stories of people showing up to buy months or years after the dealers left. At least once the idiot came in while they were there with the owner and uniformed police.
Good shooting though.
Little drywall mud, good as new
Drywall mud for the defenders GSW(s)? Innovative.
Mix in a little salt, they need the pain.
Shotgun Joe Biden says the homeowner needed only fire that shotgun in the air. Anything else is excessive force. The DNC wants the homeowner charged with murder in the 1st degree and assures all party members these three dead perps will still vote a straight “D” ticket next November, several times each.
That would be funny if it didn’t have very high probability of being true.
To be very technical about it you cannot use the Biden Method unless you have a balcony. No balcony, well it just doesn’t work.
You also have to have a double barrel shotgun.
I have one, and would have no problem giving a two-blast warning shot to perps outside my house (even though I don’t have a balcony). That’s because the Mossy 500 20″ shotgun is what I would use inside the house.
You know, I do like vice President Biden’s manual of arms for the shotgun much better then VP dick Cheney’s employment methodology.
As far as we know, Joe Biden’s use of a firearm has never unintentionally injured anyone.
On the other hand, Republican Vice President Dick Cheney got drunk and shot a guy in the face with a shotgun.
Yeah, but..but…all the spackling!
Send this homeowner a defense attorney (defense fund) just in case LE try anything funny…Always good to have someone in your coroner to make sure LE are not trying to deprive a US citizen of their Constitutional Rights!
he made sure he had someone in his coroner!
Roflmao!
Between ttag comments and reddit this was the best thing I’ve seen all day Haha
Three perps hit with shotgun blasts at close range. Man, I would not want to be the guy who has to clean the carpet after that scene…
That was my thought as well!
I do not envy the person tasked with cleaning that mess…
Sorry but I sold my shotgun. Went all in on an AR (and pistols). Bright light,red dot and standard mags of 30 boo-lits. And full semi-automatic…but I may get another Maverick88 7+1. Good shooting son! Hope it all turns out well…
For close spaces with limited room to swing a long gun, the Mossberg 500 with 18.5″ barrel is best. If you have more space, the Mossberg 590A1 with the bayonet is the thing.
Not a bad setup I am more used to the 870 but the wife does not do well with the recoil so some form of AR is in the future purchase list there.
Want a nice short, light, handy, low recoiling gun for your wife to use for home defense?
Get her a CZ Scorpion pistol caliber carbine and put a “brace” and a red dot on it.
Way less recoil than even the soft shooting .223 AR 15.
Moment the safe act is voided that is a top contender till then such an option would probably have to be fixed magazine if i can find an FFL willing to try.
Lol….. full semi automatic…gd liberals….. they are such idiots….
I agree with you……I think lol 😉
A pissed off person wielding a shotgun at in close quarters is not something you want to be on the wrong end of. I’d have thought that was pretty obvious.
A few months ago I was at the range as usual. The couple next to me were shooting for the first time ever. They rented the usual smorgasbord assortment of noob firearms. After the man fired at the paper silhouette target with a 12G at about 5 yds he commented that he would be doing some serious throwing up had that been a real person.
Shotgun, revolver, ar, m-79, whatever you feel comfortable with. As long as the end results life forms that won’t be bothering anyone else.👍
Maybe if the homeowner had just racked the slide those 3 Democrat constituents would run off.
If it was a TV show or movie, could be. In real life it wastes time, gives the bad give a precious second or two to begin shooting first.
Keep your defensive firearms fully loaded, safety set and stored for instant access.
Yeap…..Never give them an advantage! Let them see the light & if your good they won’t hear the sound!
Probably would have been better if they had run off. Unlikely that they would have registered to vote or actually have voted that way. Now we are guaranteed they will be voting Demoncrap in the next election.
They obviously didn’t case that joint very well!
Reminds me of the Old Marine, who island hopped around the Pacific in WWII. The perbs rushed him in his home and he took them out!
Breaking into some homes can be very hazardous to your health… Let’s keep it that way.
Invade the wrong castle and get indoctrinated.
Can’t remember where it’s at in the pecking order, but the racking of a shotgun is in the top three most recognized sounds in the world. I’ve had to pull a weapon about six times in my life. Four of which were a shotgun on my own property. The mere sound of racking a shell into the chamber caused the intruders to come to a dead halt. The other two times were with pistols. One of those times I actually fired and the bullet went right by the perpetrators ear. He dropped and then got up and ran away. The other time the perpetrator kept on advancing. And just when I was getting ready to fire the police showed up.
go for the waist…hips/thighs…genitals…mix of hard and soft…
might not get to procreate again, too…if you can’t actually eliminate the threat
center mass is preferred…but aim for the biggest target they give you
Center mass. In the unlikely event a bad guy is going to be wearing body armor into your home, center mass from a 12 gauge at typical distance in a home is still going to hurt like hell.
The other thing is shoot until the threat is stopped.
Mossberg 500 next to the bed. Full of #4 Buck, including one in the chamber always. Safety on.
Mossberg 590A1 in the closet. Full of alternating slugs and 00 Buck and the bayonet. For more serious problems.
According to the most widely cited gun violence research, people who own shotguns were associated with decreased likelihood of being murdered in their home. (Kellerman, NEJM 1993).
Yes, it’s THAT notorious Kellerman article where they compared people who had been murdered in their home vs. similar people in their neighborhood who did not get murdered in their home.
People who were ultimately murdered in their home were twice as likely as non-murdered neighbors to drink alcohol, 20x more likely to have trouble at work because of drinking, and 14x more likely of having been hospitalized due to drinking. People who were murdered in their home also were 10x more likely than their non-murdered neighbors to have a household member requiring medical attention due to a fight in the home, and 9x more likely to have a household member who uses illicit drugs.
Oh, by the way, many people who were murdered also owned guns, and many people who were not murdered also owned guns, but because slightly more of the gun owners were murdered in their home… guns are associated with increased risk of being murdered in your home.
The premise of this paper and the conclusions are much more limited than the authors claim. And one fact they never publish is that non-murdered neighbors owned more shotguns and rifles compared with the murdered cases, suggesting a protective effect. I’m not saying this is real, since the whole paper has many flaws, but I enjoy citing gun violence papers against their cause.
If the homeowner gets indicted, he can invoke the Elmer Fudd defense.
Birdshot to the face and the attacker is out. A blast to the legs and he’s on the deck. Sure 4 buck or higher and slugs are better but a semi with 6 rounds of 7 will clean house without penetrating the walls and hitting your neighbors house, or people.
An ounce and a quarter is around 400 pellets in a cloud a few inches wide at 10 feet. No one takes a hit like that and smiles.
Smile no but there are a few videos of people walking off point blank birdshot blasts. I wouldn’t say you would be unable to put someone out with birdshot but I would trust it about as much as 22lr. Good point on the wall penetration though even #4 buck exits most houses if you miss.
Birdshot is good – for birds. Not too big ones. For turkey, hunters use BBs and even then they go for head and neckshots.
To reliably stop your attacker you need penetration. To get reliable penetration you need mass. Birdshot pellets have tiny mass, so they create shallow (albeit painful and gory looking) wounds. OO pellets are about equal to .380 bullets. Better.
Slugs have lots of mass and plow huge, deep holes. If it is my life on the line, I choose slugs for my Mossberg 500. I don’t want my attacker to have to choose if he is stopping his attack or not. Your mileage may vary.
Dont be morons Y’all I hope the defensive shooter is going to be OK,especially around this time-o-year.
I’ve been told my Remington 870 TAC-14 would useless for CQB in my home. You know a useless novelty. Should I trade it or sale it?
I know the U.S. Marshals use a similar Remington 870 with a 12.5 barrel. But then again they are trained LE. That was probably unnecessary sarcasm.
https://www.tactical-life.com/firearms/wilson-witness-protection-870/
I hope the guy makes in.
Your shotgun is just fine. Anyone who tells you otherwise is simply stupid.
12ga might have it’s limitations but lethality clearly isn’t on the list.
Shotgun is THE BEST choice for home defense…. don’t listen to the morons on here claiming the AR or pistol is the best option, cause it’s not…… you better hope your aim is true if using any other firearm besides a shotgun….
With a shotgun, you won’t miss…. but just like with ANY firearm, be sure what’s beyond your target….
Depends on the home and whether or not you will want follow up shots. Hard to say if there is a perfect choice vs degrees of good enough for the person/situation.
“you better hope your aim is true if using any other firearm besides a shotgun….
With a shotgun, you won’t miss….”
Yes, you can miss with a shotgun.
Not only you can miss with a shotgun, it’s actally pretty easy. At home defense distances the pattern opens only to few inches.
It was found during the American Jack Booted Imperialistic invasion of the Philippine Islands in 1899 to 1912 that the most valued weapon (to kill civilians with, 3 million of them) and the deadliest was the military shotgun loaded with buckshot.
Troops complained about all the pistols used including the mythical 1911 (that was only used in the last year of the war) and they even complained about the 30/40 Kraig rifle but no one complained about using the shotgun. Jan Libourel shortly before he retired from gun writing wrote an honest article on the war and the weapons used. He researched U.S. Army records for the real facts about the 1911 and its use in the war as well as the other pistols.
The last Deer I shot (using a slug) hit the Deer behind the shoulder at 25 yards. The blast flipped the deer off his feet and on to his back and then he landed on his back onto the Forrest floor. The deer weighed out at 192 lbs.
Some years ago about 1991 I shot a deer at a measured 187 yards and hit him with a Remgington .12 Ga copper slug. This is a solid copper slug with a hole drilled in the nose and sectioned with cuts in the nose. It expanded at 192 yards perfectly ( second shot, I never found the first slug). The Deer was hit in the ass end as it ran away and the slug went all the way up through him and out his chest. This time it did not knock the Deer down but he just stood there with his head pointed down. I then wrapped the sling around my arm and sat down in the sitting position and put another shot into him. Naturally in all the excitement I forgot to aim low (I was shooting uphill) and the shot went high and snapped his spine. That brought him down.
The moral of the story is that shotguns can be extremely dangerous even out to 200 yards as the 187 yard shot proved traveling all the way through the body from the rear to exist out his chest. I was not using a scope but a set of lyman peep sights. Later I bought a scope for the gun. It was a Leuopold 1-4 variable with extra thick cross hairs for deep woods shooting. Set at 1 power your field of view is fantastic. The field of view is so wide you can shoot something almost off the end of your barrel because of the wide field of view.
I would have no reservations about using a shotgun for home defense, as a matter of fact its far superior to any pistol cartridge but its length is a disadvantage in close quarters fighting. Of course with the proper Federal Paperwork you can shorten the barrel and stock or buy one already made. Just remember one thing buckshot has a lot more penetration than one might think so be aware of that if you live in a crowded neighborhood. I saw some tests done on buckshot penetration going through walls and other mediums.
Years ago I had a guy show me an original Ithaca Auto & Burgler gun which was a double barrel gun with short barrels and no stock. It was not or sale but it was an interesting piece of history.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ithaca_Auto_%26_Burglar
Crisco kid Vlad, I though you were about to launch into your rant about how at your democrat only gun club, where you’ve been an NRA member since 1952, you’d shoot steel helmets at an astonishing 125 yards with 9mm ball. What happened to that reoccurring rant that you copy and paste?
“The moral of the story is that shotguns can be extremely dangerous even out to 200 yards as the 187 yard shot proved traveling all the way through the body from the rear to exist out his chest”
I would have never guessed a projectile of approx 1 ounce, exiting a shotgun at +1000fps, or some 00 buckshot could be dangerous at 200 yards, I thought they dropped in the ground at approx 100 yards as they ran out of fuel and speed.
Remington saboted slugs travel in excess of 1600 fps. A Ballistic Expert you are not.
Are you suggesting that 1600 is not more than 1000? But tell us more about how you discovered that slugs don’t stop moving after first hundred yards. Do share your vast ballistic wisdom. I bet there are still some that didn’t see that fascinating story about 9mm shooting through steel helmets more than three or four times.
My 1100 Rem with a short(er) barrel is loaded with 3” magnum bear loads. Even with body armor on, he is flying across the room and not breathing normally. Hit em hard and go to handguns. There are normally three in the house with loaded xtra mags or speed loaders. You can grab the flight bag going out the back, the Ruger Alaskan is loaded with six Buffalo Bore bear loads and a couple of speed loaders of spares, protect your night vision shooting that little cannon. 1500+ lbs if one of those 340gr hit you.
Point blank 308 to level 3 plate will not do much to the person wearing the armor and it is 2500+. Now against Kevlar they will absolutely feel the impact but no guarantees they won’t shoot back.
@SAFEupstateFML: .308 to Kevlar at home defense range will definitely disorient a perp to the point where if you let him shoot back you’re doing it wrong.
A 9mm round to Kevlar will do enough damage to a perp that he won’t be able to return fire for a few seconds; a .308 will do far more than that.
Kevlar isn’t plate. Watch Demolition Ranch or TAOFLEDERMAUS to see what happens when Kevlar is shot.
3 not 3a to start with and relying on a disoriented attacker seems to go against training and good sense. Shoot till the threat stops and change target area as needed.
Correction on my part forgot that was showing energy is no measure of effectiveness against hard armor and shotgun would still not be utterly reliable against Kevlar. Coffee is not quite in effect.
SAFEupstateFML: If the perp is on the floor, whinging in pain, and not even thinking about aiming a weapon at me, he’s not longer a threat.
If, on the other hand, he recovers from the impact, looks straight at me, and raises his weapon in a threatening manner, he’s inviting another shot, and I will oblige, quite possibly in an area not covered by armor.
I’m not out to kill, I’m out to stop the threat. I know that a 12g 00 blast to the chest will indeed put a perp down on the floor, even if he’s wearing hard armor (and I’ve never heard of a home invader wearing Kevlar, much less hard armor – maybe it happens, but I’ve never heard of it).
Evidently, our definitions of ‘threat’ differ somewhat. I don’t consider someone writhing in pain on the floor to be a threat, but rather a potential threat, to be carefully watched.
Don’t believe to movies. Sir Isaac Newton says he won’t fly anywhere after being hit unless you fly shooting it.
A quality pump shotgun is the most effective home defense weapon. Most home defensive shootings occur between 7 to 15 feet! Even #7 bird shot at 10 feet will only expand to approximately 3 to 4 inches, many times much smaller depending on barrel length. You don’t think birdshot will penetrate at 10 feet on a thin skinned animal like a human? Bird shot will penetrate 1/2 inch plywood at ten feet. of course you have buckshot options or a slug. Hell, a slug will completely penetrate through and through a 220 pound Mule deer. Just use any ammo that will function reliably in your shotgun. The key is mind set. When you hear someone breaking (forcible entry) to your home at 0200 in the morning, they are not there to sell girl scout cookies. They deserve anything that’s coming.
Yeah, if they’re just creeping around outside I’ll call the cops but once they come in uninvited ‘playing nice’ is over. I have a 12ga loaded with 00buck (and a box of slugs right there handy), an AR15 with a full 30rd mag, or one of 3 pistols (two 9mm’s and a .380) all loaded and waiting to greet them; and that’s just what’s loaded and ready to rock.
Sleepy, creepy joe biden would be so proud…
“what’s the best firearm for home defense”
I prefer M-MPIMS mini Claymores. But a shotgun is nice, too.
The best weapon is the one you have and can use properly. Handguns in proven calibers, shotguns or semi auto rifles, whatever. Keep in mind what happens if you fire and if it goes through that piece of junk of a “wall” too. Have a plan, or two, or three, and a good, reliable light can be helpful at night. I am not en expert in anything, those are just good, common sense tips.
“what’s the best firearm for home defense?”
Whichever one is closest.
Have they arrested the home owner yet for violating the criminals civil rights?
Well that sure fckd up Christmas.
what about the ammo itself?
how many neighboring mobile home walls can even modest loads penetrate?
an article or advice on frangible ammo would be helpful
Pretty much anything center fire (probably rimfire as well) will sail through multiple trailers unless it hits something substantial. As for frangible rounds I have yet to see anything that is effective, available, and affordable and few that are 2 out of 3. With the likely limited financial resources living in a trailer (been there not judging) it is unlikely that exotic ammunition is available. With that said AR 15 using 55gr at high velocity does tend to fragment (if you hit). #4 buck out of a shotgun isn’t too bad after going through the invader (still lethal just more likely to be stopped by barriers). Pistols I can only suggest hollow points maybe in the lighter bullet weights. Honestly this is a difficult scenario to plan for as it has most of the worst case conditions present.
Best gun for home defense? The gun you can operate most effectively and efficiently.
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