AR-15 magazines
Dan Z. for TTAG

Remember, no one needs more than ten rounds of ammunition to protect themselves. If you think you do, you’re doing it wrong. We’ve been reliably informed of that fact by the Civilian Disarmament Industrial Complex and all of the smartest people for years now on a regular basis. Magazine capacity limits are dubious in their effectiveness at best and are in the process of being swept into the ash heap of gun control history.

Still, though, they remain one of the primary footings on which the argument for civilian disarmament is based. And then things like this happen which, for some reason, don’t get quite as much coverage as the braying jackasses who know everything about “common sense gun safety.” Or something.

Let’s go now to the perpetually peaceful neighborhood of Beacon Hill Seattle which, we’re told, has been the location of a number of home invasions recently including one home that was the target of multiple attempts at illegal entry.

Shortly after 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday, officers responded to the location for a report of an attempted home invasion robbery. Police spoke to the homeowner, who said three men tried to break down his door but were unsuccessful and fled the scene.

The SPD says the suspects tried a second time at around 12:25 a.m. the next morning. 

Authorities say four men returned to the house to try breaking the door down with a sledgehammer.

The homeowner told police he was sleeping and woke up to loud banging at the door. He armed himself with a rifle, and when the suspects tried getting inside, he shot at them. 

It isn’t clear from the report, but we’d guess the un-named rifle the homeowner armed himself with was an AR pattern rifle of some sort. Fending off four men takes a good amount of ammo, more than any 10-round capacity limit would confine you to.

Authorities say the suspects fired back at the homeowner before speeding off in a vehicle. It remains unknown whether the homeowner shot any of the suspects during the incident.

Detectives processing the scene say they located bullet damage in the living room and bedroom windows.

Never mind the obvious utility of having a 15- or 17- round mag in your handgun, or a full-30 compliment in your rifle when facing multiple attackers as the Seattle homeowner did. The state of Washington has a “high capacity” magazine ban, but if the homeowner was using an AR as we suspect, any 30-round magazines he may have had or used were likely grandfathered in.

If you want to get really nit-picky about it, there’s also the fact that objective examinations of “high capacity” magazine bans have shown they do little if anything about limiting “gun violence.”

Magazine restrictions do not have appreciable effects on crime or violence. In an oft‐​cited study, Christopher Koper analyzed the effects of the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban, which banned new magazines of more than 10 rounds but did little more than drive up the price of already‐​existing magazines.

While presenting his findings at a Johns Hopkins summit on reducing gun violence in America, Koper was decidedly noncommittal on the ban’s utility.

In general, we found, really, very, very little evidence, almost none, that gun violence was becoming any less lethal or any less injurious during [the course of the Assault Weapon and Large Capacity Magazine (LCM) ban]. So on balance, we concluded that the ban had not had a discernible impact on gun crime during the years it was in effect.

But save your breath. Gun control zealots never waste their time with or allow themselves to be confused by facts. In the mean time, make sure you have the means and ability to defend yourself and your family against multiple attackers, just as this home owner did last week.

31 COMMENTS

  1. Unsure . . . is your imagining the rifle used and it’s theoretical magazine capacity better or worse than the breathless blathering from the civilian disarmament complex? Modern journalism 101, when you don’t have any facts, then it is just fine to make shit up!

  2. I wouldn’t assume the home owner had an AR, and it is folly to do so. Better to wait for the facts.

    • Correct – there are many other weapons with a 30 to 40 round mag capacity. You don’t have to cover the AR with that broad brush!

  3. Seattle used to be a decent place to go to. It is a 3rd world place now, racing towards the 4th world standards.

    As long as there are people who prey on others, I will remain armed and teach others to be armed and responsible.

  4. Without vidya, how do we know this isn’t more fake noise? I propose that all Defensive Gun Users be required to purchase a GoPro when they purchase their firearms. I mean, since the politicians are demanding that all guns be smart, they might as well attach a GoPro to the smart gun, right?

    I leave it to the reader to decide how strong the sarcasm is here.

    • You’re correct.
      This story is months old; when it came out, the video was included so I watched. I don’t recall being able to tell what weapon the homeowner used, but he sent those metro monkeys packin’.

  5. bet hedging… ar. who cares, decent outcome.
    them not driving away would be evidence toward an ar not being used but i concede caliber specifics.
    .308.

  6. DUE DISABILITY USR S&W GOVERNOR , MIX 410 PDX1 ROUNDS
    WOULD BE SPREADING THE AMMO ROUNDS ALL AROUND , SO MUCH FOR CHEER
    PRAY HIT THE BAD PERSON OR PERSONS , AND NOT TOO MUCH WALL , ELECTRIC LINE WATER LINE , FRIG , TV MICROWAVE … RINGING EARS ALONG WITH RINGING BELLS
    HO HO HO … DECK THE HALL WAY WITH SLUGS AND ENJOY THE SMELL , GUN SHOT RESIDUE
    EVERY WHERE …
    UUUH ~ HAPPY HOLIDAYS ??? PRAY STAY WELL AND SAFE

    • The PDX in .410 look fancy but they lack terminal preformance.
      I’ve tested them in all kinds of mediums.
      Better off with 00 buckshot.

    • Will the home owner be charged with “reckless endangerment” and failing to properly secure their firearm?

      The police can’t let any alleged crime go unpunished.

  7. The issue of the gun aside…these genius’ used a sledge hammer on a door when a simple rock would break a window?

    • Is the owner “known to police”?

      Or faulty information by the criminals? Downunder criminals will shoot up properties that previously had a rival criminal residing there, long after the person has moved away.

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