"What weapons should you use to defend your home?" Topic

"The question about what the best home defense weapon is is a pretty hotly-debated one. Some people thing it's a .45, some people think it's an M-16 or AK-47, and some people think it's a shotgun. The answer's not all that simple.

This post will explain what I think, but if you really want to go into some detail on how to protect your home, get this…."

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Amicalement
Armand

If I catch'em coming in through a door or window, my Civil War sword bayonet would take care of things quickly enough. Assuming they got past the dawg & assorted junk in the yard… ;-)

Sadly, in many, if not most states, even defending your home can be deemed to be illegal

The old Tractics rules have shooting modifiers for house-to-house, and close-contact fighting, which should not be overlooked. Generally, shorter weapons that can be fired rapidly, and that pack a real punch (knockdown power) are best for dealing with invaders and other criminals.

380 caliber pistol with hollow points, 12 Ga shotgun with OO buckshot.

I've been under the impression that a semi auto shotgun with buckshot is the way to go.

If you have some training then a pump shotgun alternating slugs and shot.

I've read a sawed off shotgun is ideal, though illegal in most, if not all states.

Long barrels in close quarters can be a real liability inside dwellings and buildings.

I'll never tell you unless you break into my home, then I'll show you.

ZULUPAUL for the WIN!

(have you been in my house?)

What ever a person's fantasy life will allow.

Look, if your defending your home I'm assuming that you have people worth defending. OO Buck is great for most situations but it will zip through sheet rock, birdshot is much better, it will still stop someone at close range and no penetration of Sheetrock. The other thing to consider is legality of the situation; were you deliberately trying to kill someone with OO Buck or defend yourself. The after effects are more important unfortunately then the act it's self. You can bet dollars to doughnuts that some defense attorney or Hell, some prosecutor will try and spin you into a charge if your not careful. Just my two cents worth.

To Irish Marine's point: The first thing we were told in my pistol course was that if you shoot anyone, even defending your home, expect the legal costs to bankrupt you and to lose that home. Even if you win.

Best home defense weapon for me is the very loud sound of me racking my shotgun in the dead of the night. It's the universal language for "you can find your own way out."

I agree with whitphoto the sound of a shotgun being racked will deter most. Also as Irish Marine said 00 Buck means you intend to kill what you shoot at, plus it can go through your walls into the neighbors house if you live close enough. #6 shot at close range will stop a human and not destroy your walls at the same time. I read somewhere if you are loading a shotgun for home defense load 3 #6 shells to fire first, then go to 00 buck.

12 gauge blanks will kill at 25 yards. The Winchester 1897 shotgun with the barrel shroud and bayonet lug is much noisier than a regular pump shotgun when racked, and you can add a bayonet too. Lights, sirens and loud recorded calls for 'Fire' or 'Ambulance' & dogs barking don't need a licence.

You might have to settle for birdshot these days as OO has become very difficult to find in the US Covid universe.

We were taught to shoot till the threat is ended. My pistol is my first defense, & yes I do have something worth defending. Yes there will be legal consequences but castle defense still is recognized in my state.

I have watched at least a dozen people on YouTube discuss this question. It's a very interesting question since well-informed and experienced people have such good arguments for so many approaches. I'm going to change our current plan, but haven't made up my mind what to do yet. I'm in California, so the safest options will be ruled out immediately by state law. The only things I'm sure of are…

You should prepare for fire, learn first aid/CPR, lock up poisons, etc, first since those are much more likely to help you. Prepare for the more likely scenarios first.

Making the very, very best weapon choice is not as important as getting training and practice.

You want safety slugs or hollow points or birdshot so you don't hit the wrong people.

Shot placement is much more important than calibre. For any given big bullet there are a dozen stories of people who got hit more than once but kept shooting back. And there are plenty of stories of people disabled by a single .22.

Keep the lights off, you know where the furniture is, they don't. I'm wondering if motion sensors connected to spotlights aimed at entries might not be an inexpensive way to gain an advantage.

Better to hit with a .22 than miss with a .45.

Racking a shotgun may scare away a petty thief; but for someone who has intent to harm you, it just gives away your position.

I heard game load#7 #7 1/2 or #4 bird, can work in close quarters indoors with a 12 gauge.

I was on my way home from extra duty one morning when a friend called me and said his wife had just shot an intruder. He forced his way into the house and then kept advancing on her even after being told she had a gun. She shot him twice with a 9mm handgun. There were no legal ramifications. There have been mental ramifications because she, unlike her husband and I, was not prepared mentally for the experience of shooting someone. However she and her daughter are alive and that is what matters most.

As for the best weapon I think it varies based on a person's experience, training, and competence. My wife keeps a Makarov near the bed because she can spray numerous rounds downrange and will probably hit something. I keep my duty weapon nearby. If you have no training at all I'd suggest a shotgun.

If I had the choice of weapons at hand of course the bayonet on my Brown Bess would be the 1st selection.

Interesting perspectives…. (smile)

Amicalement
Armand

My American Bulldog followed by my .357

Racking a shotgun will not deter the bad guys. It doesn't happen. Bluffing is a poor way to win a fight.

My HD guns are also my service weapons which consist of a Glock 35 and a modified AR-15.

As Dn Jackson stated, whatever one decides to carry is personal preference but no matter the chosen firearm please train with it.

My weapon of choice would be my Glock 17 with hollow point home defense rounds.

Long barrels in close quarters can be a real liability inside dwellings and buildings.

You probably aren't moving or shouldn't be; establish a defensive position like behind the bed facing the door. Whatever is in the house can be replaced and if anyone enters your bedroom they won't be leaving.

Racking a shotgun will not deter the bad guys. It doesn't happen. Bluffing is a poor way to win a fight.

Who's bluffing. My 12 gauge is loaded. I might be hoping that the burglar will get scared and run (I've scared off three burglars in my lifetime just by bumping around in the dark trying to find the light switch), but I'm fully prepared to defend my family and face the consequences.

I've lived in really bad neighborhoods most of my life. My house and car have been broken into, friends houses, I've been mugged on the street and jumped, I've even had my house hit in a driveby. It's been my experience that most criminals simply want to steal some and get away. For those that are willing to stick around, I keep the 12 gauge loaded.

First, I live in a fairly nice neighborhood -- neither rich-looking enough to be attractive, nor so poor as to produce desperation. There isn't much crime here.

Second, I haven't made real enemies in my life. Most homicides are by people who know the victim. I don't think anyone we know wants us dead. So that cuts the odds down a lot.

Third, I don't talk about specific security measures, because that's a breach of security.

pump shotgun with bird shot. Then my grandfathers .45 he carried in North Africa and Italy.

If they make it upstairs and are between my kids rooms and mine. No gun. My k-bar and old e-tool will get the job done.
And yes I have been in a knife fight and been stabbed. Been shot. don't recommend either. The other bastards are dead. At that time I was not defending my family. I fear how I will react when some fool attacks my family.

Hope the adults get control of our respected countries and stop all this stupidity.

12 gauge pump with alternating slug and 00 buck rounds

Best home defense weapon for me is the very loud sound of me racking my shotgun in the dead of the night. It's the universal language for "you can find your own way out."

Yes, for most cases but not for a crackhead.

12 gauge pump with alternating slug and 00 buck rounds

That's what I used when I was a security guard.

My friend shot an intruder 3x with #8 birdshot from a 12ga pump with a 12.5" barrel from 10 feet away. The bad guy fell down after the first shot but ran off. He was shot in the back all three times. He's not sure if he bled to death or died from lead poisoning. At least he didn't have to dispose of the body or call the police.

My opinion is that for self-defense in a worst-case scenario you need something that will penetrate a vital to drop them right away. A bad guy shot 3x may bleed out in a few minutes and could still be dangerous during that time. That means controlled multiple shots. A pistol bullet will rarely "knock you down" but a .45cal head shot will.

Another variable is where to aim. Center mass is great but now any moron can have body armor that will stop a pistol round. The heart and head are about the same size target so a double-tap at the head could be your best bet. A headshot even with a .22 cal should be game over and self-defense ranges are normally less than 25 feet so accuracy should be no problem. A .22 pistol with a 12 round mag gives you 6x double taps with maximum control. Using a .22 will help keep the DA off your case, a .357 magnum loaded with man killers may not.

Years ago I used to carry a 9mm Browning. One night two guys with rebar approached me with the intent to illegally confiscate some of my personal property without my permission. They had followed me back to my car and I was aware of them and prepared. However, I just didn't have the heart to kill them. Fortunately, I was able to extract myself from the situation with one bad guy going to the ER and the other ran away. I've never carried after that. Normally that's a once in a lifetime experience and hopefully, I've had mine. I don't think they deserved to die and I hope the experience motivated them to find a new line of work.

Now my wife wants a pistol. I took her to the range with a Ruger LCP .380 with a laser sight. She did pretty well. It's not the perfect gun but the laser may be enough to scare a bad guy away. She can't handle a 9mm.

Some advice: Many people buy a handgun for self-defense and only shoot it at the range with ear protection. When they (woman?) need to use it to defend themselves (no ear protection) the loud noise that they've never heard before could freeze them. You need to practice in real conditions.

I also have a dog. I doubt if that would be a deterrent once someone is inside but it is a good alarm and she can be a meat shield too.

Personally, I like this guy:
YouTube link

Wolfhag

Whatever you use, it should be something that you have trained with, are very familiar with, and are competent with.

My personal training included always knowing what was behind the intended target, and that means I don't want to shoot something indoors that will easily penetrate a wall and end up elsewhere.

I have a shotgun with an 18.5" barrel (legal), pump action, with an extended magazine (holds 7). I don't want to rely on a semi-auto when my life is on the line. It is loaded with birdshot, because #OO can more easily penetrate walls, as can slugs. The spread at typical indoor ranges will still form a nice circle, and most of those pellets will end up on target.

I also have a sidearm readily available.

F*ck me!

I'm not going around to any of youse's house for:

Hello! can I borrow some sugar!
Hello! can I borrow your lawn-mower!
Hello! your window has been left open!
Hello! I took this parcel in for you!

Stoppage, get real they are all talking about the bad guy who is breaking in not knocking on the door or ringing the bell.

Most states still allow the castle defense, although individual prosecutors may still charge you even for a legal self defense. That is why I carry self defense insurance from USCCA, they will get a lawyer who specializes and pay the fees and bail if needed.

As several have said there is no magic bullet, train with what ever you plan to use. I am not telling you what I, my wife, adult children, and mother-in-law have available.

From my personal experience, your experience may differ. The more guns someone legally owns the less of a danger he is to society and the more common sense and safety procedures he'll follow.

The people you need to worry about are the ones who have one or two guns illegally, have no formal training, use them in an illegal occupation, and have no idea about firearms safety are the real offenders that give gun owners a bad name.

Any plans to confiscate guns from law-abiding citizens, no matter what type of firearm it is they own, will not have any impact on crime and murders. There are very few exceptions.

Wolfhag

.40 cal Glock w/laser sight, range visit every week 50-100 rounds, situational targets at 15-30 feet

+1 jarhead

Wolfhag

I live in a built-up area with a breathing gasses business next door. And in Australia.

Cast iron skillet for me. Now, do I choose the bull's-eye or the Chocotaco markings…