...and raises cogent issues regarding his choices.
Some riffing of my own on the topic:
1) Shotgun spread at in-home ranges is not enough to endanger the Rembrandt over the fireplace. Similarly, it is also not enough to overcome sloppy marksmanship.
2) The "shotgun racking" warning is the same as the "safety snicking" or "SureFire lighting" warning: In other words, it's not a warning, but a preparation for firing. If your preparations to fire incidentally cause the enemy to flee, wave 'bye and smile, 'cause you won.
3) Be careful about overgeneralizing the "don't use an expensive gun" caveat: A used Glock may be irreplaceable to a young householder. If I lose a kilobuck-plus 1911, no mas, I have more. They're all cheap relative to a good guy's life.
Myself, architecture and the fact that I'm single has dictated my strategy and choice of guns; I'm gonna fort up in my bedroom on one end of the house with the SureFire-equipped carbine and wait for the cavalry to arrive. If my house was laid out differently, or located elsewhere, or if I had a family, those would no doubt influence my choices.
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11 comments:
Good point on the single v. family thing. If I were single, I'd likely hole up in the master bedroom with a gun pointed at the door while calling the coppers. Now, however, with the family, my first concern is traversing the distance of the house to get to my little girl.
And I'm not the most savvy with shotguns (don't even own one) so i'll take your word on their spread.
-SayUncle
http://portascat.blogspot.com/2006/02/home-defense-firearm.html
http://portascat.blogspot.com/2006/02/home-defense-firearm-part-ii.html
From 30 feet, a Winny Defender with #4 buck will hold a center mass pattern with no "overspray".
An 18" Mossberg 500 by the bed, 5 rounds 00 Buck, none in chamber, six more rounds in the sidesaddle.
The plan is the same as yours... hang out until help arrives. It's just the wife and I, and like you said, it'd be different if there were kids in the other bedrooms.
But for a single person or a couple, you can't beat a $200 home gun, even if they don't own anything else. I've often thought that a replica of my setup, with 50 rounds to practice and a certificate for a range session, would make a great housewarming gift. Too bad it doesn't fit social conventions. :)
Mossberg 500, Springfield 45; pretty well covers all the bases. I tend to be traditional in my firearms...
I keep #4 buck in mine. Lots more penetration than birdshot, lots less than 00. It's a compromise I'm comfortable with.
#4 buckshot in a Mossberg home defender for me too. I've got kids in the house, so wall penetration is a real concern. No way I would let off with a rifle or handgun inside the house at a baddie unless I knew the wife and kids weren't home or they were right beside me.
I just feel safer with a shotgun anyway, it's got plenty of knockdown power close up and is the safest to use IMHO.
No offense to SayUncle, but you should never pick a handgun to defend yourself when you can carry a larger gun.
Carbine or shotgun all the way, baby.
The 870 I used prior to switching to an M4gery was kept loaded with #4 buck, too, mostly because I liked the pattern density at across-the-room ranges rather than for any overpenetration concerns.
'Carbine or shotgun all the way, baby.'
Then how do you plan to carry your actual baby?
-SayUncle
Good point, and I agree - handguns are better if you have to use an arm to carry your kid. I live alone, so it's not an issue for me. I use either an AR carbine or an 870 - the carbine is light enough to shoot one-handed if need be, especially if I have enough time to sling up.
while i agree with most on the shotgun idea i think they are hard to lock up by your bed(both for safety with kids and anyone that might get into that room when i am not home) so i locked a small safe and a .38 next to my bed. if 5 shots, plus a reload is not enough i probably should not engage anyway...
Look at the angle while firing on a knee. that will help me feel better on over-penetration. no mstter what the round it would help, and you are not in a standing position to allow more of a target to your aggressor
most important train the way you want to procect yourself.
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