Which Would You Choose for a Home Defense Long Gun?

[Baltimoreed]

While a long gun would be appropriate to have with your family if you are barricaded in your safe room I don’t see any advantage of 16-20 inches of bbl [with a light on the bbl] if you decide to investigate something suspicious in the middle of the night. Unless you have mirrors all over your house to see around all the blind corners most homes have your long bbl is a liability. I’d rather have a 4-5 inch bbl handgun held close with a tactical light in my weak hand. If the sound turns into my 20 year old grandson I’ve not swept him with a loaded gun in an adrenaline fueled state. My handgun can always be extended with support from my weak hand for a more accurate shot. I personally like the Harries method. Just my .02.

[c0wb0y84]

And yeah, I like a 12 gauge but hey, a one hand snub nose double action no-think-'em* of some sort (stainless because pillows can cause rust) is almost as good as melatonin. Seems to me that .41 is the Goldilocks zone.


*Duh, did I rack one into the chamber? And where'd that safety go?

On a good day with low stress most of the people I’ve trained on the range are only good to about 5 yds firing strong or weak hand unsupported. Add in a real life adrenaline dump and that would decrease their accuracy. I realize that the people on this forum are most likely much better shooters than what I’m dealing with but still LEOs that carry weapons on the daily. Although I also know that just bc one carries a gun every day doesn’t mean they’re what I would consider proficient with it.

Also to clarify my earlier post, I was advocating short barreled shotguns and rifles. Not full length as that would be very cumbersome in close quarters as others have mentioned. I also wouldn’t try to persuade someone from changing something that they already know works for them. You can’t argue against proven results regardless of what theory or textbooks say.

Lastly if someone is at the level of not knowing whether a round is in the chamber or how to manipulate the safety by muscle memory then they need to buy a lot more training ammo or invest in a quality Louisville slugger instead.

[Texas by God]

If a shotgun is all you have then you're just one weapon away from a panic attack like Evil Roy Slade suffered in the psychiatrist's office.


And yeah, I like a 12 gauge but hey, a one hand snub nose double action no-think-'em* of some sort (stainless because pillows can cause rust) is almost as good as melatonin. Seems to me that .41 is the Goldilocks zone.


*Duh, did I rack one into the chamber? And where'd that safety go?

Evil Roy Slade! John Aston and Dom Deluise! That bit was hilarious- he had so many weapons on him.

[Baltimoreed]

When I first got married my dad, who lived wiith us, would travel and leave my new wife home alone with our infant son. No problem when I was on days or 4-12 but she was very anxious when I was on 12-8s so I bought her a baseball bat. It lived in the corner next to the bed for 20-30 years, never needed it but it gave her peace of mind. I tried to make her into a shooter and she tried, even shot a couple of cas shoots, but she wasn’t a gun person. But she loved the Baltimore Orioles and wouldn’t have minded swinging that bat.

[BFJ]

12 ga. shotgun for me.

[dolfinwriter]

This is very valid and often overlooked. If your home defense plan includes a 12 ga then you should find someway to experience the sound and shockwave of one going off in a narrow hallway or bedroom. It’s not the same as firing one in an indoor gun range.

I don't know if this is a good facsimile, but I once shot at a range in Denver while on travel working in Co. Springs for a couple of weeks. The ceiling and walls were really close and even though just a 9mm because we were breaking in a coworker who never used a handgun before, every report basically reverberated in my head. I was actually glad to leave there after shooting a couple boxes of ammo. Maybe that would get somebody the idea anyway.

[GBertolet]

I have yet to see anyone here recommend a 12ga semi auto. Many folks tend to short stroke a pump while under duress, especially the less experienced gun handlers. A semi auto eliminates this possibility. Maybe you won't short stroke a pump, but maybe a family member might, at the worst possible moment.

Just throwing this possibility out there for thought.

[dolfinwriter]

The post has punctuation for sentences. It’s just not broken into paragraphs. The wall of text is a turn off.

Yes, a little white space once in a while does wonders. Kinda like coming up for air...

[stubshaft]

Pistol gripped short barrel 12 gauge pump like the model 870 sitting next to me.

[Drew P]

Moss berg 12ga and various pistols. Flashlight on the shotty and one pistol

[samari46]

I bought two rem 870 pump riot guns at a local gun show few years back. One cost $190 and the other was $220. Covered in rust. Was but the work of a few hours and some motor oil and 4/0 steel wool to remove all the rust. Best part there was no pitting. Only had to work on one to get it up to speed. Some fool shot it with not having the mag tube cap not fully snugged down. So where the back end of the barrel extension touches the receiver it raised a big burr. Filed and stoned down that burr and lightly polished it with my dremel tool. Said so in Jerry Knuhausens book on the 879 shotguns. Best part is that both came with mag extensions. One has a 18" barrel and the other is a 20" barrel. #4 buckshot shoots great in both shotguns. Took both out to the range and asked the R/O where it would be best for me to check the operation. I just wanted to check the operation and make sure they would go bang. He stuck me on one of the target frames way at the end. Both guns performed perfectly and put about 40 rounds through each gun. Since the recoil pads had ossified from rubber to hard as a rock I pulled the old pads and installed two limb saver slip om pads. What a difference, actual felt recoil reduced dramatically. Redid the stock on one and have to check my stash of 870 riot gun wood and pick out the best for the other one. You just don't slap on a different forend on a pump shotgun. Too much to one side and you'll either scar the receiver and crack the wood. Install the new one leaving the mag tube lock ring loose so you can rotate it left or right and get it well centered before you snug down on the nut. Frank

[okietwolf]

Home defense here starts with 100 pound Great Pyrenees female and a 140 pound South African Boerboel (Mastiff). So, the shotgun option is low here. Don't want a bigger risk of hitting puppers. So I do have a Marlin cowboy 45 Colt, 300 grain lead semi wad cutters over HP38, with an unfortunate light attached, on a quick mount to slip off to weak hand, followed up with a Smith mountain gun in Colt also. If I have to get to the single action Dragoon.....it has 45 Colt hunting loads in it. 300 grain xtp hollows with 16.5 grains of Lilgun.

[derek45]

choose the one you have the most experience, confidence, and muscle memory with

[Pete44mag]

I like my 12 gauge 3" magnum 870 loaded with #4 buckshot. My 90 pound Chesapeake Bay Retriever will slow them down long enough to get a good bead on them.

[W.R.Buchanan]

If you haven't noticed by now it would appear that the majority of guys here prefer the 12 ga Shotgun. So do I!!! and my 5 shotgun classes at Front Sight made me very confident using it.

You need a light on it so you can see what you are shooting at. 00 Buck is the load of choice. I prefer Rifle Sights on my guns as they get used beyond home defense distances and I want to be able to place a slug accurately, like in the rear window of the car that is speeding away after a Home Invasion.

Home Invasion is serious business and thinking they are there for fun is not conducive to Optimum Survival. Dealing with it you want the maximum amount of power you can "Accurately" apply to the subject. Just like shooting a Game Animal 1 shot is the best way to dispatch it. This is why a pistol is not the best Idea, most people can't shoot a pistol well enough under no stress to be effective,,, let alone in a full blown Incident. I shoot a pistol pretty well but in a hostage situation I'd much rather have my shotgun. My Shotguns all have Vang Comped barrels and they put 00 buck into <7" at 25 yards, at <10 yards it is about 1.5"

And I would highly recommend that you have all your doubts about Killing someone settled long before you need it, because when it happens you won't have time to ponder the meaning of life. You will only have time to Act.

Your "willingness" to act decisively and without hesitation is what will save you and yours.

Here's mine

Randy

[Ozark mike]

Shotgun but mine has to be a sxs not pump

[fecmech]

I have yet to see anyone here recommend a 12ga semi auto. Many folks tend to short stroke a pump while under duress, especially the less experienced gun handlers. A semi auto eliminates this possibility. Maybe you won't short stroke a pump, but maybe a family member might, at the worst possible moment.

I agree. I have watched many shooters come to shoot sporting clays with pumps either forget to pump for a second shot or short stroke the gun. That is only with the pressure of a second target, not after a home invasion adrenaline dump! If you have a pump you had better practice with it.

[kaiser]

I agree with those that say to use the weapon you are confident in, competent using, and mentally prepared to pull the trigger on. If you're worried bout the damage to the inside of your home over the damage the "perp", or perps are going to inflict on you or your loved ones - get on your cell phone and call 911 and wait for your law enforcement to come to your rescue (sarc). You are responsible for your safety! the "mess" you will have to deal with after you have fired your weapon at an assailant, and the cost of the lawyer fees you will pay will make the destruction of a door or wall seem inconsequential.

Buy and use what you can handle, not necessarily what is recommended by people who live daily with weapons; and practice as if your life depends on it. Furnishings can be repaired or replaced, your body has a limited warranty when it comes to survival of an event by a criminal with intent to harm you or yours.

I personally chose the shotgun for its deadly "looking" defense, big bore barrel (20ga or larger), resulting sound when fired, and because it is a firearm more feared by most "hoodlums" than a pistol or rifle waved around in their face. They also know what is associated with the sound of a "slide action" being worked, if that is your choice. Most civilian fire fights are short events, according to Law Enforcement "stats". You and your dwelling is picked as a "target" because they think the occupants are vulnerable or easy prey. Once they hear or see gunfire by an occupant who is intent on surviving, they usually seek other targets or another occupation that is of less risk. My .02. BTW, I always have a pistol near by, but that is just to insure I can get to my primary weapon of choice!

[poppy42]

HOLY_RUN_ON_SENTENCE!!! Sorry, didn't tread it, couldn't.

Your loss

[shdwlkr]

Just curious how many of you have a shotgun or any firearm within reach 24/7/365 and when you are taking a shower or cooking as examples do you do so with a firearm at hand?