Home defense caliber?

[idleprocess]

Honestly, after spending countless hours reading every ballistics test I could find, including tests from the FBI and other reputable sources, I've come to the conclusion that the ballistics of pretty much any "regular" pistol cartridge are anemic at best. They can work just fine in some cases but, I think they are anemic from the point of view that the percentage difference in ballistic capability between various pistol calibers with modern self defense ammo is a relatively small percentage difference when compared to even a lower end rifle cartridge.

This is often overlooked in the great caliber debate.

People have been shot full of hot .40 S&W rounds in the vitals and survived while others have taken a single .25ACP round to a not-so-vital spot and died in relatively short order.

At the end of the day, ordinary pistol rounds posses marginal kinetic energy for wounding, nevermind the mythical "one shot stop" that some would have you think that their favorite round does 110% of the time.

More kinetic energy roughly correlates to more wounding potential, but the trick is for all that energy to translate into effective tissue damage rather than a clean cylindrical hole (or a miss because extra-hot 10mm turned out to be uncontrollable in a stress situation).

Pick a cartridge you like, that you can afford to shoot regularly, that is still controllable offhand/weak hand, and that works for you.

 

[CanTex]

For home use I would look at what makes up your home, Kids, proximity to other homes etc. Not smart to use something that will pass through your entire home ifn you have infants sleeping in adjoining rooms. Better to pepper perp with pellets.

Prefer 20/12 ga off the top as I can easily fix the drywall pockmark outline of the unfortunate fool who dared enter, however fewer bigger holes leave less blood on my carpets than lots of littler holes. Should it be in tighter quarters, small rooms etc I would go with revolver. Figure 5 shots in rapid succession, regardless of cal would be sufficient to send them either out or down, giving me opportunity to pick up something more powerfull and know I would now have the room in which to use it.

Other opinions are welcome but wrong.

Now, all was said tounge in cheek and asking for discussion. Only truth is any gun is better than a club, any club is better than a knife and any knife is better than your fist and any fist is better than fingers dialing for help. Because though it is good to know that help is only minutes away from your home, an intruder in your home is only seconds away from you.

 

[Big country]

the 9mm would be a good choice as far as controlabilaty and ballistics are almos the same as a 40 but the 357 sig is a bad choice it is way to hot a calliber for close work, the reason DPS swiched to the 357sig was because it go's threw cars betterthan the rest

 

[40Arpent]

..but the execution is the downfall...

That's a bit hypocritical considering your poor grammar (i.e., purposeful lack of proper capitalization), which I find nearly as deplorable. Not to mention that run-on sentence.

Not trying to be a dick or anything...

 

[40Arpent]

your rite ill juzt kepp 2 myzelf

 

[SIG_Fiend]

Another thing I would recommend is ALWAYS having a handgun for home defense at the minimum. Having a shotgun or rifle is great but, what if you get injured? What if you're clearing your house in the middle of the night, come around a corner, and the bad guy cuts and disables one of your hands. I mean just consider if one of your hands somehow gets injured. That would make a rifle or shotgun pretty much impossible to use, unless you are Arnold or Sly and are so manly you can fire an M60 accurately with one hand unlike the rest of us. Seriously though. With a handgun, mounted handgun light, possibly some Crimson Trace lasergrips, maybe some night sights, if you absolutely have to you can have everything accessible to get the job done using just one hand.

Sounds like some of you done been learnt all good like. lol j/k

 

[DirtyD]

The simplest answer to the caliber question... Can I shoot you with my _____? ( I own several different calibers, other than my .22 nothing is smaller than 9mm)

 

[Big country]

You are right my spelling sucks and is not helped at all by my lack of skill useing a key board, so no offence talken.

 

[txpolecat]

I've seen a very compelling argument that rifles are the best home defense weapon.

I'd like to hear that argument.

Perhaps if your walls are all concrete cinderblock..... Otherwise, think of what the bullet will do once it goes through multiple internal/external walls!

Perhaps you meant a carbine with a handgun load?

I suggest you look at the testing done at the Box O' Truth site in regards to high-powered-rifle rounds through drywall and other materials.

The Box O' Truth - The Box O' Truth

 

[Dog]

Sig-Fiend gave excellent advice and a good link. IMHO
I think a 12 gauge pump would be the first choice for all of us. Having said that, it must also be pointed out that a shoulder mounted weapon is more susceptible to being grabbed or knocked away in close quarters. If awake and aware, to investigate the theoretical bump in the night, I choose the pump first with a handgun in the waistband. Bedside involves a handgun. I suspect the drill where the weak hand pushes the attacker away, while strong hand brings a handgun to bear, would be one that is more practical than I would like to think. For myself a good working dog is hard to beat for security at home. The furry friends see and hear better than I do.

 

[Texas1911]

Having a shotgun or rifle is great but, what if you get injured? What if you're clearing your house in the middle of the night, come around a corner, and the bad guy cuts and disables one of your hands.

If he is that close with a knife you are well screwed with a long-gun, and possibly even with a handgun. Not only does he have the jump on you, but you are going to get cut / stabbed repeatedly. Besides unless every tendon is cut off you are going to be able to manipulate your arm / hand. Sure it might hurt, but in that situation I doubt most people are going to care much.

There is no real answer to this question. Everything you shoot will penetrate walls, including heavy shot from a shotgun, and as such it's a compromise. Bird shot is not effective in my opinion as the small wounds will contract closed; removal of two 5mm diameter drain tubes yielded little in the way of bleeding. The ideology is to bleed them out, or hit the nervous system.

I'm with everyone else... simply find a normal caliber that you feel comfortable with and train with it. I suggest 9mm or larger personally. I'm not sold on a rifle for a populated suburban defense weapon. In fact, someone was killed in San Marcos, TX when someone cleaning their AR15 ND'd. The shot went through several walls and their headboard, where their neighbor was sleeping, and the round had enough mass and inertia to continue through their skull. The Box of Truth showed a standard NATO round penetrating 12 pieces of pine board, even striking the final boards fully yawed. The only "test" I have seen showing the retention of the round was an FBI test, which I personally find to be a bit self-serving against litigation. If you live in the country, then your options open up.

 

[Big country]

I just wnet and checked the box o truth web site and talked with some police officers and would like to retract my previous advice about shotgun's loaded with bird shot DON'T USE BIRD SHOT FOR DEFENCE use buck shot or something! Don't take my word for it as we all know you should research everything for your self. I still stand firm behind my .40 with hydra shock's or TAP, but that is just what I prefer.

 

[onac255]

I agree with Alan.

Pain is not that much of an issue. If your life is in danger there are many things that won't faze you.

I know pain can be tolerated because I broke my right ankle and tore all the ligaments in my left one at the same time. (dirt bike accident)

I did not think they were broken because I held my legs up one at a time and move my ankle.(Yes they hurt bad but I could still move them)

So I got up walked(Horrible Pain) to my dirtbike picked it up and kick started it(Most excruciating pain I have ever felt) rode it back to my truck and loaded it into the back of the bed, drove home unloaded it.

I finally figured out something was really wrong when my feet and ankles were so swollen I could not get my boots off.

Then when I got them off my right ankle was black/purple and so I got X rays and only my right ankle showed up as broken. My left hurt way more though

The Dr. did an ultrasound on my left ankle and then realized my ligaments were almost torn all the way through and said I was lucky they were still barely attached because I would have had to have gotten surgery performed and spent six months in a wheel chair if they had been torn all the way through.

 

[bikerbill]

My nightstand gun is a Springer 1911 ... .45 is a great caliber and it makes a big hole ... I'd have to say I wouldn't use anything smaller than a 9mm, but .45 is it for me ...

 

[deadeye1964]

12 gauge shotgun for home defense, .45 carry weapon. I do not think the BG would want to get shot with any of them but I carry a .45 for stopping power and I do not worry about a through and through. The ammo you choose is just as important. I like Federal HST, Speer Gold Dot or Hornady, all of them in Hollowpoint, of course.

 

[DRod]

I have my USP administratively loaded with Golden Sabers on the nightstand, with another magazine next to it.
I live alone in my apartment and I never entertain company there so I feel safe leaving it out.
I'd have some heavier JHPs if I could find any.
Putting it that way makes me sound a little paranoid, meh.

 

[Texas1911]

I'd have some heavier JHPs if I could find any.

Gold Dots are offered in 230 gr.

 

[DRod]

Gold Dots are offered in 230 gr.

What I meant to say was, if I could find any. lol.

 

[SIG_Fiend]

Here's some good data/advice for shotguns and self defense loads:

Shotgun Home Defense Ammunition, .357 SIG -- A Solution in Search of a Problem?


Also, as far as self defense goes, I highly recommend people check this site out:

FirearmsTactical.com - Web Site Index and Navigation Center

It is the single greatest resource I have found for ballistics, caliber recommendations aimed towards self defense, and a great deal of other topics in relation to self defense. There are a bunch of ballistic tests there as well in a variety of different calibers and manufacturers.

This one here is a great read if you want to gain more of an understanding in overall ballistic wounding principles:

http://www.firearmstactical.com/pdf/fbi-hwfe.pdf

Keep in mind, some of this material is dated, so some things may have evolved or changed. It's all great to read regardless as it goes a good deal towards doing away with some of the urban myths out there.

 

[Big country]

As far as feeling pain when in danger,when I was 18 I rode bull's. I ran (and I mean full sprint) 30 feet and climbed a fence with a broken ankle, did not feel any pain at all untill I was on the safe side of the fence. I have seen guy's do the same with broken legs, ribs and even a guy that passed out behind the chutes from a sevear head injury once, I could see someone puting up a hell of a fight even after be severely wounded with a knife or a fire arm.