Home Defense - How much is TOO much...or NOT ENOUGH?

[West Texas]

In another thread someone asked about slugs for home defense, and that got me thinking, how much IS too much, or NOT ENOUGH, in a home defense situation.

"Home Defense" for the purpose of this question/thread meaning - taking on an unexpected home intruder with others in the house, such as burglary or home invasion.

Which weapon, what kind of ammo, and WHY?

I know, there are a LOT of variables, so let's not complicate this more than we need to.

 

[gladi8r]

Glock 19 for me its my carry gun and the one im most familiar with for ammo I use hornady critical defense. When Im not home my wife has the mossy 500 with 00buck in it no slugs, I have seen slugs go through walls and out of ceilings defeating 3 2x4s on the way out and still punch through the roof and out of the tiles, I live in a neighborhood and dont fell comfy with slugs going through walls. I prefer her to use the hk 45 usp with hornady tap in it, she is a great shot with a pistol she just doesnt have the confidence to back it up so she prefers the shotgun. I think a ar platform in a small one family home with children is a little to much. But it looks cool on camera.

 

[Texan2]

12 gauge with #4 buck would be my preference in a long gun....handguns could vary greatly

 

[Wolfwood]

in my apartment, i usually stick to 9mm carbine, with JHPs because i shoot it well, it is very accurate, and i'm going to hit almost guaranteed. that is incase of forced entry.
if i am answering the door, it is .38 spcl JHP becasue my 9mm pistol doesnt like JHPs, and while it doesnt malf alot with it, it has 3 times, and im not willing for the 4th to be when i need it.

when i move here ina few weeks, i will most liekly switch to the 12g with 00 buck, for forced entry and stick with a sidearm for answering the door.

 

[Wolfwood]

holy crap guys we where all typing at once!

 

[Texan2]

I think a ar platform in a small one family home with children is a little to much. But it looks cool on camera.

 

[txinvestigator]

Shotguns are effective with the right ammo. I would not use less than buck shot or slugs. However, shotguns can be unweildy. With a long gun and no sling your hands are tied up. For a hunker down and take care of business weapon inside residences I love them. IMO, a home defense shotgun needs a light and sling. The old wives tale that you don't have to aim is just that. I have 00 in the shotgun.

Rifles tend to offer more accuracy than a shotgun, but at in home distances I don't think that is an advantage. Rifles need the same consideration as shotguns, IMO regarding lights and slings. They also suffer the same disadvantages. I have Hornady Tap 75 Gr in the AR, and Corbon hollow points in the M1 Carbine.

Pistol caliber Carbines have the same disadvantages as other long guns, and none of the benefits.

Handguns are easier to move about in enclosed spaces with, but offer less performance than a long gun. I think handguns lights for the home are important also.

Interesting penetration results can be found at The Box O' Truth - Ammo Penetration Testing

I have a Kimber Warrier with a surefire light in a quick access gun vault loaded with Golden Sabre 230. It is my immediate grab weapon at night. If I have time, and depending on the circumstances, the AR is within access.

Interesting thread

 

[dobarker]

Claymores, trip flares, iron clad window shutters, 8 locks on the door, a trap door right after the door, followed by the home defender wielding a M60E4 with a mounted 37mm grenade launcher loaded with personal defense flechette rounds may be a bit overkill, but will work.

However, defending your home with a rubber band gun will be too little. Dennis the Menace could raise hell with his sling shot.

All the variables definately come into play. Some people will be paranoid and lean towards too much, some think the world is Obama, flowers and rainbows and will likely not even have a sling shot. There really isn't a stopping point to too much, just a financial problem in trying to get there.

I personally would never use slugs for home defense because there is the fear of over penetration from meat to drywall. And box of truth or not, can you honestly say that a #4 shot load will travel through a invader and have the power to bust through more than one layer of drywall? When a pig is put in front of 7 layers of drywall and the shot still goes through, i'll believe it. I'm not trying to get anyones goat here, i'm just skeptical of the validity of a controlled experiment with 0 variables and an assumption that you will miss your target completely.

 

[West Texas]

Claymores, trip flares, iron clad window shutters, 8 locks on the door, a trap door right after the door, followed by the home defender wielding a M60E4 with a mounted 37mm grenade launcher loaded with personal defense flechette rounds may be a bit overkill, but will work.

However, defending your home with a rubber band gun will be too little. Dennis the Menace could raise hell with his sling shot.

All the variables definately come into play. Some people will be paranoid and lean towards too much, some think the world if Obama, flowers and rainbows and will likely not even have a sling shot. There really isn't a stopping point to too much, just a financial problem in trying to get there.

I personally would never use slugs for home defense because there is the fear of over penetration from meat to drywall. And box of truth or not, can you honestly say that a #4 shot load will travel through a invader and have the power to bust through more than one layer of drywall? When a pig is put in front of 7 layers of drywall and the shot still goes through, i'll believe it.

ROFLMAO!

Great points so far...interesting post guys!

 

[TexasRedneck]

#4 in the shotty, Glasers in the .45, JHP in the .357, JHP in the AR an' a whole collection in the others - oh, an' FMJ in the Uzi...ah LIKE variety!

 

[gladi8r]

Note to self Do not going into Texasrednecks house with out permission.

 

[txinvestigator]

I personally would never use slugs for home defense because there is the fear of over penetration from meat to drywall. And box of truth or not, can you honestly say that a #4 shot load will travel through a invader and have the power to bust through more than one layer of drywall? When a pig is put in front of 7 layers of drywall and the shot still goes through, i'll believe it. I'm not trying to get anyones goat here, i'm just skeptical of the validity of a controlled experiment with 0 variables and an assumption that you will miss your target completely.

Pistol ammo and rifle ammo also penetrate. Just a point.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Note to self Do not going into Texasrednecks house with out permission.

Oh - an' iffen ya REALLY wanna play, ah've got this....

View attachment 4281

yeah, ah finally did it....<G>

 

[Texas42]

#4 in the shotty, Glasers in the .45, JHP in the .357, JHP in the AR an' a whole collection in the others - oh, an' FMJ in the Uzi...ah LIKE variety!

I love diversity

 

[TexasRedneck]

I love diversity

Me, too! Thing is, there's never a "perfect" scenario you can load for - too many variables. So I try to have options at hand, just in case. If all else fails, I'll jest toss whatever's at hand an' hope it'll do the job!

 

[West Texas]

in answer to my own question...

The "grab and go" gun is a Taurus PT845... .45 cal, 12 rounds equiped with a laserlite. 3 extra mags in the drawer beside the bed, the one in the pistol is loaded with 185gr Golden Saber JHP, the extra mags are laded with 1-185gr Golden Sabre JHP, 2 - 230gr JHP Hornaday. The reason, it's the handgun I am most proficiant with at the moment, it falls in to my hand nicely, and burbs just right when needed.

If it is a night time home invasion or burglery, the BG has to come through a doorway backed by a short hall with a night light that can't be disabled, so I can see them very nicely but they can't see me, and since the bedroom door is locked at night, I will know not only that they are coming in, but how they will be going out...ventilated and feet first

 

[navyguy]

We had a long thread on lights on weapons with some saying they were good, others saying they were not so good and I'm not intending to resurrect that but, my go to nightstand weapon is a HK P2000 .40 with a TLR-1 light. I've dry run clearing the house numerous times and it seems to work well, pulsed on when needed. I've also go a 870 and an 18"smooth bore slug barrel, and I've been thinking of getting a tactical stock, but haven't gotten around to it.

Is there such a thing as too much... maybe, but better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it.

 

[fnmedallion]

4"1911 w/glazers +870 tactical 18 1/4"w/#4 turkey loads

 

[jtriron]

about the same here / 00 buck + slugs in the Mossy 500, and Rem 1100, 230gr 45 jhp's in the STI, A 30 + 40 mag combo in the AK47 / 180 jhp's in the 40 Para and the Glock 31, The Dan Wesson 357 is loaded as well.
I am worried that I will not make the over kill list !!

 

[Waterguy]

Sometimes its not your choice of weapons, but how fast you can get to it.




I thought I might better edit this post befor it gets out of hand.. This is not me. I thought it fit this thread.

I have two pistols I use. Both are easy to get at if I need to. I hope I never "need" to.


Travis