Poll on shotgun vs. handgun for home defense ?

[KurtM]

Yes it is a much more difficult shot, to that I will attest. Now, if you can do that let's say 8 out of 10 times being roused from a deep sleep, or jumping up from the couch startled by a loud noise, or the appearance of an intruder I'd say that's fantastic, but if it was a once in a lifetime shot, point shooting might be too.
I do know a bit about "combat" shotgunning and have been known to teach domestically and internationally on the subject

 

[bushmaster06]

Alternatively if anything gets past 5 rounds of 7.62x54 there is always the option of bayonet charge.

View attachment 389829

сука блять!

 

[bushmaster06]

This thread makes me remember my desire for some claymores...because reasons.

 

[Valhallajack]

It depends on what one is comfortable with. 12ga is very hard to beat and what most cops will use given the chance over a pistol. Almost all cars have a shotgun standard. 27 balls of 00 buck would be like 7 to 9 9mm rounds all fired from a single pull of the trigger.

 

[Larry In OKC]

What would you use to defend against dogs?

I can't say that I've ever heard of anybody bringing their pooch to a home invasion, but I'd bet that scores of them have left with one, at least one with their jaws/teeth clamped to their ass.

 

[bullseyeblack]

It may have been said but, I recommend a shot gun for home defense 99 percent of the time. Most people looking for home defense guns have not put in the amount of time training needed to defeat the human flight or fight respons a would not hit the broad side of a barn with a handgun.
That being said for me a wilson 1911 with 11 rounds of 45 and a light will get me to my wilson 12ga. If needed.

 

[Chuckie]

If for hundreds of years people have not had any trouble hitting thing by pointing then why do you waist money on optics and sight for hunting rifles? Or even for pistols?? Them sights is worthless I tell ya!
Now as your shooting at that 50mph bird....(Is that an African or European swallow??) You have a 21-35" pattern depending on distance. You are relying on cheek weld and having the shotgun shouldered properly. In essence your eye is the rear sight. Olympic shotgunners usually have their shotguns fit to them so their eye is in the same place each time they shoulder the gun, and wouldn't a mid rib bead be a rudimentary rear sight of sorts??? Hmmm!!
Now we are talking about shot patterns that are much smaller either due to distance or shot selection, maybe even a slug. Would a rear index be a good idea? How many of those birds did you shoot from the hip? How many by pointing the gun but without your head down on the stock? How many olympians do those things in competition?

The defensive and offensive use of shotguns is night and day in comparison to bird and clay shooting. A wounded and running pheasant isn't much of a worry, a wounded and mad advisory can be a very big worry. The plan of just pointing or hip shooting old Betsy down the hall can produce the latter.

" . . . a wounded and mad advisory can be a very big worry. The plan of just pointing or hip shooting old Betsy down the hall can produce the latter."

That can be very true, but I would bet that pointing [and shooting] 'ole Betsy' at "an already wounded and mad advisory" running down a 20 foot hallway isn't going to go well for that 'attacker' regardless whether it's from the shoulder or (for a faster shot) from the hip, considering the narrow width of the typical hallway.

Going back to the very first paragraph I said in my very first comment on this thread (#28):
"Granted that they are considered by many to be a 'nich' firearm (just like a derringer or Punt gun) that may not be suitable for THEIR particular situation, however, others find that these type of firearms fit well in the roll that they were intended for - a close quarters, one-shot-one-kill, fire-from-the-hip, inexpensive, light weight, short-barrelled, and a short overall length non-NFA firearm.
With a definite 'pucker-factor' for anyone facing the business end."

Simply put for all those that absolutely have nothing better to do than pick apart every word I say - when it comes to choice of home-defense solutions, y'all do what works best for you in your particular situations and I'll do what works best for me, in mine

 

[JD8]

Should I embarrass said intruder and break out the Hi Point carbine?

 

[C_Hallbert]

I prefer a handgun with an unattached flashlight for possible close quarter encounters. However, for self defense in a home, I also recommend at least one German Shepherd running free on the property during waking hours and in the home at night…..Also, one should be proficient and confident with one’s handgun. Weapons should be stored securely yet easily accessible. “An Unloaded Gun Is No Better Than A Stone”

 

[SBSATS]

Marksmanship is the key to any defensive situation. Generally don't worry so much about outside my house, if I'm inside. And there's nothing I have outside that would be worth the taking of a life, or jeopardizing mine. So I pretty much defend the inside.
I have never seen a room in any house so large that most any firearm or ammo would not be effective enough to stop or turn back an intruder who wasn't crazed up on some kind of drug.
I prefer a 410 shotgun, loaded with 1/2 oz of #4s. At 12 feet, (the average length of most rooms), it will make a nasty mind changer for the intruder, but won't harm the child sleeping on the other side of the wall.
Years ago I had a setup in my hall closet with a bullet stop capable of stopping a 180gr, 30 cal loaded up to max from a 30-06.
I was shooting 148gr, 38 Spl wadcutters loaded at around 500fps.
My little brother came wanting a box of shotshells for hunting, and had his wife and sister in law with him.
I laid the pistol on the table next to my chair, and went to the back of the house to get the shells. While gone, his sister in law went to playing with my pistol and fired a round at the target in front of the bullet-stop...but missed putting a bullet hole in the wall in the back of the closet.
I won't go into my reaction and fast they left, but the next morning I followed the bullets trail, and found where it had stopped. It had the siding on the outside of the house buldged out. 3 layers of sheet rock, 2 inches of insulation, piece of tar paper, the 1x6 siding board and buldging the old asbestos siding shingle. This was a minimum load wadcutter... what would a 357 mag, 158gr loaded to the max full metal jacket have done??? Shot the next door neighbors child sleeping on the other side of their house???
A long story, I agree. But one I have told many, many times as the lessons I learned that night, not only about the penatration abilities of a bullet, but of gun safety and who is around to have access. Yes, I should have simply taken the gun with me for safety. But had I done so I probably would never have done my research on the penatration, and effects of different types of projectiles. Which to me should be the most important part of the decision of what self defense weapon and ammo you want to use in any scenario.
Today as a trained armed security officer I consider...
what will stop the assailant or intruder from doing harm, but not harm anyone behind or around them and do minimal damage to anything that's not your target.
Marksmanship is the most important factor. I won't need a 50 cal with a 100 round magazine or any one of the many fully auto shotguns , should I deem it necessary to defend myself.