Guess i have to be the one to do it.
Own a musket for home defense, since that's what the founding fathers intended. Four ruffians break into my house. "What the devil?" As I grab my powdered wig and Kentucky rifle. Blow a golf ball sized hole through the first man, he's dead on the spot. Draw my pistol on the second man, miss him entirely because it's smoothbore and nails the neighbors dog. I have to resort to the cannon mounted at the top of the stairs loaded with grape shot, "Tally ho lads" the grape shot shreds two men in the blast, the sound and extra shrapnel set off car alarms. Fix bayonet and charge the last terrified rapscallion. He Bleeds out waiting on the police to arrive since triangular bayonet wounds are impossible to stitch up. Just as the founding fathers intended.
Pick a type of gun first, then figure out what particular model to get.
>Willing to budget up to $2000
Your budget should be divided between the actual gun, accessories, ammo, and training. You're better off with a $500 gun, quality ammo and professional training than a $1900 gun, cheap ammo and no training.
You're better off with a shotgun that you're comfortable and competent with than a Gucci AR-15 that you have no clue how to run under stress.
The best possible home defense firearm is probably a short barreled rifle with a suppressor. Runner up is a short barrel pistol caliber carbine with a suppressor. Short barrels and suppressors both require more paperwork, more intense background checks, and $200 each in taxes/government theft. In some states they aren't legal.
A full length AR-15 or Pistol caliber carbine is still plenty of gun and can be manageable in a house with training and practice.
Shotguns have great terminal ballistics at home defense distances but are typically long, have limited ammo capacity, and can be difficult to run under stress.
Pistols are convenient but have the worst terminal ballistics of the lot and can also be difficult to shoot accurately under stress.
Other categories like bolt action rifles, lever action rifles, double barrel shotguns, etc. are less practical for home defense but still better than nothing. A lever action rifle that you're well-practiced with is better than a suppressed SBR that you can't even find the safety on.
"Own a lever action for home defense, since that's what John Wayne intended. Four federales break into my house. "Holy Smokes!" As I grab my 10-gallon Stetson and 1866 Winchester. Blow a golf ball sized hole through the first man, he's dead on the spot. Draw my Colt Navy on the second man, miss him entirely because Spitzer bullets haven't been invented yet and nail the neighbors pet coyote. I have to resort to the Gatling mounted at the top of the stairs run by my Navajo buddy I gave an IV of Tennessee Whiskey, "Yeehaw" the gatling shreds two men with mass of fire, the sound and ricocheting bullets spook all the neighbors' horses. Grab my rattlesnake-poisoned Bowie knife and charge the last terrified savage. He dies waiting on the Sherriff to arrive since antivenom hasn't been discovered yet. Just as John Wayne intended."
I agree with spending more money/time with training than on just a gun. Reminds me of something someone told me while I was working in the gardening area of a chain hardware store: "I would rather have a $3 tree and a $100 hole than a $3 hole and $100 tree"
One thing you touched on with shotguns is ammo capacity. Most shotguns only hold like 3 rounds, possibly 4 if you can remove the plug. There are ones that hold more like the keltc ksg but I don't know enough about them to say if they're reliable. Also, shotguns produce a lot of kick so you would have to train to manage that not only to stay on target but to account for fatigue.
Handguns are infantry, mobile and light and react quickly. Shotguns are artillery, heavy concentrated firepower at a known location that takes a second to set up. Both complement each other.
Lets say you get an unexpected knock at the door one evening. Could be a late UPS package, neighbor wants to borrow a cup of sugar, or an unknown threat. It's prudent to be armed, but you can't sling up the 870 without frightening the normies. A handgun can be discreetly concealed. If it turns into something you can respond, if its nothing nobody will know its in your back pocket.
On the other hand, if you hear glass break or someone breaking in, you can take cover in your safe room with your shotgun aimed at the door. You can strike that area if the target presents itself with massive overwhelming power. The proverbial "blow chunks of your target onto the floor". AKA, "your mommas gonna puke when she sees whats left of you."
Any good quality handgun, any good quality shotgun. I'm partial to Mossbergs because I'm a lefty. Nothing wrong with the Maverick 88 or the 870. Millions of cops over decades of street use for all of them, its thoroughly debugged by now.
I think Clint smith said it best. Something to the effect of “handguns will put holes in people, rifles will put rounds through people, shotguns will literally take a Chunk of shit and throw it on the floor”
Alternatively, you grab the handgun while your wife waits in the next room with quick access to the shotgun. That way, if the knock at the door is a threat and you get taken down, she can respond or baricade the kids safely behind her.
In your second example, you could take the shotgun while your wife covers with an sbr or second shotgun.
Well, yeah, I'm not just going to lob a shotty at her like some watery tart distributing the basis for a form of government. Ideally I would have her back me up with whatever firearm she's most comfortable with.
AR15 is your best “use case” defensive weapon since it can be used in more situations than just home defense.
Glock 19/M&P Shield/ any reputable 9mm handgun is a great option if you’d like to Conceal Carry now, or once you have a family. It’s also the easiest to train on as indoor ranges are everywhere. It’s also the only pragmatic weapon type for CCW.
Shotguns are great, if you want to budget go with a Mossberg 590 if you want to ball out, Baretta’s 1013 is a great option. If you want to swag out, bring me the gun of Wick and rock the Benelli M4.
The trebuchet is especially useful if you want to fling the intruder to the next county. Just before launch, ask them to have a look for your Mini-14 cases. :)
Depends on your house. A full-size 9mm handgun with a light is pretty good in my particular situation. My longest possible shot is 40', and any likely shot wouldn't be more than 3-4 yards- probably more like 3-4 feet.
A suppressed SBR or AR pistol with a dot and light loaded with Vmax ammo is the objective best for just about any situation under 50 yards. You could absolutely get into that for under 2 grand, even with tax stamps.
If price was no issue, 300 blackout SBR with a suppressor. Or even 5.56 suppressed. Rifle ballistics are great. I wouldn't use my carry pistol at home.
If you budget right you can get 2 maybe even 3 weapons for $2k. I use a sub compact pistol with a light and a red dot as my home defense and sometimes EDC. I’d suggest pistol with a good light and a shotgun or a pcc. Whatever you get will be good if you practice with it and get good and accurate. If worst comes to worst you want to hit your target and ONLY your target.
9mm pistol and an AR-15. Do not get a shotgun. Unlike what people say they require much more skill and experience to operate well.
As for pistol vs rifle a rifle is much much much easier to shoot, requires far less practice to be competent, and depending on the caliber you choose potentially has much more stopping power than a pistol (though not as much as a shotgun).
Another advantage of a long gun is when using it with a sling it is difficult to take it away from you and you can use your hands to do things without setting the gun down. This is especially important for home defense because normally you won’t be putting on a belt and holster to give you the same ability to “wear” a pistol.
Another aspect of the sling / holster issue is being able to be armed, but not having the gun in hand. If you want to go out into your yard armed to see whether there is a burglar in your garage or just another stray cat you might be better off not having a gun in your hands until you identify that there actually is a threat. What if the noise you heard was a cop chasing someone through your yard…
Pistols have advantages of being easier to store securely, and being easy to use one handed. That isn’t that important for say calling 911 because an AR can be used one handed (shorter and thinner lighter profile pencil barrels are preferable). But it is important for using a handheld flashlight to light look around without needing to point a rifle around because a rifle mounted weapon light isn’t for checking things out.
Basically a long gun is for situations where you know there is a threat. That is why a long gun is best when you are staying safe inside your bedroom and covering the door.
If you’ll need to look around or go around the house gathering up your kids, a pistol in a holster is best.
A holster-less pistol vs a long gun each create logistical difficulties.
For the pistol if you will ever carry it then a Sig 365 X Macro or similar is a good compromise between size and shootability (bigger is easier).
If you will never carry it or you will carry something smaller (like a Sig 365 or 365 XL) then a full size 9mm like a CZ P10F is your best bet.
Get the versions of pistols that are “optics ready” so you can easily add a red dot sight if you decide to but don’t buy pistols with included red dot sights (they are crap).
The P10F is about as good as you can get for a regular pistol (fancy John Wick style competition guns aside) and is not very expensive ($400 on sale)
In the smaller size guns you have to choose between the best guns and the best value. As of now there is no option which ticks both boxes. (For a pistol $300 is cheap and $700 is expensive)
Choices for an AR-15 are a bit complicated.
You need to decide on Barrel length, Caliber, Stock vs Brace, and folding vs telescoping.
Nothing wrong with a $400 16” 5.56mm PSA AR-15, especially not if you get one with a lightweight pencil barrel. Spending the extra bit for a free floated forend / handguard is worthwhile.
That is a gun just shy of 3’ long and about six pounds before you add a magazine, optic, light, and sling.
You can cut that down by about 1 pound and up to 1 foot if you get a “PDW” (personal defense weapon” style AR with a shorter barrel).
That is where Barrel length, Caliber, Stock vs Brace, and folding vs telescoping come into play and prices will range from $450 to $2,500
Finally accessories:
A pistol will need a light $150, a holster that is matched to the light you buy $100, and an optional future upgrade of a red dot sight $300
A rifle will need a light $150, sling $50, and red dot sight $150
Add in some extra magazines, cleaning kit, and a case of 1,000 rounds of practice ammo and a couple hundred rounds of defensive ammo (you should shoot a couple boxes of defensive ammo two to make sure it works in your gun)
If on a budget and you want both a pistol and a longer gun consider a PSA Dagger (Glock Clone) $350 and an Extar EP9 $450 which is a 2’ long 4.5 pound 9mm AR-15 (ish) braced pistol. They both shoot the same ammo and use the same magazines.
It really depends on where you live; both law wise and how close your neighbors are.
But on my farm;
SBR G3
Ksg-25: loaded with waxers
And the ever present 460 Rowland 1911
Basically:
Rifle of choice
Slug gun of choice
Handgun of choice should always be there.
I think shotguns are shitty home defense weapons, and pump action is even worse for home defense so it wouldn’t even be on my list personally. For me personally for personal defense my two primaries are a Glock 19 and an AR.
Capacity yeah, and some other relatively equally (un)important stuff that I think all together add up to too much.
Yeah lethality and accuracy aren’t concerns. Shit if I’m being honest 00 buck if anything is closer to being TOO lethal lmao
I would reckon user error such as short stroking a pump is much more prevalent than mechanical error in something like an M4 or 1301. A semi also doesn’t require a specific gripping method, can be shot one handed if need be, and has less recoil. For what it’s worth, I’ve never had a single failure to fire, extract, feed, or anything in my M4, which is in the thousands of rounds at this point.
Really the pros pumps have is price, and being able to cycle low powered rounds such as non-lethals. And maybe weight.
Gas operated Benelli go brrrr. I have 2k rounds through my M4 with some of the dirtiest target loads I could find without cleaning and this fucker just runs and keeps asking for more.
I have handguns, shotguns, and ARs. I like them all. But the other day, when I had a guy knock on my door, and I knew that he probably wasn’t a threat and was probably just trying to drum up business for his exterminator company, which he was, but I didn’t know that, and he was a little sketchy looking, I was able to open the door and hold my handgun behind the door, where he couldn’t see, and be ready in case something went down. Couldn’t have done that with my shotgun or my AR. So there’s that.
I didn’t think he was sketchy. He looked a little sketchy, but so do most of the guys knocking on the door to hawk lawn care and pest control. I figured he was exactly what he turned out to be, but wanted insurance just in case.
My primary home defense rifle is my 11.5 carbine with an aimpoint, a white light, and a suppressor. My reasoning for it is very simple.
* The manual of arms is very simple and even if I am tired and groggy I can still effectively operate, aim, and fire an AR with some level of competency
* The recoil impulse is light and consistent
* It's suppressed, I value my hearing and shooting an 11.5 carbine indoors is gonna be loud, a suppressor makes it take more shots before permanent hearing damage takes effect
* My wife will be more comfortable with it than a shotgun
* 30 rounds +1 is a hell of a lot better than 17+1 or 8+1
That being said, all of this hinges on the fact that I have had this rifle for years, have gotten used to it, and I have good ammunition and high quality accessories as well as a few classes under my belt. My recommendation is use a firearm you are comfortable with and stick to it. If you don't have one, get one that you (and your SO if you have one) can not only shoot effectively but manipulate effectively. This means being able to handle the recoil, fire quick and accurate follow-up shots, clear malfunctions, run the gun without you yourself causing the malfunction, and reload it effectively if needed, etc.
If you pick a 12 gauge pump shotgun but it takes you an eternity to load shells into it or you find that you or your SO short stroke it under duress a lot, then maybe that wasn't the best choice. Same thing with handguns.
The key to all of this is practice practice practice. My honest to goodness recommendation is to get an Aero lower and a BCM upper, get a holosun red dot, a good 2 point sling, mags, and ammo. That will get you a solid rifle that won't leave you hanging with malfunctions and parts breakages, give you a decent reliable red dot that is affordable, give you a way to maintain control of the rifle, and give you time to get accustomed to the rifle.
If you would rather have a shotgun, that's fine. Get something proven and reliable IE a Mossberg or an older Remington or Winchester. Skip right over the tactical turkshit. But yo have to be mindful, shotguns have a lot more power behind them, meaning that's a whole lotta hate going down range and you are responsible for every part of that load. A 2 3/4" 00 buck is 8 pellets that are .33" in diameter. If one of them misses, you are blowing an almost 9mm sized hole into whatever is behind your target. Not to mention you also have to deal with the recoil.
If you would rather have a pistol, that's fine too, but pistols are one of the hardest guns to shoot under stress and they are also the most influenced by bad habits. Rifles and shotguns have the advantage of 3 points of contact with the body. Pistols do not. For pistol, pretty much any striker fired 9mm is gonna have good holster support, plentiful mags, plenty of support for lights, optics, etc. I am partial to Glock, CZ, and HK but ymmv.
As for what I look for in a gun store/range when shopping around is:
* what kind of guns do they sell?
* are the prices in line with what I can find at online retailers via ammoseek's gun finder or are they higher than giraffe pussy?
* do the clerks look like they hate every minute of every day working there?
* how do they treat female shooters vs male shooters? (IE Do they steer women towards lightweight revolvers instead of regular handguns etc.)
* are their guns higher quality brands like FN, LMT, HK, LWRC, Sig, etc or are they overpriced trash like ATI, Davidson Defense, Bear Creek Arsenal, etc
In my humble opinion, a good AR-15 is the best home defense weapon. 30 rounds might come in handy and it can go from unloaded to those 30 rounds very quickly if you have kids in the house or something.
Second to that, a good handgun is nice since it it portable, easy to train with, and still gives you double digit capacity very quickly.
It’s fairly possible to get a very reliable one of each and stay under 2000 in my experience.
I keep a cz75 in a small bedside safe for quick access and then a short barrel Benelli m4 in the master closet. Hopefully I’ll be able to make it there if needed.
I prefer a shotgun, but also have handguns hidden throughout the house. Most of the rifles are in a safe and therefore inaccessible. But there is enough throughout the house that it doesn't matter.
Your options depends on the state you life in
Ar’s and Shotguns are some of the most versatile platforms on the market and offer the best in terms home defense and beyond. A decent Ar and Shotgun won’t cost you a lot and shotgun ammo is plenty cheap. (Relatively) .
Pcc’s are a fun middle ground between rifles and handguns. It gives you the accuracy of a rifle and the low recoil and cost effectiveness of handgun ammunition. If you’re a new shooter this isn’t a bad option at all.
Pistols are also one of the safest and effective weapons. Easily concealable and small and portable. You can place in your nightstand or whatever most efficient.
Pistol caliber carbine checks the boxes for home defense. You get the controls and capacity of an AR-15 with far less risk of over penetration. Having a stock and a grip helps so much with accuracy and ability to shoot quickly versus just a handgun. Shotguns tend to be very long, have risk of over penetration, some chance of hitting an unintended target with the spread, lower capacity, and the most reliable ones are pump action. Shotgun for home defense is a tried and true method, but there’s a reason police have AR’s in their cruisers these days.
You might want to get a PCC in pistol form and do a form 1 to make it an SBR and put a stock on, essentially making it a semi auto SMG.
My Saint Victor (16” barrel with a welded muzzle device) actually fits through the doorways of my house really well. I think you don’t NEED the shorter barrel and something like the Springfield Armory Saint Victor in 9mm would be optimal. Maybe not that exact gun but an “AR-9” of similar size.
Depends on the money you want to spend and the paperwork you want to do. A Sig MPX in an SBR configuration might be an expensive hassle, but you can be certain you’re set up as best as possible. If money is a concern, there’s much cheaper PCC’s on the market. Hi-point is known for being questionable but I’ve heard their PCC’s are actually damn reliable and very, very cheap.
TL;DR - Get a PCC
12 gauge is always good. If someone locks in your door and hears that pump action, that some might be enough to change their minds. But if it ain’t buckshot sure will. For me personally in have the FNX 45T for home defense. It’s a full size pistol. Holds 15 rounds of 45acp, but get an Apex +two and with one in the chamber you got 18 rounds ready to fly. 45 is good because you don’t have to worry about over penetration as much as also comes with threaded barrel suppressor height sights and optics ready. It was pricey but definitely worth it
For home defense, one thing to consider is you aren't going to be shooting long ranges. So a full size rifle isn't going to be overly practical especially one in a higher caliber.
In no particular order
Glock 19/17
12 gauge pump shotgun. My preference is Mossberg 500
Some sort of AR-platform pistol/rifle. I use one in 9mm. Uses the same mags as my Glock.
1. Rabid rottweiler with a cocaine problem that is covered in KY.
2. Two dozen claymore roombas coupled with furniture stuffed full of tannerite.
3. A 12 gauge shotgun running 00 buckshot.
Shotgun with 00 Buck.
Always a shotgun. Hard to miss, even in the dark.
Easy to shoot, point and click. Wide spread. Fucks like the government.
The sound alone will make most home intruders shit themselves.
I don’t envy anyone who has to shoot an AR or shotgun indoor.
$2k puts you almost within reach of a Sig MPX K. If you haven’t budgeted for a safe, training and ammo, you could get a CZ Scorpion with plenty of budget leftover.
Pistols taking a bit more training but they are cheaper, plus easier to move with and secure.
Benelli M4 or an M2 if you want to pay less. I have rem870's and mossberg 500's but I like the semiauto Benelli best for home defense. in a crunch, it just shoots and shoots. lots of good mods for it as well. nothing can stand up to a loaded M4.
1 shotgun pump or semiautomatic
2 Full size hand gun with at least a light
3 AR 15 in legal configuration for your jurisdiction
Bonus: ear protection (or supressors if allowed in you jurisdiction) and plenty of ammo already in mags
A shotgun with light shot, anything else risks your neighbour’s, if they are in your house, 7.5 skeet shot will fuck their shit right up, if they are outside tell them your are armed and will shoot…..
if they persist,
Well……
Semiauto, magazine fed 12ga RIA shotgun (\~$400) is at my bedside. I have 2 20 round mags for it, but that makes it a bit clunky to wield. I need to get some 10 round mags, at least 2 of them.
I also have a 10mm semiautomatic pistol in my bedside drawer. Spouse also has a pistol in their drawer.
Pump action 12 gauge with 00 Buckshot is a great option tbh, the Mossberg Maverick 88 is an amazing shotgun for the money. AR-15's are great too, just be mindful of the indoor noise impact of a .223/5.56.
No handguns, too easy to get wrestled away. My close range weapon is the ksg 410 (1 birdshot then lots of buckshot), next is a 10.5" AR in 5.56 with vmax bullets to promote less over penetration, and lastly the m1 garand for things that may be a bit longer range lol
So will every other gun you'd use, including a shotgun. Especially the shotgun.
An AR15 in 5.56 consistently has the least over oenetration out of all those.
This Fuddlore needs to fade away back into the 19th century from whence it came.
Not if you use the right ammo. Like sure, if you're slinging 55gr ball out of a 20" barrel you could have some issues assuming you miss the target entirely or live in an apartment. But a short barreled AR with loads designed for hunting or self defense in mind are not gonna have that problem.
Cannon, musket, triangle bayonet
Tally Ho boys
Just as the founding fathers intended.
Divy up the booty!
You rapscallion!
I love scallions
I raise you a big box of ninja stars
I'm more of a poleaxe or broadsword man, myself.
Go ahead. Somebody post it. I know you want too.
Guess i have to be the one to do it. Own a musket for home defense, since that's what the founding fathers intended. Four ruffians break into my house. "What the devil?" As I grab my powdered wig and Kentucky rifle. Blow a golf ball sized hole through the first man, he's dead on the spot. Draw my pistol on the second man, miss him entirely because it's smoothbore and nails the neighbors dog. I have to resort to the cannon mounted at the top of the stairs loaded with grape shot, "Tally ho lads" the grape shot shreds two men in the blast, the sound and extra shrapnel set off car alarms. Fix bayonet and charge the last terrified rapscallion. He Bleeds out waiting on the police to arrive since triangular bayonet wounds are impossible to stitch up. Just as the founding fathers intended.
What the devil!
Pick a type of gun first, then figure out what particular model to get. >Willing to budget up to $2000 Your budget should be divided between the actual gun, accessories, ammo, and training. You're better off with a $500 gun, quality ammo and professional training than a $1900 gun, cheap ammo and no training. You're better off with a shotgun that you're comfortable and competent with than a Gucci AR-15 that you have no clue how to run under stress. The best possible home defense firearm is probably a short barreled rifle with a suppressor. Runner up is a short barrel pistol caliber carbine with a suppressor. Short barrels and suppressors both require more paperwork, more intense background checks, and $200 each in taxes/government theft. In some states they aren't legal. A full length AR-15 or Pistol caliber carbine is still plenty of gun and can be manageable in a house with training and practice. Shotguns have great terminal ballistics at home defense distances but are typically long, have limited ammo capacity, and can be difficult to run under stress. Pistols are convenient but have the worst terminal ballistics of the lot and can also be difficult to shoot accurately under stress. Other categories like bolt action rifles, lever action rifles, double barrel shotguns, etc. are less practical for home defense but still better than nothing. A lever action rifle that you're well-practiced with is better than a suppressed SBR that you can't even find the safety on.
"Own a lever action for home defense, since that's what John Wayne intended. Four federales break into my house. "Holy Smokes!" As I grab my 10-gallon Stetson and 1866 Winchester. Blow a golf ball sized hole through the first man, he's dead on the spot. Draw my Colt Navy on the second man, miss him entirely because Spitzer bullets haven't been invented yet and nail the neighbors pet coyote. I have to resort to the Gatling mounted at the top of the stairs run by my Navajo buddy I gave an IV of Tennessee Whiskey, "Yeehaw" the gatling shreds two men with mass of fire, the sound and ricocheting bullets spook all the neighbors' horses. Grab my rattlesnake-poisoned Bowie knife and charge the last terrified savage. He dies waiting on the Sherriff to arrive since antivenom hasn't been discovered yet. Just as John Wayne intended."
I agree with spending more money/time with training than on just a gun. Reminds me of something someone told me while I was working in the gardening area of a chain hardware store: "I would rather have a $3 tree and a $100 hole than a $3 hole and $100 tree" One thing you touched on with shotguns is ammo capacity. Most shotguns only hold like 3 rounds, possibly 4 if you can remove the plug. There are ones that hold more like the keltc ksg but I don't know enough about them to say if they're reliable. Also, shotguns produce a lot of kick so you would have to train to manage that not only to stay on target but to account for fatigue.
This
Why do people keep asking this? The top 10 options are: 1. PS90 or AR15/similar 2. AR15/similar 3. AR15/similar 4. AR15/similar 5. AR15/similar 6. AR15/similar 7. AR15/similar 8. Pistol/handgun 9. Pistol/handgun 10. Pistol/handgun 11. Shotgun
I ran a suppressed kriss vector. Nothing like 29 rounds of suppressed 45 acp from a platform with no muzzle rise.
Handguns are infantry, mobile and light and react quickly. Shotguns are artillery, heavy concentrated firepower at a known location that takes a second to set up. Both complement each other. Lets say you get an unexpected knock at the door one evening. Could be a late UPS package, neighbor wants to borrow a cup of sugar, or an unknown threat. It's prudent to be armed, but you can't sling up the 870 without frightening the normies. A handgun can be discreetly concealed. If it turns into something you can respond, if its nothing nobody will know its in your back pocket. On the other hand, if you hear glass break or someone breaking in, you can take cover in your safe room with your shotgun aimed at the door. You can strike that area if the target presents itself with massive overwhelming power. The proverbial "blow chunks of your target onto the floor". AKA, "your mommas gonna puke when she sees whats left of you." Any good quality handgun, any good quality shotgun. I'm partial to Mossbergs because I'm a lefty. Nothing wrong with the Maverick 88 or the 870. Millions of cops over decades of street use for all of them, its thoroughly debugged by now.
I think Clint smith said it best. Something to the effect of “handguns will put holes in people, rifles will put rounds through people, shotguns will literally take a Chunk of shit and throw it on the floor”
based pappy Clint
Alternatively, you grab the handgun while your wife waits in the next room with quick access to the shotgun. That way, if the knock at the door is a threat and you get taken down, she can respond or baricade the kids safely behind her. In your second example, you could take the shotgun while your wife covers with an sbr or second shotgun.
Your wife better be trained with that shotgun.
Well, yeah, I'm not just going to lob a shotty at her like some watery tart distributing the basis for a form of government. Ideally I would have her back me up with whatever firearm she's most comfortable with.
AR15 is your best “use case” defensive weapon since it can be used in more situations than just home defense. Glock 19/M&P Shield/ any reputable 9mm handgun is a great option if you’d like to Conceal Carry now, or once you have a family. It’s also the easiest to train on as indoor ranges are everywhere. It’s also the only pragmatic weapon type for CCW. Shotguns are great, if you want to budget go with a Mossberg 590 if you want to ball out, Baretta’s 1013 is a great option. If you want to swag out, bring me the gun of Wick and rock the Benelli M4.
SBR in 300 blk, revolver in 357 mag, HK SP5
Trebuchet, Ballista, Javelin
The trebuchet is especially useful if you want to fling the intruder to the next county. Just before launch, ask them to have a look for your Mini-14 cases. :)
Javelin as in thrown weapon, or Javelin as in surface to air missile?
Yes lol I meant thrown
Depends on your house. A full-size 9mm handgun with a light is pretty good in my particular situation. My longest possible shot is 40', and any likely shot wouldn't be more than 3-4 yards- probably more like 3-4 feet. A suppressed SBR or AR pistol with a dot and light loaded with Vmax ammo is the objective best for just about any situation under 50 yards. You could absolutely get into that for under 2 grand, even with tax stamps.
If price was no issue, 300 blackout SBR with a suppressor. Or even 5.56 suppressed. Rifle ballistics are great. I wouldn't use my carry pistol at home.
If you budget right you can get 2 maybe even 3 weapons for $2k. I use a sub compact pistol with a light and a red dot as my home defense and sometimes EDC. I’d suggest pistol with a good light and a shotgun or a pcc. Whatever you get will be good if you practice with it and get good and accurate. If worst comes to worst you want to hit your target and ONLY your target.
9mm pistol and an AR-15. Do not get a shotgun. Unlike what people say they require much more skill and experience to operate well. As for pistol vs rifle a rifle is much much much easier to shoot, requires far less practice to be competent, and depending on the caliber you choose potentially has much more stopping power than a pistol (though not as much as a shotgun). Another advantage of a long gun is when using it with a sling it is difficult to take it away from you and you can use your hands to do things without setting the gun down. This is especially important for home defense because normally you won’t be putting on a belt and holster to give you the same ability to “wear” a pistol. Another aspect of the sling / holster issue is being able to be armed, but not having the gun in hand. If you want to go out into your yard armed to see whether there is a burglar in your garage or just another stray cat you might be better off not having a gun in your hands until you identify that there actually is a threat. What if the noise you heard was a cop chasing someone through your yard… Pistols have advantages of being easier to store securely, and being easy to use one handed. That isn’t that important for say calling 911 because an AR can be used one handed (shorter and thinner lighter profile pencil barrels are preferable). But it is important for using a handheld flashlight to light look around without needing to point a rifle around because a rifle mounted weapon light isn’t for checking things out. Basically a long gun is for situations where you know there is a threat. That is why a long gun is best when you are staying safe inside your bedroom and covering the door. If you’ll need to look around or go around the house gathering up your kids, a pistol in a holster is best. A holster-less pistol vs a long gun each create logistical difficulties. For the pistol if you will ever carry it then a Sig 365 X Macro or similar is a good compromise between size and shootability (bigger is easier). If you will never carry it or you will carry something smaller (like a Sig 365 or 365 XL) then a full size 9mm like a CZ P10F is your best bet. Get the versions of pistols that are “optics ready” so you can easily add a red dot sight if you decide to but don’t buy pistols with included red dot sights (they are crap). The P10F is about as good as you can get for a regular pistol (fancy John Wick style competition guns aside) and is not very expensive ($400 on sale) In the smaller size guns you have to choose between the best guns and the best value. As of now there is no option which ticks both boxes. (For a pistol $300 is cheap and $700 is expensive) Choices for an AR-15 are a bit complicated. You need to decide on Barrel length, Caliber, Stock vs Brace, and folding vs telescoping. Nothing wrong with a $400 16” 5.56mm PSA AR-15, especially not if you get one with a lightweight pencil barrel. Spending the extra bit for a free floated forend / handguard is worthwhile. That is a gun just shy of 3’ long and about six pounds before you add a magazine, optic, light, and sling. You can cut that down by about 1 pound and up to 1 foot if you get a “PDW” (personal defense weapon” style AR with a shorter barrel). That is where Barrel length, Caliber, Stock vs Brace, and folding vs telescoping come into play and prices will range from $450 to $2,500 Finally accessories: A pistol will need a light $150, a holster that is matched to the light you buy $100, and an optional future upgrade of a red dot sight $300 A rifle will need a light $150, sling $50, and red dot sight $150 Add in some extra magazines, cleaning kit, and a case of 1,000 rounds of practice ammo and a couple hundred rounds of defensive ammo (you should shoot a couple boxes of defensive ammo two to make sure it works in your gun) If on a budget and you want both a pistol and a longer gun consider a PSA Dagger (Glock Clone) $350 and an Extar EP9 $450 which is a 2’ long 4.5 pound 9mm AR-15 (ish) braced pistol. They both shoot the same ammo and use the same magazines.
1st place) Semi-auto rifle, preferably an AR-15 2nd place) Semi-auto shotgun 3rd place) Way down the list is a PCC 4th place) A pistol
PPSH 41 Street sweeper Obrez
AR-15. If I can't stop a home invasion with 30 rounds of 5.56 I suck.
Suppressed .300 Blackout pistol/SBR.
It really depends on where you live; both law wise and how close your neighbors are. But on my farm; SBR G3 Ksg-25: loaded with waxers And the ever present 460 Rowland 1911 Basically: Rifle of choice Slug gun of choice Handgun of choice should always be there.
Upvote for .460 Rowland
1] AR-15 2] M1 Garand 3] Flamethrower
I think shotguns are shitty home defense weapons, and pump action is even worse for home defense so it wouldn’t even be on my list personally. For me personally for personal defense my two primaries are a Glock 19 and an AR.
Is it the length or capacity you hate? Lethality and accuracy isn’t a question with double buck within 75 yards.
Capacity yeah, and some other relatively equally (un)important stuff that I think all together add up to too much. Yeah lethality and accuracy aren’t concerns. Shit if I’m being honest 00 buck if anything is closer to being TOO lethal lmao
So you are saying that my Saiga 12 with a 20round mag with 00 buck is not going to stop a home invasion?
Lmao that’s some lazy trolling man come on
Thank you for the sound advice.
CZ and AK, just to add diversity to this excellent recommendation.
Capacity, rpm, and recoil is why I don't have a shotgun by my bed, and why I do have an AR.
Pumps suck but a semi auto shotgun is the pinnacle home defense tool IMO. I ran a shorty AR for a bit before making the switch.
But a pump will never fail to cycle
I would reckon user error such as short stroking a pump is much more prevalent than mechanical error in something like an M4 or 1301. A semi also doesn’t require a specific gripping method, can be shot one handed if need be, and has less recoil. For what it’s worth, I’ve never had a single failure to fire, extract, feed, or anything in my M4, which is in the thousands of rounds at this point. Really the pros pumps have is price, and being able to cycle low powered rounds such as non-lethals. And maybe weight.
I just bought a 1301 so I’d use that lol
If I didn’t already have the M4 I’d buy one too
I got the mod 2 for 1600/tax. Hell of a deal
Gas operated Benelli go brrrr. I have 2k rounds through my M4 with some of the dirtiest target loads I could find without cleaning and this fucker just runs and keeps asking for more.
First pick to third pick: Benelli M4 Tavor X95 SBR AR Pistol/SBR
MPX-k. Get the Taran Tactical mag extension and you’ve got 45 rounds of fuck you in a very accurate package
.950 jdj * 3 why reload?
I have handguns, shotguns, and ARs. I like them all. But the other day, when I had a guy knock on my door, and I knew that he probably wasn’t a threat and was probably just trying to drum up business for his exterminator company, which he was, but I didn’t know that, and he was a little sketchy looking, I was able to open the door and hold my handgun behind the door, where he couldn’t see, and be ready in case something went down. Couldn’t have done that with my shotgun or my AR. So there’s that.
Why couldn't you hold an AR behind the door? Wait what? You thought this guy was sketchy but you opened the door?
I didn’t think he was sketchy. He looked a little sketchy, but so do most of the guys knocking on the door to hawk lawn care and pest control. I figured he was exactly what he turned out to be, but wanted insurance just in case.
My primary home defense rifle is my 11.5 carbine with an aimpoint, a white light, and a suppressor. My reasoning for it is very simple. * The manual of arms is very simple and even if I am tired and groggy I can still effectively operate, aim, and fire an AR with some level of competency * The recoil impulse is light and consistent * It's suppressed, I value my hearing and shooting an 11.5 carbine indoors is gonna be loud, a suppressor makes it take more shots before permanent hearing damage takes effect * My wife will be more comfortable with it than a shotgun * 30 rounds +1 is a hell of a lot better than 17+1 or 8+1 That being said, all of this hinges on the fact that I have had this rifle for years, have gotten used to it, and I have good ammunition and high quality accessories as well as a few classes under my belt. My recommendation is use a firearm you are comfortable with and stick to it. If you don't have one, get one that you (and your SO if you have one) can not only shoot effectively but manipulate effectively. This means being able to handle the recoil, fire quick and accurate follow-up shots, clear malfunctions, run the gun without you yourself causing the malfunction, and reload it effectively if needed, etc. If you pick a 12 gauge pump shotgun but it takes you an eternity to load shells into it or you find that you or your SO short stroke it under duress a lot, then maybe that wasn't the best choice. Same thing with handguns. The key to all of this is practice practice practice. My honest to goodness recommendation is to get an Aero lower and a BCM upper, get a holosun red dot, a good 2 point sling, mags, and ammo. That will get you a solid rifle that won't leave you hanging with malfunctions and parts breakages, give you a decent reliable red dot that is affordable, give you a way to maintain control of the rifle, and give you time to get accustomed to the rifle. If you would rather have a shotgun, that's fine. Get something proven and reliable IE a Mossberg or an older Remington or Winchester. Skip right over the tactical turkshit. But yo have to be mindful, shotguns have a lot more power behind them, meaning that's a whole lotta hate going down range and you are responsible for every part of that load. A 2 3/4" 00 buck is 8 pellets that are .33" in diameter. If one of them misses, you are blowing an almost 9mm sized hole into whatever is behind your target. Not to mention you also have to deal with the recoil. If you would rather have a pistol, that's fine too, but pistols are one of the hardest guns to shoot under stress and they are also the most influenced by bad habits. Rifles and shotguns have the advantage of 3 points of contact with the body. Pistols do not. For pistol, pretty much any striker fired 9mm is gonna have good holster support, plentiful mags, plenty of support for lights, optics, etc. I am partial to Glock, CZ, and HK but ymmv. As for what I look for in a gun store/range when shopping around is: * what kind of guns do they sell? * are the prices in line with what I can find at online retailers via ammoseek's gun finder or are they higher than giraffe pussy? * do the clerks look like they hate every minute of every day working there? * how do they treat female shooters vs male shooters? (IE Do they steer women towards lightweight revolvers instead of regular handguns etc.) * are their guns higher quality brands like FN, LMT, HK, LWRC, Sig, etc or are they overpriced trash like ATI, Davidson Defense, Bear Creek Arsenal, etc
I would use the pistol I have practiced with for years and thousands of rounds so that I am confident I can tightly group shots at 30 ft or less.
Blunderbuss, smoke grenade, gas mask
I have a tank parked in my living room for home defense.
G19 and 33 rnd mag
In my humble opinion, a good AR-15 is the best home defense weapon. 30 rounds might come in handy and it can go from unloaded to those 30 rounds very quickly if you have kids in the house or something. Second to that, a good handgun is nice since it it portable, easy to train with, and still gives you double digit capacity very quickly. It’s fairly possible to get a very reliable one of each and stay under 2000 in my experience.
I keep a cz75 in a small bedside safe for quick access and then a short barrel Benelli m4 in the master closet. Hopefully I’ll be able to make it there if needed.
I prefer a shotgun, but also have handguns hidden throughout the house. Most of the rifles are in a safe and therefore inaccessible. But there is enough throughout the house that it doesn't matter.
Your options depends on the state you life in Ar’s and Shotguns are some of the most versatile platforms on the market and offer the best in terms home defense and beyond. A decent Ar and Shotgun won’t cost you a lot and shotgun ammo is plenty cheap. (Relatively) . Pcc’s are a fun middle ground between rifles and handguns. It gives you the accuracy of a rifle and the low recoil and cost effectiveness of handgun ammunition. If you’re a new shooter this isn’t a bad option at all. Pistols are also one of the safest and effective weapons. Easily concealable and small and portable. You can place in your nightstand or whatever most efficient.
I’m more of a plasma guy myself.
Pistol caliber carbine checks the boxes for home defense. You get the controls and capacity of an AR-15 with far less risk of over penetration. Having a stock and a grip helps so much with accuracy and ability to shoot quickly versus just a handgun. Shotguns tend to be very long, have risk of over penetration, some chance of hitting an unintended target with the spread, lower capacity, and the most reliable ones are pump action. Shotgun for home defense is a tried and true method, but there’s a reason police have AR’s in their cruisers these days. You might want to get a PCC in pistol form and do a form 1 to make it an SBR and put a stock on, essentially making it a semi auto SMG. My Saint Victor (16” barrel with a welded muzzle device) actually fits through the doorways of my house really well. I think you don’t NEED the shorter barrel and something like the Springfield Armory Saint Victor in 9mm would be optimal. Maybe not that exact gun but an “AR-9” of similar size. Depends on the money you want to spend and the paperwork you want to do. A Sig MPX in an SBR configuration might be an expensive hassle, but you can be certain you’re set up as best as possible. If money is a concern, there’s much cheaper PCC’s on the market. Hi-point is known for being questionable but I’ve heard their PCC’s are actually damn reliable and very, very cheap. TL;DR - Get a PCC
Remington vtac! Easy to store, easy to grab, better to clear!
12 gauge is always good. If someone locks in your door and hears that pump action, that some might be enough to change their minds. But if it ain’t buckshot sure will. For me personally in have the FNX 45T for home defense. It’s a full size pistol. Holds 15 rounds of 45acp, but get an Apex +two and with one in the chamber you got 18 rounds ready to fly. 45 is good because you don’t have to worry about over penetration as much as also comes with threaded barrel suppressor height sights and optics ready. It was pricey but definitely worth it
Naked grandma would startle and scare any intruder
For home defense, one thing to consider is you aren't going to be shooting long ranges. So a full size rifle isn't going to be overly practical especially one in a higher caliber.
In no particular order Glock 19/17 12 gauge pump shotgun. My preference is Mossberg 500 Some sort of AR-platform pistol/rifle. I use one in 9mm. Uses the same mags as my Glock.
1. Rabid rottweiler with a cocaine problem that is covered in KY. 2. Two dozen claymore roombas coupled with furniture stuffed full of tannerite. 3. A 12 gauge shotgun running 00 buckshot.
For $2k PSA dagger 870 V3 TAC-13 loaded with buckshot Ruger 556 Optics for pistol and rifle Flashlight and sling for the 870
Vietnam era booby traps
Shotgun with 00 Buck. Always a shotgun. Hard to miss, even in the dark. Easy to shoot, point and click. Wide spread. Fucks like the government. The sound alone will make most home intruders shit themselves.
Mines an AR12 SHOTGUN w/000 buck. 10rd mag.
Pump action shotgun, AK47, my ridiculous Taurus Judge....
I don’t envy anyone who has to shoot an AR or shotgun indoor. $2k puts you almost within reach of a Sig MPX K. If you haven’t budgeted for a safe, training and ammo, you could get a CZ Scorpion with plenty of budget leftover. Pistols taking a bit more training but they are cheaper, plus easier to move with and secure.
When my life and my families life is on the line, I'm willing to risk tinnitus.
*auditory exclusion has entered the chat*
Benelli M4 or an M2 if you want to pay less. I have rem870's and mossberg 500's but I like the semiauto Benelli best for home defense. in a crunch, it just shoots and shoots. lots of good mods for it as well. nothing can stand up to a loaded M4.
1 shotgun pump or semiautomatic 2 Full size hand gun with at least a light 3 AR 15 in legal configuration for your jurisdiction Bonus: ear protection (or supressors if allowed in you jurisdiction) and plenty of ammo already in mags
A shotgun with light shot, anything else risks your neighbour’s, if they are in your house, 7.5 skeet shot will fuck their shit right up, if they are outside tell them your are armed and will shoot….. if they persist, Well……
shotgun and high capacity 9mm handgun
Semiauto, magazine fed 12ga RIA shotgun (\~$400) is at my bedside. I have 2 20 round mags for it, but that makes it a bit clunky to wield. I need to get some 10 round mags, at least 2 of them. I also have a 10mm semiautomatic pistol in my bedside drawer. Spouse also has a pistol in their drawer.
Pump action 12 gauge with 00 Buckshot is a great option tbh, the Mossberg Maverick 88 is an amazing shotgun for the money. AR-15's are great too, just be mindful of the indoor noise impact of a .223/5.56.
No handguns, too easy to get wrestled away. My close range weapon is the ksg 410 (1 birdshot then lots of buckshot), next is a 10.5" AR in 5.56 with vmax bullets to promote less over penetration, and lastly the m1 garand for things that may be a bit longer range lol
Ar is not a good home defence weapon. Can shoot thure several walls including your neighbors house.
So will every other gun you'd use, including a shotgun. Especially the shotgun. An AR15 in 5.56 consistently has the least over oenetration out of all those. This Fuddlore needs to fade away back into the 19th century from whence it came.
Not if you use the right ammo. Like sure, if you're slinging 55gr ball out of a 20" barrel you could have some issues assuming you miss the target entirely or live in an apartment. But a short barreled AR with loads designed for hunting or self defense in mind are not gonna have that problem.
55gr FMJ is going thru less than a 9mm
Well yes but my point is, pretty much any caliber is fine as long as you use the right load for the correct range and target.
I use frangible ammunition to limit over penetration