Need a recommendation on what type of gun/shotgun you all you use for home protection against intruders/unwanted guests in your home. I have a .38 caliber colt revolver, but don't think you can get off rounds fast enough. This is not a weapon that I would think of carrying, simply to protect my home. Lets hear it.

 

A revolver is the simplest gun to operate. That could be a benefit if a "stressful" situation ever arose.

 

Can't beat an 870 or Mossburg pump in 12 gauge w/9 count double oo buck

 

'Skeeter' Skelton holds the most bullets on target in the least amount of time.....with a stock S&W revolver! .6 second for six shots.

Fast enough?

Get good with that .38 and stoke it with +P Silvertips. You will indeed be well armed!

It's all about hitting the target. The average shots fired in a gunfight is less than two rounds.

 

Be careful about using +p ammo, if this is an old gun this is a no no.

 

I have a folding Mossburg 500, with magnum shot, as the persuader, and my Sig Sauer P220S is never far away.

I have a few revolvers but would never carry them, or use them for home defense - they are my toys, the Sig and the Mossy are my tools.

Theo

 

I think the 12 guage shotgun with a pistol grip and short barrel is a great choice.
First of all, if you have to fire you are probably not going to miss,
and just the sound of racking it would probably be enough to get a thief running for his life...And for good reason.
The wheel gun (Revolver) is also a good choice as well due to the ease of use and manuverability.

 

Personally, I don't have a gun for protection. Would you be willing to take someone's life if they were in your house? Would you be able to use the gun before the perp took it from you? If he took it from you, he would most likely use it on you. I would invest in a good alarm system. That's what I have. Also, make sure that you have heavy-duty strike plates, 3 inch screws in the stike plate, and have deadbolts on every exterior door. Keep your yard trimmed so that nobody can hide behind the bushes, and get to know your neighbors. A floodlight above the service door, and main door of the garage can deter crooks since they don't want to be seen. On top of all this, get a good burglar alarm. Not one of the 199.99 specials Brinks hands out. You would need someone to come out to your house, and asses the needs of the property. With all of that, you would never need a firearm to defend your property. It is all about removing the oppurtunity for the crook to burglarize your house.

 

Mine are Mossburg 590 12 gauge with #3 shot (Watch for over penetration by the shot) for the first two and the remaining six are all 00 buck. I have a riot shotgun. I also have a HK USP Compact with night sights in 40 S&W.

FYI
A researcher did a study of recognizable sounds and the #1 sound that most people know was the racking of a shotgun. They then asked criminals what was the most fearful sound that they could hear while in someone else house and #1 by far was a shotgun.

 

Alarms are a total joke. Over 90% are false and some cities even will fine you for this. Others would make Brinks come to your house first and then call the police.

I have layered protection. Lots of lights, I know my neighbors, a big dog in the yard and dead bolts.

Ignore one or all and your butt gets hauled away.....your choice.

 

MOVE!!!
Otherwise, the more rounds the merrier. PS i live out in the woods. Half the time my wife leaves the keys in the ignition. My biggest fear, and it has come true a couple times, is being locked out as the kids brush the electric locks on the way out.

 

[Originally posted by mistercmk
Personally, I don't have a gun for protection. Would you be willing to take someone's life if they were in your house?


Yes.


Would you be able to use the gun before the perp took it from you?

Yes.

If he took it from you, he would most likely use it on you.

True, but will not happen.

I would invest in a good alarm system. That's what I have.

So do I. - problem is I live many minutes from help, by which time I would be in trouble.

Also, make sure that you have heavy-duty strike plates, 3 inch screws in the stike plate, and have deadbolts on every exterior door.

Got that.

Keep your yard trimmed so that nobody can hide behind the bushes, and get to know your neighbors.

Got that.

A floodlight above the service door, and main door of the garage can deter crooks since they don't want to be seen.

No thanks, I don't want to be seen either. I have security lights at a distance from the house, mounted high, and pointing down, that give shadows of anything moving.. Much better than house mounted.

On top of all this, get a good burglar alarm. Not one of the 199.99 specials Brinks hands out. You would need someone to come out to your house, and asses the needs of the property.

Very good point. It takes me about 3 minutes to disable anything that ADT, Brinks or other so called Security companies install, and I am a good guy..

With all of that, you would never need a firearm to defend your property.

Sorry, bud. you are wrong - perhaps you live near the cops, or have no reason to be invaded, but many people are not so lucky. Home invasion in rural settings almost ALWAYS results in unarmed people being injured or killed. When the householder is armed, the perp dies.

It is all about removing the oppurtunity for the crook to burglarize your house.

That is a good step to take, but the oportunity is always there, if the house is standing.. By the way, irrespective of what security system you have installed, I CAN get into your house without anyone coming to your aid. Please understand I am not threatening you, just advising you that your system, whatever it is, is not going to keep a determined person out. If it uses the phone, it is so easy to disrupt the entire street's phones. If it then relies on the cellular network, there are gizmos that cost less than $100 that block any cell phone signal for 200 yards around. If it relies on the Power grid for any function, that takes about 3 mins to disconnect any transformer. And the back up Battery is no good, if no help knows you are in trouble..

Hinge and striker plates do hold the door in place, but the walls of most houses can be broken through very quickly, as can any window. The Floor, in a house with a crawl space, is an easy way in too, or the roof. The only thing that works against the determined bad guy, is the weapon you hold in your hand. Dogs don't work, phones don't work, the Police have to be there to work, and they are not terribly fast in getting anywhere.

SO, by all means, have the measures that you prefer, and hope for the best, but others, note... If the bad guy wants your property, or your life, YOU have to deal with it. A weapon makes it a lot easier.

For those who believe they cannot shoot another human.. Go get firearm training, and then you will have no problem. IT IS NOT WORTH DYING FOR A NON VIOLENT PRINCIPAL.

Theo

 

Actually alarms to me are the first wall of defense in protecting you house from a burglar, I would rather be awoke in the middle of the night by my alarm then some sneaky crack fiend with a gun to my head, and I wake up to anything. Not that I dont have .38 locked away in my nightstand with the key around my neck but I do sleep a lot easier with the alarm. To me its just ADDED safety.

 

A home alarm is part of a defense strategy that has some real benefits. Granted, a "real" professional could probably disable one in a short time but statistics probably don't indicate you'll be invaded by a "real" professional. First of all, they protect your property when your NOT home. I would suggest that all but the most hardcore criminals would rather enter your home unoccupied. An alarm will give you 7/24 protection. Secondly, mine also has a monitored smoke detector that gives continual protection from fire. I don't think many criminals would linger very long with the siren blaring and even if they think they cut the phone line, even they have know idea if they got to it before it called the police.
My point is that an alarm can supplement your home security plan. Lights, locks, dogs, and good neighbors can also help a lot.

 

You guys all raise good points, but my post was just telling people that the best defensive strategy is to make a house less appealing to a burglar. Most are crims of oppurtunity. I live in the city, and there are at least 8 squads patrolling my city at any one time. I just want to make it so a crook will think twice about getting into my house, and if they do get in, to scare the crap outta them so they will leave. Granted, anyone can get into your house if they have the desire, and anyone will kill you if they have the desire, but if you make yourself, and your house less of a target, you won't have to worry.