Best Home Defense Rifle?

[bigtiller]

I was more concerned about where the bullet went after it left my property. With 10 acres the bullet will most likely leave your property after about 300 yards. That is still an effective shot with high powered rifles today and I would not think that shot could be called defensive. I chose a pistol that shoots .410 and .45 long colts for a home defence gun. I keep it loaded with .410's for the bad guy and use it for targets with .45's. The .45 at 100 yards is just about lost all its energy and will hit the ground soon as compared to a .308.

 

[Podunkadunk]

think long term.

AR-15 going to be a first choice for a lot of people. Its chambered in a 5.56mm or .223 round but i am unsure of weather or not the 2 rounds are interchangeable.

on the other hand you have the AK-47 series. Chambered in a 7.62 or .308. I have heard of my buddies talking about interchanging these two rounds in both there Winchester .308 rifles and there AK's. I think the talk was that some rounds the shoulder on the brass was just a FUZ different and that some AK's might not like it depending on how they were made. The point is, you'll likely get both to work either way.

another plus for the .308/7.62 round is the stopping power. I have personally spoken with a number of Iraq vets that say many US solders they served with would chose an AK over a M16/m4 variant because the larger round has PROVEN better stopping power.

the .30-06 has a LONG history of being a top rifle round. No rifle collection should be without one.

As you never have ONE rifle my list goes like this
AR-15 -red dot scope
AK-47 -red dot
a more civilian looking .308 hunting rifle, (marlin, Ruger etc)
a .30-06 rifle with high power scope

and because you cant put rabbits, squirrels etc for the table with any of the above and still have something left over, a trusty .22 and .17 HMR rounds it out.

Can't safely fire 5.56x45 in a .223, but you can safely fire .223 in a 5.56x45 stamped weapon. Pressure differences being the cause.

AK47 rounds are 7.62x39mm. NOT the same round as .308, not by a longshot. .308 is approx. 7.62x51mm. Your buddies weapons probably don't function too well today from swapping the two. Common misconception though, don't sweat it.

 

[DennisArrow]

Wow........so much input........

Many valid points and I truly do understand the points brought up about legal aspects. However, I feel not only is it my right to protect my home and family; but my duty. If a jury of my peers wants to put me away for bringing down a predator as it flees from bringing harm to myself or family, then they can.

Currently, I have a road alarm down the drive maybe 100 yards below the house. It signals me inside the house and has the capability of turning on various devices. As they approach the barns a series of lights go on. As they get closer to the house a back up alarm sensor triggers another signal inside the house. The alarm works really well. Have used it now for a couple of years. Used to be maybe a person a day wandering around checking things out up my private drive. Since the alarm, this has diminished to maybe one every two weeks. Could it be attributed to the rumor about the crazy ol guy that meets them with a shotgun on the way out after they turn around up the hill?

I do not anticipate, nor desire a general problem with riots etc. Nor do I anticipate just urban predators trying to get what I have. The last person I chased off at 2:30 in the morning, checking out equipment parked above the house had a License tag of an even more rural county. As a Christian, I long for what Jesus promised is coming. I do want to survive those hard times. As an American that is total disgusted with the Obamafication of MY country I truly fear that some difficult times are coming. When the free handouts are no longer available where will those predators go to keep themselves fed. Certainly not the inner city. Have you read what REALLY happened in post-Katrina New Orleans?

Yes, the 12 ga. has double ought, kept loaded and under my bed. Yes, the sound of jacking a round is effective and the pattern that it throws brings results. The road alarm gives me LOTS of warning before they even see the house. The series of yard lights totally illuminate the target area. The 4 Anatolian/Pyrenese livestock guard dogs totally protect the various pastures and give LOTS of warning from that direction. This leaves the public road and up my drive or through the national forest with the closest road that way being over a mile through some pretty dense woods.

The .38 is kept at my wife's side and pretty much inside the house. The 22 is for the tree rats. What I totally fear and many of my neighbors have brought this up, not me, is bands of predators coming down from Chattanooga or out of Atlanta for the easy rural pickings. This is going on NOW in Atlanta. Truly, if hard times really come, I look forward to some of you and my neighbors to help man road blocks to shut down the whole valley.

At any rate, thanks for the thoughts.............My son, at Ft. Levenworth going through the war college, has his eye on a M1 for maybe around $600. Nobody mentioned one of these. I really, at present, can't afford the $1200 for an M14. The question for the future will being able to get ammunition for whatever it is I get. A .308 or 30.06 should be readily available for a bit longer. Afraid the 7.62 or even the .223 may be limited. I truly like the thought of getting a supply of whatever it is and just having it on hand. The M1 mentioned above comes with a large supply of military ammunition, won't be registered to me in any way, and does pack a nice punch. Small clips though.

Yes, I truly agree about one sight picture and one shot. What I worry about is several simultaneous targets that need some rapid targeting.

I hesitate to post these thoughts, and hope you will read them as questions and thoughts of a person that is just looking down the road. No intent to "go hunting". Just insuring a lifestyle of hard work and prudence will continue to be just that...........

God Bless...........Dennis

 

[Doc_Bob]

Shotgun.
Bob

 

[Lasgambler]

Don't sell the 12 ga. short. Most home defense situations are short range shots (even agains the 4 legged kind). and the 12 ga. with 00 buck is good to at least 50 yds. If you still feel the need for a rifle, I second the Ruger mini 14... get the rancher stainless/synthetic in .223 caliber... fun to shoot and practice with, and low maintenance.

I second what westbrooklawn said.

 

[Dargo]

Golly, you guys scare me. Ever thought about a really bright flashlight and some pepper spray?

 

[schmism]

how you supposed to kill a coyote with pepper spray? If they are attacking my sheep, the last thing i want to do is "scare it off".

 

[Eagleview]

I just bought this Turkish hand built Zafer Field 12g with 24" barrels last week for $710 . It's a well made precision gun . I bought it for rabbit control and home defense as well as taking with me when touring the back blocks of OZ as a precaution . If it come down to the choice of being forced to watch a group of bikies do what they like with my wife or unloading it in their direction , the choice would be simple . At least with two barrels the second bloke might not be as daring as the first .

 

[EddieWalker]

I realize you have a mr. niceguy reputation to stay aligned with and that's cool, but why the ethical policeman? Don't you think we are all adults here and can intelligently surmise a potentially hostile situation? How would me pulling out a firearm and possibly using it, change my life for the worse? Is it because I had to stop someone from killing someone in my family. This is 2008 Eddie, I've got to assume that someone who's invaded my home is going to do bodily harm to my child, my wife, or me, or all of us! If you're assuming less, you're gambling with your life, or as you say "worse"...possibly the life of a loved one. I doubt the guy was breaking in to sell me girl scout cookies, or build a fire and make smores!

Podunk,

Not sure where we crossed paths, but it sound like I've hurt your feelings here and it's tantrum time..

I'm a strong believer in firearms and the right to use them for personal protection. Don't know where you get the idea otherwise???

Here in Texas it's perfectly legal to shoot somebody breaking into your home. It's the called the Castle Law, or something like that, and it's been upheld in the courts when it's gone that far. Most of the time, there are no charges even filed. Just an investigation.

My concern is very simple. If you are using a rifle and shooting at an intruder 50 yards out, or more, it's going to be real dificult to claim that your life was threatened and it was self defense. A rifle is a poor close quarter weapon and like I mentioned in my earlier post, it would be my last choice during a break in.

To suggest that an assalt rifle is somehow better for home defense then a shotgun, which he has, then we're not talking home defense, we're playing Rambo.

Are you really serious asking how shooting somebody will change your life for the worse? Do I really have to explain that to you????

Eddie

 

[shvl73]

I've read Eddie's post three times and he makes sense to me. Our laws in NH are more restrictive than in Texas, as we are required to flee if possible.