Best Home Defense Rifle?

[Sigarms]

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 that is indeed the case, you increase your odds for survival by securing the immediate area, and minimizing the firelanes from your defensive position.

My wife has standing orders when I'm not home and she knows there is an intruder in the house. Lock bedroom door, call the police and inform them of the situation, and inform them she has discharged rounds. Also inform them that she is in the bedroom and the police need to identify themselves. Then grab the shotgun and chamber a round, ready to go. After she gets off the phone with the police, she is to turn the bedroom lights on, and get into the corner of the bedroom (on the side of the bed "under cover") and train the shotgun on the door. She is then to SCREAM that she has a firearm and that she will blow anyones mother******* head off if they try to come into the bedroom.

We all like to think that when it's our house, it's our terrain and our domain, and we have the right to go and investigate. Well we do. However, when "clearing" a house, when all things are equal (do you know if the intruder has a gun or how many intruders there are?), if you go and try to "clear" your home, chances are you could end up on the short end of the stick. Bottom line, when clearing a house, even the "pros" going in "one on one" usually lose in simulation (and most of use aren't pros to begin with, myself included).

Another reason why when the police show up at a business after hours, with the chance of an armed intruder on the premises, they usually send in the dog/dogs first.

For myself, my priority is that my wife stays alive. No "belongings" are worth our lives. Guys in the house hightail it out with some furniture? No big deal.

By the way, the rules for my wife are the same rules for myself.

The gun next to the bed? A 20 gauge shotgun.

 

[QRTRHRS]

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.

I thought that NH had "Live free or die" on the auto license plates? Sounds like you folks need to make some changes come election time.

I have to agree that outside the bounds of the home, things could get sticky. Keeping within the bounds, I like my Mossberg Bullpup. Short enough to manuever around with, pumping action sounds like something darth vader would carry and I can pump out the 00 pretty quickly if need be.

 

[Podunkadunk]

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

No tantrum here, just calling it like I read it.

It's called the Castle Doctrine. We have it here too. Same rules apply that you mentioned.

You stated above: "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." Since we were talking about AR's, I assumed by "rifle" that that's what you were talking about too. If I was wrong, I'll admit it, if not...that statement is dead wrong. Look at what is being used in Iraq and Afghan. right now with huge success. They are writing the book on CQB...with M4's. Not going in with M9's blazing, just M4's and Mossberg tacticals, but mostly M4's because they are standard issue. It's the perfect weapon for that application.


You also stated: "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." I can see the positive side of your reasoning that a shotgun is better in an inside the home type defense weapon, I'm not going to disagree, but an AR in the right hands is plenty lethal and tactically efficient. To make an assessment that someone is playing "Rambo" is downright...well, let's just say that statement is very "liberal". I'll leave it alone.

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

It may for you, but for many others protecting their family from death or serious bodily harm, not so much. At least for me, I wouldn't lose a wink of sleep over exercising my basic right to use deadly force on said "bad guy" to prevent him from committing those atrocities. Not a wink, so tell me how that would make my life "worse". And you know, somehow I feel that you wouldn't either if it came to that. You have to look at the context in which I explained my thoughts previously. I wasn't speaking of shooting someone just to be doing it. God no! It would HAVE to be a kill or be killed situation, ie. someone booting in my door at o'dark-thirty. Game over my friend...game over.

Good day.

Podunk

 

[Podunkadunk]

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.

I'd move...that sucks!

 

[Podunkadunk]

If that is indeed the case, you increase your odds for survival by securing the immediate area, and minimizing the firelanes from your defensive position.

My wife has standing orders when I'm not home and she knows there is an intruder in the house. Lock bedroom door, call the police and inform them of the situation, and inform them she has discharged rounds. Also inform them that she is in the bedroom and the police need to identify themselves. Then grab the shotgun and chamber a round, ready to go. After she gets off the phone with the police, she is to turn the bedroom lights on, and get into the corner of the bedroom (on the side of the bed "under cover") and train the shotgun on the door. She is then to SCREAM that she has a firearm and that she will blow anyones mother******* head off if they try to come into the bedroom.

We all like to think that when it's our house, it's our terrain and our domain, and we have the right to go and investigate. Well we do. However, when "clearing" a house, when all things are equal (do you know if the intruder has a gun or how many intruders there are?), if you go and try to "clear" your home, chances are you could end up on the short end of the stick. Bottom line, when clearing a house, even the "pros" going in "one on one" usually lose in simulation (and most of use aren't pros to begin with, myself included).

Another reason why when the police show up at a business after hours, with the chance of an armed intruder on the premises, they usually send in the dog/dogs first.

For myself, my priority is that my wife stays alive. No "belongings" are worth our lives. Guys in the house hightail it out with some furniture? No big deal.

By the way, the rules for my wife are the same rules for myself.

The gun next to the bed? A 20 gauge shotgun.

I agree with most all of your logic. The only thing I have going for me on "clearing" my home from hostiles is that I know my home, they don't. It'll more than likely be dark. They don't know what hall leads where...I do. Not saying that will not get me shot, but it'll increase my odds of getting them first. Hope I don't ever have to be in that situation, but I'm not going to sit in a corner and wait for the SOB to raid my home, or worse.

 

[tomd999]

Hiya,

Ooooooooh, more gun talk, sweet!

OK, here goes and I'm suprised nobody has mentioned one. The US service rifle M1, Cal .30, gas operated. AKA: possibly the finest full power .30 caliber service rifle ever issued, the M1 Garand.

Holds 2, 5 or 8 rounds in a clip that fits in your pocket, is more reliable than a stone ax, looks great, is very, very accurate, and you can order one direct from the Civilian Marksmanship Program for 500 bucks.

The .30-'06 round is more than powerful enough for anything that walks on either 2 or 4 legs in the lower 48, Ammo's available everywhere and you can also get US surplus directly from the CMP in 200 round ammo cans.

You already have a 12G, a 22 and 38. A Garand would be a very good addition that would serve you, your children and grandchildren reliably. Not to mention you can sit them on your knee and tell them great stories of how our GI's used rifles like yours to fight against evil and tyranny the world over. Can't do that with a Chinese import AK or SKS.

My 2 cents,

Tom

PS: We keep a Mossberg 590 with 2-#12 shot shells followed by 7- single 0 buck shells and a .45 Colt Commander with Glaser Safety slugs for house guns.

 

[johnk]

I own many guns but I think the ole shotgun is really great for close up work. Some 00 ougt and serious problems should get the job done. Shooting a Hi Capacity mag at a perpetrator that is 80 yrds from you is only going to get you in trouble if you have the ability to retreat. Up close and personal is where self defense is legal. Shotgun has my vote as the best and most accurate. With 00 Buck you will definitely hit the intruder better than you will with a single round from pistol or rifle in a high stress situation...Just my opinion. Hi stress is the key if you can still shoot with control...

 

[Wayne County Hose]

The bottom line is this. "He threatened me with my life, that's why I shot the intruder officer. He said he was going to kill me." What will they do, ask Mr. dead guy if he said it? There isn't a state in the country that has a law against protecting your own life.

Warn the intruder that I have a weapon and notify him of my location? Not hardly. Walk softly and carry a big stick.

If there were a better weapon than the M4 like I posted a pic of in my previous post, then someone should notify the military and every major law enforcement agency out there that uses the M4 for close quarters urban house to house style combat. A 12 gauge at 15' doesn't have enough spread, doesn't carry enough rounds, and doesn't reload fast enough IMHO.

 

[litework]

Given the OP's end of the world as we know it scenario, I'd probably opt for a flat top AR. It doesn't sound like he's simply talking about protecting his home from a "typical" home invader. Fear of reprimand and litigation might not be high on the priority list in this setting.

I prefer the AR to most other common sport rifles because it is a modular system and very easy to customize. The ammunition is very cheap, and the rifle is just plain fun to shoot...you can shoot it all day and not worry about going through a tube of Ben Gay the next day. With the flat top, you can attach a conventional scope or go with an Eotech/Aimpoint close range system...which can be used with night vision equipment.

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

home defense
12ga shotgun with 00 buck and a riot barrel, extra shells on the butt and on the receiver
9mm or .40 cal. pistol with high capacity mag and quick expanding rounds

break down of society (blue helmets come marching down your street, russians, civil chaos, etc)

a variety of guns that chamber VERY common rounds, .223, 7.62, 12ga., 9mm, .22, 30-06, .308, 5.56.....there may be others but stay away from .17wmr, 30-30, .44mag, .357mag, yadda, yadda..........basically, anything our government or other governments use is what you want......

they are most likely to be available when the terminators begin their assault

go to cheaperthandirt.com and order a 1000 rounds of your choice......