Best all round home defence weapon - The Firearms Forum

Firearms Instructor · 11-12-2005, 02:19 PM

For my students, (who generaly are not very competent with a handgun under stressfull conditions), I advocate buying a Winchester Defender 20 guage pump action shotgun equiped with a 8 round magazine tube,a full stock and a pistol grip. When it is loaded with # 7 steel shot it is more than enough to engage any soft target that one would need to engage inside the ranges found in most homes.As a side issue, it can be fired one handed by either men or women around a baracade or over furniture ect. (without the recoil duing more harm to the shooter). Also there is the factor that the sound of loading a pump action is a sound that will freeze all but the most stupid intruder.

Marlin · 11-12-2005, 04:08 PM

The racking of a Browning Hi-Power or any 1911 has a similar effect.

res1b3uq · 11-12-2005, 05:05 PM

If I was somewhere I didn't belong,
the sound of a round of 00 Buck being chambered would probably prevent me from being shot, because I would die of a heart attack.

Pistolenschutze · 11-12-2005, 05:07 PM

Instructor, the 20 gauge scattergun you describe is not a bad choice at all, at least for close range, in home, self-defense use, particularly for someone who is not overly familiar with weapons. Personally, I prefer the 12 gauge over the 20, but then, I've been shooting 12s since I was a kid at everything from cottontails to black bear. Loaded with low-brass and #7 birdshot, the 12 doesn't really recoil much harder than the 20 you describe, but I grant you the 20 is a bit handier and certainly lighter. Neither of these weapons is overly penetrative, which is a major plus in a home-defense situation. There is nothing quite so intimidating to a bad guy as a shotgun bore pointed at his midsection, be it 20 or 12 gauge! The only downside to the shotgun, as I see it, is that it is more difficult to have close at hand if the donnybrook starts in the middle of the night.

--Pistolenschutze

LIKTOSHOOT · 11-13-2005, 06:03 PM

Never be mislead by the false hope of slide racking, this ranks very closely to a burbon legend.

LTS

Crpdeth · 11-13-2005, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LIKTOSHOOT

Never be mislead by the false hope of slide racking, this ranks very closely to a burbon legend.

LTS

Kinda lets 'em know exactly where your at too.

I'd rather use stealth untill I have a good target, if they are in my home uninvited I dont intend to scare them.

Crpdeth

omnivore75 · 11-25-2005, 01:00 AM

No doubt. My Winchester Defender with 7+1 12 ga ranger low recoil 00 is always within arms reach. Of course I always have a pistol at the ready that I can grab without even standing up but if given a choice I will always reach for my 12 ga most likely. In another situation I think I may prefer my AR particularly at range, against a hard target, or in low light for the ease of mounting lights/lasers but for home defense given the close ranges involved in defending a home from intrusion I don't think you can beat the 12 ga pump gun. Not only does it put em down hard but you can easily and reliably deploy a less than lethal munition and then be at the ready with a round of 00 in a flash. That alone is reason enough. If, God forbid, the worst were to happen, loading a less than lethal round as the first shot is a clear statement that you only wish to defend your life and family and are only willing to use lethal force as the last resort as it should be.

Jay · 11-25-2005, 06:04 AM

Good points on all counts......but I think there needs to be a qualifying condition. Proficiency....... In the hands of someone who trains with it, ANY of the above mentioned firearms will serve very well. I see one gent at the range weekly, that says, "...but I have a shotgun at home for defense" . I've seen many posts regarding what's the best weapon for ........ , and I feel the answer continues to be, "use the weapon that you're the most proficient with". A well placed .22 bullet, is more effective than a miss with a .45 . Granted, a miss with a .45 will demand more attention than a miss with a .22 .

jeep45238 · 11-25-2005, 08:08 PM

I have my .40 loaded with a spare mag in my pistol safe. Under 3 seconds in the dark, hitting the slide release on the draw, and I'm armed. Can't really say that too much about a shotgun, and has much less manuverability than my handgun. However, that doesn't mean that it's not under my bed along with a buncha ammo for both (#6 shot for the shotty though).

I'm definately prepared to go across the hall and into my folks bedroom and hunker down untill the police arrive, and hold off damn near anything/body in the mean time.

omnivore75 · 11-26-2005, 10:18 PM

Lucily I have no kids so I keep my G22 loaded with a round in the chamber and two high caps loaded up right at my side 24-7 either on my hip or on/in my nightstand so I can be armed and ready to fire in about a nanosecond and my Winchester Defender loaded up with 7+1 low recoil buckshot right across the room standing up in a zip bag with the zip undone at the top for easy reach, and plenty more weapons at the ready in the closets of my home.

Hey call me paranoid but thats how I like it. Heck I used to have a friend, an old country guy (Hey now Im almost an old country guy!! Freakin birthdays!!) who kept a gun within arms reach no matter where he was in his house hehe. Like me he had no little ones nor anyone in his house who might do something with them so he liked to be prepared. Very prepared!

11-12-2005, 02:19 PM	#1
Firearms Instructor Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Plano, Texas Posts: 1	Best all round home defence weapon For my students, (who generaly are not very competent with a handgun under stressfull conditions), I advocate buying a Winchester Defender 20 guage pump action shotgun equiped with a 8 round magazine tube,a full stock and a pistol grip. When it is loaded with # 7 steel shot it is more than enough to engage any soft target that one would need to engage inside the ranges found in most homes.As a side issue, it can be fired one handed by either men or women around a baracade or over furniture ect. (without the recoil duing more harm to the shooter). Also there is the factor that the sound of loading a pump action is a sound that will freeze all but the most stupid intruder. -->

11-12-2005, 04:08 PM	#2
Marlin TFF Admin Staff Chief Counselor Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: At SouthernMoss' side forever! Contributor Posts: 13,853	Re: Best all round home defence weapon The racking of a Browning Hi-Power or any 1911 has a similar effect. __________________ *The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing.* *The only criminal class native to the United States is Congress.*

11-12-2005, 05:05 PM	#3
res1b3uq Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 36	Re: Best all round home defence weapon If I was somewhere I didn't belong, the sound of a round of 00 Buck being chambered would probably prevent me from being shot, because I would die of a heart attack.

11-12-2005, 05:07 PM	#4
Pistolenschutze Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 13,094	Re: Best all round home defence weapon Instructor, the 20 gauge scattergun you describe is not a bad choice at all, at least for close range, in home, self-defense use, particularly for someone who is not overly familiar with weapons. Personally, I prefer the 12 gauge over the 20, but then, I've been shooting 12s since I was a kid at everything from cottontails to black bear. Loaded with low-brass and #7 birdshot, the 12 doesn't really recoil much harder than the 20 you describe, but I grant you the 20 is a bit handier and certainly lighter. Neither of these weapons is overly penetrative, which is a major plus in a home-defense situation. There is nothing quite so intimidating to a bad guy as a shotgun bore pointed at his midsection, be it 20 or 12 gauge! The only downside to the shotgun, as I see it, is that it is more difficult to have close at hand if the donnybrook starts in the middle of the night. --Pistolenschutze

11-13-2005, 06:03 PM	#5
LIKTOSHOOT Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 9,367	Re: Best all round home defence weapon Never be mislead by the false hope of slide racking, this ranks very closely to a burbon legend. LTS

11-25-2005, 01:00 AM	#7
omnivore75 Former Guest Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Tennessee Posts: 21	Re: Best all round home defence weapon No doubt. My Winchester Defender with 7+1 12 ga ranger low recoil 00 is always within arms reach. Of course I always have a pistol at the ready that I can grab without even standing up but if given a choice I will always reach for my 12 ga most likely. In another situation I think I may prefer my AR particularly at range, against a hard target, or in low light for the ease of mounting lights/lasers but for home defense given the close ranges involved in defending a home from intrusion I don't think you can beat the 12 ga pump gun. Not only does it put em down hard but you can easily and reliably deploy a less than lethal munition and then be at the ready with a round of 00 in a flash. That alone is reason enough. If, God forbid, the worst were to happen, loading a less than lethal round as the first shot is a clear statement that you only wish to defend your life and family and are only willing to use lethal force as the last resort as it should be. Last edited by omnivore75; 11-25-2005 at 01:02 AM..

11-25-2005, 06:04 AM	#8
Jay Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,286	Re: Best all round home defence weapon Good points on all counts......but I think there needs to be a qualifying condition. Proficiency....... In the hands of someone who trains with it, ANY of the above mentioned firearms will serve very well. I see one gent at the range weekly, that says, "...but I have a shotgun at home for defense" . I've seen many posts regarding what's the best weapon for ........ , and I feel the answer continues to be, "use the weapon that you're the most proficient with". A well placed .22 bullet, is more effective than a miss with a .45 . Granted, a miss with a .45 will demand more attention than a miss with a .22 . __________________ "For those who fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected cannot taste." "USMC 8652, 2531, RVN Jun '67, - May 69"

11-25-2005, 08:08 PM	#9
jeep45238 Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 48	Re: Best all round home defence weapon I have my .40 loaded with a spare mag in my pistol safe. Under 3 seconds in the dark, hitting the slide release on the draw, and I'm armed. Can't really say that too much about a shotgun, and has much less manuverability than my handgun. However, that doesn't mean that it's not under my bed along with a buncha ammo for both (#6 shot for the shotty though). I'm definately prepared to go across the hall and into my folks bedroom and hunker down untill the police arrive, and hold off damn near anything/body in the mean time.

11-26-2005, 10:18 PM	#10
omnivore75 Former Guest Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Tennessee Posts: 21	Re: Best all round home defence weapon Lucily I have no kids so I keep my G22 loaded with a round in the chamber and two high caps loaded up right at my side 24-7 either on my hip or on/in my nightstand so I can be armed and ready to fire in about a nanosecond and my Winchester Defender loaded up with 7+1 low recoil buckshot right across the room standing up in a zip bag with the zip undone at the top for easy reach, and plenty more weapons at the ready in the closets of my home. Hey call me paranoid but thats how I like it. Heck I used to have a friend, an old country guy (Hey now Im almost an old country guy!! Freakin birthdays!!) who kept a gun within arms reach no matter where he was in his house hehe. Like me he had no little ones nor anyone in his house who might do something with them so he liked to be prepared. Very prepared! Last edited by omnivore75; 11-26-2005 at 10:20 PM..