Home Defense for New Shooter

[brewcityc]

My wife and I are expecting our first child any day now. That's got me thinking about home defense. I am an experienced shooter, but my wife on the otherhand, is not. I own a Taurus .454 Raging Bull with an 8" barrel for hunting. This gun is no good for home defense unless I plan to scare an intruder to death or throw it at him and it's certainly too big for my wife to handle. My question is, what is the best gun for first-time home defense?
I'd like to go with a semi auto. I know they're a little more unsafe for the inexperienced shooter, but I've always wanted one. I also think that it would be an advantage if you had to rattle off more than one shot. I plan to thoroughly train my wife how to handle and shoot it safely.
The next thing I'm looking for, is something with enough stopping power that will not pose a threat to the neighbors or have too much kick. I was thinking of going with a .357. Is that a good choice?
Lastly, I'm looking for something that is affordable, yet dependable. With a semi auto I worry about the action jamming up. What would be best brand to get without losing an arm and a leg?

[southernshooter]

Most rifles are out of the question due to overpenetration thru the walls killin an inocent. If you wanted a semi auto rifle for home defense I would say something in either 9mm or 40 S&W like a Ruger PC9 or PC4 or if your budget will allow it a AR-15 in 9mm or so on

Handguns I would reccomend the good old 45 their less of a chance of over penetration in the 45 versus higher velocity rounds like 41 Special/ 44 Mag / 357 Sig / 357 Mag and stuff like that.

The best home defense weapon in my choice beggining shooter or not is a shotgun with a 18.5 inch barrel and with either bird or buckshot less chance of over penetration and with the scatter affect aiming is a LITTLE more forgiving than a pistol.
No caliber is good for home defense unless you practice even if it is only once a month somethin is better that nothin.


Just my .02

[Ursus]

I'd pick the shotgun too. If a handgun is a must and your inexperienced wife is gonna use it, I'd pick a revolver. You should encourage her to practice anyway. Glad for you jonning us. See you around.

[JohnK3]

Shotgun.

A police officer once told a friend of mine, after she had been robbed in her house, that the scariest thing in the world to a burglar is a woman with a 12-gauge.

[jmz82]

Ill second what they said, a shotgun is the way to go for the unexperienced. Its alot easier to hit something with a shotgun at close range than any other gun in my opinion.

[Pistolenschutze]

I'd have to go with a short-barreled shotgun too, Brew, preferably a pump action. Normally I would suggest a 12 gauge, but in your case, with a wife who might find it necessary to use it, and who is relatively inexperienced with firearms, you might want to consider a 20 gauge. A 20 is almost as effective as a 12 at close range, especially with a full cylinder barrel, and is much easier to handle. The four reasons I would suggest the shotgun over a handgun are:

1. A good one may be purchased much more cheaply than a handgun (as you are already finding out, babies cost LOTS of money! ).
2. A shotgun has--as others have suggested--a certain advantage when it comes to the intimidation factor.
3. NOTHING is more devastating and effective at close range than a good shotgun if, God forbid, you ever find it necessary to shoot.
4. Generally speaking, it is much easier to learn to use a shotgun at close range than to use a handgun effectively.

If you should decide on a handgun though, I would suggest a good 9mm, especially if your wife will be using it. It is quite effective with good ammo, and very mild in recoil. If you want to avoid too many "whistles and bells," you might want to look at one of the striker-fired autos like the Glock or the Steyr.

Just my $.02 woth.

[pickenup]

Originally Posted by Ursus

I'd pick the shotgun too. If a handgun is a must and your inexperienced wife is gonna use it, I'd pick a revolver. You should encourage her to practice anyway. Glad for you jonning us. See you around.

Thanks for saving me some typing.

[Enzo_Guy]

If you must get a semi-auto handgun, then I would suggest a Springfield XD 9mm. It's light, cheap, reliable, and not too bad on the kick.
For shotguns, you can't go wrong, nor break the bank, with a Winchester or Remington.

[delta13soultaker]

Originally Posted by brewcityc

My question is, what is the best gun for first-time home defense?
I'd like to go with a semi auto. I know they're a little more unsafe for the inexperienced shooter, but I've always wanted one.

So is the weapon intended for you or your wife?

I'm passing on advice to you that was given to me: Try not to let your preference get ahead of what best suits your wife.

A revolver is safer and easier to keep functioning. A semi-auto has more firepower but is harder to bring into action and keep running under stress...and easier to have negligent discharges after being used (forget to decock). No gun is "safe" but double-action revolvers have a very large margin of forgiveness for operator error. A semi-auto seems simple enough on a range...but before, during, and after stress there are several things that can lead to an accident. Becoming competent with a semi-auto requires several times as much more time intensive training than a good revolver.

The second part of that advice would be to let her handle a variety of roscoes until she lands on one that gives her a warm 'n fuzzy. You may be surprised what she chooses.

I intended for my future wife to start out with a snubby revolver. I wanted to keep things very simple. However, she jumped head first into semi-autos and with enthusiasm (Which shows our inherint differences. Example: I like American cruisers; she likes import crotchrockets.) She was willing to spend the extra time learning to defend herself with a hi-cap auto. The extra steps to getting the auto to fire...overcoming the weaknesses of the auto...the remedial action drills...the safety drills...the extra steps to render it safe after action...after action walk throughs too etc etc. Starting someone out on a revolver is truely less work and they get the same fundamentals for self defense. So in a pinch....

As far as jamming in semi-autos.....you get what you pay for. And any semi-auto may jam in the hands of an inexperienced shooter...limp wristing, shoving muzzle against the threat etc etc.

Good luck.

[ShadowHunt]

The short barreled 12 gauge is my favorite also. You dofnt have to be exact with your aim and you'll hurt him if not you'll scare the **** out of him for sure.

If you're looking at handguns, a .22 Ruger is a fine weapon and it definetly doen't have too much power but it'll hurt like all hell at least.

Good Luck Hope this helps.

[Popgunner]

Cheap option:

not as fun as getting a new gun (go for the 12 ga pump) but in the interim you could buy a box of 45 long colt "cowboy" ammo for your Casull. It'll have lighter bullets & lots less power than the Casull but it'd have plenty of power for defense. Take your wife to shoot a few of these. In that heavy gun the recoil should be very light. 45LC birdshot loads? it might be fun to blast off a few to see if they might work. If I had a woman point something like that at me I think I'd turn & run

[afdrookie]

+1 shotgun

[jggonzalez]

I agree that for a novice shooter a revolver is best, but if you really want an auto take a look at the Kahrs. If its going to be a home defense gun, I'd recommend one of their all-steel K or T series guns. Double-action only and no safety levers or decocking thingies to worry about. There's a mag release button and slide release lever, but those are easy to use and your wife probably won't even have to consider them since she doesn't have to manipulate anything to fire the first few rounds. Just like a camera-point and click. I've got an MK9 and really like it.

[stash247]

Brewcity, all: I've been lucky enough, most of my life, to have worked in places that were 'gun friendly', or more; consequently, I have been able to shoot, often at company expense, a lot!
I have walls full of paper, and silverware, to attest that I did it fairly well.
My 6'5" Son in law, a State Trooper, asked the question you did, and 'bout fainted at my answer, initially, until he thought about my answer, for a while, then questioned me some more, about 'why?'
He asked about a 'house gun' and I showed him three Ithaca 37's, in different places in my home, all of which I would trust with my life.
He questioned why, when I shot as well as I did/do, with pistol, revolver, and rifle, would I choose such a weapon, over those other options, and my answer was probably too short, but mirrors my feelings: "because I likely will not have to fire this one, and, if I do, only once", my response.
The serious side of this issue is twofold; effectiveness, and retention. If you love this lady enough to make babies with her, give her the tools to survive, in any situation!
A shotgun is a two handed tool, harder, by the extra hand, to take away, than a pistol, and far more powerful; the reality is, nobody will volunteer to be a 'test dummy', when confronted with such an arm, so, likely, will not have to be fired, at all.
I never met your lady, and if she wants a handgun, by all means get her one, or two; Lord knows, we need more shooters, but when the SGD, my choice was, is, and ever will be, a shotgun, in the hope that I will not have to use it!

[SouthernMoss]

First of all, brewcity, congratulations on your impending fatherhood! We expect lots of pics when the little one arrives!


As to the question at hand ... how inexperienced is your wife? "Inexperienced" can mean anything from "only shoots a few times a year" to "never touched a gun in her life." The answer can make a difference in what gun you might want to start out with.

How small/large is she? Make sure that the gun you choose "fits" her size. If it's a shotgun, make sure the stock is not too long for her to shoulder comfortably. If it's a handgun, make sure the handle and grip are small enough and thin enough that she can comfortably hold the gun and reach the trigger.

Something that guys often don't think about is trigger pull. With a woman's smaller hands, we don't have as much leverage in our fingers to pull the trigger. And if she has to struggle with the trigger, that will make her less accurate in placing the shot.

You've already said you plan to train her thoroughly, and that's good. But the training will only "take" if she's comfortable with the gun she's shooting. So have her handle and shoot as many different firearms as possible, until she finds the one that fits.

[Marlin]

Both Stash and SoMo have very sound advice. It took us a long time to find a gun that SoMo was comfortable with in her hands AND to shoot. The time taken to find the "perfect" or close to perfect weapon was more than well worth it.

[Pistolenschutze]

Stash, you hit the nail squarely on the head. Like you, I own and shoot all kinds of firearms and could choose from among quite a number for home defense purposes. Yet, if things "go bump in the night" and serious social interaction becomes necessary, what I want in my hands is a short-barreled shotgun! I do keep a handgun close by as well, but that is more out of habit than anything else. The weapon of choice is always a 12-gauge, pump or double barrel.

Oh, just out or curiosity, Stash, what do you choose to load in your 37s? I've always favored high-brass heavy bird shot loads (4s or 6s), backed up with a couple rounds of #4 buck if things should get really ugly. Just curious.

[desertram800]

If you go the handgun route, I'd choose a wheelgun, there are no springs to wear out from being loaded all the time, you can choose a variety of different load types, and the handles are usually smaller and easier for a smaller hand. However, I would agree with the others above with the shotgun! Just the sound of someone racking a shotgun will deter most bad guys/ boogie men/ zombies!

[southernshooter]

Welcome Desertram800

[desertram800]

Thanks southern!

[stash247]

Pistol, I'm late, of course in responding, but, in answer to your questiom of 12-17-06, I use the cheapest 7 1/2's, 8's, or 9's, available locally!
Sounds strange, I know, but hear the whole story; whether you are dumping an ounce and a quarter of 00 Buck, or the same ounce and a quarter, of nines, the energy is the same, on the receiving end, and the jury , should it get to that, can hang their hat on a 'sporting use' explanation, far easier than on ammo designed for nothing but anti-pessonnel kind of work. Given, the results are about the same, if on target, and the damage, or potential damage, from over-penetraation, in the case of a miss, is so much less, I see no other course of action!
If I cannot 'Make the threat go away', with 5 rounds of #9 skeet loads, inside a house, my a** is already toast, and I guess I'll give 'em the shotgun, too!
Having 'dumped' a 300# Black bear, and a couple of 400#+ hogs, with such gear, I will take my chances, with a human, in the dark, with no reservation, as to ammo; at 15 feet, or less, and well placed, likely it would kill anything on earth.
Desertram800: Please make yourself to home; we're a wierd bunch, but relatively friendly, and harmless, unless aroused! Welcome!

[Pistolenschutze]

Stash, I don't disagree with your reasoning at all. Physics is physics, and 1 1/4 oz. (or 1 1/8) of shot, no matter what the shot size. is still over an ounce of lead and contains the same potential energy! In fact, after doing some research on my own, I've reached the same conclusion about in-house loads that you have and settled on skeet loads containing #8s. One advantage to them also is that recoil is lessened a bit, which doesn't matter to me, but my wife finds them easier to handle. I still load two #4 bucks at the bottom of the tube, just in case the party gets lively at a distance, but the first five are now #8s.

[stash247]

[QUOTE=Pistolenschutze, I've reached the same conclusion about in-house loads that you have and settled on skeet loads containing #8s. One advantage to them also is that recoil is lessened a bit,
Yup! Chest high hits on a level IIA vest wont penetrate the vest, but, likely will still break a rib or two, and totally stop forward progress, for a bit.
There are drugs that render humans almost superhuman strength, and tolerance to pain. In a 'worst case' facing such an attacker, my suggestion would be the same one we adopted, many years ago, on some pretty rough dirt race tracks, "If you can't close the trrottle, turn off the ignition": raise the point of aim from the powerplant, to the control room, and stop shooting when the threat goes away.
At fifteen feet or less, normal to long for indoor confrontations, a lod of 9's behaves like a slug until it meets resistance, then becomes a ER Surgeon's worst nightmare, because it will take all night.
The conceptual difficulty in making a sound choice arises out of the omission of the thought that a 'house gun' may have to be employed by other than myself, perhaps one less trained, or smaller, weaker, in defense of my 'out of action' a**!
This is the motive, above all other, for my choice- the easiest to learn, most effective and best retained weapon I can find, useable by all in the home, effectively.
Over the years, I've broken three stocks on the 37's; twice in the Military, once later, but every time a life or two was saved, rather than taken.
I don't know of a pistol on earth that serves as such a superb 'impact weapon'
Just some random thoughts on "How it works"; feel free to accept, deny, or kick them about, as you wish, remembering always the best dicisions come from the most, and best, information.
Terry

[45Smashemflat]

"Butt Stroke and Pary Series, READY!!!!!!"

Ain't cracked a synthetic across a noggin yet, but if someone is still resistive after cracking a piece of black walnut over their gourd..... I guess that makes technically a LTL weapon, right?

[stash247]

I choose to leave all options 'open', until the fat lady sings; I can fix a broke stock, easier, and cheaper, than repairing a person, my choice, of course, prepared for in advance. Stocks are cheap, compared to cranial surgeons, so I will hold my ground, here!