Best cartridge for home defense? - The Firearms Forum

New Guy · 03-27-2011, 12:19 PM

I'm positive this has been covered here before so this will probably just end up with someone posting a link to the relevant thread but I'm in the process of trying to decide what my next purchase would be.

I already own a .40 and a .22lr, both semi-auto pistols.

On my last trip to the gun shop I was talking with one of the guys behind the counter about the benefits of a 9mm over a .40 S&W for home/self defense.

His point was basically that the 9mm is a better cartridge because of the lower recoil, so you're faster back to target than with a .40.

He also claimed that a .45 would even have lower recoil than a .40 because most of the energy is directed backward, as opposed the .40 which he claims directs the energy differently.

Is this correct?

Also I was looking at some of the (to me at least) more exotic cartridges like a 5.7 or a .357 sig. Where do you think these fit in to the debate?

Thanks.

hogger129 · 03-27-2011, 12:46 PM

I'd almost say get a shotgun for home defense rather than a handgun. Because you have a lot more power with a spread shot as opposed to a pistol round which is not a spread shot.

I would also go with what works best for you. If it was me, I'd go to the store, buy some targets. Hit the range and try out a few different rounds at 10 ft and see what you group the best with.

I prefer the 1911 to most guns. I also like Glock, but I shoot a little high with Glocks. Mostly because I'm not used to the different trigger.

freediver · 03-27-2011, 01:42 PM

I agree with hogger a shotgun is always best a hand gun is just good to get to a real gun. I am in the Coast Guard and we have the Sig 229 .40 s&w I like it and own one as well. If someone or something was in your home you will not be shooting it more than 10 yards away or you will have some explaining to do to the judge. If you feel more comfortable with a handgun than a shotgun than a 40 s&w, 45acp, 357 sig are going to have more knockdown power and allow you to aquire your next target a 9mm will have less hence the creation of the 1911 in world war 1 inresponse to soilders empting a full mag into their enimy and still getting bayoneted. If you already have a .40 s&w I would go buy some good home defense rounds and feel safe that it is hard to not hit 2x3' target at 10 yds. Best home defense round 12 gague 00 buckshot.

hogger129 · 03-27-2011, 09:00 PM

9mm will do its part if you do yours. I would consider it a reasonable defensive round. .40S&W may give you some added power over the 9mm, but I find it a bit snappy. .45ACP provides a good amount of power. Slower, heavier projectile and so it will tend to empty most of its energy on the first thing it hits.

.357 SIG is a good round too. I heard that some .357 SIG rounds will expand up to .75 inches. It's supposed to be a .40S&W round, necked down to accept a .357" bullet. And it's supposed to mimic the ballistics of .357 Magnum in a semi-automatic pistol. I think it's a good round, I haven't shot it very many times though. Only tried it in a Glock before.

I'd even go so far as to say don't leave out .357 Magnum or .44 Magnum in your search. If it's a gun for home defense, get yourself a nice big Desert Eagle in .44 Magnum. Or like a big Dirty Harry Model 29 with the 8 3/8" barrel on it, lol.

Or a S&W 500 with the heavy hunting loads. I don't think there will be much left of a home invader if you get em with that.

American Leader · 03-27-2011, 09:51 PM

My pillow gun is a Taurus Judge now. Use the 3" mag. shell with #000 Buck. I know some say it isn't accurate, but I have found just the opposite. Plus, in close quarters the #000 Buck spreads a little and might just cut some SOB in half. If you choose you can load the 45LC or a scatter round like #7's as well, maybe everyother round?

gdmoody · 03-27-2011, 09:58 PM

The best cartridge for home defense is the one that you happen to have in the gun in your hand at the moment you need it.

CampingJosh · 03-27-2011, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by New Guy

He also claimed that a .45 would even have lower recoil than a .40 because most of the energy is directed backward, as opposed the .40 which he claims directs the energy differently.

The way recoil is felt is built into the design of the firearm, not the cartridge.

Think of it like this: The lower you hold on the grip of a gun, the more it's going to feel like the recoil is pushing the gun upwards. This is a simple understanding of leverage.

On some guns, the grip is designed so that you are able to hold directly behind the barrel. On these, the energy is going to feel like it is directed backwards. On other guns, you have to hold somewhat below the barrel, and this leads to muzzle "flip."

The cartridge doesn't matter. If you're talking 9mm, .40, and .45 in the same design (a 1911, for instance), the recoil is going to be a very similar feel with only slightly different intensities.

bamashooter · 03-28-2011, 01:31 AM

I have a .45 and a 12ga. beside my bed. Either one would get the job done.

Zane71464 · 03-28-2011, 04:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gdmoody

The best cartridge for home defense is the one that you happen to have in the gun in your hand at the moment you need it.

Well said!

I have a few "guns" of choice and the main one is a 12ga coach gun with #00 Buck and 5 on the side stock. Three being #00 and two slugs, just in case I miss with all the #00!

Regular Joe · 03-28-2011, 04:53 AM

A little bit of misinformation here. the M1911 replaced .38 Special revolvers. There were no magazines to empty in US service pistols until the M1911 came along.
The caliber debate for defense will exist for as long as there are people who do not understand the miniscule differences between pistol bullet performance in the power range from 9mm to .44 Mag. Read as much as you can find about autopsy findings and stuff like that. I choose 9mm because good JHP rounds average expansion to about .680" and penetration to about 12~14". That's all you can expect from ANY defense pistol round. My Glocks hold really alot of bullets.
If I remember correctly, the general finding in ER rooms everywhere is that about 40% of victims succumb to pistol wounds, regardless of caliber. Move up to a rifle in 5.56 or 7.62x39, and the number goes up to about 60%. Move up to a 12 ga. shotgun with buckshot or slugs, and they all die.
If you're looking for "the right" pistol caliber, use 9mm as the minimum, and choose what makes you feel safe from there. Shot placement matters more than any other single factor.

al45lc · 03-28-2011, 08:38 AM

12 gauge, 0 buck.

ozo · 03-28-2011, 09:08 AM

Hi, and welcome to TFF.
For home defense:
You have a .40 and a .22 and ammo is readily available.
Your next purchase-for home defense-
should be a pump shotgun, 12ga preferably.
Pistol grip makes it easy to maneuver.
They are also inexpensive, like a Mossberg 500A

Jay · 03-28-2011, 09:12 AM

Caliber makes absolutely NO difference unless you first put the bullet on target. At in-home distances, your shotgun pattern will rarely be much bigger than a baseball.... you still have to put the shot on target... and do you have room to deploy a long gun?

Use the caliber that you're proficient with. Period.

al45lc · 03-29-2011, 03:14 PM

In pattern testing, my cylinder bore 18 inch 12 ga with 0 buck spreads about 8-10 inches at 15 feet. Thats 12, .32 caliber rounds in one shot.
A hell of a lot bigger than a baseball, and far more lethal than any handgun in a scared , very alarmed persons hands.
Needless to say, grandpa's goose gun isn't the right choice, the defensive shotgun has to be set up for that one purpose to work to maximum potential.

TheGunClinger · 03-29-2011, 07:12 PM

Hi New Guy! Welcome to TFF. Hogger beat me to it with the shotgun thing. Cant beat a 12 ga. for home defense. I use this little thing loaded with first two rounds being birdshot and the rest with 00 buckshot. Dont want to mess up my drywall if I can avoid it.

If you are using pistol or a rifle you need to be aware of rounds going through walls (yours and neighbors). You are responsible for your downrange bullets. Thats why I use the #7-8 birdshot for the first shots. In my house I have at max 15 feet per room so I wont miss. If you are thinking pistol, forget about the .22. Most pistol rounds will penetrate walls so if thats the road you want to go down I would get a 1911 .45. JMHO.

Rugermanws · 03-29-2011, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gdmoody

The best cartridge for home defense is the one that you happen to have in the gun in your hand at the moment you need it.

I've heard that before and I'm in total agreement with you. I would also say that hitting what you're aiming at is as important as the caliber.

JTofGPD · 03-29-2011, 10:59 PM

shotgun by far...
if you want Handgun, I'd go Taurus Judge--- little bit of both words. Surprised they haven't mounted accessory rails on them humdingers yet. imagine a TJ with a weapons light.... IDEAL :-D

Buckshot · 03-30-2011, 05:51 AM

All good answers, as expected. My personal choice would be an 18" coach gun in 12 ga. with #4 shot. (Not too much penetration but very lethal at these distances.) A weapon with greater intimidation potential has never been made.

You also really need to take a good look at your home. And think about your response to various problems. It can impact your choice. Do you live alone? With a wife or girlfriend? Do you have children? If the only occupants are in the master bedroom, and something goes bump in the night, you might make the sound tactical choice to "hole up" with a weapon and a phone and wait for the cavalry. (It will grate on your soul...but it's still a good tactical and legal choice.) This lends itself well to the long gun solution. Get down behind the bed and lay the shotgun across a pillow aimed at the door. Like fish in a barrel.

If there are children or others in the household then of course you'll be going walkabout to ensure their safety. In this case many folks will vote against a shotgun on maneuverability grounds, and the fact that it is too easy for an intruder to gain control of the long barrel, especially as you cut corners. (Although an 18" coach gun isn't too bad in this regard.) In a lot of places in a lot of homes there simply isn't room to maneuver (properly) with a long barreled weapon. A handgun will be required.

You also have to think about the construction of your home and the immediate environment. Most modern homes offer little in the way of bullet stopping construction. Over-penetration is a very real moral and legal concern. Unless you live where you can't even see your neighbors, I think the .44 magnums and the like are off the table. And even then, just about any caliber suitable for serious defense has the capacity to go through a wall or two and hit someone on the other side. This has to be firmly in your mind for others in your household as well as the neighbors.

That's a big reason, excepting the maneuverability issue, a shotgun with something smaller than buckshot scores very highly.

Hope this helps.

New Guy · 03-30-2011, 08:30 PM

I know this sounds bad but what's the difference between a coach gun and pump action shotgun, like in look so if I see a coach gun I will know it. Why does this have an advantage over a pump shotgun?

Ozo that looks like a nice firearm, clinger yours as well, although I don't know if the modifications on that are within my capability to do myself.

I've heard about the #4 shot thing before from some of my clients who are law enforcement.

Also, I have a rail on my .40... what's everyone's thoughts on getting a light to mount on there?

I would think the plus would be it would allow me to see I would think the huge tactical minus would be giving away my position to an intruder.

hogger129 · 03-30-2011, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by New Guy

I know this sounds bad but what's the difference between a coach gun and pump action shotgun, like in look so if I see a coach gun I will know it. Why does this have an advantage over a pump shotgun?

Ozo that looks like a nice firearm, clinger yours as well, although I don't know if the modifications on that are within my capability to do myself.

I've heard about the #4 shot thing before from some of my clients who are law enforcement.

Also, I have a rail on my .40... what's everyone's thoughts on getting a light to mount on there?

I would think the plus would be it would allow me to see I would think the huge tactical minus would be giving away my position to an intruder.

Get a good, bright one that will blind an intruder.

Buckshot · 03-31-2011, 02:27 AM

"Coach gun" comes from the old, short, double-barreled shotguns carried on stage coaches. Commonly sold with 20 inch barrels, but also available in 18" (my preference). The only way to get even close to the short overall length in a pump gun is a pistol grip, which is much harder to control than you might imagine.

And I agree on the light. You can buy small LED lights now with unbelievable output that will paste an intruders eyeballs to the back of their skull. And for very reasonable cost. (I'm a flashlight buff too.)

TheGunClinger · 03-31-2011, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by New Guy

I know this sounds bad but what's the difference between a coach gun and pump action shotgun, like in look so if I see a coach gun I will know it. Why does this have an advantage over a pump shotgun?

Ozo that looks like a nice firearm, clinger yours as well, although I don't know if the modifications on that are within my capability to do myself.

I've heard about the #4 shot thing before from some of my clients who are law enforcement.

Also, I have a rail on my .40... what's everyone's thoughts on getting a light to mount on there?

I would think the plus would be it would allow me to see I would think the huge tactical minus would be giving away my position to an intruder.

Mine started life as a pistol grip. It took all of 30 minutes and a philips screwdriver to add all the junk on mine. (and blue locktite)

Zane71464 · 03-31-2011, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGunClinger

Hi New Guy! Welcome to TFF. Hogger beat me to it with the shotgun thing. Cant beat a 12 ga. for home defense. I use this little thing loaded with first two rounds being birdshot and the rest with 00 buckshot. Dont want to mess up my drywall if I can avoid it.

If you are using pistol or a rifle you need to be aware of rounds going through walls (yours and neighbors). You are responsible for your downrange bullets. Thats why I use the #7-8 birdshot for the first shots. In my house I have at max 15 feet per room so I wont miss. If you are thinking pistol, forget about the .22. Most pistol rounds will penetrate walls so if thats the road you want to go down I would get a 1911 .45. JMHO.

That's a nice, wicked setup you have there Clinger! Real nice, plenty of
round to go around!

carver · 03-31-2011, 09:06 AM

All I have to add is:

dragman · 03-31-2011, 10:05 AM

I have a few home defense weapons:
AK47 pistol - beside the bed
Shotguns - In a couple different rooms
AR 15 - Sits out beside the gun safe usually
Glock 10mm - in the kitchen
S&W 38's - 1 in each vehicle

You can never be too safe.

03-27-2011, 12:19 PM	#1
New Guy Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 34	Best cartridge for home defense? I'm positive this has been covered here before so this will probably just end up with someone posting a link to the relevant thread but I'm in the process of trying to decide what my next purchase would be. I already own a .40 and a .22lr, both semi-auto pistols. On my last trip to the gun shop I was talking with one of the guys behind the counter about the benefits of a 9mm over a .40 S&W for home/self defense. His point was basically that the 9mm is a better cartridge because of the lower recoil, so you're faster back to target than with a .40. He also claimed that a .45 would even have lower recoil than a .40 because most of the energy is directed backward, as opposed the .40 which he claims directs the energy differently. Is this correct? Also I was looking at some of the (to me at least) more exotic cartridges like a 5.7 or a .357 sig. Where do you think these fit in to the debate? Thanks. __________________ I'm here because when I don't know things I find it's usually a good idea to ask people much smarter than me. -->

03-27-2011, 12:46 PM	#2
hogger129 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,064	Re: Best cartridge for home defense? I'd almost say get a shotgun for home defense rather than a handgun. Because you have a lot more power with a spread shot as opposed to a pistol round which is not a spread shot. I would also go with what works best for you. If it was me, I'd go to the store, buy some targets. Hit the range and try out a few different rounds at 10 ft and see what you group the best with. I prefer the 1911 to most guns. I also like Glock, but I shoot a little high with Glocks. Mostly because I'm not used to the different trigger. __________________ Samuel Adams once said, "among the natural rights of the colonists are these: first, a right to life, secondly to liberty, thirdly to property; together with the right to defend them in the best manner they can."

03-27-2011, 01:42 PM	#3
freediver Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 7	Re: Best cartridge for home defense? I agree with hogger a shotgun is always best a hand gun is just good to get to a real gun. I am in the Coast Guard and we have the Sig 229 .40 s&w I like it and own one as well. If someone or something was in your home you will not be shooting it more than 10 yards away or you will have some explaining to do to the judge. If you feel more comfortable with a handgun than a shotgun than a 40 s&w, 45acp, 357 sig are going to have more knockdown power and allow you to aquire your next target a 9mm will have less hence the creation of the 1911 in world war 1 inresponse to soilders empting a full mag into their enimy and still getting bayoneted. If you already have a .40 s&w I would go buy some good home defense rounds and feel safe that it is hard to not hit 2x3' target at 10 yds. Best home defense round 12 gague 00 buckshot.

03-27-2011, 09:51 PM	#5
American Leader Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Iowa Contributor Posts: 1,630	Re: Best cartridge for home defense? My pillow gun is a Taurus Judge now. Use the 3" mag. shell with #000 Buck. I know some say it isn't accurate, but I have found just the opposite. Plus, in close quarters the #000 Buck spreads a little and might just cut some SOB in half. If you choose you can load the 45LC or a scatter round like #7's as well, maybe everyother round?

03-27-2011, 09:58 PM	#6
gdmoody Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Northeast Georgia Contributor Posts: 6,306	Re: Best cartridge for home defense? The best cartridge for home defense is the one that you happen to have in the gun in your hand at the moment you need it. __________________ NRA Endowment Member GeorgiaCarry.Org Member Retired US Army Postal Worker Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take an ass whoopin'.....author unknown (but obviously brilliant)

03-27-2011, 09:00 PM	#4
hogger129 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,064	Re: Best cartridge for home defense? 9mm will do its part if you do yours. I would consider it a reasonable defensive round. .40S&W may give you some added power over the 9mm, but I find it a bit snappy. .45ACP provides a good amount of power. Slower, heavier projectile and so it will tend to empty most of its energy on the first thing it hits. .357 SIG is a good round too. I heard that some .357 SIG rounds will expand up to .75 inches. It's supposed to be a .40S&W round, necked down to accept a .357" bullet. And it's supposed to mimic the ballistics of .357 Magnum in a semi-automatic pistol. I think it's a good round, I haven't shot it very many times though. Only tried it in a Glock before. I'd even go so far as to say don't leave out .357 Magnum or .44 Magnum in your search. If it's a gun for home defense, get yourself a nice big Desert Eagle in .44 Magnum. Or like a big Dirty Harry Model 29 with the 8 3/8" barrel on it, lol. Or a S&W 500 with the heavy hunting loads. I don't think there will be much left of a home invader if you get em with that. __________________ Samuel Adams once said, "among the natural rights of the colonists are these: first, a right to life, secondly to liberty, thirdly to property; together with the right to defend them in the best manner they can."

03-28-2011, 01:31 AM	#8
bamashooter V.I.P. Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: north alabama Posts: 55	Re: Best cartridge for home defense? I have a .45 and a 12ga. beside my bed. Either one would get the job done.

03-28-2011, 04:53 AM	#10
Regular Joe V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 269	Re: Best cartridge for home defense? A little bit of misinformation here. the M1911 replaced .38 Special revolvers. There were no magazines to empty in US service pistols until the M1911 came along. The caliber debate for defense will exist for as long as there are people who do not understand the miniscule differences between pistol bullet performance in the power range from 9mm to .44 Mag. Read as much as you can find about autopsy findings and stuff like that. I choose 9mm because good JHP rounds average expansion to about .680" and penetration to about 12~14". That's all you can expect from ANY defense pistol round. My Glocks hold really alot of bullets. If I remember correctly, the general finding in ER rooms everywhere is that about 40% of victims succumb to pistol wounds, regardless of caliber. Move up to a rifle in 5.56 or 7.62x39, and the number goes up to about 60%. Move up to a 12 ga. shotgun with buckshot or slugs, and they all die. If you're looking for "the right" pistol caliber, use 9mm as the minimum, and choose what makes you feel safe from there. Shot placement matters more than any other single factor. __________________ Around here, we don't say "Oh shucks", or "oh man". We say Oh BAMA!!

03-28-2011, 08:38 AM	#11
al45lc Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: colorful colorado Posts: 1,016	Re: Best cartridge for home defense? 12 gauge, 0 buck. __________________ You are what you do, when it counts.

03-28-2011, 09:08 AM	#12
ozo Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Nashville TN Posts: 2,770	Re: Best cartridge for home defense? Hi, and welcome to TFF. For home defense: You have a .40 and a .22 and ammo is readily available. Your next purchase-for home defense- should be a pump shotgun, 12ga preferably. Pistol grip makes it easy to maneuver. They are also inexpensive, like a Mossberg 500A Attached Images __________________ http://www.nranews.com/#/nranews, "ozo. you're off your rocker sir." -johnlives4christ http://www.prisonplanet.com/ -America,Bless GOD-

03-28-2011, 09:12 AM	#13
Jay Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,286	Re: Best cartridge for home defense? Caliber makes absolutely NO difference unless you first put the bullet on target. At in-home distances, your shotgun pattern will rarely be much bigger than a baseball.... you still have to put the shot on target... and do you have room to deploy a long gun? Use the caliber that you're proficient with. Period. __________________ "For those who fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected cannot taste." "USMC 8652, 2531, RVN Jun '67, - May 69" Last edited by Jay; 03-28-2011 at 09:14 AM..

03-29-2011, 03:14 PM	#14
al45lc Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: colorful colorado Posts: 1,016	Re: Best cartridge for home defense? In pattern testing, my cylinder bore 18 inch 12 ga with 0 buck spreads about 8-10 inches at 15 feet. Thats 12, .32 caliber rounds in one shot. A hell of a lot bigger than a baseball, and far more lethal than any handgun in a scared , very alarmed persons hands. Needless to say, grandpa's goose gun isn't the right choice, the defensive shotgun has to be set up for that one purpose to work to maximum potential. __________________ You are what you do, when it counts.

03-29-2011, 07:12 PM	#15
TheGunClinger Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: SW Florida Contributor Posts: 2,378	Re: Best cartridge for home defense? Hi New Guy! Welcome to TFF. Hogger beat me to it with the shotgun thing. Cant beat a 12 ga. for home defense. I use this little thing loaded with first two rounds being birdshot and the rest with 00 buckshot. Dont want to mess up my drywall if I can avoid it. If you are using pistol or a rifle you need to be aware of rounds going through walls (yours and neighbors). You are responsible for your downrange bullets. Thats why I use the #7-8 birdshot for the first shots. In my house I have at max 15 feet per room so I wont miss. If you are thinking pistol, forget about the .22. Most pistol rounds will penetrate walls so if thats the road you want to go down I would get a 1911 .45. JMHO. Attached Images __________________ New England Patriots Rule Next year.

03-29-2011, 10:59 PM	#17
JTofGPD V.I.P. Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Wyoming Posts: 72	Re: Best cartridge for home defense? shotgun by far... if you want Handgun, I'd go Taurus Judge--- little bit of both words. Surprised they haven't mounted accessory rails on them humdingers yet. imagine a TJ with a weapons light.... IDEAL :-D

03-30-2011, 05:51 AM	#18
Buckshot Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Southern AZ Posts: 882	Re: Best cartridge for home defense? All good answers, as expected. My personal choice would be an 18" coach gun in 12 ga. with #4 shot. (Not too much penetration but very lethal at these distances.) A weapon with greater intimidation potential has never been made. You also really need to take a good look at your home. And think about your response to various problems. It can impact your choice. Do you live alone? With a wife or girlfriend? Do you have children? If the only occupants are in the master bedroom, and something goes bump in the night, you might make the sound tactical choice to "hole up" with a weapon and a phone and wait for the cavalry. (It will grate on your soul...but it's still a good tactical and legal choice.) This lends itself well to the long gun solution. Get down behind the bed and lay the shotgun across a pillow aimed at the door. Like fish in a barrel. If there are children or others in the household then of course you'll be going walkabout to ensure their safety. In this case many folks will vote against a shotgun on maneuverability grounds, and the fact that it is too easy for an intruder to gain control of the long barrel, especially as you cut corners. (Although an 18" coach gun isn't too bad in this regard.) In a lot of places in a lot of homes there simply isn't room to maneuver (properly) with a long barreled weapon. A handgun will be required. You also have to think about the construction of your home and the immediate environment. Most modern homes offer little in the way of bullet stopping construction. Over-penetration is a very real moral and legal concern. Unless you live where you can't even see your neighbors, I think the .44 magnums and the like are off the table. And even then, just about any caliber suitable for serious defense has the capacity to go through a wall or two and hit someone on the other side. This has to be firmly in your mind for others in your household as well as the neighbors. That's a big reason, excepting the maneuverability issue, a shotgun with something smaller than buckshot scores very highly. Hope this helps. __________________ United States of America - Born July 4th, 1776 - Killed by 50 million brain-dead zombies November 6th, 2012 Mack: Shame what this town's come to. Charley Waite: You could do something about it. Mack: What? We're freighters. Ralph here's a shopkeeper. Charley Waite: You're men, ain't you? Mack: I didn't raise my boys just to see 'em killed. Charley Waite: Well you may not know this, but there's things that gnaw at a man worse than dying. - Open Range MOLON LABE

03-30-2011, 08:30 PM	#19
New Guy Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 34	Re: Best cartridge for home defense? I know this sounds bad but what's the difference between a coach gun and pump action shotgun, like in look so if I see a coach gun I will know it. Why does this have an advantage over a pump shotgun? Ozo that looks like a nice firearm, clinger yours as well, although I don't know if the modifications on that are within my capability to do myself. I've heard about the #4 shot thing before from some of my clients who are law enforcement. Also, I have a rail on my .40... what's everyone's thoughts on getting a light to mount on there? I would think the plus would be it would allow me to see I would think the huge tactical minus would be giving away my position to an intruder. __________________ I'm here because when I don't know things I find it's usually a good idea to ask people much smarter than me. Last edited by New Guy; 03-30-2011 at 08:31 PM..

03-31-2011, 02:27 AM	#21
Buckshot Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Southern AZ Posts: 882	Re: Best cartridge for home defense? "Coach gun" comes from the old, short, double-barreled shotguns carried on stage coaches. Commonly sold with 20 inch barrels, but also available in 18" (my preference). The only way to get even close to the short overall length in a pump gun is a pistol grip, which is much harder to control than you might imagine. And I agree on the light. You can buy small LED lights now with unbelievable output that will paste an intruders eyeballs to the back of their skull. And for very reasonable cost. (I'm a flashlight buff too.) __________________ United States of America - Born July 4th, 1776 - Killed by 50 million brain-dead zombies November 6th, 2012 Mack: Shame what this town's come to. Charley Waite: You could do something about it. Mack: What? We're freighters. Ralph here's a shopkeeper. Charley Waite: You're men, ain't you? Mack: I didn't raise my boys just to see 'em killed. Charley Waite: Well you may not know this, but there's things that gnaw at a man worse than dying. - Open Range MOLON LABE

03-31-2011, 09:06 AM	#24
carver TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: DAV, Deep in the Pineywoods of East Texas, just west of Shreveport, LA Contributor Posts: 11,221	Re: Best cartridge for home defense? All I have to add is: Attached Images __________________ Y'all be safe now, ya hear! Lamentations Chapter 5: 1. Remember, O LORD, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach. 2. Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens. 3. We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers [are] as widows. 5. Our necks [are] under persecution: we labour, [and] have no rest. 16. The crown is fallen [from] our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned! 21. Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.

03-31-2011, 10:05 AM	#25
dragman V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: PA Posts: 201	Re: Best cartridge for home defense? I have a few home defense weapons: AK47 pistol - beside the bed Shotguns - In a couple different rooms AR 15 - Sits out beside the gun safe usually Glock 10mm - in the kitchen S&W 38's - 1 in each vehicle You can never be too safe.