Home Defense;Precision required

[iChokePeople]

Bacon. Delivered with an ice pick. When you want precision, an ice pick is hard to beat.

Since that was not offered as an option, and since the main theme here seems to be *precision*, I chose the AR. I love me some shotguns, but don't think I could make a reasonable argument that it's more of a *precision* tool than an AR unless maybe you're at contact distance, using a bayonet or a nostril as a sighting aid. Precise "enough"? Depends on the situation, I guess. Is "precise enough", in the given situation, the torso? The head? The left eye? Hard to guess ahead of time what's "precise enough". Mostly, probably, at room distances, but still not as precise as an AR, at least in MY stubby little sausage-shaped cookie grabbers. I'm sure Steve is MUCH better with a shotgun than I am, though.

 

[Jackson]

Bacon. Delivered with an ice pick. When you want precision, an ice pick is hard to beat.

Is that a tactical ice pick?

 

[rhino]

I sleep with a tactical icepick duct taped into each of my hands.

It can get kind of sporty if I awaken in the night and scratch something before I'm fully aware, though.

 

[indychad]

I've done shoot house training with an AR-15 equipped with Aimpoint 1x red dot optics, and I am confident that it is the best tool for the purpose you listed. Raise the barrel, view dot on top of forehead, pull trigger. It is really that easy. Breathing, grip, stance, gun position, trigger pull, and all those other variables that are absolutely critical with handguns, can almost be totally ignored, and you can still get a head shot with ease at close range with an AR-15. That is really important, since you will probably suffer from the extreme effects of stress and fear, which will impair your fine motor skills.

I think the military and SWAT nation-wide agree almost unanimously, so you kinda have your answer right there. You can argue for something like the MP5, but I say an AR-15 SBR has all its advantages, plus the extra power/range.

+1 for this. 54% of the voters want to use a handgun. Go to the range a place one perfect round in the ocular cavity at room distance with a handgun and perform the same drill with a long barrel AR with red dot. You will better appreciate the capabilities of the AR in a home defense roll.

 

[Hammer]

I'd feel better doing a precision shot with something longer than a pistol. Not that I do not practice this at the range, it's just what I am more comfortable with for a "have to make it count" shot.

So I will go with either my SBR or the shotgun. Yea, they may have to learn sign language afterwards, but they would be alive to do so.

Now, if it came down to it and I was forced to make a precision shot with a pistol at short range, I'd feel confident in taking a shot. But my preference would be to have something with more sight radius.

 

[Coach]

No one has mentioned the #4 vs 00 buck. Does #4 really have that much less penetration in walls? How is its terminal performance on people compared to 00?

I have been lead to believe that a 55gr 5.56 round is less likely to over penetrate than either a handgun or a shotgun load. I have not done any testing of my own. Does anyone care to comment on these items?

I was told that the reason to use #4 is that you don't get the flyer that you can get with 00 buck. I don't remember the distance that the demonstration was done from but the instructor could demonstrate the flyer from various 00 buck rounds. 8 pellets on the target and 1 pellet off who knows where was the reason for using #4. This was a LEO shotgun course.

 

[buckstopshere]

I actually would prefer having my compound bow over anything else if I could choose my weapon. I'm more confident killing with my bow than any firearm I own. Since anyone who took a family member of mine hostage, killing them would be my aim.

It's not practical for home defense but I read this scenario as shooters choice and that's what I would choose.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

I would take my 16" ar with light and aimpoint. Hit the light, put the dot on the top of the bg's head, and squeeeze the trigger. If I have to shoot around a loved one to hit a person who needs shot, I am going to use my rifle. I have a tendency to pull down when I shoot pistols and I am getting better, but still not near as good as I am with my ar.

I have an 870 as my hide behind the bed with the gun pointed at the door gun, but it puts too much stuff down range for me to chose it over the AR if I have to shoot that close to a friendly face.

Plus, I just have more experience with the AR and I like it.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Taking my wife hostage probably won't work out like you planned. The only thing I'm likely to get to do is splatter the intruder's remains around a bit.

 

[Amishman44]

INSIDE the house, I prefer a Remington 870 Tactical in 20 GA loaded with #3 shot! It's quite devestating in a hallway or across a room with little to mild recoil.

OUTSIDE the house, I prefer a revolver or rifle. Out to about 50 yards, I'm pretty comfortable with a 4" .357 mag revolver...past that, I prefer a rifle.

 

[churchmouse]

Lately we have been considering a few of the lowly under rated/under powered and very under estimated .22 Lr.
Suppressed this caliber will allow you to maintain hearing and stability (have you ever discharged a firearm indoors) while not waking up the neighbors.

Well, except the perp screaming like a smashed cat after being shot in the junk.....just a thought

 

[The Bubba Effect]

For those of you advocating shotguns, did you read the OP? I'm not dogging you for your choice, just wondering if you are advocating shotguns for general service indoors or specifically for the scenario described in the original post.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

I've done shoot house training with an AR-15 equipped with Aimpoint 1x red dot optics, and I am confident that it is the best tool for the purpose you listed. Raise the barrel, view dot on top of forehead, pull trigger. It is really that easy. Breathing, grip, stance, gun position, trigger pull, and all those other variables that are absolutely critical with handguns, can almost be totally ignored, and you can still get a head shot with ease at close range with an AR-15. That is really important, since you will probably suffer from the extreme effects of stress and fear, which will impair your fine motor skills.

I think the military and SWAT nation-wide agree almost unanimously, so you kinda have your answer right there. You can argue for something like the MP5, but I say an AR-15 SBR has all its advantages, plus the extra power/range.

That easy? Have you ever been faced with a hostage situation? Training only goes so far. You'll never know how you will react, until faced with a life or death situation.

 

[Hammer]

For those of you advocating shotguns, did you read the OP? I'm not dogging you for your choice, just wondering if you are advocating shotguns for general service indoors or specifically for the scenario described in the original post.

Yes, I voted for a shotgun. And that is my "Go to" gun for HD. I load my shotgun candy caned with slug first then OO Buck. In my home and my situation I see it as the better fit. YMMV

 

[Jackson]

Yes, I voted for a shotgun. And that is my "Go to" gun for HD. I load my shotgun candy caned with slug first then OO Buck. In my home and my situation I see it as the better fit. YMMV

One slug and all the rest buck? Or alternating?

And what advantage do you feel you gain?

 

[rhino]

And how will you know for certain which is which if you have to fire multiple shots under stress?

 

[YoungMilsurpGuy]

I go for a folding stock AK with a sling and a foregrip and 8m3 hollowpoints. I mean, its technically an ak, but is a much shorter package, and I really really like what the round does.

Second option would be a smith and wesson model 10 with a 4 inch heavy barrel. Inside 15-20 yards Im almost as accurate as my Ak with single Action

 

[ViperJock]

Lately we have been considering a few of the lowly under rated/under powered and very under estimated .22 Lr.
Suppressed this caliber will allow you to maintain hearing and stability (have you ever discharged a firearm indoors) while not waking up the neighbors.

Well, except the perp screaming like a smashed cat after being shot in the junk.....just a thought

Ive been thinking about this method. I don't have a suppressor so it's not an option for me. Yet. Also thinking about using a .22 rifle, suppressed for the same reason. No recoil, effective accuracy. The silence helps for maintaining suprise and decreased panic in kids. I'm not sure I would trust a pistol with a .22 though. I've personally seen too many .22 rounds fail to penetrate. (I know people are killed by .22 but in a must succeed in the first 2 seconds environment...). I think that the extra velocity you get from a rifle might improve the odds of effective termination though.

 

[cedartop]

Lately we have been considering a few of the lowly under rated/under powered and very under estimated .22 Lr.
Suppressed this caliber will allow you to maintain hearing and stability (have you ever discharged a firearm indoors) while not waking up the neighbors.

Well, except the perp screaming like a smashed cat after being shot in the junk.....just a thought

If you are on the offensive against unaware opponents this might be fine, in response to an aggressive threat, I am going to want a whole lot more than a .22 is going to give me as far as semi-immediate incapacitation is concerned.

 

[AlwaysVigilant]

I voted 6, for a suppressed bull pup. Good retention characteristics in CQB with an OAL between an SBR and a 16" with a chance to preserve your hearing, and serious threat dispatch in caliber and ammo on board.