Home Defence Firepower...

redfalconone

Thanks for all the replies,fellas....So, there's agreement that a shotgun (whatever gauge)would be the preferred method of defence in the home...if you have the time to load, or room to manuveur with it.The handgun question is not so much semi or wheel gun, but what caliber? Will a 9mm stop a guy on animal tranq.? Is a .44 going to endanger my neighbors? What rounds?(Hydra-shok, Saftey Slugs, etc.) Why?

1022man

12 gauge would be best. But a good 9mm, 45acp, 38spec will fit the bill just fine. They both have great stopping power, or the police wouldn't be using the rounds as much as they do. 357, and 44mag are almost over kill. In a household situation, they'll go strait through the person, and on threw a wall. I have two guns that I use. A remington 870 12 gauge, and a dan wesson 357 mag with 38spc in it.

Tailgunner1954

another thought on using the 'Mag' loads, as I remember it, a few years back some homeowner was convicted of murder. Somthing about because he was loaded with Magnum ammo it wasn't self defence but premedated murderBob

Kadaver

any pistol or rifle round can be a risk to neighbors....what you need to find is a round that is made to stop rather then penatrate......IMHO shotguns are the ideal weapon, large hit zone, massive hitting power, short range....but if you want a pistol, i would go with a .45 auto.....the round is made to be bigger, slower, and have a stopping power......9mm, 10mm, .40 cal are meant to go through an attacker, where the .45 is meant to knock him to his/her * before going through.....45's will still be a risk to surround people, but not as much.....as far as ammo, you want something that will expand fast and stop fast. Hydrashocks tend to be the most popular. definatly avoid Full metal jackets....

niklasal

If you want to be completely safe, stick with a 12gauge and rubber buckshot. I guarantee you won't lose sleep over it that way.

---

NIKLASAL@hotmail.com

Richie Rich

ditto on the scattergun, as far as rubber bb's if some S.O.B. is in my castle he is dead and not goin to be able to "tell the story of he thought he was in his house and only wanted directions. And for the stoping power, the new guns and ammo has a section on one shot stops. #1 is 40 S7w hydra shock in 155gr with 97% #2 is 357 mag in the 125 gr federal with 96% and 3rd was the45 acp in 230gr hydra shock 96%. 4th 45 acp in 185gr golden sabre 95 % this was based on actual police shootings and lab testing.Rich

---

Remember,"your woman may not find you handsome, But atleast she'll find ya handy". I love that show..............

grizzclaw

I start with #4 buck, back it up with #6 shot, and back that up with slugs if they try to get away. If you break into my house, you won't testify against me!

Robin

Dear Tailgunner,I believe your recollection of a conviction of premeditated homicide based only on the fact the homeowner used a magnum round in self defense is an urban myth. While many states differ on the use of deadly force in self defense situations, most have adopted the "castle doctrin" that implies a person in his home is not under any obligation to retreat from his perception (he better be right) of a forceable felony. If a homeowner uses justified deadly force during a break-in, I doubt if it would make much difference what type of ammo he uses. If a homeowner uses unjustified deadly force in an event that does not constitute a break-in, he will be tried for murder. Several years ago a couple of local Jehovah witnesses were shot by an elderly woman because they looked "dangerous" as they knocked on her door in the middle of the afternoon handing out propaganda. The elderly woman was tried and found guilty of aggrevated assault and homocide. She used .22 long rifle rounds.In Florida if you were to justifiably shoot a bank robber during a robbery and your bullet passed through the perpetrator and killed a by stander, the bank robber would be responsible for the murder. BUT I'll bet the shooter acting in good faith would have his pants sued off by the deceased's attorneys.

bullhauler

i have a tricked out remington 870 for home defense. i have an improved cyl tube in the barrel. the gun has a pistol grip stock, 18 1/2 inch barrel(legal where i live but check your local laws on barrel length), side saddle shell holder, magazine extension, and flashlight holder with a wired pressure switch. it stays loaded with #1 buckshot. all you have to do is point and shoot. and believe me a shotgun is more intimidating to a thief than a handgun will ever be.

Tailgunner1954

Thanks Robin but I think I'll keep the 44 Spl lrn's in my Redhawk mag. BTW my wife prefers her Cetori loaded with a pair of 1 oz of #9 shot, backed up by her Rossi 720 loaded with Win ST hp'sno we don't have kids and yes we live out in the boonies

mhanson

I'm dumb to this but would the rubber bb's bounce around like super balls and be a possable problem to the shooter?????