Shotgun best for home defense.

[yukonjasper]

According to this article, Shotguns are the choice for home defense. I agree. Disagree? Convince me.

https://www.usacarry.com/shotguns-better-home-defense/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=linkedin_company&utm_medium=USA%20Carry&utm_content=Shotguns%20Are%20Better%20For%20Home%20Defense%20Than%20Rifles%20For%20Most%20People
Home Defense Shotguns Are Devastating

Clint Smith from Thunder Ranch is fond of saying something like “pistols put bullets IN people, and rifles put bullets THROUGH people…but shotguns, with the right load and right range, remove chunks of people.” If you want a long gun for home defense or as a trunk gun, a shotgun is arguably a better choice than an intermediate rifle.

[Bearcatrp]

Your hearing will get blown out shooting a shotgun in the house!

[rtk]

I think you are reaching for a higher post count with this question....just saying.

[Scratch]

According to our president, you are correct...
Good topic, I'm torn between three choices, and none of them are the shotgun. I just can't get past the low capacity, high recoil, slow reloading thing.

Choice A would be a 5.56 AR pistol with a 10.5" barrel.
Choice B would be a 5.56 AR pistol with a 10.5" barrel and a suppressor.
Choice C would be a 9mm AR pistol.
Someone gave me a 7" 5.56 barrel not too long ago and I thought I'd try that, but I feel that it's too short to get a useable velocity for the bullet, so I'm looking for a 10.5" barrel for it.

I definitely like an AR platform with a short barrel, weapon mounted light, and a red dot. Its a short lightweight weapon, with high capacity, familiar controls, and is stupid easy to be accurate with. I like the ballistics of the 5.56 and feel that the smaller lightweight bullet will do maximum damage, but it will still tumble, break apart, and have less overpenetration. But it is LOUD. I like the idea of it suppressed, but now it's a longer weapon. Not such a big deal but not sure if I want it longer or not.

I like the idea of the same gun in a 9mm caliber since now it's still a short barrel, with a WML, a red dot, is lightweight, high capacity, familiar controls and easily accurate... but it isn't so loud. I've done indoor darkroom testing with 5.56 and 9mm AR's and the 5.56 is substantially louder. So much that I feel it should either be suppressed, or swapped to a 9mm caliber. I'm just not sure if I want to sacrifice better ballistics and less overpenetration, for less noise.
I could go with a suppressed 5.56, but now I'm losing my short, highly maneuverable weapon...

By the way, I've done darkroom testing also and if you use a WML, muzzle flash isn't a problem. If you shoot with the light on, the muzzle flash isn't noticeable. Even with my 7" 5.56 barrel (which is blinding with no WML) And since I'll probably be shooting with the light on, I'm not concerned about muzzle flash anymore.

Decisions, decisions....

I still haven't made up my mind or got a 10.5" barrel yet, but for now, my HD gun is a 9mm Banshee upper on a standard pistol lower with a red dot and WML.

[Holland&Holland]

Just shoot 2 shots in the air, problem solved.

[yukonjasper]

Unless you are shooting suppressed, your hearing is going to be affected massively. Muzzle flash will also be a problem.

[Sorcerer]

Some say a 12gage pump. Others say 410. A 12 with 00 buck is sead that it will leave the house. 410 not so much. I picked up a 12 gage Maverick 88 new real cheep a few years back. I still consider picking up a 410 pump youth. Small and compact for in a house. If you live in an apartment or multi family housing penetrating your walls into your neighbors home has to be of concern. Don’t miss.

[Holland&Holland]

Unless you are shooting suppressed, your hearing is going to be affected massively. Muzzle flash will also be a problem.

What did you say?

[linksep]

12 GA "Firearm" spitting Aguila minishell slugs... 385 grains of lead traveling 1,300 FPS, nearly double the ammo capacity in the (tube) mag.

[LarryFlew]

Just shoot 2 shots in the air, problem solved.

Only if you have a double barrel

[linksep]

Just shoot 2 shots in the air, problem solved.

Only if you have a double barrel

I'm reliably informed by the world's foremost expert in everything that the best home defense strategy is to fire all your ammo indiscriminately into the dark of night.

[Rowdy Roddy]

Your hearing will get blown out shooting a shotgun in the house!

As opposed to a 5.56 AR-15 with muzzle brake? I will take the shotgun.

[crbutler]

For home defense a shotgun is just fine.

The handgun is easier to have available at all times, but less effective.

The rifle gives you range at the expense of over penetration.

For most all home defense situations, you don’t need more than 10 yards range... 30 feet. Few rooms are further than that across.

Capacity? Well if you mean a single shot or double barrel gun, yes I’d prefer a few more rounds- but I’d expect short of rioting or EOTWAWKI, if you can’t solve the issue with 2-3 shots, you need training, not a detachable magazine rifle.

If you feel more comfortable with something else, fine, but a hunting shotgun is capable of doing everything you need for home defense.

I’d be very careful in using an AR pistol as a home defense weapon. Too many loose ends regulation wise relating to the NFA for comfort in dealing with the legal system, IMO, when there are lots of other reasonably easy solutions elsewise. You are setting yourself up for legal badgering after the fact with it- it’s not against the law, it’s what a jury is going to think. Use a de facto SBR (they will check to see if you shouldered it) and suppressor and you leave all kinds of room for the Karen’s of the world to call you a paramilitary hit squad.

And yes, I have them, too.

[Holland&Holland]

Doesn’t everyone just set claymores at entry points and forget it?

[Scratch]

For home defense a shotgun is just fine.

The handgun is easier to have available at all times, but less effective.

The rifle gives you range at the expense of over penetration.

For most all home defense situations, you don’t need more than 10 yards range... 30 feet. Few rooms are further than that across.

Capacity? Well if you mean a single shot or double barrel gun, yes I’d prefer a few more rounds- but I’d expect short of rioting or EOTWAWKI, if you can’t solve the issue with 2-3 shots, you need training, not a detachable magazine rifle.

If you feel more comfortable with something else, fine, but a hunting shotgun is capable of doing everything you need for home defense.

I’d be very careful in using an AR pistol as a home defense weapon. Too many loose ends regulation wise relating to the NFA for comfort in dealing with the legal system, IMO, when there are lots of other reasonably easy solutions elsewise. You are setting yourself up for legal badgering after the fact with it- it’s not against the law, it’s what a jury is going to think. Use a de facto SBR (they will check to see if you shouldered it) and suppressor and you leave all kinds of room for the Karen’s of the world to call you a paramilitary hit squad.

And yes, I have them, too.

I guess if I'm trying to defend my life or my family's life in my home, I'm not going to be concerned with the after effects in the courts. I want every advantage and the most superior firepower I can get.
I've seen enough comparison testing of 9mm, 5.56, and buckshot where they all go through multiple layers of Sheetrock that anything is going to have over penetration issues, and actually I think the 5.56 has the least over penetration. So my choice would be a 5.56 AR pistol.