The rest of the parts for my first firearm are in the mail from Bushmaster. I'm getting pretty excited, feel kind of tingly.

Anyways, I was thinking about safety for a while today and came to the following thoughts about how to store the rifle.

The situation of a burglar entering my home has not happened yet, however I would like to be prepared shall the situation ever arise. I have thought about storing my rifle with a barrel cable lock in my unlocked (at night) hard carry case, close to my bed, with the key also nearby. I have the FAB-10 lower receiver so I can't slap in a magazine, I'd have to keep it loaded with 10 rounds in the fixed magazine. I would put 9 good quality HP bullets in the magazine, followed by a 'blank' round [first fired round].

The way I have it figured is that if I need to use the rifle, I would be able to remove the barrel cable lock fairly quickly, then simply pull the charging handle and I'm ready to go: 1 warning shot to show I mean business, without destroying anything, followed by 9 "more-lethal" hollow point rounds.

[edit]I'm assuming that the burglar is not entering the home to kill me, just to rob me.. I assume that if someone wants me dead they would at least be stealthy, so the rifle would be useless anyways. I've noted using HP rounds because of reports of good, shallow fragmentation.[/edit]


I also have it figured that if for some reason kids are ever in my house and find the firearm (I'm 19, and live in my parent's house for the time being) that first they would need to get through the case lock (during the day),and cable lock just to get to the firearm. Then, if they are uneducated enough to play with the rifle, set it to FIRE, chamber a round, and fire it, that the blank round would make a loud noise, not destroy anything or (hopefully) hurt anybody, and most likely scare the living crap out of them and make them get away from the rifle (while also alerting an adult that they were somehow near the firearm unnoticed or unsupervised).

[edit]I'm aware that the blanks can cause burns,  and even death if point-blank... I'm being optimistic that if the children somehow are able to fire the rifle that they will not be pointing it at any person[/edit]

Any thoughts on this plan? Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Lee

The action won't cycle with just a blank.  All of the gas that's supposed to move the bolt carrier back just goes out the muzzle without some sort of "blank firing adapter."  That means after you fire your blank, then you'll have to manually load the next live round.  Just something to think about.

CHRIS

I forgot to consider that, thanks for the heads-up. Oh well, now after the sound of a loud bang they get the wonderful ca-chink sound, possibly followed by some Clint Eastwood rip-off one-liner... Perhaps... Perhaps...

just a thought...you mentioned a blank not hurting anyone foolish enough to load and fire your ar....A blank is totally capable of killing.  the escaping gases is enough to empty a human head a close range.  I saw pics from a Peoria Co. (IL) autospy where a guy did just that.  I think it was a contact wound with a blank, but he was still dead.

I was assuming that they would not be pointing it at their own heads.. but.. ok, I'll shut up.. perhaps this whole idea is just for thoughts, not good in actuality.

Couple of items leelaw,
First, blanks can cause injury if used at close range, unburnt powder and the flash itself will burn a person.
Second, as a instructor I highly recommend you do not fire "warning" shots (blank or not).
If the situation is serious enough for you to have to shoot to stop someone, then do so.
Otherwise, if you fire a blank and the person continues to advance, you will have given them reason to believe that ALL your rounds are blanks.
Also, one shot may be all you have time for, and it would truly suck if it was a blank.

Something else to consider, HP bullets are not a good choice.  At .223 velocities they do not expand, and will not fragment as easily as say, cheap fmj.  Save the hollowpoints for matches, if you don't want to load something like M193, or SS109, may I suggest a softpoint, or another type of hunting bullet.  IMHO you can't go wrong with good ol green tip.  Thats just my opinion though.  I do like your way of thinking though.  Many believe that if the first attempt at stoping an attack is a less than lethal munition, than the courts will sometime have leanancy.  Something you have to consider.  No matter how right you in protecting you family and yourself, you can figure on spending at least a few nights in the slammer, and quite possibly never seeing your rifle again.  A small price to pay IMO.

Just my thoughts though, take them for what they are worth.

Sorry guys, I couldn't spell my way out of a wet paper bag.

Where in the world are you getting that JHPs in .223 dont fragment as easily as FMJ????

Back in the 80's, the actor John Eric Hexum died by shooting himself in the head with a blank while horsing around on his set.  Caused a fun series to get cancled.

Thats what the voices in my head told me... Sorry, I'm going to bed now.

"The way I have it figured is that if I need to use the rifle, I would be able to remove the barrel cable lock fairly quickly,..."

No you won't.  Gun locks will get you killed in an emergency.

That you have a FAB-10 lower tells me you are serious about remaining on the good side of your elected state government, so the best thing for you to do is ask the proper authorities what California law says you must do regarding storage of a firearm (that they probably will discourage you from keeping anyway).  

Where the heck did you get this idea?

The best terminal performance rounds commonly available are Heavy Match HP bullets.  They fragment much better and more reliably than M193 or M855.

Note the use of the 77gr Match Bullets by some of our special operations folks and Force Recon (the Mk262) to improve lethality (and accuraccy) over the M855.

I suggest you check out the following at a minimum: The Wounding Effects of 5.56mm/.223 Law Enforcement General Purpose Shoulder Fired Carbines....", IWBA Journal, Vol 3, No. 4 (1998).

Hahaha! I thought this to be the most intelligent thing said in this thread so far.

Thanks Troy, I'm hoping and expecting that I will never have to use my AR in a self-defense situation, but I'd rather think about it ahead of time, rather than for the first time ever when I hear the strange person walking around upstairs...

I realize it isn't going to be that great a self-defense device, and that a shotgun would work much better.. I'm planning to get a shotgun for fun and self defense after I finish playing with little modifications to my AR... oh man, this may be a while.

Though it may not be the "real thing" the FAB-10  is still the best I can get... black-gun-fever has me, big time.

I will agree with Troy 100% on this one.  If you have to shoot a bad guy, especially in California, you don't want to shoot him with an AR, AK or any other "evil" weapon.  Use a plane jane shotgun or handgun to save yourself the trouble in the court room.  I have a Winchester 1300 with a flashlight on it and that's it because that's all I need.  Also, you make it sound like your decision to buy it was based mostly on self defense but in your last reply you say, [red]"I realize it isn't going to be that great a self-defense device, and that a shotgun would work much better.. I'm planning to get a shotgun for fun and self defense after I finish playing with little modifications to my AR... oh man, this may be a while."[/red]  I would seriously think about making your first two firearms purchases (shotgun & handgun IMHO) your self defense ones and save the rest for fun after you've done this.  Besides, an AR-15 is a good tool for self defense but not a FAB-10 my friend.  I know that the cool factor plays into a lot of people's buying decision but when it comes down to protecting your life and/or someone elses all you really want is something that will work and do the job easier and better than the rest.  12 gauge!

Personally, I think this makes an outstanding PC home defence rifle in .357 Magnum:

[img]http://www.winchester-guns.com/prodinfo/catalog/images/534094m.jpg[/img]

9 Shots, 6lbs. The new tang mounted safety models are the best out there. I like having the ability to make precision shots in my house full of kids.