There is a guy/ robber in my home town called bumpy head!

Because theres BIRD SHOT IN IS HEAD to this day!  He didnt run fast enough!

The 223/5.56mm is a Very  good  PICK!!  But it depends on your ammo selection also.


DONT BELIVE IN THE myth of the Shot Gun Blowing a guy back ten feet in the air!!

I seen A guy shot with a 308/7.62 he wore a HUGE HEAVY TYPE VEST AND STOOD ON ONE LEG TO PROVE ITS ALL BULLSHIT!

TRACERS SHOT AT GAS CANS dont blow up! ETC!

DONT get me wrong I love the 12ga and even 20ga

They Military still use`s  the 12ga  Today


HOLYWOOD will get you killed!

Quoted: There is a guy/ robber in my home town called bumpy head! Because theres BIRD SHOT IN IS HEAD to this day!  He didnt run fast enough! The 223/5.56mm is a Very  good  PICK!!  But it depends on your ammo selection also. DONT BELIVE IN THE myth of the Shot Gun Blowing a guy back ten feet in the air!! I seen A guy shot with a 308/7.62 he wore a HUGE HEAVY TYPE VEST AND STOOD ON ONE LEG TO PROVE ITS ALL BULLSHIT! TRACERS SHOT AT GAS CANS dont blow up! ETC! DONT get me wrong I love the 12ga and even 20ga They Military still use`s  the 12ga  Today HOLYWOOD will get you killed!

you're my favorite poster on arfcom

Quoted: sorry but ill stick with my 12 ga, its one thing if the thief stands his ground but 90% of the time its dark and he will run upon being noticed. The sound of a good 12ga pump and reliability of hitting a moving target without unloading the mag into my house just works for me, In the end its personal preference, which makes you feel more secure and which you are more comfortable handling in said situation

If I racked my 12 gauge, I'd lose a round.

What's the point of a "Home defense gun" that's not "cocked and locked"?



Travis

Quoted: www.dto.com/images/managed/2976.jpg Buckshot, size for size, is approximately equal to being shot with an FMJ bullet of slightly smaller size. For example, the .33" diameter of 00 Buck pellets each make wounds like a .32 ACP FMJ bullet. 000 Buck pellets make wounds a little smaller than a .380/.38Spl/9mm FMJ.  While there is no doubt that taking an entire load from a 00 or 000 Buck shell in the torso is going to cause a LOT of tissue damage, you still have to be careful making wound equivalents.  Simply saying "000 Buck is like 8 9mm's" seems to imply that the wound would the the same as being shot by a 9mm 8 times. Saying such is disingenuous because most people are carrying JHP bullets that cause much larger wounds than FMJs.  Also, you are assuming that all pellets will always hit a vital area, when that is unlikely at ranges over 10 to 15 yards, depending on how a shotgun patterns with a given load. Don't forget that lead pellets deform and flatten easily, so penetration through many types of barriers will suffer greatly, vs a service handgun caliber or a rifle.  Buckshot won't penetrate vests, etc. Shotguns certainly have a psychological effect on many people, but you never know who is going to fear them and who isn't.  Never count on the sound/appearance of a gun to work as a deterrent.  It won't always work, and thus can't be counted on to do so. Whatever weapon you choose for home defense, the important thing is that you understand that weapon's strengths and weaknesses (and don't kid yourself about either), and that you incorporate those facts into your overall crisis-response plan. You DO have a crisis-response plan, that you and your family/household drill on, right? -Troy

I hate to nit-pick but 9mm=.355diameter and .38sp=.357diameter so the 000 buck is slightly larger.

What about LEAD 9mm and 38spl/357

Billmanweh

We all should have a Topic on  myth`s  that are Proven FALSE!

I hate the guy that gets hit and flies in the air one

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: www.dto.com/images/managed/2976.jpg Buckshot, size for size, is approximately equal to being shot with an FMJ bullet of slightly smaller size. For example, the .33" diameter of 00 Buck pellets each make wounds like a .32 ACP FMJ bullet. 000 Buck pellets make wounds a little smaller than a .380/.38Spl/9mm FMJ.  While there is no doubt that taking an entire load from a 00 or 000 Buck shell in the torso is going to cause a LOT of tissue damage, you still have to be careful making wound equivalents.  Simply saying "000 Buck is like 8 9mm's" seems to imply that the wound would the the same as being shot by a 9mm 8 times. Saying such is disingenuous because most people are carrying JHP bullets that cause much larger wounds than FMJs.  Also, you are assuming that all pellets will always hit a vital area, when that is unlikely at ranges over 10 to 15 yards, depending on how a shotgun patterns with a given load. Don't forget that lead pellets deform and flatten easily, so penetration through many types of barriers will suffer greatly, vs a service handgun caliber or a rifle.  Buckshot won't penetrate vests, etc. Shotguns certainly have a psychological effect on many people, but you never know who is going to fear them and who isn't.  Never count on the sound/appearance of a gun to work as a deterrent.  It won't always work, and thus can't be counted on to do so. Whatever weapon you choose for home defense, the important thing is that you understand that weapon's strengths and weaknesses (and don't kid yourself about either), and that you incorporate those facts into your overall crisis-response plan. You DO have a crisis-response plan, that you and your family/household drill on, right? -Troy I hate to nit-pick but 9mm=.355diameter and .38sp=.357diameter so the 000 buck is slightly larger. Please READ what I wrote before you correct me.  Round balls don't crush tissue as well as a spitzer-shaped bullet. -Troy

Ohh sorry

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: -there are quite a few people who really do have the mindset that they'll just rack the slide on grandpappy's 870 and that'll scare off a burglar Actually, I can't believe how many people actually believe that BS and think that just by racking the pump they will scare off a criminal. It is NOT BS, as I have in fact on two occasions avoided further violence by merely racking a shell into the chamber of my Remington 870. Paladin

I still say racking the slide of an 870 WILL NOT deter someone who is under the influence of illegal narcotics.  Rather than type out a long drawn out boring story, let's just say I know from personal experience due to some jerk who was a few townhouses off and thought that he was beating on his girlfriend’s door instead of mine.  While beating on the door, he kept yelling things like "Angie, open this door or I am going to kill you".  Cops were called, he was arrested, and all that other fun stuff.  FWIW my name is not Angie and neither is my wife's.

Another item of note:  It is amazing how many cops show up for a domestic disturbance call.

I choose a 9mm, I'll bore you with my personal rationale:

1. Can use one handed quite easily, either hand (flashlight, keys, phone, child or whatever in other hand)

2. Can conceal and quickly access in the bedroom easiest

3. Can carry with me and conceal easily if I have to answer the door

4. Cheapest to practice with

5. EASIEST TO MANUEVER AROUND SMALL HALL WAYS AND ROOMS

6. EASIEST TO RETAIN & USE IF THINGS GO PHYSICAL

7. My girl can use it easily

8. Lots of rounds in the mag. 17+1 rnds + 31 rnds spare mag (if cornered in bedroom can lie on floor and spray 'n pray upward through door/walls) I live in a single story ontop of a small hill.

9. 9mm seemed to be the most "quiet" when I had my ear defenders off

There is really no hard fast answer that works for everyone.

I would not feel poorly armed with a either a handgun, shotgun, or carbine.  Each has their own strong points and corresponding liabilities.  The side benefit of these discussions is maybe someone will notice how their personal situation compares/contrasts with the comments, and be able to apply some logic to their choice of weapon.

Most important of all is to run plenty of ammo through whatever you do choose to insure your personal proficiency and mechanical reliability are acceptable at the anticipated contact distance.

Paladin

re: racking a shotgun.  the ONLY time I have done so, I was fully prepared to drop the hammer the instant my target moved towards me.  RACK, then AIM directly at COM.  never think racking is "for show" or a good bluff.