Handguns and Home Protection?

[KingSizer]

Recently there have been several break-ins in my neighborhood and I have been thinking about purchasing a handgun. What do some of you recommend as far as caliber, brands, cost, safety, etc. This is all new to me.

[juggler]

I've been safely handling and using firearms since I was 12 years old.

 

First things first.

 

Are you proficient with a gun? If no then buy a better alarm system. I never recommend a gun for anyone that is not proficient. There are just too many chances for the wrong people to get hurt or dead.

 

Next, one of the most efficient deterrents are lights. We keep the outside of our house light well at all times. Like cockroaches, thieves prefer the dark.

 

Are you really willing to shoot someone and put up with the legal hassles for doing so? Do you think you can even pull the trigger? Most people freeze or hesitate when it matters most.

 

Are there other people in your house? If yes then really consider the round. Most bullets will travel through drywall and not even slow down much and potentially can kill the person in the next room or even two rooms over.

 

A possible 'good' solution is either shot pellets for your handgun or a shotgun. I kept my .357 revolver with 4 shot rounds and two hollow point rounds when I lived in an apartment building. I figured the site of the gun would be deterrent enough to stop most. A few shot rounds will stop the more determined and if I had to the hollow points would have stopped them cold. Also, the hollow points will mushroom more in drywall and may slow down faster than full jackets.

 

With a shotgun you have maximum 'Oh Crap' effect (especially double barrel) and you do not have to be a marksman under pressure to hit your target.

 

 

Take care and be safe!

[Redneck]

The best home defense weapon is a short barreled shotgun. If you have to have a pistol the best thing for an inexperienced shooter is a double action revolver. I prefer large caliber for a man stopper. If you buy one start practicing if you buy one and put it in the drawer chances are good you won't be able to defend your self when the time comes.

[davepa]

I have several brands and calibers..some for plinking, some for hunting, a .357 for defense, etc. .I also have a Pennsylvania self defense carry permit. You will find many varied opinions on this subject depending on what part of the country you are from. The laws are diffrent from state to state....some say you can not use force greater than what you are up against. Like I can't beat you with a ball bat if you only have a stick!

Find a friend with firearms and see what is comfortable to fire, if you can not handle the caliber you won't hit the side of a barn much less a small target.

Always keep in mind never pull a firearm unless you intend to use it because if the threating party takes your firearm ...well you get the picture.

A firearm safely used must feel like part of you so practice,practice, practice...

 

I can't wait to read the other replies!

 

Regards Dave

Edited July 22, 2008 by davepa

[DANJ]

 

If my pants are on, so is my weapon...I have been an avid shooter for fun, competition and protection my whole adult life.

 

Using and carrying a firearm is a tremendous responsibility, and requires commitment and training to be responsible.

 

That being said, I would recommend large caliber (45,44,41cal.) with lighter weight HP using personal defense ammo.

 

DJ

[clay18]

i have my glock 22, but ive been wanting a SKS (a AK-47 want a be) or a shotgun but over wall i call it crime displacment

[GunnyButch]

I agree with Juggler about proficiency with firearms, if you're not spend the extra money on a good alarm and a Louisville Slugger. Personally I prefer motion sensing outdoor lights and a handgun inside, I also keep them loaded and readily accessable. Calibers I own are .357 .38 9mm(auto) and .380(auto) all in jacketed hollow point. There are no children in our home anymore and my wife was an expert marksman during her active duty time. SC has the castle doctrine so there is no problem vigorously protecting your self and home.

[RedRider]

There has to be a mention of a pump shotgun. There is no more distictive sound than a round being pumped into the chamber. You also don't need quite the practice to hit, and stop, someone with a shotgun.

 

Plus, you can tell the cops when they come to drag the trash out that you were just using it to hunt rats.

 

RR

[David Strnage]

Pump shotgun if you are only going to have 1 gun, keep the magazine loaded and not one in the chamber, no sence in confronting an intruder you don't have to. The sound of a pump shotgun loading a round in the chamber is know by all bad guys and they will leave if they hear it. Also relativly safe without a round in the chamber. No need for magnum ammo 2 3/4 is good enough in 12 guage. Winchester Remington and mossburg all make a good dependable pump with an 18 1/2 inch barrell and extended magazine.

 

But most of all, practice with whatever you get, no time to learn while an intruder is in your house. Also come to grips with the affect of killing another human is going to do to you, when you use a gun for defence someone dies.

 

David

[KingSizer]

Very good points so far.

There have been 5 break-ins in the last week, where they are coming through a window or door in the middle of the night, holding the homeowner at gunpoint, while others ransack the house. 4 of the 5 have been with older homeowners, 2 of them in their 80's.

What makes this personal for me is that this past Friday my stepson was at his friends house with approx 20 other kids when 3 people came in with guns and bandanas, made all the kids (15-18 yrs old) strip down, and took wallets, jewelry, cellphones, keys, clothes, they even eat a big mac while they were there. A couple of the kids (my stepson included) got whacked on the side of the head a couple times with the guns.

The trauma for him and those kids and the anger for me right now is unbelievable. Someone asked if I could pull the trigger; if it was your kid that happened to how would you answer that question.

[Freebird]

I hope that I NEVER have to take the life of another person. I have been shooting since I was about 12 years old. BB guns, pellet guns then 22 rifles and shotguns. I love guns, the craftsmanship, wood, etc. I love target shooting though I don't do it much any longer. I used to reload my own pistol and rifle ammo and really enjoyed tweaking the loads for the best patterns and etc. What I'm saying is that I do know how to handle guns of all kinds but for home defense, I have an old Stevens 311 double barrel 12 gauge sawed off to about 19". As I said, I hope that I NEVER need it but rest assured, if my family is threatened, I would not hesitate.

[David Strnage]

I am with you man, make you decision and practice. The practice will is a good stress reliever as well as giving you familiarity with something that is new to you. I still say the pump shotgun is the way to go, it will definatly get respect and the short barrelled defender type hold 7 rounds in the magazine.

 

Find a local range and practice practice practice.

 

Be carefull, safe and take care of yours.

 

David

[DANJ]

The trauma for him and those kids and the anger for me right now is unbelievable. Someone asked if I could pull the trigger; if it was your kid that happened to how would you answer that question.

 

I have already answered that question in my mind. I have no question at all how I would reapond.

 

The circumstances you describe can be very dangerous, especially where there are several BGs in the situation. You didn't comment about your experience with firearms, but assuming that your experience is limited, I would purchase a Tacticle style Pump Mossberg or Remington 12ga and get instruction in it's use, and defensive tactics for home protection.

 

Search the NRA website for certified instructors in your area.

 

Good luck and God Bless,

 

DJ

[Buzzard1]

The business end of a shotgun--(even a 20 gage) looks like a 55 gallon drum when its pointed at you. I have a 20 gage with a short barrel and pistol grip. Easy to handle and not as much recoil as a 12 gage. Its NOT cut down --its legal--in Texas anyway---Buzzard

[Nighthawk II]

I have to agree with Juggler. Do all you can to deter them first.Outside lights. A good security system, especially one that can be set even while you're at home. Glass breakage alarms, in case they deside to come in that way. Lights that come on inside when the alarm is triggered. Have it monitored by a reputable company.

If you've never shot anyone, it's a difficult thing to do even if your family is threatened. If you hesitate it's their game, they will win every time.

If you do go with the gun and you don't have any experience with one, by all means take a gun safety course. Go to the range as often as you can and practice all you can.

[friesman]

Its amazing the differences in our 2 countries. Although we are so alike in so many ways, we are so different on this point.

( At least in my circle of people) . No one has a handgun for protection up here, and I only know of 1 or 2 that might have a shotgun for protection up here. I guess because handguns have never been freely available up here they just havnt gotten into very many hands and not into very many criminal hands.

I wont say we never have a shooting but it seems to be very isolated incident up here..( we use Knives or bats, I guess....)

I dont know which countries approach is better, but I just had to make the observation as it seemed so striking to me.

 

Brian

[skydoc_17]

I live in a relatively rural area in south central Pennsylvania and have a small Machine/ Motorcycle shop in a building beside my house. I am real big on motion sensored lighting, and have alarms on my home and shop. Two times in the past, the motion sensors went off and as I stepped out on the front porch I saw two young men running thru the field beside my shop... the lights scared them off. The only time I was actually broken into, the shop alarm went off, I stepped out on the front porch with my older mossburg 12 ga. shot gun to see one young man passing MC parts out the broken window of my shop. I alternate rounds in my shotgun, birdshot, buckshot, birdshot, buckshot. I peppered the lower torso(a**) of the young man standing outside the window pretty well, there was a 55 gal. drum next to the side of my shop that I hammered with the buckshot and the other young man came out the window and laid on the ground. The police came, were not to happy about the shooting, I went to court, and of all things it was ruled an "accidental shooting" I guess I caught a break from the Judge. I do shoot ALL of my weapons regularly and would probley use my 9mm or .357 inside my home. The young man that wasn't shot paid to replace the window and now works on his MC at my shop, we've become pretty good friends! Who wodda' thought? I realize this is not a "home invasion" but it is the only thing I can compare it to. I can tell you this..... if you come into my home and you are not invited, you will be stopped....period!

Just my thoughts on this subject.

Earl

[Guest cwil2988]

I use a combination of 2 jack russells, a sooner dog, and a Glock 23 with laser grips and a 5 shot .38 for backup. I also have an AR-15 and a short barreled shotgun if needed. hopefully never will need any of them. I never leave the house unarmed and I have a Ky CCW permit. With all that said, my theory is this; I carry a gun like a spare tire in my vehicle. You hope you never have to use it, but nothing will take it's place when you need it.

also, another option is the stun guns and pepper spray for those who cannot deal with the firearms. get the bear type pepper spray, and I promised the biggest man will cry like a little baby when hit with it.

Edited July 22, 2008 by cwil2988
spell check

[Squidley]

Very good points here, personally for me is a shotgun 12 or 20 gauge. Now I'm not some hardass, but if it's me or them, sorry but goodbye. Like mentioned you have to be committed to use a gun towards another person, 1 second of hesitation and your dead. If you don't think you can do it, don't bother with a gun, get an alarm system.

[Guest Moby]

I have been a firearms instructor for years, and I would not hesitate for one second to use deadly force if someone came into my home. I am also a concealed permit holder. You have been given some good info by all of these guys, but you need to decide wether or not you can actually take another persons life in protection of your or your famillies life before you ever purchase a firearm for home defence. If you do purchase one, a shotgun is your best line of defence. If you want help finding an instructor in your area, I can help and so can your local gun store. Good luck and be safe in all you do.

[ArcsSparks]

Shotguns are a great equalizer but hard to handle in a house even for the experianced (ask an iraqi vet about in house fighting) my opinion is a medium claiber (.380, 9mm etc.) little recoil and lots of rounds in the magazine. I use a 380/ Bersa 10 rds double action (first rd.) it barks but doesn't kick

[juggler]

Very good points so far.......

Someone asked if I could pull the trigger; if it was your kid that happened to how would you answer that question.

 

That was me.

 

I'm not questioning whether it is right or wrong to defend yourself. I'm asking are you really physically capable of it when the time comes, because if you hesitate or freeze you very well may lose it all.

 

I know I would pull the trigger. Thankfully I have not had too.

 

Still, the best is to keep them from coming inside in the first place.

[PBJ]

Its amazing the differences in our 2 countries. Although we are so alike in so many ways, we are so different on this point.

( At least in my circle of people) . No one has a handgun for protection up here, and I only know of 1 or 2 that might have a shotgun for protection up here. I guess because handguns have never been freely available up here they just havnt gotten into very many hands and not into very many criminal hands.

I wont say we never have a shooting but it seems to be very isolated incident up here..( we use Knives or bats, I guess....)

I dont know which countries approach is better, but I just had to make the observation as it seemed so striking to me.

 

Brian

 

Oddly Don I lived in a farm house here in Upstate New York for 24 years and many nights went to bed with my doors unlocked. Had a stable with 4 bikes and two Mustangs and never locked the door. My answer to thieves , I never had anything worth stealing. The t.v worked but was old, same with the stereo, and even if they took it so what , its just stuff. As far as attacking my family members goes this may sound twisted but I wouldn't need a gun to kill someone attacking a family member of mine.

[flb_78]

If you have very little firearms experience, then I would recommend a Mossberg Maverick 88 with a 20 inch barrel and some light loaded buckshot. You should be able to pick one up for around 200 dollars. I would go with a 20inch over and 18inch because the 20 holds 2 more rounds. Most outdoor ranges will let you shoot shotguns. Take it to the range and get familiar with it. If someone ever does break in, stay in the bedroom with the door shut. If bad guy opens the door, well then, bad news for him. I do not recommend a handgun for home protection unless your willing to put a lot of time into learning how to properly handle it. Handguns are more likely to miss and the ammunition will penetrate walls farther.

[Albino Rhino]

There has to be a mention of a pump shotgun. There is no more distictive sound than a round being pumped into the chamber.

Oh, I guess I cheat; I keep a round chambered--all I have to do is flick off the safety.