Buying a Gun for Home Protection

Bravenrace, I asked some questions that may help you decide on what type and cal to buy. You can private message me for a serious conversation or just go back to page one before this went to E36 M3.

Rusted_Busted_Spit wrote:

carguy123 wrote: Paintball gun loaded with marbles!! Won't penetrate the walls into the kids room and gives you hundreds of shots!! I've run people off from the house a couple of times that way. None further inside than the garage.

I rally like that idea. I do have a handgun for the house but I may start looking at CraigsList for a paintball gun. Thanks

It makes a lot of racket and fast firing will scare the bejeebers out of just about anyone. If the balls come flying the intruders will go ducking or running.

carguy123 wrote: Paintball gun loaded with marbles!! Won't penetrate the walls into the kids room and gives you hundreds of shots!! I've run people off from the house a couple of times that way. None further inside than the garage.

A .59 (give or take a bit) caliber marble isn't exactly safe being fired from a .68 (give or take a bit) paintball gun. Marker isn't built for it, and I'd hate to have a glass flyer wing around uncontrolled like that. This is worse advice than the people saying that racking a pump shotgun has some sort of magical anti-baddie spell.

The perfect advice: get a gun/firearm/whatever you want to call it that you're comfortable with, that doesn't jam, and you can afford to shoot a lot. Then get trained on it. If you can handle a 12 gauge SEMIAUTOMATIC shotgun, I'd look into that. You could go for a pump, but in a high-stress situation be realistic about your ability to remember to rack each new shell. Somebody who's never owned one? I'd want something that goes boom when I pull the trigger. Good reason for a double-action revolver, too.

It's genuinely hard to buy a bad gun these days.

carguy123 wrote:

Rusted_Busted_Spit wrote:

carguy123 wrote: Paintball gun loaded with marbles!! Won't penetrate the walls into the kids room and gives you hundreds of shots!! I've run people off from the house a couple of times that way. None further inside than the garage.

I rally like that idea. I do have a handgun for the house but I may start looking at CraigsList for a paintball gun. Thanks

It makes a lot of racket and fast firing will scare the bejeebers out of just about anyone. If the balls come flying the intruders will go ducking or running.

Great idea if you're dealing with a bunch of damn kids! LOL

Were talking about weapons. It is unlawful to use them in any other way than directed. In fact when going to court after hurting someone when improperly firing a weapon, it is taken into account. Use weapons properly.

I keep a CZ SP01 loaded in the nightstand next to my bed and feel just fine. That said if children are in the home you have a little more to think about. A Shotgun is still the BEST weapon for home defense. I would recommend a Remington 870 in 12 gauge. Don't use anything less than 0 buck either. 0 buck is the smallest size that will meet FBI standards for penetration. Everything smaller than that is ify. PLEASE don't listen to anyone who tells you to use some kind of bird shot, even heavy bird shot. Also a shotgun does not give any significant advantage because of the spread. At 10 yards which is about the maximum distance you would encounter someone in your home you are still looking at a fist size grouping with appropriate shells. You can't just point it in the general direction of something like in every single movie and game ever.

I feel that a loaded shotgun is safer that a handgun in the hands of someone less experience due to its size. It is much easier to observe proper muzzle safety with a shotgun because of the length and weight. People forget they are holding a pistol more often than you think and point it in directions they should not. If a child were to get his hands on a loaded shotgun i tend to think that it would be much harder to get the gun off safety and actually fire the gun when compared to a say a Glock. The most important part however would be showing your wife and kids where the gun was and teaching them to respect it rather than relining on any child lock or something similar.

I would not own a shotgun with only a pistol grip and don't think that a pistol grip makes the gun any easier to shoot. To me folding stocks are also i bit gimmicky. The ones i have tired where either two flimsy or did not let the shooter get a proper cheek weld. I would say away from these as well as any extendable stocks.

I suppose that as racinginc215 pointed out that when you buy such a gun for protection you are saying/declaring "I am willing to kill any SOB that comes into my house and threatens my family or property." Their is some responsibility that comes with this declaration. Some people are not comfortable with this and might Bob Costas out when the time comes. I don't really know what to tell you if you feel that way because i don't understand it.

I'll shy away from all the pro and anti gun talk, and just repeat what has already been said. If you're going to own a firearm, be a responsible owner and get as much training as possible.

For a first time owner, I'd also recommend a 12-gauge shotgun. And if it's purely for home defense I'd recommend a pistol grip Mossberg 500 or Remington 870.

I got to play with a new 500 variant at the range the other day called the "Chainsaw" and I'm impressed. It's very "tacticool" but it does work and is a lot more controllable than the regular old cruiser model.

Here it is pictured below, I think I'm gonna spring for one.

Osterkraut wrote: If you can handle a 12 gauge SEMIAUTOMATIC shotgun, I'd look into that.

Tom Knapp using a supernova

Drewsifer wrote: Also, avoid gimmicks like pistol grips on shotguns and people who advocate point shooting. Do some research, learn how to fire a weapon properly, and if possible try out a few of the options available to you.

Why do you call point shooting a gimmick? It is what Delta Force, the SAS, etc. uses for fast reaction/close combat situations.

When there is an intruder in your house I doubt you would take the time to steady your aim, line up the sights, and gently squeeze the trigger; I also doubt that the intruder would wait for you to do that either...

JoeyM wrote:

Osterkraut wrote: If you can handle a 12 gauge SEMIAUTOMATIC shotgun, I'd look into that.

Tom Knapp using a supernova

None of us on this board, especially the OP, are that man. So don't give me that E36 M3. Pumps are wonderful, but if you don't have the muscle memory down, I wouldn't use them in a life-or-death situation.

Osterkraut wrote:

carguy123 wrote: Paintball gun loaded with marbles!! Won't penetrate the walls into the kids room and gives you hundreds of shots!! I've run people off from the house a couple of times that way. None further inside than the garage.

A .59 (give or take a bit) caliber marble isn't exactly safe being fired from a .68 (give or take a bit) paintball gun. Marker isn't built for it, and I'd hate to have a glass flyer wing around uncontrolled like that.

So have you ever done it?

I have for years and it's quite safe and quite painfull

You are more worried about glass flying around than bullets? Really?

JoeyM wrote:

Osterkraut wrote: If you can handle a 12 gauge SEMIAUTOMATIC shotgun, I'd look into that.

Tom Knapp using a supernova

Tom Knapp shoots more in one day than most do in a lifetime. I have a propensity to short stroke a pump shotgun, and prefer a Remington 1187 for that reason.

Yes the ammo remark was because I would have used all I had.

Yes I have "seen the elephant", 5 times as a matter of fact. People seem to think it's ok to stick knives into me. I tend to disagree.

eastsidemav wrote: Assuming the OP is willing to take a little time to go over safety procedures, and do at least a bit of training/practice, but is not interested in shooting as a hobby, I'd suggest a 4" barreled double action 357 magnum revolver, preferably in stainless. Reasons Easy to use, no safety to fiddle with, but a heavy enough trigger pull that it's unlikely you'll accidentally fire it. It can be downloaded with 38 special ammo in case anyone who will use it turns out to be recoil sensitive. Here's a big one - it's far less unwieldy than a shotgun indoors, it can be used one handed, which is useful when you need to open a door, push away an attacker, etc. Stainless and a revolver, because they tend to suffer less from neglect. I have nothing against shotguns, and that'd probably be my second choice, bumped up to first choice if any likely confrontation would be outdoors with a bit more room to move.

pretty good thinking ... the bit about a revolver .... but keeping with what most of the posters have suggested I would go with this

I have several rifles and shotguns but the Taurus Judge is what I'll probably get

Perfect!

You're missing the coffee maker, GPS.

No one seems to have asked the obvious question:

Are you prepared to kill someone?

If not, don't have a gun, because an intruder might be prepared to do just that.

.. needs more cowbell

carguy123 wrote:

Osterkraut wrote:

carguy123 wrote: Paintball gun loaded with marbles!! Won't penetrate the walls into the kids room and gives you hundreds of shots!! I've run people off from the house a couple of times that way. None further inside than the garage.

A .59 (give or take a bit) caliber marble isn't exactly safe being fired from a .68 (give or take a bit) paintball gun. Marker isn't built for it, and I'd hate to have a glass flyer wing around uncontrolled like that.

So have you ever done it? I have for years and it's quite safe and quite painfull You are more worried about glass flying around than bullets? Really?

In my ignorant youth, yes I have. Even then I knew it was stupid. I also was pretty serious into paintball... let me tell you, an out of round or off balance paintball can wing out at damn near a 90* angle... and they fit in the barrel! Not to mention that even a perfect paintball isn't that accurate...

Basically, bullets are fired from a device designed for them, and tend to go where you aim them, for better or worse. If guns were as inaccurate as a paintball gun firing anything, I wouldn't use them. So yes, I'm more worried about the glass.

SVreX wrote: No one seems to have asked the obvious question: Are you prepared to kill someone? If not, don't have a gun, because an intruder might be prepared to do just that.

Are you being sarcastic? Or did youiss the first three pages;)

Joey

When my ex-brother in law started coming around the house and scaring my folks, my dad bought my mom a revolver. He was worried about buying a semi-auto handgun because of the risk that it may jam. He bought a .38 caliber Rossi 5 shot revolver with a break action. I'm by no means a gun aficionado, but I've never seen another one like it.

Shotguns are great for home defense, but they lack the portability of a handgun. Pros and cons for all.

.38 Revolver.

Guns are kind of like cars. You start to think you want to buy one, and the next thing you know you've got a bunch and you're working on them.

A shotgun is great for home defense, but like others have suggested, I would be concerned about having a loaded shotgun quickly accessible to me in my home, since it will also be easily accessible to others and is not easy to conceal in an unlikely spot. Many will suggest that thieves/robbers will find your guns no matter where you put them and what type they are. I'm not so convinced but its a concern.

I think a handgun is a strong suggestion for a first defensive weapon for a few reasons; its concealable, its easier to employ in tight confines, and its more versatile if you want to get a carry permit. After that you can branch out into different types of guns, and if you don't like whatever you bought you will be able to get something back for it. I am not a big fan or proponent of the Judge, though.

Not to shill, but there are a lot of good gun discussion forums, among them The High Road.

Not to shill, but there are a lot of good gun discussion forums, among them The High Road.

Agreed.

BoostedBrandon wrote: He was worried about buying a semi-auto handgun because of the risk that it may jam.

Was this in 1902?

mattmacklind wrote: I am not a big fan or proponent of the Judge, though.

I don't like the Judge either. The grip is too small for me.