Home Defense?

***WhiteShark*** · Posted On: 3/16/2007 11:15am

My wife wants a gun for home protection. We live in a 2br one story ranch with brick facade on all 4 exterior walls. We have a 90+ pound dog that lives in the house with us and barks at strangers.

I tend to think we don't need one. If we get one I want a shotgun so I can at least shoot skeet since I don't believe I willever shoot a person with it. She wants a handgun for manueverability and intimidation. We will be getting one gun and it will probably be the only firearm in the house

Price is an issue for me because i think its sort of a waste but I would be willing to get small upgrades to a certain model to make it more appropriate for home defense.

What should we get?

**Nid** · Posted On: 3/16/2007 11:27am

Hand gun would be much more manueverable in the house. You can still open doors and such and still be at ready.

Question is, how pimp do you wanna be? The sky is the limit if this won't be carried concealed.

**TEA** · Posted On: 3/16/2007 11:46am

.45 cal 1911 would be my first choice, but they tend to be a bit pricier than the polymer automatics. I like the feel of the SAI XDs and have only heard and read good things about them. Of course, revolvers are about as simple as it gets in terms of ease of operation if you aren't going to practice shooting much. Get the biggest caliber your wife feels comfortable shooting.

***WhiteShark*** · Posted On: 3/16/2007 12:11pm

I want a good value in a gun so I don't want any fancy finishes or weird optics. I have been considering the S&W polymer .40 I think its called sigma?

Wow looking around 9mm seem so much cheaper by like $200? Are they that much worse?

**vigilus** · Posted On: 3/16/2007 12:31pm

IF you don't hve training using a pistol you're just as well to throw your pistol at the intruder. Make sure whenyou do get one to practice on it a lot.

Shotguns are great for home defense.

***WhiteShark*** · Posted On: 3/16/2007 1:08pm

Originally Posted by GuiltySpark

IF you don't hve training using a pistol you're just as well to throw your pistol at the intruder. Make sure whenyou do get one to practice on it a lot.

Shotguns are great for home defense.

We've both shot pistols before but I was concerned about how much practice we are likely to get on a continuing basis. Thats another reason I was thinking shotgon.

**Nid** · Posted On: 3/17/2007 5:52am

A revolver is about as simple as one can get. And based on the n00bery I've seen shoot mine, it seems to point-n-shoot much more intuitively. I don't know if it's the distraction of the moving parts on the autos, or maybe some issue with balance and grip.....no idea. But at 25 feet and closer, I'd venture to say even the most green ccould reliably put rounds on a human chest from a 4-inch revolver.

Non-issues: reliability, disassembly.

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/w...05&isFirearm=Y

**Abusivemelon** · Posted On: 3/17/2007 6:55am

Just how often do people get shot where you live? Maybe moving out would be better if you really believe you need a gun to keep you safe.

**Gezere** · Posted On: 3/17/2007 8:08am

My recommendations:

Glock 19, 26
Compact (and subcompat for the 26) 9mm (mean cheap yet effective ammo) made for close situations.

S&W 38 revolver
Just can't go wrong with that

and pretty much any .22 pistol
Yeah I know pple look funny at the .22 but for a non shooter the .22 is good plus its for the house not a shoot out the site of the gun alone may be enough to deter the attacker.

Its good you have a barking dog. Mine is a wuss but she is big and barks and that really goes along way. In 2005 some kids tried breaking into my neighbors house. They had an old dog with a big part. That alone was enough to scare them away. Mine started barking too and w've never had an issue since.

**Gezere** · Posted On: 3/17/2007 8:12am

Originally Posted by Abusivemelon

Just how often do people get shot where you live? Maybe moving out would be better if you really believe you need a gun to keep you safe.

It doesn't matter.
You issue is not how often but WHEN. You try to prepare for the worse case scenario without getting paranoid. Thus the old saying, Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.