Thread: Home Defense...revolver or semi-auto?

870 super mag, i bought home defense shells that are 3 buckshot and a slug.

Originally Posted by BDL1969

I'm interested in an auto...just concerned about jamming. Revolvers seem more reliable but without the rapid fire.

I've been shooting my two favorite carry pistols, XD9 & Bersa .380, for several years, not one 'Jam'.

Just my $.02 worth, home defense or any defense is an extremely stressful situation, the perfect tool for home defense is any weapon you can operate instinctively, absolutely no thinking involved. Weapon problems in stressful times are usually caused by operator error. I personally have a 44 mag revolver that is my favorite beside companion. I shoot Glaser safety slugs in it to prevent over penetration because of 2 small children in my house. If using a shotgun of any gauge I would recommend a standard load of 6 shot, quite lethal to someone in the same room as you, but not nearly as prone to be lethal to someone down the hall or any the next room. Okay, of the soapbox now.

I carry a S&W shield 40 every day because it's small enough to carry in board shorts or jeans and a t shirt. I have a Glock 17 in the nightstand and a benelli 20ga for my wife while I'm at work. We can both operate without thinking. Always remember a gun without one in the chamber is nothing but an expensive club, and a gun in a safe isn't helpful in the event of a home invasion.

Shotgun loaded with #4 shot unless you are very proficient with a handgun in the dark.

Shotgun, this is no time to worry about what you are hitting or whom. Get a 870 pump with #4 or #6 shot will be deadly and will scare the s$*t out of them when you crank and round into it. When you are in that situation you want something that can scatter a lot of lead and not be dangerous to other members of the family. If you want a pistol revolver or a semi-auto shoot it until is second nature. Take home self defense courses and practice, practice and practice some more. If you don't you could be the one going to jail. Just my $.02 worth good luck.

I know shot guns are kinda the ultimate home defense gun, I have a 12 Gauge 870 already (although it's more of a bird gun). Would like something smaller my wife could learn on, just in case.

Originally Posted by daniel9829

Shotgun, this is no time to worry about what you are hitting or whom.
Get a 870 pump with #4 or #6 shot will be deadly and will scare the s$*t out of them when you crank and round into it.
When you are in that situation you want something that can scatter a lot of lead and not be dangerous to other members of the family. [/b]

If you want a pistol revolver or a semi-auto shoot it until is second nature. Take home self defense courses and practice, practice and practice some more.
If you don't you could be the one going to jail. Just my $.02 worth good luck.

Gonna have to disagree with you on multiple points here.

Every single time you point a firearm with the intent to pull the trigger, you better worry about who/what you're aiming at & what is behind them.
These are part of the Golden Rules of firearm safety. To add to this, you better ID your target, too many family members get mistakenly shot.
Yes, I know, you're talking about birdshot not over penetrating and thus endangering family and/or neighbors.
Guess what, at close range (6 yards or less) it can and will over penetrate up to two walls.

Birdshot is for birds, it is NOT deadly, you will not stop a determined bad guy with it.
Yes, at close range (6 yards or less) it causes major tissue damage, but is still unlikely to incapacitate or kill.
When your own & your family's lives are on the line, use #4 or larger buckshot.
Yes, most criminals flee when shot at and/or wounded, but again, you will not stop a determined bad guy with birdshot, he is still capable of harming you & your family.
Birdshot is bad advice.

Small sized birdshot such as this #4 heavy dove load is a poor choice for deployment with a tactical shotgun.
Wounds inflicted from birdshot tend to be gruesome yet shallow as they lack the penetration required to reach vital cardiovascular or central nervous system structures.

Now I'll throw one out on myself, my choice of #4 buck is not optimum, it is not a proven man stopper as it doesn't have the required penetration to effectively kill with one shot. It will over penetrate walls, but it will do much more damage than birdshot.

#4 buckshot is what we consider the minimum all purpose buckshot load for tactical applications.
It balances decent penetration with a higher projectile count; increasing your first round hit probability over both #1 buck and 00 buck at medium shotgun range.
If all pellets strike the intended target (likely when utilized at closer range) #4 buckshot offers several times the effective wound channel creation capabilities over both #1 and 00 buck.

At the average distances found in most home/self defense scenarios, you will still need to actively aim.
You're simply not going to be getting wide open shot patterns, average 5-10 yards you're going to see tight patterns with a cylinder bore. Aim or risk missing your target.

The only thing I don't find fault with is your last three sentences, good advice there.

At under 6 yards (18'), no one without body armor is getting up from a direct center of body hit with a heavy 12 gauge load of #4 shot. At that range, you will have massive tissue damage and shot penetration, most likely even the wad would penetrate the body.
The shock from the impact of 1 1/4 oz of shot, which would hit almost simultaneously, alone would most likely kill the person.
Shoot a watermelon at 6 yards and see what happens, it is a close equivalent.

Has anyone used or have comments on a SCCY 9mm a local gun store has a descent price I think