This is what I use exactly. I find the #4 buck works great for skunks and raccoons that assault my house. I keep it loaded and ready. The 870 has a shorter barrel and improved cylinder choke. The 45 acp has 200 grain Mihec hollow points and the 357 has 162 grain Mihec hollow points. These are the main loaded guns. I have others that take a rotation on coming out to play.
Home Defense
- Thread starter Ben
- Start date
This is what I use exactly. I find the #4 buck works great for skunks and raccoons that assault my house. I keep it loaded and ready. The 870 has a shorter barrel and improved cylinder choke. The 45 acp has 200 grain Mihec hollow points and the 357 has 162 grain Mihec hollow points. These are the main loaded guns. I have others that take a rotation on coming out to play.
Rally Hess
Well-Known Member
We have shotguns also. Wifes is a 16 ga Browning A5 with 20" bbl and 1 1/8 oz #4 lead. Mine is a Berreta 390 with 20" bbl., 3" chamber. I have 1 7/8 oz. #2 hard lead loaded. A short shotgun also makes a fairly good defensive weapon at port arms. Our first line defense is the six labs that can see most of our buildings and take it real personal when something is around. Assorted cutlery in the bedroom could also prove beneficial if in reach when needed.
My wife doesn't have alot of upper body strength and is not real mechanically inclined. She has trouble chambering the second round in a pump, even a youth model 20. I'm not confident she would be well served by a pump when in a pinch for a second shot. I shoot mostly Browning A5's and Berretta 390's when bird hunting so feel confident in my choice for my house gun.
My wife doesn't have alot of upper body strength and is not real mechanically inclined. She has trouble chambering the second round in a pump, even a youth model 20. I'm not confident she would be well served by a pump when in a pinch for a second shot. I shoot mostly Browning A5's and Berretta 390's when bird hunting so feel confident in my choice for my house gun.
KHornet
Well-Known Member
I note that a lot of folks go with buck in shotgun loads. IMO at the range you are probably going to have to shoot in a house, buck or birdshot would probably not make a lot of difference in reality. Did a little cross country prison chasing as a young Marine, and had to qualify with double ought out of cylinder Mod 97 Win riot guns at 25 yds. Not at all hard to keep all 9 on rotating targets at 25 yids, and think if anything the effect of bird shot would be as devastating. Would sure hate to be on the receiving end of either.
RBHarter
West Central AR
To bird shot ,
A 1450 fps load of steel Bs will have pass throughs on a 25# coyote at 40 yd broad side . The same through a modified choke at 25yd chews a 4" hole with a 12-13 " circle right through 3/4 6 ply plywood.
I hunted ducks a lot and worked up suitable loads not long after steel / NT became the mandatory standard. I worked for 4,5 ftlb at 40 yd, it was quite the buzz saw too close .
A 1450 fps load of steel Bs will have pass throughs on a 25# coyote at 40 yd broad side . The same through a modified choke at 25yd chews a 4" hole with a 12-13 " circle right through 3/4 6 ply plywood.
I hunted ducks a lot and worked up suitable loads not long after steel / NT became the mandatory standard. I worked for 4,5 ftlb at 40 yd, it was quite the buzz saw too close .
smokeywolf
Well-Known Member
My first line of defense is security lighting that some might call excessive. My second line of defense is the wolf who in my avatar is staring intently at my tri-tip sandwich. My 3rd line of defense is what would best be called a court of last resort, as that is undoubtedly where I would end up if I'm ever forced to use it/them. I will say that I favor a projectile(s) that will dump their energy before passing through 2 layers of drywall and injuring someone in an adjacent bedroom.
35 shooter
Well-Known Member
Bit of thread drift here, but i've been curious about something for quite a while now about your avatar.
Just who did wind up with the rest of that sandwich?? That is one fine looking pet you have there. Is he part Husky or Malemute?
smokeywolf
Well-Known Member
He's a Wolamute (wolf/malamute). I'm the alpha male in our pack. I always share with him, but I eat first.
Ian
Notorious member
I figured I'd let you explain that the relationship simply cannot work unless the human establishes his/herself as the absolute #1 Alpha of the pack and reinforces this understanding constantly.
smokeywolf
Well-Known Member
We never eat even a snack without giving him a small bite or treat, but he eats last. We never get out of his way, he moves for us. He's also never left alone; not even for 5 minutes. He's the center of attention in the family, but he's still the omega wolf.
To get back on topic, when I was a kid, Dad had a "Game getter". Over and under pistol with 22 LR on top and 410 shotgun under. Barrel as I recall was about 13 inches. I remember shooting it a couple of times in the mid 1960s. I think he sold it around 1968 when gun control started getting out of hand.
I would think that would make a good home defense tool.
To get back on topic, when I was a kid, Dad had a "Game getter". Over and under pistol with 22 LR on top and 410 shotgun under. Barrel as I recall was about 13 inches. I remember shooting it a couple of times in the mid 1960s. I think he sold it around 1968 when gun control started getting out of hand.
I would think that would make a good home defense tool.
35 shooter
Well-Known Member
There are several commercial defense loads available for the 410 now. And the "noise" factor would be much less than a 12 or 20 ga. in tight quarters.
Bottom line...i wouldn't want to face ANY shotgun with ANY load at across the room distances!
Bottom line...i wouldn't want to face ANY shotgun with ANY load at across the room distances!
Rally Hess
Well-Known Member
Nor a scared/mad mom holding it!!
Have any of you shot a shotgun at night in a building? You'd have to be pretty scared to pull the trigger the second time, with no ear protection on, and it will take your eyes several seconds to adjust from the muzzle flash, for any "aimed" second shot.
Have any of you shot a shotgun at night in a building? You'd have to be pretty scared to pull the trigger the second time, with no ear protection on, and it will take your eyes several seconds to adjust from the muzzle flash, for any "aimed" second shot.
Jeff Michel
Member
I have a shotgun with #7.5 trap loads. Always had concerns with over penetration, especially single story houses. When I was a kid, the neighbor lady used a .410 on her husband who was trying to molest their daughter. Was pretty effective at bedroom distance.
RBHarter
West Central AR
I've seen the flash from 3"mags at 1st and last shooting light and moderate Blue Dot loads , I can't ever begin to imagine something like that from 1 of the short bbl entry tool type guns with white walls and a 1-3 watt night light ....... perferate and cauterize all in 1 easy squeeze.
Even revolver flash is pretty extreme in pitch black dark . I used to have a video of a 3.75" 40 S&W 357 and an 1858 Remington 44 fired in total darkness star light only ,it made quite the light show . Maybe this spring I'll do another I have some others that would make a better comparison.
Even revolver flash is pretty extreme in pitch black dark . I used to have a video of a 3.75" 40 S&W 357 and an 1858 Remington 44 fired in total darkness star light only ,it made quite the light show . Maybe this spring I'll do another I have some others that would make a better comparison.
What I would prefer and what I have available are two different things. What I have available are single action revolvers and I have proven under stress that I can be effective with them.
Likely our greatest home defense is the location of our home. We are rural and on a two mile long gravel loop road with only three homes on it. My well used shooting range is between our house and the road. Only locals will be on this road and they hear the shooting and know what I do. Non locals are on I-15 just across the fence from the frontage road and have no reason to get off. We still feel no need to lock doors and as things are at the moment have no means to do so. Its just the place ya know bad things could happen but its just not likely. I honestly couldn't tolerate living any other way.
Likely our greatest home defense is the location of our home. We are rural and on a two mile long gravel loop road with only three homes on it. My well used shooting range is between our house and the road. Only locals will be on this road and they hear the shooting and know what I do. Non locals are on I-15 just across the fence from the frontage road and have no reason to get off. We still feel no need to lock doors and as things are at the moment have no means to do so. Its just the place ya know bad things could happen but its just not likely. I honestly couldn't tolerate living any other way.
fiver
Well-Known Member
at room distances birdshot is still pretty much in the wad.
take a trap load out to the range and walk off 30' [10yds] then fire it through a cardboard box.
it'll look like a messy slug with a few stray holes around the edges.
you can fully manipulate that 'pattern' with a piece of tape or a tyvek wrap around the wad.
or do the old trick of making a hull 'cut off' and fly out the barrel, containing everything within it.
I'd just stay with a load of 6 or 7 1/2 shot and manipulate the speed and choke combination.
it's center of mass pellet count on target that'll deliver the energy, individual pellets have almost no energy on their own and the smaller size takes away their ability to penetrate.
but put 250 of them in a 2" circle and the effect is devastating.
try taking on a large body sized problem at 50 yds with that same load and your gonna be annoying at best.
take a trap load out to the range and walk off 30' [10yds] then fire it through a cardboard box.
it'll look like a messy slug with a few stray holes around the edges.
you can fully manipulate that 'pattern' with a piece of tape or a tyvek wrap around the wad.
or do the old trick of making a hull 'cut off' and fly out the barrel, containing everything within it.
I'd just stay with a load of 6 or 7 1/2 shot and manipulate the speed and choke combination.
it's center of mass pellet count on target that'll deliver the energy, individual pellets have almost no energy on their own and the smaller size takes away their ability to penetrate.
but put 250 of them in a 2" circle and the effect is devastating.
try taking on a large body sized problem at 50 yds with that same load and your gonna be annoying at best.
If someone needed perforating because they slithered into my home uninvited the tool that would do the perforating would depend on which room I was in at the time the perforating needed to be done. Could be a 410 Judge, various revolvers, 1911 etc.
As for the 2" Judge, well less than lethal in my opinion. When I got it I did penetration testing at various ranges using card board boxes, at 15 feet most pellets did not penetrate. No chance it would penetrate a winter coat at near point blank range. Federal makes a 410 handgun shell that is in my opinion completely useless. The Judge does do well with regular 410 shells for it's intended purpose when I got it, several rattle snakes all agreed that at 10 feet or less it ruins their day but to use those Federal shells for defense in a life threatening situation . . . Not a good plan for two legged snakes, better stick the muzzle in their eye before pulling the trigger.
As for the 2" Judge, well less than lethal in my opinion. When I got it I did penetration testing at various ranges using card board boxes, at 15 feet most pellets did not penetrate. No chance it would penetrate a winter coat at near point blank range. Federal makes a 410 handgun shell that is in my opinion completely useless. The Judge does do well with regular 410 shells for it's intended purpose when I got it, several rattle snakes all agreed that at 10 feet or less it ruins their day but to use those Federal shells for defense in a life threatening situation . . . Not a good plan for two legged snakes, better stick the muzzle in their eye before pulling the trigger.