In light of the 410 Governor debate I though I would take a poll.

Which would or do you have handy in the house for the extreme emergency.

Very first thing your going to pick up. I know many of you have one or more back ups for what ever eventuality.

A 627PC. I like the moonclip reloads and the 8 shots.

The weight doesn't matter if I'm not carrying it.

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Short barreled shotgun will leave you with a form to fill out and a tax stamp. If you mean a pistol grip shotgun over one with a stock, no thanks.

Also a good home defense gun would be something with a silencer on it. That is if you care anything about your hearing. I would not want to or use my 357 magnum inside my home.

I've always wanted to be able to pick up my friend Mr. Mossberg when uninvited company comes to call.

The 18.5 inch Mossberg 500 6 shot pistol grip model in 20 gauge.

That would be quickly followed by the short barrel revolver option. In fact, they would go hand in hand, but I could only click on one at a time for the poll.

Please do not post pictures of your revolver. I was doing good not wanting the 627PC and you aren't helping much!! Damn fine looking piece of metal there. I see my wallet slowly crawling away from me.

FINE choice! I've been looking for one exactly like that. Not easy to find. Care to part with yours?

.410 Mossberg 500 with pistol grip . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

How about none of the above? What's wrong with a service type revolver with a 4-5 inch barrel?

What, no claymore option?

We have a few locked in strategic locations. Glock 17's with lights on the rail are in quick access safes in a couple of places in house. Wife also has a 64 3" with Lasergrips she shoots quite well in a strategic place.

Benelli M2 tactical ghost ring sights and a light on the fore end is locked in the room we would retreat to in case of home invasion. I keep a ruger 10/22 empty chamber loaded mag for varmints small as well as a Marlin 336 with skinner peep sight full mag / empty chamber for varmints large.

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Straight shootin'
SWCA#2439

I prefer a combo of snub revolver and high capacity auto.

The snub(S&W 642) if I'm carrying at home, answering the door, investigating an unknown noise/bump in the night and such where a contact distance scenario is more likely.

I go with an auto(Glock 19 or 17) for any scenario where I'd have more lead time/warning and distance such as if someone was attempting to enter the home(kick in the door) or I definitely knew someone was already in the home and we've called 911 and have taken up a relatively fixed position in a designated safe room.

I have an M&P45 lying around for the purpose you describe, going on the theory that if it gets seized I suppose I would be less upset than if a 1911 gets hauled away. And it's perfectly adequate. The trigger is nothing special, but it is accurate and reliable.

I voted semi-auto for capacity, although I don't have a full-size right now I always felt comfortable grabbing one gun and a backup mag and having 35 rounds of 9mm at the ready. The pistol leaves my other hand free to hold a light, flip a light switch, call 911, move cats and dogs around, etc.

In all honesty I actually don't own one...yet. I just know its what I've wanted for years. Remember I live in NYC where I'm only allowed a dull butter knife which I have to hold in my left hand while I scream like a little school girl. In reality, all I have to grab first for home defense are a variety of wooden martial arts weapons from back when I trained. In the dark and in the close quarters of my apartment I could definitely ruin your day with any of the sticks. I also have a metal baton which would probably be a felony if I ever used it (now its a back scratcher). I gotta get out of this town and find a job in a different state...

Short barrel pump shotgun makes an ideal HD weapon even loaded with birdshot.
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I voted for my 870 shotgun but I'd be fighting my way back to it with my Glock 19 (and a spare 33 round magazine) as I don't keep it alongside my bed (though it is close by).

The carbine is also close by but it is primarily intended for longer range or a greater number of targets.

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642-1, M&P15 TS

I use one of the snubbies in the pic below (except the pre-model 10), and of course the 329PD. For home I limit my 44's to 44spls not mags. The longer barreled revolvers...not so much for home defense...inside the anyways....

Lousiville Slugger, where I live, there's a real chance firing a weapon in the house would take out a neighbor and that's not something I'm willing to do.
Good solid core doors with dead bolts and a bat should be a poll option.

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Back to back World War Champs.

Yikes...****n from there, fast

Short barrel 870 8 rounds of #4 buck.
Pistol grip only shotguns are alright until someone tries to take it out of your hands (if they get close enough), then your screwed.

I am pretty sure if I am faced with a home invasion the last thing I am going to be worried about is my hearing. I highly doubt I'll even hear it.

No need to use something that will hurt your hearing even more than something else that's just as or more effective. You might not hear it but the damage is done.

I sort of object to the poll on the principle of "one size does not fit all". An ideal weapon for an apartment dweller isn't the same as one for a suburban resident, or one for somebody that lives out in the sticks and hollers. Even the size of your house's rooms can make a difference between whether you select birdshot or buck.

I also disagree with the pump-action. It's easy to jam one up with a short-stroke--even skilled 3-gun competitors do so with great frequency, as often as once per match. Whereas todays semiautomatics are quite reliable.

Right now I only have one gun, my 642-1, so I voted for short-barrel revolver.

I like Mister X's idea of using a combo of snub revolver for carry at home with a higher capacity semi-auto kept in reserve. I also wouldn't have a problem with keeping a 4" Model 64 as a HD/bedside gun, especially since it operates the same as my 642 (I like to keep things simple).

I do like the idea of a short-barrel long gun (now there's an oxymoron for you... ) as a hunker-down, safe-room option. I think I would prefer a semi-auto rifle to a shotgun. I've shot a 870 before with 00 buck and it wasn't fun, but wasn't particularly bad, either. I like the idea of being able to operate any self-defense gun one-handed and that's easier with a semi-auto than a pump or lever gun. I think I'd be more likely to practice with a lower-recoiling rifle. Plus, there are more options near me for shooting rifles than shotguns. I've often thought a pistol-caliber AR-15 would be a good option for me. The thought of firing a 5.56mm round inside my home is disconcerting, albeit not as disconcerting as the thought of defending against home invaders.

But overall I think handguns are more useful for my situation. When I think I've got that covered I'll likely revisit some long gun options.

I would also agree that "one-size fits all" doesn't work here.

My idea of extreme emergency is an attempt at forced entry.
1st = Grab 9mm handgun that's kept at arms length.
2nd = Move the few steps to the shotgun that's kept ready.

Benelli Supernova Tactical with mag extension. S&W TRR8 is on deck.

But, the first thing you would grab is the Glock, so it is first up.

I too have a shotgun and a setup mini 14 both ready to go, but when I detect something wrong I will grab thee handy hand gun, then if it is serious and I have time I will adjust.

PS by short barreled shot gun I didn't mean less than 18" but, if you have one shorter fine.

I doubt there is a perfect poll for every homes situation. If I was more rural there would be a rifle right by the door, but, if I heard something happening I would have a handgun when I went to the door by the rifle.

I keep various guns handy but I voted for the one that I keep by my bed at night. A 2.5" M686+. It's easy to use in the dark, I can reach it instantly, I can shoot from my bed if I have to. If I get up then I can use it to fight my way to my 18" Ithaca M36 or my 18" Remington 870.

There are other revolvers handy in other places but I limited my reply to the bedside gun.

Well, (1) that is NOT going to work with a revolver, and (2) I'll worry about my hearing later. I want a gun that is easy to manipulate at that very panicky moment. A suppressed 9mm, for example, will, I think, actually be somewhat unwieldy from the perspective of reaching for it from a sleep position, but YMMV. I don't use automatic pistols for my home defense so it's a no brainer in my house. YMMV

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I have a handy model 97 riot gun, and a model 29 classic DX 5"bbl real close. There is also a Glock 36 and Browning Hi Power ready to go too

The effect of adrenaline closes part of your hearing. A good point was made for different types of defense guns for different homesteads.

Myself I choose the 870 with 4buck due to the amount of pellets and it will have less of a tendency to penetrate a wall I don't want it to. With any type of firearm you risk shooting into another occupied room and injuring an innocent bystander. Glaser Safety Slugs were specifically designed to prevent this. For those of you using any caliber handgun I would avise you to look into them.

Colt Officers Mod./Defender/ Commander, .45ACP backed up by a Mod. 97 Winchester riot gun. The wife would be in the bedroom with the shotgun awaiting my return after the "ball" ended.
I'm lucky that the kids are all gone, there are no pets in the house, and my tri-level floor plan lends itself to my pre-planned house defense.
I have steel doors with solid wood cores, double dead bolts on all exterior doors and double pane "hurricane" glass on all windows[you can't break this glass with a baseball bat].
Years of military and police experience taught me to prepare well.So, we'll do our best to "repel boarders" and if they can get in,I believe I've got a tactical plan to make them wish they hadn't tried. Nick

Just a quick side note on hearing.

It's true that often times people under high stress situations won't hear loud gun shots, or they'll perceive them as much softer than they actually are. However, that has more to do with the signal chain, if you will, from your ears to your brain. The physical effects of loud gun shots on your ears will still happen, i.e. possible damage to the ear drum, anvil, inner ear, etc.

How much priority you assign to hearing protection is up to you.

I make low end .357 rounds with JHP bullets that are better than any .38 +P for the same reason. And out of a longer barrel you can get the intended velocity that much easier.

PS We are musicians.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

No?

Ahhhh, I'm liking that idea a lot! Care to share your recipe?

I honestly think that is a solid choice. Even if you don't kill the threat, the threat will cease to exist IMO.

You have to use what's appropriate to YOUR environment.

In MY home, the best self-defense firearm is a semi-auto handgun, although a revolver would probably be perfectly adequate.

No non-NFA long gun is of any more use in my roach motel sized apartment than a 14' bamboo cavalry lance. I couldn't even get anything bigger than an Ithaca Auto-Burglar through my bedroom doorway without banging into something.

If you live in a house or one of those Zeppelin hangers that they call "apartments" on "Law & Order", more power to you. Use a 14.5mm PTRS if you like.

not sure why we are limited to choosing a SHORT barreled revolver. I don't see any advantage of short over longer (4+") barrel and some possible disadvantages (shorter site radius and more muzzle blast). Anyway, my set-up is a Sig so I voted semi-auto just to vote, but I don't necessarily think it is best for everyone...good for me!

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Brad

I'm in no way disagreeing with you but I am curious as to why in YOUR home a semi auto pistol is the best choice.

I cannot think of a single reason in any home defense situation to where a shotgun wouldn't be a better choice over anything else. SUCH flexibility with them.

AR15; carbines do not penetrate any more than a handgun with proper ammo and with the proper sling weapon retention is fine. Follow up shots are much quicker than with a shotgun.

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K & N S&W revolvers

I'm all aboard on this. Model 910 with two 15 round mags in the nightstand, along with flashlight. Mossberg 18.5" 20 gauge with full length magazine tube filled with #3 buck and slugs.

I like the bullpup KSG shotgun personally as the design allows for better weapons retention in close quarters than a standard shotgun.

That said, because I assume my dogs would be attacking an intruder and I love my dogs, (a lot) I would likely grab my 686 loaded with Buffalo Bore low flash/recoil/noise 125 grain Barnes bullets. (Not as much risk of hitting the dogs with buckshot and since my wife needs to be able to shoot whatever it is we have available, slugs aren't a great choice in a shotgun for us.)They aren't quiet by any means but they probably won't cause as much permanent hearing loss as other effective rounds.

Frankly, if I need more than six of those rounds there is always the M&P 45 with three 10 round mags ready.

And of course if I need to stop a charging rhino, stop someone from shooting at me behind my neighbor's refrigerator or am just hungry for wild boar there is the Henry shown below.

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The decision on a long gun or hand gun should be based on it's intended use. One size does not fit all.

I do not like any type of gun mounted light. With a long gun you're committed to having both hands on the gun. Even if you're lying in wait you still have to identify your potential attacker.

So I use a Glock 19 with hand held flashlight.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

Nothing says "I Love You" quite like a Remington 870 Tactical 12 gauge with alternating 00 & #4 buckshot!!

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Get off my lawn!

Great minds think alike!

Shotguns are great weapons, but, a bit long and require 2 hands to fire properly. It is far easier to keep a handgun handy and move around with. Way easier to securely hold and control a handgun in my right hand and open doors, hit light switches etc and be completely ready to fire if need be. Yes, you can and I have fired shotguns with one hand, but, I don't think I would be able to do it and recover for a second shot nearly as well as with a handgun and I am a large man with big hands ad arms.

Anything in the poll would suit me fine but my Glock 30SF with an G21 magazine is always close at hand. It certainly will give me enough time to get me across the room to a shotgun.

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Bill Bates

A Browning Hi Power is in a holster hanging on my bedstead and a Surefire flashlight on the nightstand. But that's only until I get up and take three steps to the Remington 870. Buckshot is your reliable friend when in need.

The AR-15 makes the most sense to me. Easy to shoot. Accurate. Reliable. Lots of rounds. Semi-automatic. Here's a good article. American Rifleman | The AR for Home Defense: One Expert's Opinion

Although my 590 or M-1 Carbine would both be good choices I voted for what's always at hand, the short barreled revolver. I carry them for work each day, and I put them on the nightstand when I turn in. Home defense has been covered by whatever my working gun was since I started carrying. Prior to that it was my dependable 4" 10-5.

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Wheel guns are real guns.

Shield 9mm. Why? It's on my hip.

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Stay protected my friends.