AR as a home defense gun?

[Ruark]

A handgun is not my first choice, my shotgun is. Again, if you don't know that there is a threat in your home until they are less than 7 yards away, you have bigger issues. I don't go clear my home room to room... the dog does that.

Even with no sights, you would still need to shoulder and point the AR, not fire from the hip as stated above....

I wasn't advising firing from the hip - I said maybe even from waist level, and I can easily visualize scenarios where that would be the case. Not holding it down below my belt like a rock guitar player, but say "chest level," or shouldered if time allows.

VERY good point made about firing indoors w/o ear protection. I've been shooting for 50 years, and I was stunned at how sharp my AR was the first time I shot it.

Overall, I think ANY gun is effective for home defense, but some more than others, just depending on the scenario. My default HD weapon is my SIG 9mm with 15+1.

 

[Harpman]

One thing not addressed (much) in this thread is familiarity and training.

As I had said in the quoted comment, a person who has been there and done that, and is Army Special Forces, tells me that the M4 platform is his preferred home defense gun. I figure he oughtta know, better than most, what he is talking about.

So...since he says that, and since I have an AR, my choice should be the AR...right?

No. Or, at least not right now. I've spend over 50 years shooting pump shotguns (never owned an auto and shot my double rarely), bolt action rifles, revolvers, and semi-auto pistols. One of those is my choice of HD gun.

Why, when a real expert says an AR is better? Because he says its better FOR HIM, thanks to familiarity and training. Right now trying to use an AR in a high stress defensive situaation would likely get me killed.

That will change with time (I hope...), but for now, the gun I feel most comfortable using in a HD situation is my Glock 23.

Familiarity and training could potentially make a 22LR more appropriate that a 12 ga pump if that 22LR is what the individual could use best at that point in time.

Well thought out and reasoned response. Logical.

 

[cyphertext]

Do you answer your door with a shotgun? Do you carry it around the house with you at all times? Have it on you when you come home at night? I assume you live alone since your sending the dog out to "clear the house", but some of us have families and kids and if a home invasion occurs in the middle of the night, you must move to their room. It's much more practical and effective to do so with a handgun. Even if I lived alone, I would still take a handgun to investigate the typical bump in the night for maneuverability, weapon retention, operating light switches, opening doors etc. Many SWAT officers I've trained with do the same when they are home since they don't have the benefit of a team and even do so when on duty if operating alone. If someone kicked in your door at anytime of day or night, what's the maximum distance they would possibly be from you? Distance to my front door from where I'm sitting right now is about 3 yards. Distance to my bedroom door is about about 10 yards, so not really going to be a whole lot of time to react there if someone was to gain entry into my home, especially if it occurred while sleeping.

I don't carry any guns around my house at all times. If I felt the need to do that, I would get a U Haul...

However, I do have multiple layers of security, and am aware of someone's presence on my property before they are at the door. If I am not expecting guests, and there is a knock on the door, I may answer with a handgun close by, or I may not answer at all.

As I have said in other threads, layers of security are more important than what firearm you choose. The firearm is the last layer when everything else has been bypassed.

If I take your scenario above, where you are 3 yards from the door and someone comes through the door... unless you were aware of their presence and waiting for them, it doesn't matter what firearm you have chosen. If your handgun is sitting in your holster and not in your hands, you probably will not have time to react.

 

[Dave B.]

My Mossberg 500 (with adjustable stock) is my home defense gun. She lives under the edge of my side of the bed and is in fact ready to jack one into the chamber. There is always a light on downstairs, and some illumination from a street light at the end of our cul-de-sac so I don't need any lighting accessories. The first round is a field load, and if it goes beyond that, the rest behind it are all 00 buckshot.
It's so terrible that we even have to consider things like this....but we do what we need to do to be ready, don't we?

 

[krimmie]

I came home and found my house was burglarized...I was unarmed, but knew I had a loaded shotgun leaning in the closet next to the bed. I now have a concealed permit and never return home without my sig p229 .40 s&w.

Don't forget when you use long guns as home defense weapons, they can get in criminals hands if they break in while you're not at home...lock them up when you leave the house.

 

[Rastoff]

Don't forget when you use long guns as home defense weapons, they can get in criminals hands if they break in while you're not at home...lock them up when you leave the house.

Every gun should be locked up when you're not there. It's just prudent.

If it were legal, here's what I'd do...
Take a rifle and wire it to a 115VAC outlet through a rectifier that makes it DC. Leave it in plain sight. What criminal isn't going to pick up a gun that he sees lying around? The problem is that you'd have a mess to clean up when you got home.

This isn't legal so, don't do it!

 

[AGoyette]

Some interesting and thought provoking thoughts being tossed around here. For us, we do have various weapons including a pump shotgun, 3 different AR's and various handguns. Since the family is most used to handguns, that is our HD weapon. Most of the rest are locked up in the safe when not in use (the eldest daughter, 25 years old, takes care of her own guns). As to shooting from the hip... The family went to the Chapman academy (in Missouri) and took a day class with them. We learned lots of interesting things including shooting from the hip without using the sights and hitting your target. I do think familiarity with your weapon is vital and having the training and practice that training is key. It does not matter how "good" you are at the range firing one round every 3 seconds. When presented with a SHTF situation, you don't think, you run on pure adrenalin. That is one reason why the husband and I have been shooting USPSA since the '80's. Different high stress scenarios every match. Back in CA we used to shoot with a bunch of cops, FBI and secret service members in our league. Not to mention some of the top shooters, then and now. I can't tell you how many matches I have finished and I know that I did X but I don't even remember doing it, like reloading. So take classes, be familiar with your weapon of choice. Maybe compete so you can handle your weapon under stress.