Need advice - home defense - night

[LCC]

It's asking a lot for a non trained person to handle both a weapon and a light during a max stress condition, best to keep it simple, and nothing is simpler to operate then either a DA revolver or DA compact semi with no safety. Grab it, point and shoot. Hard to beat a .38 with 148 gr wadcutter load, makes for good non-flinch habits at the range, will do the job up close.
Now about the lighting, both exterior and interior. Strongly suggest running some exterior motion sensor security lights over likely points of entry, front door, back door, downstair indow, etc. Anyone approaching the house that is suddenly lit up like a Xmas tree is going to have second thoughts about continuing the break in, likely to split.
On the interior consider the same, plug in motion sensor security lights pointed at the likely entry points. They make it that far, wife is going to have a brightly it target to put holes in, whereas the target is going to be fairly blinded by the security lights.
And nothing better than a dog, of any size, that likes to start barking the moment it hears something outside.

 

[forrestinmathews]

She did well with a Glock 19. Go with that. They are super accurate and easy to use. Put a streamlight TLR-2 on it and zero the laser at 25 feet. Set it for light and laser on. Load it with 124 grain HST +P in Magpul 21 round magazines. Get five of them and load them up. Teach her to shoot the gun rapidly and practically. Teach her how to change magazines. She should be able to hold her own until the sun rises.

Also get her a Protac 2L and teach her how to use it. It's a very durable light and bright enough to see but not be blinded.

Your gun sucks. It's too complicated and it's your toy. It has too many buttons and doohickeys. Not simple at all for a novice to use.

 

[ContinentalOp]

Our LEO son took us out to a range in South Carolina where he lives. She did pretty well with a Glock 19...

I think that might be your answer right there.

 

[elm_creek_smith]

My wife claimed my S&W Model 681 (w/M) wearing a Crimson Trace grips. It's loaded with Remington 125 grain SJHP .38 Special +P ammo.

She killed 2 coyotes with it in the creek bed out behind the house. One was on the run 35-40 yards from the back porch.

Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk

 

[Rastoff]

She killed 2 coyotes with it in the creek bed out behind the house. One was on the run 35-40 yards from the back porch.

Wow, a coyote on the run from 35 yards. That's an amazing shot.

 

[forrestinmathews]

My wife claimed my S&W Model 681 (w/M) wearing a Crimson Trace grips. It's loaded with Remington 125 grain SJHP .38 Special +P ammo.

She killed 2 coyotes with it in the creek bed out behind the house. One was on the run 35-40 yards from the back porch.

Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk

You should really invest in this woman's happiness because you're bigger than a coyote and probably can't run anywhere near as fast!

 

[Doug M.]

If your wife did well with the G19, that's a good choice. Good sights, good light, drive on. For sights, as I have gotten older, I tend to go with the XS big dot on a compact pistol - like my G33 (which would not be a good choice - it barks). I have a couple of 17s chopped to 19 butt length - they have decent visible sights on them. One I have used for my LEOSA qual a few times and done well. Get one of the rounds that DoC Roberts recommends, test the gun with a few hundred rounds as part of training, and call it good. Stick with something lower recoil, like a standard velocity JHP. With the exception of the sights, leave it as stock as possible.

Dogs: I like having dogs, and would like to have a cat, too. We have had mostly protective breeds, based in part on my preferences for making the dogs active parts of the defensive program. 2 dogs (we have learned than one each male and female cuts conflict) of decent size is a major roadblock for the average offender. One dog is unpleasant to fight off. Two rottweilers is really unpleasant. I like the larger breeds for lots of reasons. That said, you can find decent dogs in need of a home at a rescue - almost any dog is many times more alert than we are. I am often a heavy sleeper, but the dog warning bark of a dog will get me alert RFN. Make sure you have a decent idea of the attributes of a breed when you look at adopting - some can be more demanding.

 

[Buick]

Let the only light the perp sees be the muzzle flash from her 20 gauge semi shotgun loaded with n o. 4 buckshot.