Young kids at home in older suburban neighborhood. I am interested in getting some really basic firearm for home protection. I would appreciate any suggestions. Growing up I had a S&W 20 guage folding stock shotgun and think that would be perfect. I don't think I should get a handgun b/c of the kids and I don't want to take a training class (never even shot a non-pellet handgun). Thanks!
Go with a shotgun. 870 Remington, Mossberg 500 or Winchester defender are all good choices for that and not very expensive.
Out of curiosity, what is it about a rifle that makes you more comfortable than a handgun with respect to having kids in the house? I will say this - if you're remotely uncomfortable with a handgun in general, don't get one...
All due respect, but somebody who doesn't know the difference between a shotgun and a rifle shouldn't be giving any advice on this thread. Get a shotgun. Much easier to hit the target and the physical act of racking a shell into the chamber will scare off 95% of all intruders.
I agree with shotgun advice. You can even load a non-leathal as first shell, then the real deal. If a hangun is preferred over shotgun, check out the Tauras Judge.
******* hell, I know the difference between a shotgun and a rifle (I own four guns), I didn't read the original post as well as I should have. Shoot me... A few counterpoints: You don't have to aim as well with a shotgun, but in close quarters this increases the chances you'll hit someone/something you didn't want to hit. There are trigger guard locks made for a handgun that are every bit as effective. Announcing to someone who you assume is armed "I have a weapon" and not being able to fire it can put you in more danger than if the person didn't think you were armed. LIke I say, if you're not comfortable with a handgun then you definitely shouldn't get one, but having an unloaded gun to make noise for 'protection' doesn't seem to me as good an investment as some loud-*** air horn in your attic that you can activate from any room in the house...
Not a good idea to put a loaded shotgun in the arms of an inexperienced person, especially while alone and under duress. That said, with minimal amount of practice, she should be able to handle a 12 gauge pump by herself or the Taurus Judge I mentioned earlier.
Maybe some people (not directed at anyone in particular) are overlooking the obvious point that whatever you get you will need to go to the range and practice with it for safety and operational knowledge. It wouldn't do any good to get a shotgun or handgun and not know how to load, cock/cycle, remove the safety, aim/point and hit a target. So all my points were made with practice and weapon safety and familiarity as an implied requirement.
Couple of things. A 12G will knock the socks off your wife if she's never fired a weapon. How big is the spread for what might be only a 15' shot? 4"-5"? What kind of shot would be good for home defense? Something like 00 or 000 for a good knockdown.
I would go with a 20 gauge for a woman, but she needs to be used to the kick and sound before turning her loose with it. #4 buckshot works well for close quarters.
99% of all grown women who've never fired any type of firearm before will be scared shitless of a shotgun after firing it once...
If I had a rack of shotguns all loaded in the closet, I wouldn't take the 12 gauge--my 20 gauge is lighter and would not be short on power against any person. Add in inexperience, weakness, and fear, and the 12 gauge won't even get pointed. Really, though, by extension, I would rather have a handgun. (Unfortunately, my only pistol is a Sat. night special, but I suppose people bleed a lot when hit with those bullets, too.)
I keep one of these S&W .38sp "Bodyguard" Airweights loaded with personal protection ammo in my nightstand: Keep a Winchester 1300 Defender 12 Ga loaded with 00 buckshot near my side of the bed: Have a 20KT backup in the garage for those really tough jobs when a gang of home invaders show up:
There was a 3 year old in Florence who just shot himself in the neck with a shotgun last week and died, www.myfoxaustin.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=8301980&version=3&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1 I have never posted a link before hope that works. Any gun kept in a home with children or where children occasionally visit (neighbors, nephews/nieces, etc) needs to be kept under lock unless every one of those children is old enough to be trained how to use the gun and do it safely and has been. It doesn't matter long gun or handgun. Gun safes for handguns are much cheaper, so get a hanggun and a fingerprint scan safe at the same time and keep the hand gun off safety loaded with a round in the chamber locked in the safe at all times. Keep the safe in your bedroom for easy access. 9 mm Glock seems to be a good choice for the ladies if you want your wife to shoot it also. Probably keep it loaded with frangible ammo for your families/neighbors safety.
If you have a loaded gun in a house with young children it's more likely one of them will get injured or killed with it than you will use it successfully for self defense. Look, I'm not anti-gun at all. I grew up hunting most anything that moved and feel anyone should have the right to do it. But I draw the line at keeping a loaded gun anywhere a child could get ahold of it. Even if you take responsible precautions, mistakes happen and kids get killed. It's just not worth the risk in my book. Instead of a firearm, install a security system and keep a heavy duty pepper spray where you'd keep a gun. You'll actually be doing more to protect your property (most break-ins occur when you're not home) and family and your kids will be much safer.
Mossberg 500 5 underneath and 1 in the chamber. 12 ga. The only downside is the 28'' barrel, but even at that it's not a big deal.
I derive no peace of mind from a loaded shotgun, or any gun for that matter, around the house. I could train my kids to put the guns together blind folded, and it still might not stop one friend from doing something stupid. Sorry, but I own several guns and wouldn't do it. If I can't get the trigger lock off and the shells racked in time, I'll just have to hope any intruder won't notice said trigger lock. That's just me though. I'm a worry wart, and agree with the point above that a loved one is more likely to be hurt than any potential intruder.
A the answer is pistol grip shotgun, and go shoot the damn thing a couple times!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!! a) putting a non-lethal round is stupid, keep the chamber empty if you are worried b) Chambering the round will make about 98 percent of all intruders fun like holy hell out of your house, if they are aware of what is going on c) if you chamber a round or point a gun (of any variety) you better be ready to shoot to kill. If for example an intruder were in my house, heard the round chanbered and did not retreat I would not think twice about blowing them in half.
