Best firearm for home defense.

[mm54943]

My mother in law just went on her first range trip with a friend (my father in law died). She wants to buy a firearm for home defense. The guy told her a shotgun would be best due to not having to accurately aim as much to hit your target. I totally disagree with the advice the guy gave her. She's a very small woman (about 5' tall).

What do you guys think?

 

[Axxe55]

Kind of, "it all depends on many factors" to be able to give good suggestions. What is her experiences with firearms? Does she live alone? Does she live rural or urban area?

I could go on with questions that need answers to be able to even start with suggestions.

Personally, I think the shotgun is one of the best home defensive weapons there is. Shotguns do not require the same precision is shooting that pistols or rifles need in order to hit their target. But can she or will she be able to handle a shotgun?

 

[mm54943]

Kind of, "it all depends on many factors" to be able to give good suggestions. What is her experiences with firearms? Does she live alone? Does she live rural or urban area?

I could go on with questions that need answers to be able to even start with suggestions.

Personally, I think the shotgun is one of the best home defensive weapons there is. Shotguns do not require the same precision is shooting that pistols or rifles need in order to hit their target. But can she or will she be able to handle a shotgun?

She's brand new. Lives in an urban area. She's a very small woman. My sister in law lives with her.

 

[Major Kong]

What he said.

Ability to aim accurately I'm a situation with your adrenaline pumping is not an easy task for the untrained.

A shotgun allows for some margin of error.

Just get her used to shouldering it properly and managing the recoil.

I've seen the smallest of women handle a 12 gauge like it's nobodies business.



MK

Sent from somewhere over the Soviet Union

 

[Tnhawk]

A missed shot from a shotgun is no better than a missed shot from a pistol.

 

[Axxe55]

She's brand new. Lives in an urban area. She's a very small woman. My sister in law lives with her.

I might suggest a smaller gauge shotgun that was a youth shotgun for her then.

Maverick 88 Bantam – All-Purpose

Maverick 88: the utility player of pump-action shotguns. Affordable and reliable, these diverse models are equally up to task, from combing through the woods to handling home security duty.

www.mossberg.com

Youth SHOTGUNS - Bantam - Usage - Firearms O.F. Mossberg & Sons

www.mossberg.com

 

[candcallen]

That's impossible to answer without knowing the person and experience and commitment to training.


That said, taking a WAG, a 20 gage Mossberg 500 is a easy to shoot shotgun as is a 3 or 4 inch 38 spcl revolver
But grip strength is an issue.

I recently spent time with the wifes shield EZ in 380. It's a soft shooting gun with a grip safety and thumb safety and is easy to load rack and shoot. There again it's not pick up pull trigger easy and requires a bit of practice.

 

[Axxe55]

A missed shot from a shotgun is no better than a missed shot from a pistol.

A miss is a miss, regardless of the firearm used. But a shotgun has much larger pattern due to multiple projectiles in the shot, which gives a greater chance of hitting than one single projectile. Regardless of what some say, shotguns do need to be aimed, not just pointed.

 

[Tnhawk]

A miss is a miss, regardless of the firearm used. But a shotgun has much larger pattern due to multiple projectiles in the shot, which gives a greater chance of hitting than one single projectile. Regardless of what some say, shotguns do need to be aimed, not just pointed.

With a good hit, 9 pellets of 00 buckshot is more effective than a 9mm hole.

 

[Axxe55]

With a good hit, 9 pellets of 00 buckshot is more effective than a 9mm hole.

Very true, but there are nine pellets instead of one if your aim is off by a little. Even if not a direct center mass hit, some of those nine pellets might hit the target.

 

[Major Kong]

In all actuality, the best firearm you can have in any situation is one you shoot well. That means multiple rounds on target in a short period of time.

If you can put ten rounds of .22lr in some dudes chest @ 10 yards in less than 5 seconds, but can't hit the broadside of a barn with a 9mm, which one are you going to use?



MK

Sent from somewhere over the Soviet Union

 

[Axxe55]

In all actuality, the best firearm you can have in any situation is one you shoot well. That means multiple rounds on target in a short period of time.

If you can put ten rounds of .22lr in some dudes chest @ 10 yards in less than 5 seconds, but can't hit the broadside of a barn with a 9mm, which one are you going to use?



MK

Sent from somewhere over the Soviet Union

Hits with a 22 trump misses with a 44!

 

[Sam7sf]

Go over facts not gun store folklore. Establish what works well for her environment and her skills or disabilities.

As far as shotgun, it’s never been my first choice. Not because of elitism but because of facts about my environment.

When I lived in Bedford I was all about handguns and dry fire trained to help get muscle memory of the house and think about where everyone should or could be; family or neighbors.

Now that I have some distance to cover if I’m unfortunate enough to need to get into a gun fight, my current home/property weapon is a 30-06.

 

[FNORD]

What’s the greatest distance that she would be shooting? What shot load(s)? That determines whether it begets a big hole or any spread.

What is her physicality?Coordination? Hand strength? Can she load a magazine? Rack a slide? Can she fire double action?

That just starts the physical aspect.

Psychologically is she prepared?

A long arm allows a supported platform from which to fire but can be challenging with which to move through interior spaces.

A small swarm of .22 is formidable. Buckshot....

Good luck to her.

 

[Sam7sf]

458 win mag. Jk

 

[38 and 45]

Most men can't properly handle the recoil of a shotgun so I doubt very many women can either.

At close range (such as a house) a shotgun blast will land like a bullet, very tight pattern.

Teach your mother-in-law how to shoot with a .22 pistol and go from there. Basically, the biggest handgun that she can shoot and handle well in the biggest caliber she can shoot well is the answer.

If that's a .22 LR then so be it.

Also, it's a good idea to put a set of ear pro muffs that allow normal sounds while blocking out gun shots by the weapon and train her to put those on when she thinks the fun is about to start.

Having lost part of my hearing at age 15 because my father thought earmuffs were stupid has really sucked these 50 years. It'll be really loud shooting inside her house.

Also train her to never fire through doors and never go outside to address sounds or intruders.

Don't forget teaching her good tactics and why a flashlight with strobe effect is priceless.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Most men can't properly handle the recoil of a shotgun so I doubt very many women can either.

At close range (such as a house) a shotgun blast will land like a bullet, very tight pattern.

Teach your mother-in-law how to shoot with a .22 pistol and go from there. Basically, the biggest handgun that she can shoot and handle well in the biggest caliber she can shoot well is the answer.

If that's a .22 LR then so be it.

Also, it's a good idea to put a set of ear pro muffs that allow normal sounds while blocking out gun shots by the weapon and train her to put those on when she thinks the fun is about to start.

Having lost part of my hearing at age 15 because my father thought earmuffs were stupid has really sucked these 50 years. It'll be really loud shooting inside her house.

Also train her to never fire through doors and never go outside to address sounds or intruders.

Don't forget teaching her good tactics and why a flashlight with strobe effect is priceless.

Welcome to the Forum!

 

[Sam Colt]

Teach her to retreat to a defensive position and call 911. A .22 is very serviceable when used from a defensive position.

 

[Sam7sf]

Most men can't properly handle the recoil of a shotgun so I doubt very many women can either.

 

[Axxe55]

458 win mag. Jk

If an intruder is the size of a moose, that might not be a bad idea!