IF we are going to deadly force and a “gun” solution, BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF AND FAMILY. If you are the standard family man, you are not part of the 1%ers that wore a uniform. In WA state we have multiple bases and services stationed here, so there is probably a larger number of male and female residents that have some service under their belt. Just because you were “in” doesn’t make you a Tier 1 Operator in proficiency or tactics. I am not a Tier 1 Operator and I am way less proficient in a whole bunch of tasks today then I was.
First question should be, do I own a gun right now, and is it suitable for my list of home defense needs. If you have a .300 Win Mag from the time you went Elk Hunting and it has a 24 or 26 inch barrel and a scope covering the blind magazine and it holds 3 rounds cuz it is a ultra light mtn rifle, you may want to reconsider that as your grab and go.
Are you going to Joe Biden it and get a pump shotgun? In 12 gage? Ok, well now you just went to the store and they have some tacticool 1500 dollar plus combat shotguns and they have a cheap rem 870 or Winchester 1300 or Mossberg duck gun for 350 dollars. I will tell you straight up to go look at pawn shops, used gun racks and all the like. I am going to guess that you can find a Stevens, or a Savage, or a Mossberg 500 defender, or a Remington home defense gun for around 250-350 dollars that has a shorter barrel, maybe has an extended mag tube and maybe has some form of fiber optic front and either a ghost ring or a buckhorn style rear sight. Doing a quick look online, it appears that 20 gage 00 buckshot has 7 to 10 pellets, and 12 gage 00 has 7 to 9 pellets as well. Consider getting #3 shot instead of 00 buck. IMO, if you are looking for a pump for home defense and you want versatility and the ability for momma or a teenager to wield it, buy the 20 gage. Rounds are readily available for either or, and the 20 will be much easier for the once or twice a year shooter, to practice with and potentially utilize. Semi Autos are also out there and that will fix some of the recoil, especially in 20, but you have a different manual of arms, so you have to PRACTICE…. and THEY HAVE TO PRACTICE…..
I do not have a lot of experience with the newer AR style Pistol Caliber Carbines or some of the pistol chassis that they have now. I do own several rifle caliber pistol style platforms. IF, with the new laws at wherever, you can still get an AR style platform that takes glock or sig or sw mags that may be a good option. As opposed to the pistol, you have the 2 points of contact and a shoulder stock, plus a rail system for light. The recoil of the PCC I shot in 9mm, is very mild and it took the same mags as some of the pistols I already own. You can mount a light and a red dot style optic for across the room coverage. You can also buy several other dedicated pistol round compact rifles. I personally have the S&W MPX and momma and the daughter can not only shoot it, they smile when the steel goes ding ding ding….
There are many things to think thru with optics, I will post my thoughts on optics in the next post, along with lights and lasers.
If you go with the inserted pistol chassis, i would encourage you to think about that pistol as only the chassis now. There is no way you are going to get out your pistol, find your chassis and load your chassis in the dark under duress with your alarm blaring, and sleep in your eyes. So that changes your storage options from just your pistol. I still think a dedicated chassis with pistol installed full time would be a better option for most spouses than a straight pistol option.
Are we buying a home defense pistol? This can be the same or different from a personal defense pistol. IMO, i think a personal defense gun in a concealable format is very different from a home defense gun. A home defense gun can have a larger format, larger magazine, rails, lights, lasers and weigh whatever you think you can handle. Until you try to clear your house, holding your pistol up for 5 minutes…..lol. So, on the home defense gun, again, who is the audience? You and your spouse and maybe a teenager? Do you plan to train and train them on it? Are they actually going to be able to rack the slide on an auto? My wife and daughter are not frail by any means, but racking the slide has been a challenge on some pistols. Small light guns with 2 or 3 finger grip and a heavy recoil spring to control the mass of a 2 or three inch barrel is a real thing. There is a very good short video by a female, teaching the push the frame forward while holding the slide, versus gripping the slide and trying to use finger strength to rack it. God forbid they have to rack a jam out. Again, if it is for more than you, everyone has to be able to grip and shoot the weapon. I would theorize that a man can adapt to a smaller grip easier than a woman or child can adapt for a full-size double stack grip.
There is probably a .22 cal version of whatever full size or compact gun you are considering. Training is cheaper, people wont get gun shy, and you can probably get just as many opportunities to practice misfire drills as with their big brother counterparts. A quick web search for .22 cal pistols gave me versions of their full sizes from the following manufacturers: Walther, Glock, FN, S&W, Taurus, Sig, Beretta, Kimber, Colt, Rock Island and Ruger to name a few.
If you want to really go fool proof for the first encounter…. IMO… get a revolver. You can get revolvers in 9mm and 38. If you go 38, you could buy a .357 revolver and shoot 38s for practice and such and have 357 for when you want it. I would go double action and most guns have the transfer bar etc that allows all 6 or more chambers to be loaded these days. Having a revolver may reduce lights and lasers and all the cool shit you think you want, but maybe not. Most people understand that you just keep pulling until it goes click click click…. If you are truly in a home defense situation, 6 is not that bad a round count. The intent is to protect and remove you and yours from the harmful situation, not take down a multi-story in Fallujah by yourself.
IMO, if you have one around and can get to it, find a range with a rental desk, or a friend with options, and try different weapons, grips, platforms with those involved in this. You might even find that they like it, and suddenly want to do cowboy action, or pistol or 3 gun or or or… if you crush them on day one, none of that will materialize.
more on lights lasers optics in the next one.