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ARTICLESLong Guns for Home Protection: A GuideFirst of all, a disclaimer: The first rule for choosing the best gun for home protection is to use the one you feel the most comfortable with! If you feel most comfortable with using a semi-autofor self-defense, that is what you should use! The reason is that in a home invasion situation when your heart is pumping with adrenaline, you are better off using a weapon you are familiar and comfortable firing rather than a gun you are less familiar with. Don't put you or your family in danger because you read online somewhere that it was "better for home defense". Be reasonable, and use your own best judgement. But with that said, here is a guide to the different calibers of guns, as well as their advantages and disadvantages, to help you make the best the decision possible: Pump-Action Shotguns Mossberg 500 12-Gauge These guns are considered by most in the firearm community to be the most effective for homedefense. The characteristic and universally recognized sound of a homeowner cocking a 12-gauge shotgun itself is a great deterrent to intruders. But if that isn't enough, you should be comforted that the spreading action of the shotgun pellets will increase your chances of hitting your target, as opposed to weapons which fire one projectile, making the shotgun ideal for lesser experienced users who use guns less frequently than say, police of military personnel. A word of caution however, the spreading action of the pellets in shotgun rounds changes depending on your range from the target i.e. the closer you are to the target, the more closely packed together the pellets are. So if you are in a dangerous situation and dealing with a hostile intruder, do yourself a favor and AIM. The disadvantages to the Mossberg 500 are few. For instance the receivers on the Mossbergs are aluminum alloy. While aluminum alloy is lighter, it is also less durable than say, steel or chrome. However, according to their website, the Mossberg 500 and the Mossberg 590 are the only pump-action shotguns ever to pass all stringent U. S. Military Mil-Spec 3443 standards "a brutal and unforgiving torture test with 3,000 rounds of full power 12 gauge buckshot". So this fact alone suggests the aluminum receivers are sufficient for the average person defending his or her home. The major disadvantage to the Mossberg 500 is its effective range, which is similar to other combat shotguns, which stands at roughly 75 yards. The 12-Gauge's shorter-range should not, however, be a big factor in a home defense situation, except for people who live in rural areas with larger properties. This makes the Mossberg 500 more effective for use in urban and suburban settings where overpenetration of a bullet should be taken into consideration when choosing a gun for home protection and defense. You do not want to accidentally hit any innocent bystanders! One last note: The Mossberg 500 is an affordable gun, and can be found for between $250 to $400, depending on your part of the country. Rifles AR-15 in 5.56 or .223: The worst thing about the AR-15 in home defense is overpenetration. This military-grade rifle was made to easily puncture walls from a distance, so in a home invasion situation, you're going to want to be aware of who might behind the target if you miss. Standard full-metal jacket or hollow-point ammo that is not frangible (fragments upon impact) is not advised forhome defense. Over-penetration becomes a factor with those types of bullets. Again, you do not want to ever risk hitting an innocent bystander! You also do not want to hesitate, thinking about such things when your home is in the process of being robbed! Please take these things into consideration when buying an AR-15 for home protection purposes. With that said, there's a lot going for the AR-15. It is trusted and used by special forces and S.W.A.T. teams all around the world! It has a respectable track-record of success in gun fights that occur close quarters, which is going to be the situation (usually) in a home invasion. The 5.56 (and .223) are extremely effective, and lethal cartridges, and were designed by the U.S. military to be so. The AR-15 is also a good home defense rifle for people who live in rural areas on larger properties. The AR-15's main claim to fame is it's accuracy at long distances (430-650 yds). It is also superb as a varmint rifle for a farmer or rancher needing to protect their crops or cattle. The rifle's magazine also holds 30 rounds, which be more than enough rounds to handle most, if not all home invasion situations. The AR-15 is also respected for being extremely ergonomic when it comes to reloading, which is a time of upmost danger and vulberability to a person in a gun fight. Press a button, the magazine falls out, insert another magazine straight in to replace, press the charging handle release button and it is ready to go. The ergonomics of the AR-15 are what sets this rifle apart from all others. Also, another plus for this rifle is the amount of after-market customizations that are possible. It is probably the most versatile gun in terms of customizability, due to its being the standard-issue U.S. military assault rifle. In fact, it appears that a whole industry of after-market AR-15 parts has arisen, making the gun a desirable choice by many people around the world for that very reason alone. It is also worthwhile to note that these guns are pricey, from $700 to entry-level to $1100 AND UP for police/military grade rifles, depending on what part of the country you are in.
AK-47 in 7.62x39mm: The prime advantages to the AK-47 are that the rifle is almost totally maintenance free, reliable, and accurate enough to be highly respected by militaries, revolutionaries, and terrorists all around the world. In fact its ruggedness and reliability are legendary. One of the secrets to it's ruggedness and reliabilty are the chrome plating of the AK-47 barrel, bore and chamber. Chrome makes the rifle highly corrosion and wear resistant. The gun is actually considered by many around the world to be a "mud gun", and various tests on the rifle do confirm this. This rifle has a well-established reputation for ALMOST never jamming no matter how dirty it is (compare that to the AR-15, which only works correctly when clean). Replacement/upgrade parts are very cheap, as are the ammo and the magazine clips. The gun itself is relatively inexpensive in comparison to the AR-15, and can be found for between $300-$700 depending on your part of the country. The main disadvantage to the AK-47 is that testing shows it is not as accurate as the AR-15 after 200 yards, however, most home defense situations do not involve distances of 200 yards, so the inaccuracy issue should not be considered a factor by most people interested in the AK-47 for home protection. Another disadvantage is it's reloading ergonomics, the function of which can literally mean life or death in a gun fight. Consider this: to reload the AK-47, first of all the magazine needs to be inserted at the proper angle, which is slightly forward, then must be pulled back into the place (compare this to the AR-15 magazine which is easily inserted into the rifle by simply pushing up, your hand barely moving). Then a safety lever must be released (the safety, unlike the AR-15, is not conveniently located and necessitates taking your hand away from the trigger area. You don't need to remove your index finger from the trigger area when reloading the AR-15.) before the bolt is pulled back and the gun is ready to to fire. The good news is that the 30-round magazine is usually enough for home defense purposes. Also, because the 7.62x39mm is bigger and heavier, the recoil is naturally relatively worse than the AR-15's lighter, smaller 5.56 Nato round. This also causes the gun to weigh more than the AR-15, which may be a factor depending on the circumstances. Other Considerations (besides choice of firearm) to take into account with regards to homeprotection: -Take time during the day to put yourself in the mind of a burgular and outside around the house in order to identify security vulnerabilities. -Consider buying a security-minded dog such as German Shepard or Doberman. -Install multiple deadbolts on all doords. -Keep the perimeter of your property well-lit. -Never let people know you are away on a trip. For instance, don't announce stuff on your Twitter or Facebook such as "Going off to visit Thailand now! Be back in two weeks! I hope it's fun!" Remember, effective home protection takes a requires foresight and clear-headed thinking. Remember, the best, and arguably most powerful weapon in the world is not a gun, missle, or bomb, but a determined human mind. Use that most important of weapons wisely, and everything else will fall into place! QUICK LINKS |
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