Gun for home protection - need opinions

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I have a Mossberg 500 with the shortest legal barrel they make...18 1/2 inches (no tax stamp required). #8 bird-shot is the round of choice for home defense as it does not tend to carry outside the dwelling but leaves a very nasty wound channel with multiple bleeding holes and more damage than any surgeon could ever hope to repair in a torso or gut shot. You won't be chastised by the lefty loonies over using a more damaging than necessary round and most of all you can get them at any good sporting goods store and most wally worlds. I am a strong advocate of make sure there is only one side of the story (avoids a lot of legal issues) and also of being responsible about target carry through. This solves both of these problems and is also far more affordable than most handguns. The best part is that when a home intruder hears the rock solid shack shack sound of the slide, most will exit by the most expedient means available. This is fine by me as well. Cops will usually pick up the knucklehead at the local ER getting sewn up for the cuts he received going back out the window he broke into in the first place(happened to my buddy in Utah...Whole other story for another post). Either way it is good piece of mind. Another plus is that you can't accidentally shoot yourself while answering the phone (an Alaskan tragedy that shows even the most careful don't react well to being suddenly awakened...also fodder for another post.

Some good points here. I keep my shotty with Fiocchi Golden Pheasant #6. Stuff is awfully high brass and I don't think anyone would keep coming after getting hit with one.

[HK4U]

Also clearing a house with any form of firearm could get family or self dead. Think about a safe room for yourself and love one where you can wait the police in armed safty.

I agree, the best bet is to stay put in a room and call the police. However if I have to go room to room to rescue my children I want a had gun that can be held close to my body as I move around doors and corners. I have a Beretta auto shot gun with 18 in barrel. It has a part in my defence plan but not while moving around the house in the dark. Just my 2 cents worth.

[boris]

here is my .02 worth. i agree with all the advice here. find a weapon you can actually shoot during stress. take a class , get some good training in weapons handling and clearing rooms. get a bright tactical light with a endcap switch. get some good hand to hand combat training , just in case it comes down to that and to be well rounded. practice with that weapon by getting some snap caps and working thru different scenarios. you need to plan before somethin happens. yes, combat isa fluid thing and changes every nano second, but plan anyway. go to the training ad tactics thread here and check out free training material. as far as actual weapons, .38 special for me is a real good round, many different loads, etc. for any weapon i would consider glaser safety slugs or SWAT Loads they are similar. i believe just like festus and that means empty the cylinder or magazine. and as always, if you are caught, captured or killed we will disavow any knowledge of you or your activities or even your existence!