Question on home protection firearms

[GB1]

Stopped reading comments when it got political. Anyway, to answer the OP's original question, a shotgun is youre best bet. Cant believe some of the suggestions posted. The issue with home defense, and todays poorly constructed homes is over penetration. Some suggested an AR, a 9mm, really? First off if the intruder is far enough away that you need an AR, let him go, a 9mm round will penetrate 2- 3 walls and may hit an innocent person. A pump shotgun loaded with #7-8 birdshot is ideal.

if there on my property and haven't jumped the fence yet they going down

 

[Johnnybravo300]

I like guns that can shoot through walls and multiple threats.
Over penetration only concerns those with exit wounds.

 

[Red James Cash]

Over penetration only concerns those with exit wounds.

Thats why I like my SKS with a 30 round magazine.

 

[1942 merc]

Get a fake home security sign . Get a dog or a fake dog door bell .Get a fake security camera .Beef up your door locks .Move to a better place .

 

[Johnnybravo300]

Or put up a sign that says "If you can read this, you are within range".

 

[Red James Cash]

Im kind of partial to the sign "IS THERE LIFE AFTER DEATH,TRESPASS HERE AND FIND OUT"

 

[Duckshot]

"This house is protected with deadly force in accordance with State and Federal legislation"

"All legitimate means of egress from this building are keyed both sides. If you break in you will be required to break out as well. Thank you for your consideration".

 

[DirtDiggerDaveinMD]

Stopped reading comments when it got political. Anyway, to answer the OP's original question, a shotgun is youre best bet. Cant believe some of the suggestions posted. The issue with home defense, and todays poorly constructed homes is over penetration. Some suggested an AR, a 9mm, really? First off if the intruder is far enough away that you need an AR, let him go, a 9mm round will penetrate 2- 3 walls and may hit an innocent person. A pump shotgun loaded with #7-8 birdshot is ideal.

Bird shot will also penetrate interior walls, especially at close range like in a home invasion scenario. Frangible ammo is made in 5.56mm and popular handgun rounds like 9MM, .45 ACP, 38/.357, and .40 S&W that make over penetration much less likely if one of those calibers is used for home defense.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Ar is not something my wife can handle. Semi auto 20 gauge 18" is what I am thinking with pistol grips?

Pistol grips make a shotgun basically useless except as a club in my experience. Especially for a novice shooter. They are nearly impossible to be accurate with and the recoil going directly into the web of your thumb is no fun either. A self defense situation is no time to be shooting from the hip, get the full stock, you'll be much happier with it

An AR is a decent rifle platform for anyone, with very little recoil and easy to operate, but you risk over penetration of the rounds... going through the intruder, or the wall if you miss. I wouldn't recommend a rifle just for the chance of injuring or killing someone other than the intruder, either in your own home or your neighbors if their house is close to yours.

In my opinion, a decent 9mm with "Frangible" ammo is the best. Frangible bullets are designed to break up on impact with anything solid (like a wall) which greatly reduces the risk of collateral damage

 

[hvacker]

If I was a thief most of the suggestions made here tell me there are guns in the house. Guns are of little use if no one's home.
Guns are almost irresistible for most thief's. They are easy to sell and get good $$.
Thief's are not easily deterred. If you think strong threats will cause a thief to go somewhere else, think again.
They want stuff that's portable and easy to move and won't give a second thought of how bad a$$ you say you are.
I can almost guaranty that unless you are combat proven a situation will almost never go the way your imagination or fantasy thinks it will.
Most thief's aren't armed, they are just sneaky. I don't know about where others live but here it seems if caught they get released very easy. If you want to find a thief, follow the drugs.
Just to mention. At Christmas time, all the big boxes of stuff that a family bought and put the boxes out for the garbage collection is a huge sign that there is good stuff inside. Blue light special.
Cut the boxes into small pieces and if it takes two weeks to get rid of it that's ok.

I know a guy that's a big bad a$$ but that didn't stop the thief's that were neighbors. He had an alarm system and a 44 mag that he fired at them as they were escaping but they watched his house and kept coming back. Eventually when he noticed the gas meter was missing from their house just before winter he knew they would be gone. No meter, no gas, no heat cyaby.
Normal people respond to threats but theif's aren't normal.

 

[Duckshot]

In my opinion, a decent 9mm with "Frangible" ammo is the best. Frangible bullets are designed to break up on impact with anything solid (like a wall) which greatly reduces the risk of collateral damage.

Ken's opinion is a fine opinion in my opinion.

Either MagSafe or Glasser Safety Slugs. They are expensive at about $2-$3 apiece in packages of six last time I bought some which was in the late 1990's. These pretty much consist of lead bird shot packed into a copper cup. The shot is expelled from it's wrapper on impact leaving a wound that resembles a contact shotshell wound- not too much penetration, but lots of crushing and stretching.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Ken's opinion is a fine opinion in my opinion.

Either MagSafe or Glasser Safety Slugs. They are expensive at about $2-$3 apiece in packages of six last time I bought some which was in the late 1990's. These pretty much consist of lead bird shot packed into a copper cup. The shot is expelled from it's wrapper on impact leaving a wound that resembles a contact shotshell wound- not too much penetration, but lots of crushing and stretching.

That may be the most times anyone has used "opinion" in one sentence... Yeah, the rounds are pricey, but for anyone considering them, just remember you won't be using them for practice at the range, and hopefully you'll never need to use them at all

 

[Duckshot]

That may be the most times anyone has used "opinion" in one sentence...

Well then I hit what I was aiming at.