Is an AR rifle really ideal for home defense?

Chris

Chris

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Okay, here's one that's been on my brain for a while now. I see a lot of people saying they bought their AR rifle for home defense. While I've read both sides of that argument, I personally would rather use my handgun for home defense in all honesty.

I don't think I'd want to use my AR unless I knew that 10 or so people were going to be attacking my house and coming from a distance.

I'm just curious to hear everyone's thoughts on this and what your thoughts are?

Only looking to start a discussion here, not an argument.
 
In my opinion if it’s for defense shotgun is best. Get everybody in one room and keep it pointed at the door no one can get in and you don’t miss. If it’s for going through the house to look for somebody or check out a noise you heard. Then I would agree that a pistol with the lasersight possibly flashlight would be your best bet. Longer guns are really not that good in confined spaces. You could get an AR or something with a short barrel. But if You live in town what direction are you gonna be shooting you have no idea the bullet could go through a window and into someone else’s house and hurt someone else. Another reason short shotgun is good in the city.
Only my opinion.
 
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Is an AR15 ideal for home defense? Answer: it depends.

It’s more important that you go with the platform you’re most comfortable with. For me, it’s the handgun. Specifically a Glock 17 with a weapon mounted light, with a handheld light next to it.

I also like the handgun if I’m ever in the situation where I have my 1 year old son in my other arm.

AR15’s are fantastic for Home defense. If you run XM193 5.56 ammo, you have a very small chance of over penetration, which means zero chance of any bullets entering your neighbors house. And you also have 30 rounds available to you, just in case of multiple attacker’s. Plus the zombie apocalypse.

AR’s are also awesome for children and women, because they are light weight and very little recoil.
 
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Most everything I have ever read recommends a handgun with a lighter weight quick expanding projectile or a shotgun with low power buckshot or home defense type shells. You want to avoid over penetration. High power rifle loads can go thru multiple walls or possibly your neighbors house if they are close. I keep a short barrel s&w .357 handy with .38 hp's.
You always have to think about what's behind what you are shooting at.
 
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Dave K. said:
In my opinion if it’s for defense shotgun is best. Get everybody in one room and keep it pointed at the door no one can get in and you don’t miss. If it’s for going through the house to look for somebody or check out a noise you heard. Then I would agree that a pistol with the lasersight possibly flashlight would be your best bet. Longer guns are really not that good in confined spaces. You could get an AR or something with a short barrel. But if You live in town what direction are you gonna be shooting you have no idea the bullet could go through a window and into someone else’s house and hurt someone else. Another reason short shotgun is good in the city.
Only my opinion.
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And that is a very good opinion!
 
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Shotguns CAN over penetrate. And the 00 buckshot CAN enter your neighbors home. As can a handgun round.

That’s why I said a XM193 5.56 round will NOT over penetrate. It’s actually designed to break up inside a person.

There’s no such thing as the best home defense weapon. The best HD weapon is based on the person, family, and your location.

For me, I prefer the handgun. Because that’s what I’m more comfortable with. Saying that, I’m very familiar with the shotgun and AR15. So I’d have no problem running those. But I prefer to use a firearm that my wife is familiar with as well. Just in case I’m not home, or unable to use it.
 
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Shotguns, a lot of people can’t handle the recoil. And they aren’t a “point and shoot” long gun. You want to run a 00 buckshot that has a tight pattern. Which means that you need to find which ammo your shotgun likes.

My 870 likes the Hornaday Critical Defense and Federal FliteControl. I can get VERY tight patterns with them.
 
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lovemachine said:
Shotguns, a lot of people can’t handle the recoil. And they aren’t a “point and shoot” long gun. You want to run a 00 buckshot that has a tight pattern. Which means that you need to find which ammo your shotgun likes.

My 870 likes the Hornaday Critical Defense and Federal FliteControl. I can get VERY tight patterns with them.
Click to expand...


In additional to being long, heavy, difficult to manuver and shoot with one hand, and limited capacity.
 
Serbonze said:
Why?
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After being an 11 Bravo in the Army and clearing rooms with my M4 more times than I can count, I may be comfortable with the M4 / AR, but to me it feels like a weapon that I would use to take on more than one attacker. I’d much rather use something small, light, and compact for home defense. Oh, and as @lovemachine pointed out, something my wife is comfortable with. Not to mention my handgun is much easier to store in a small, inconspicuous place than my AR is. For me, it's either a handgun or a shotgun.

Now if you tell me 20 guys are planning on raiding my house and I know they're coming, then I'll setup a vantage point and use my AR-10 to fire at them from a distance as they try to approach.
 
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I have several handguns, one shotgun and an AR within reach of my bedside. The average person using a pistol will not hit anything after being startled in a dark room, mounted light or not. Things happen too fast and most people are not trained for those situations. My short barreled shotgun would be the first thing I would grab. A 30 round mag and my AR will then be used to clean up as required.


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Here in California where all weapons need to be locked up and in some cities made inoperable, I keep eggs all around the house so I can throw them at an intruder :)

Please don't take me literal, I'm just making a point of how bad it is here in California. But seriously, I use my 9MM with critical defense rounds. My wife uses a 38 with hollow points.
 
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I do not have an AR nor a pistol out of my limited selection I would grab the bat first, take 5 steps to the closet, pass by my 204, 22, and for obvious reasons, my cap & ball antique (the Younger Bros uncle's gun), and grab the 16 gauge pump. I do need a new home defense weapon because the 16 kicks worse than any 12 gauge I have ever shot AND because the release to pump reload is a bitch to release. At least with the shotgun I know I am pretty well covering a 3' wide x 30' hallway they have to come down to get to me if in bed. If it is to cover some other part of the house I am not sure which piece I am grabbing ( just not the 47 caliber black powder):2guns:
 
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Phil Younger said:
I do not have an AR nor a pistol out of my limited selection I would grab the bat first, take 5 steps to the closet, pass by my 204, 22, and for obvious reasons, my cap & ball antique (the Younger Bros uncle's gun), and grab the 16 gauge pump. I do need a new home defense weapon because the 16 kicks worse than any 12 gauge I have ever shot AND because the release to pump reload is a bitch to release. At least with the shotgun I know I am pretty well covering a 3' wide x 30' hallway they have to come down to get to me if in bed. If it is to cover some other part of the house I am not sure which piece I am grabbing ( just not the 47 caliber black powder):2guns:
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That is really cool that you have the Younger Bros uncle's gun.
 
There are many things to consider on this topic. I have taken 4 different classes on this subject over the past 15 years. I would advise anyone thinking a 9mm handgun is a reliable solution. Remember if you find yourself having to use deadly force in your home, most likely you will be in close quarters and the intruder will often be high on some kind of narcotic. You could easily find yourself having dumped a couple of rounds in the maniac and he doesn’t slow down. He’s now on you and your options now are limited. A shotgun has enormous impact at the same distance and will often remove parts from the bad guy. Pray you never find yourself in that kind of situation. A few years ago I was faced with the potential of having to pull the trigger, thank God in a split second circumstances changed and the threat diminished.


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