Is an AR rifle really ideal for home defense?

BendLarry said:
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.
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I agree 100%. I share this opinion.

Hopefully I never find myself in this sort of situation to begin with.
 
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lowranger said:
That is really cool that you have the Younger Bros uncle's gun.
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Yeah- I do feel fortunate- it stayed in the family by passing from grandfather to grandson all these years (which limited number of hands who could sell it). Jim, Bob, and Cole's uncle's name was Stever Younger (yup-spelled right) - the gun is from about 1844-1850. An octagon rifled barrel, double set trigger, and cap & ball style ignition. It is in firing condition and while tested with 90 grains of black powder my max load is 70 for safety. Problem with this gun is length - it will not fit in any gun safe- too long- and balance is rediculous.
 
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Phil Younger said:
Yeah- I do feel fortunate- it stayed in the family by passing from grandfather to grandson all these years (which limited number of hands who could sell it). Jim, Bob, and Cole's uncle's name was Stever Younger (yup-spelled right) - the gun is from about 1844-1850. An octagon rifled barrel, double set trigger, and cap & ball style ignition. It is in firing condition and while tested with 90 grains of black powder my max load is 70 for safety. Problem with this gun is length - it will not fit in any gun safe- too long- and balance is rediculous.
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Very cool!!
 
It depends on a lot of variables. Namely what do you intend to do?

Hunkering down in a bedroom is way different than clearing your house.

In the case of one or two intruders, who manage to get past one American bulldog, a 90lb Lab, and a mean as hell Cocker Spaniel (yes really), plus alarm system.....

I'll clear the house with my .45 and the wife will stay in the bedroom with a 12 gauge. From our room the upstairs hall is covered from her vantage point. Intruder would have to get past me then her to get to our daughter.

I prefer the .45 because I feel it's more maneuverable and can't be yanked out of my hands if they managed to get close. I can open doors and still be in low ready position, with a long arm that's hard to do.

I'm in the country and have no neighbors so penetration is not a concern for me so I could choose any weapon. If my choice (which i couldn't, not my nature) was to bunker down I'm going with the AR.

Home invasion I'd be handicapped to my 9mm I carry at all times and my wife has her .380 also. Shot gun at back door for either one of us that gets to it. Can't really plan that scenario very well, but once again the dogs would buy us some time, your not going to sneak up on us, lol.

Main thing is have one or two and train with them. Like they say, I carry a gun because a cop is to heavy. Seriously though, out here the sheriff is 20 minutes away and we've been told to "defend yourself, we will handle the paperwork"

Molon Labe. Defend your 2A rights.
 
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I wouldn't use an AR for home defense, and yes I have one. That thing would go through every wall in my house and in to my neighbors.

I use a Glock17 with only hollowpoint ammo and a TLR-1 on it.
 
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BendLarry said:
One point I was trying to make and didn’t do a very good job of.... is a 9mm is not a good solution. Do some research.


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The same could be said for any pistol caliber, not just the 9mm.
 
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BendLarry said:
A 10mm, 40 or 45 offers a statistically much better result than a 9mm or 380 or 38 regardless of bullet type or load. Go with a short shot gun.


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Actually, with today’s technology, it’s been proven that the 9mm surpasses the .40 and .45 in every way. The 9mm is MUCH better than what it was years ago.
 
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He we go, trashing the 9mm. When you walk away from a double-tap hit of critical defense rounds in the torso, then you can say the 9mm can't do the job.

As far as using a shotgun for home defense, I may have 3 kids and 5 grandkids in the house and I don't need to be blowing shot all over the place. So I'll stick with my 9mm and not think twice about it.
 
lovemachine said:
Actually, with today’s technology, it’s been proven that the 9mm surpasses the .40 and .45 in every way. The 9mm is MUCH better than what it was years ago.
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Then I think you should go with a 9mm , I won’t. Not one of the instructors in the classes I attended would agree with you. It’s really pretty simple. Bullet mass and velocity.


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BendLarry said:
Then I think you should go with a 9mm , I won’t. Not one of the instructors in the classes I attended would agree with you. It’s really pretty simple. Bullet mass and velocity.


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I get my info with instructors as well. Guys like Larry Vickers, Clint Smith, Ken Hackathorn (who is a die hard 1911 fan who tells his students to carry a Glock 19), Aaron Cowan, Jeff Bloovman, James Yeager, and Sheriff Ken Campbell of Gunsite.

They all say the 9mm surpasses all other cartridges, today.

Edit: I forgot to add Travis Haley.
 
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CodaMan said:
He we go, trashing the 9mm. When you walk away from a double-tap hit of critical defense rounds in the torso, then you can say the 9mm can't do the job.

As far as using a shotgun for home defense, I may have 3 kids and 5 grandkids in the house and I don't need to be blowing shot all over the place. So I'll stick with my 9mm and not think twice about it.
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Thats also why I would never use an AR in the house. My 9mm is fine and with the Federal HST rounds there is much less chance of the round going through multiple walls.
 
Oh! I can’t believe I failed to mention Pat Rogers. A “GOD” in the firearms training world. He caused a stir when he retired his .45’s and started carrying a 9mm. A M&P to be exact.

He said it was a superior cartridge. IMO, he should have chosen a Glock 19, but that’s just me.
 
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Reece said:
Thats also why I would never use an AR in the house. My 9mm is fine and with the Federal HST rounds there is much less chance of the round going through multiple walls.
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You should do some research on the over penetration of 9mm vs 5.56 and the impact mass has on round breakage in soft targets.
 
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Neither one of these will make you more dead than the other.

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Body ID and clean up are a different story though :laser-kill:
 
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