Is an AR rifle really ideal for home defense?

BendLarry said:
This is an old and tired debate. Use what makes you feel safe. I should have my cop friends join in on this topic [emoji16]


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I have cop friends too, so?

These handgun round debates are ridiculous ... Everyone is an expert or knows someone who is. Just use what you're comfortable with and don't listen to the haters.
 
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Serbonze said:
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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I'll be a son of a bitch......I guess the bottom line is do not miss your target..
 
If you choose a shotgun for home defense, you need to check the pattern with several different loads at a distance of 12 - 15 feet (average room size). You may be surprised how tight the pattern is at that distance.

I prefer 45 acp, keep a 1911 and a Glock 30 nearby but also have a 12 gauge pump and a coach gun handy. I would not hesitate to grab any of my ARs if needed. Best advice is to be very familiar and comfortable with whatever you choose and practice, practice, practice.
 
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BendLarry said:
This article is just one of many you can find and read if you have an open mind.
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I read it as an article on effective body armor and poor shot placement. The will of God and man.

The article said he was crawling to his car, the fight was over.

Most criminal types use cheap FMJ ammo, that causes minimal damage.

I'm not debating what is more effective, I personally carry .45 and 9mm and .380 depending on circumstances. Hell, I even carry a NAA .22 in my shorts pocket sometimes....I wouldn't want to be shot with any of them.
 
ohiopatriot said:
I read it as an article on effective body armor and poor shot placement. The will of God and man.

The article said he was crawling to his car, the fight was over.

Most criminal types use cheap FMJ ammo, that causes minimal damage.

I'm not debating what is more effective, I personally carry .45 and 9mm and .380 depending on circumstances. Hell, I even carry a NAA .22 in my shorts pocket sometimes....I wouldn't want to be shot with any of them.
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There was a incident in Portland Oregon about 20 years ago I think, where a criminal was shot 19 times with a 9mm by cops and lived. The big outrage was how many rounds were fired by the cops. The perp had numerous torso hits and most of the shots fired were from pretty close range. In a home defense situation, I don’t want to have to be an expert marksman. My AR has night vision optics, but I still will go with my 12 gauge.


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Neat chart with surprising info

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Link to article, interesting read YMMV.

Ask Foghorn: Is .22lr The Best for Self Defense? - The Truth About Guns
https://www.google.com/amp/www.thet...foghorn/ask-foghorn-22l-for-self-defense/amp/
 
A .22 to the head is known to ricochet in the head, causing mass trauma, thus the reason used in mafia hits that were basically covert assassinations.
 
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It depends on your situation. I have five kids, so I use a 12 gauge and shoot low to high if at all possible.

If it was just my wife and I I’d prefer an AR.
 
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tests show that rounder bullets pass through walls more easily, like most pistol rounds. A rifle round is longer and will tumble and strike a second or third wall broadside which slows the momentum quickly. About four walls is max, if I recall correctly.
 
To the original question, yes, the AR can and is a viable hd weapon with the right ammo. A shotgun is great too but, anyone that has fired heavy 00 buck knows the recoil is significant. Ideally you want to use and train what you are comfortable with. Firearms/defense trainers will advise you to arm, gather family in a safe location, barricade yourselves, call 911 and wait for the calvary. The last thing you want to do is actively engage and unk number of perpetrators with unk weapon capabilities by yourself.
 
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BendLarry said:
My cop friends all carry Glocks either 40s&w or 45acp. Use what you want but I would rather take my chances being shot by a 9mm over heavier loads without question.
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I’ve carried a Glock every day for the last 20 years, .40 for 17 yrs and 9mm for the last few. I changed because our office gave us the option, and my shot placement on follow up rounds improved, overall control of the G19 over the G23-confidence also after seeing my scores improve from the 450-460’s to 480-490’s. Winchester visited us in August with ballistic gel, they are making the old black talen under a new name and it’s nothing to mess with- overall it maintained weight, penetration and wound channel beat the .40 and .45s we tested.
So... IMHO carry and defend yourself with whatever caliber you shoot best, .38 and larger.
As for the OP- if I can get to my AR, that’s the gun I want in my hands if things go sideways and I’ll use my handgun to fight my way to it. Disclosure: my house gun is an 10.5” AR pistol with Sig brace. I’m not discounting shotguns, I don’t have one set up for self defense.
Just my .02
 
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What’s the old saying, you use your pistol to fight your way back to the rifle you never should have left
 
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ohiopatriot said:
Me too, and none of them are authorities on firearms, most cops can barely qualify with their weapon. Service weapon trade-ins are a great value, a lot of holster wear but very little actual use.
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I don't think that's right that you lump "most" cops all together. There are a lot of different agencies that train their offices in so many different ways, some better then others. And as far as their guns hardly used.....we qualified every month. Add that into years....and that's a lot of rounds going through that 40 Cal.
 
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