A Matter of Choice
September 5th, 2008 by Syd
A Matter of Choice
Long guns and handguns both have merit in home protection.
By Walt Rauch
Common wisdom has it that a shotgun is the best gun to use for home defense. This advice is often supplemented with such encouraging comments as, “You don’t need to aim, just point it in the general direction.” Usually added to this, with a knowing look, is another supposed statement of fact that, “Just the sound of racking a shell into it is enough to get him running.”
Let’s take a look at these shotgun myths. Shot loads do spread but as a general rule do so at the rate of one inch per yard after the first three yards. This means that at 12 feet you have two inches of shot with which to hit anything—not quite a shower of doom in the average apartment or domicile. The “no need to aim” comment simply allows rationalization for not practicing, which gives mental comfort while believing you might never have to shoot.
The comment regarding the sound of chambering a shell is just wishful thinking. If you stop and consider, such noise only works if the person hears it and knows what it is—and if his survival instinct is stronger than whatever is driving him to commit whatever crime he has in mind…
There are three guns at my bedside, a .45 auto, a .357 and a 12 guage. I have an 18″ chunk of railroad tie I use as a stool. If someone is in the house, I am firing three .357 rounds into that that tie to announce my presence, picking up the .45 with my right hand and my cell phone with the left, and dialing 911. If it is ever necessary to exit the bedroom, I will use the .45 and the shotgun.
There are three guns at my bedside, a .45 auto, a .357 and a 20 gauge…
We have the same taste in weapons it appears, I have the .20 because the wife can handle it easily…
My XD .45 Tactical is primary to my survival, the .357’s are MY personal backup…
And Syd, that is an excellent article, I have heard so many people use the same rationale, “Just racking a round” and so forth, and that’s BS in MY opinion, mostly because all they will hear from MY shotgun is that BIG DAMNED KABOOM!!!
I NEVER give away a round for sound effects…
Yep, I never have bought that old “rack the slide” thing. It always seemed to me that it would just show them where to shoot.
I grew up in Dallas and moved to an area in a house I could afford. I have always kept my 20 ga. handy. The area I moved into is called lower Greenville Ave. and was sandwiched between Mexican gang turf and the uppity crustier area called the “M streets.” Didn’t always keep a round chambered, trying to ease the nervous girlfriend. Much younger and more hormone driven at the time, wink, wink. The things you do for “love,” eh. One night I heard some tapping and then the break of glass. I knew where, not how many. Got through the hall connecting the living room and while in the doorway, racked it nice and loud. One vato was in and the other on his way. They both heard it and the one inside was outside faster than a cottontail, knocking over his amigo on his way out. Luckily they knew the sound and realized I had the drop. I did have it leveled at ‘em but knew if I killed him I might as well leave town that night. Worked out better to let “them” know I wasn’t prey. Got me some Brinks Security signs from a friend, hung the bones and feet (chicken feet are surprisingly available in Mexican and Asian communities) of various animals from the trees out front and put those Virgin Mary candles in glasses in all the windows. Santeria, I think. Granted, I don’t partake in any mythology and it wasn’t all that pretty but I never had any further problems. Someone did steal a Gardenia off my porch. But, all my neighbors, and I mean all, got broken into and items stolen at one point in the two years I lived there. I’d like to think me and the local “barrio watch” achieved a mutual understanding. The 20 ga. is for my son when he gets older, but I keep a 12 behind my bedroom door and a 1911 Commander for carry at all times.
Good article, with sound reasoning. I still prefer a shotgun for home defense. The reason is simply because it has greater ability to stop an attack.