Home defense gun/ammo

What do you guys use for your home defense gun? Also what ammo do you use in that gun? I have always thought that you can't beat a short barrel shotgun for home defense. So I thought I would ask what the rest of you think. I got a new semi auto for hunting this past Christmas so I thought I would turn the 870 pump into a home defense shotgun. I bought an 18.5 inch smooth bore barrel with rifel sights. I also bought a top folding stock with a pistol grip. I took it out to shoot a week or so ago and got it all sighted in with slugs. I am very happy with how it came out with the changes I made.

As of now I am loading it with 2 3/4 #4 buck shot with 24 pellets. I live in an apartment and don't wanna shoot my neighbors through the wall if god forbid i ever had to shoot an intruder. What do you guys think a good load would be with good stopping and knock down power but not shooting through the walls and into my neighbors apartment. I was looking at 3inch lead BB's or lead #2's. The guy at my local gun shop said he uses 2 3/4 lead #4's. I have some 3inch steel BB's left over from goose season aswell what do you guys think. Here is a picture of the mods to the 870 I made.
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Nice 870 Chris!! Home defense I agree, shotgun is the way to go. I have an 870 as well loaded with military grade OO buckshot. Which has I think 10 .30 caliber pellets in it. Yeah..try walking away from that.

I also have an HK USP .40 pistol with night sights. Sweet little pistol. I gotta post a link for you guys about NJ right to carry. We're fighting the state on this.

Chris,

2 3/4" shells with 00 shot are good way to go. Next time your at the range try shooting at a few pieces of stacked up sheetrock and you can check the penitration for yourself. Discharging in your apartment will likely go through to the next apartment unless the pellets hit something along the way like your intruder, beams or some other objects.
Just make sure your life is actually in danger before you pull that trigger. A large kitchen knife in someones hand would certainly justify a load of 00 buck shot being discharged.

Just a side note: More people and family members are killed with their own guns in a situation like that than the other way around. Make sure everyone in your apartment knows how to handle the firearm and you have also had conversations about what to do in that instance. Anyone coming home late should call the house so there is no confusion as to who the person entering the home may be. Accidents do happen even with the best layed out plans. So prepare as best you can for the safety of your family.

I did not have an accident but I can tell you from experience that stray 00 buck when shot from inside a bedroom at close range will go thru a bed room door, entrance door, storm door window and an above ground pool.
This is no joking matter. A lot of people talk about this topic but few have had to make the choice to shoot or not to shoot.
Make sure your justified!

In the apartment is just me and the girl friend and I have showed her how to use the guns in the house. We go out shooting a good bit from skeet to targets. She wasn't brought up around hunting and guns (bunch a sissy's). So it was inportant to me that she know how to handle them.

As far as your last part I agree and hope that I am never in a situation That I have to make that decision.

Chris

When we was on jungle patrol the lead scout always had a Browning 5 shot humpback loaded with SSG, boy when those things hit you,you was,nt getting up mate.

The 870 is probably the best choice for dependability in a shotgun. In an apartment atmoshpere I would be hesitant to use buckshot. I would guess that if you fired a round of buckshot from your apartment, the pellets would be found 2 or even 3 apartments away. Even in a life and death situation, you own every pellet that travels downrange until they come to final rest.

I spent several years on a narcotics interdiction team and when we did high risk entries in apartment complexes, the shotgun was normally loaded with 2 3/4" #8 shot. Any shot in an apartment will probably be less than 25 feet. At that range #8's are devastating, however they lose velocity much quicker and are less likely to penetrate as far beyond the intended target.

I would agree with Davey on his choice of handgun. The H&K .40 is a super weapon. I carried one for many years. It was far and away the best handgun I carried during my career.

I also fully agree with Capt. John on his post, There are a lot more horror stories out there, than successes where the home owner is the hero. No matter what round and caliber you choose, definitely take the time to go to the range and set up some sheetrock, plywood etc.. and fire some test rounds so that you have an idea of how easily the rounds penetrate.

Chris, 870's are a great option. Just cycling a round into the chamber is a scary sound. I think I killed a few ducks in the past with just the noise of shucking a spent shell as there was no way I hit that duck. If you are worried about shooting through walls I suggest the first shell in the barrell is buckshot for that quick shot and the second one a slug for a more measured shot when you have a chance to think and aim. It is also easier for someone that doesn't have experience with a gun to hit something. FYI, stoeger has a nice O/U, SBS self-defence line so if someone in the house isn't as good with a gun they have two shots work with not just one and then have to worry about pumping for the next round.

Chris S. wrote:What do you guys use for your home defense gun? Also what ammo do you use in that gun? I have always thought that you can't beat a short barrel shotgun for home defense. So I thought I would ask what the rest of you think. I got a new semi auto for hunting this past Christmas so I thought I would turn the 870 pump into a home defense shotgun. I bought an 18.5 inch smooth bore barrel with rifel sights. I also bought a top folding stock with a pistol grip. I took it out to shoot a week or so ago and got it all sighted in with slugs. I am very happy with how it came out with the changes I made.

As of now I am loading it with 2 3/4 #4 buck shot with 24 pellets. I live in an apartment and don't wanna shoot my neighbors through the wall if god forbid i ever had to shoot an intruder. What do you guys think a good load would be with good stopping and knock down power but not shooting through the walls and into my neighbors apartment. I was looking at 3inch lead BB's or lead #2's. The guy at my local gun shop said he uses 2 3/4 lead #4's. I have some 3inch steel BB's left over from goose season aswell what do you guys think. Here is a picture of the mods to the 870 I made.
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The sound of a pump gun being racked in the dark is a"mind"changer for who ever is thinking to do something stupid. Watch a video of police lines and watch the crowd as a riot gun with bean-bag shells is being pumped the line moves away not toward the gun.

Rick

I am going to a WMA this week end where its a fre for all as far as targets so I will do some test shots and choose a round. Thanks for the input guys