a loaded one that you can PROFICIENTLY use without hesitation when the need for it suddenly manifests.
: With home invasions becoming more common in urban
: neighborhoods, having a way to defend your home from
: violent criminals is crucial. After all, the police can’t
: be everywhere at once. So despite the exorbitant prices
: charged by some gun manufacturers these days, gun sales are
: on the rise.
: In fact, the AR-15 may be the most popular home defense
: firearm in America today, even surpassing the popularity of
: the 12 gauge shotgun. However, while many firearms on the
: market are perfectly suited for home defense, there are
: some firearms that are absolutely terrible for this
: purpose. Here are five of the worst types of firearms to
: use for home defense.
: 1. Pocket Guns
: One class of firearm that is positively not well suited for
: home defense is the class of “pocket guns” which are small,
: compact, handguns such as semi-automatic pistols chambered
: for the .22 LR or the .25 Automatic cartridges, as well as
: derringers. While it is true than any handgun is better
: than none when you are being accosted by a violent
: criminal, the simple fact of the matter is that due to
: their compact size and extremely short barrels, pocket guns
: are specifically designed to be very close range weapons
: and thus, they are difficult to aim and shoot accurately
: over any distance. But because accuracy is of paramount
: importance in a home defense situation, these underpowered
: pocket guns are not well suited for the purpose of
: defending yourself and your family from criminals who have
: invaded your home.
: 2. Large Revolvers
: On the opposite end of the scale, there are large revolvers
: designed specifically for hunting medium to large game
: species. Not only do these handguns have large frames which
: enable them to withstand the recoil generated by firing
: magnum powered cartridges such as the .44 Magnum, the .460
: Smith & Wesson Magnum, and the .500 Smith & Wesson
: Magnum, they generate an excessive amount of noise and
: recoil which makes them difficult to control in a combat
: situation. Plus, due to their extra high muzzle velocities,
: they cannot only endanger the criminal you are shooting at,
: they can also endanger family members hiding in other rooms
: and can even penetrate exterior walls, endangering your
: neighbors as well.
: 3. Single Shot Rifles and Shotguns
: Yet a third class of firearm that is poorly suited for the
: purpose of home defense is the single shot rifle or
: shotgun. While most boys who grow up in rural environments
: (where hunting is often a way of life) receive single shot
: rifles chambered for the venerable .22 LR cartridge or
: shotguns chambered for 20 gauge shotshells, these rifles
: and shotguns are poorly suited for the purpose of home
: defense because, in the case of the .22 LR, the cartridge
: simply lacks the stopping power needed to deter a
: determined home invader and, in the case of either type of
: firearm, they lack any type of internal or removable
: magazine and thus are limited to a single shot. So if you
: miss your target or find yourself faced with more than one
: assailant, you will likely not have the time to reload your
: gun before you are attacked.
: 4. Bolt Action Hunting Rifles
: Of course, this naturally leads to a discussion of the bolt
: action hunting rifle, which is also found in many
: households. While this type of firearm is well suited for
: hunting game in the field, it is particularly ill suited
: for the purpose of home defense because, even though most
: rifles of this type feature internal magazines that hold
: multiple rounds, they commonly have long barrels that make
: them difficult to maneuver in close quarters, and they
: require the shooter to manually operate the bolt in order
: to eject the spent case and load a new round into the
: chamber after each shot. Plus, they are most often
: chambered for high-powered hunting cartridges and thus
: present the same problem as magnum-power handguns in that
: they can easily endanger family members in other parts of
: the house, as well as neighbors.
: 5. Military Surplus Rifles
: Last but not least, military surplus rifles have long been
: popular firearms among the shooting public due to their
: relatively inexpensive purchase prices. The problem is, the
: large majority of these firearms date from World War II or
: even as far back as World War I, which means they were
: specifically designed for use on the open battlefields of
: Europe and Africa and thus, they too usually feature
: excessively long barrels that are ill suited for home
: defense in addition to bolt actions, just like the modern
: sporting rifle. Plus, because they were specifically
: designed to engage enemy soldiers at long ranges, they are
: most often chambered for high-powered rifle cartridges that
: generate way too much muzzle energy to be safe for the
: purpose of home defense.
: So while there are numerous handguns and rifles on the market
: that are very well suited for the purpose of protecting
: your family from violent criminals, there are also just as
: many–if not more–that are very poorly suited for the job.
: Therefore, when choosing a firearm for home defense, it is
: best to avoid the types of firearms mentioned above and
: instead purchase one of the many models of pistols,
: revolvers, or rifles that are well suited for this
: particular purpose such as small or medium framed revolvers
: chambered for the .38 Special cartridge, semiautomatic
: pistols chambered for the 9mm, .40 Smith & Wesson, or
: 10mm Auto cartridges, as well as the AR-15 rifle configured
: with a short barrel.
:
: http://urbansurvivalsite.com/5-worst-types-of-firearms-to-use-for-home-defense/