Help me find a home defense rifle

[celticredneck]

I thinking of a Saiga, either 7.62 0r .223. There were several at the last Richmond gun show for around $450.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Tubby45]

Get a M1 carbine.

[TX-JB]

What guage would be good?

Stay with 12ga. There is a wider selection of loads available for the 12ga. Low recoil defense rounds, slugs, buckshot, etc... A 20ga. has less recoil, but the choices of available loads is much smaller.

[outdare]

Stay with 12ga. There is a wider selection of loads available for the 12ga. Low recoil defense rounds, slugs, buckshot, etc... A 20ga. has less recoil, but the choices of available loads is much smaller.

+1
Academy had the Mossberg Maverick 12ga on sale for $160 a while back. You can save the extra cash and buy ammo and accessories.

Also when you pick your self defense gun remember if you are forced to use it the police will most likely take the weapon for an undisclosed amount of time. They will not guarantee the condition etc.

[AllAmerican]

Mossberg Mav 88 at WM is $187 and is a good gun.

[CR2008]

I thinking of a Saiga, either 7.62 0r .223. There were several at the last Richmond gun show for around $450.

I got mine new for $500... and to think they use to cost almost $200... very simple, easy to use and maintain, I can see why the AK47 has legendary status as a assault battle rifle.

[rcruz]

Get a Mossbeg or Remington pump, add a sidesaddle, put a couple slugs in the sidesaddle and learn how to run the gun well. You'll be prepared for just about anything.

+1

[dawgfvr]

Well...I bought my Mossy 590 which I keep in the bedroom. I have a SKS which, to be honest, I've never even fired.

Something about the heft of my M1 Garand...I just cannot help it...it stands at the ready behind the garage door. I think of it as my "offense is the best defense weapon"...hee, hee.

[ccw9mm]

I've got a Marlin 1894P .44mag lever-action, 16" bbl, and an 1892 .44mag lever-action 20" bbl. Seven (plus) rounds of DoubleTap jacketed soft-point is fairly easy to deliver in the smaller package. I find it simpler to handle than an AR-15.

[raevan]

Marlin 1894 in either 357 mag or 44 mag can be bought between $300 and $400. My house gun used to be a Winchester 30-30, I have now changed to a Marlin 1894 in 44 mag.

[BigD7]

Is the chamber size (2 3/4, 3, 3 1/2) just the length of the shell? Or is there more to it than that?

[B52]

Walmart Marlin 336w 30-30, I bought mine there for around $250 last Christmas. It's a great gun and really accurate.

[wjh2657]

Woops, slipped my mind. Inside the house, the maximun distance I would need would be about 15 yards. Outside is maybe 40 yards. The closest neighboring house is about 10 yards away. The farthest is in the backyard at about 50-60 yards. I've only fired rifles a few times. I thought about shotguns, but I have shot more rifles, and know a little more about them than shotguns. I already have a pistol, and I've been wanting to get a rifle for a long time. I would like a caliber that is a good man-stopper (or wild dog or crazed deer for an extreme case) but won't break the bank to train with or just shoot for fun.

As a side question, Is it the .223 that can be fired from a 5.56 or is it vice versa? I can never remember.

Whoa there! You are too close to neighbor houses to even use slug or buckshot in a 12 gauge outside much less a high power round in a rifle. Inside you are at pistol ranges or shotgun ranges. 15 yards is the length of two living rooms in most houses, or from one end of a house to the other end (unless you failed to put up walls.) Most large rooms are 21-25 feet, and smaller rooms are 10-15 feet, and there are usually intervening walls to limit any more than from one room into another.

Inside you would probably be safe with a good pump shotgun and you will want a short barrel (18.5-20") I have both a Maverick 88 and a Mossberg 500 in 18.5", but any other good make of shotgun would suffice. If you can't buy a used one in that length and want something other than Maverick, buy a used field shotgun and order an 18.5" barrel. Keep the field barrel for hunting.

With the outside parameters you deliniated, you are at risk to shooting one of your neighbors by mistake (over-penetration) with any kind of rifle, including a pistol caliber carbine (Long barrel =higher velocity and greater range and penetration. Most carbine shooters use solid ammo also, for positive feeding.)

I could be wrong but I'd say you are in definite SG country!

[BigD7]

Whoa there! You are too close to neighbor houses to even use slug or buckshot in a 12 gauge outside much less a high power round in a rifle. Inside you are at pistol ranges or shotgun ranges. 15 yards is the length of two living rooms in most houses, or from one end of a house to the other end (unless you failed to put up walls.) Most large rooms are 21-25 feet, and smaller rooms are 10-15 feet, and there are usually intervening walls to limit any more than from one room into another.

15 yards is probably the longest length in my house. I was measuring from the wall of my room, through the hallway, and to the wall of another bedroom with the doors open. Most other distances of engagement in my house would be at 3-15 feet.

[wjh2657]

BigD7

Just measured longest possible shot in my house. works out to 21 ft (7 yards). It isn't that my house is small but it is laid out with many intervening walls for privacy.

Most of my SD practice (daily) is with S&W 317 loaded with .22CB in my garage (Have set up indoor range with bullet trap). Firing lines are at 15 feet(across room) and 21 feet(longest possible shot in house) , which match actual HD scenario. I practice the 10-15 yard stuff with EDCs(with .38) at the Gallatin indoor range twice a month.