We’ve talked about this in a couple of different categories: Home defense Long gun vs Hand Gun and "Pistol Ar15" for Home defense?
Here’s an interesting blog post on when and how to use a rifle for home defense:
https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/blog/how-to-choose-a-home-defense-rifle/
Do you agree?
Yes I agree, if you haven’t gotten training with clearing a house with a carbine it might not work out for you, but it isn’t hard to get trained up on how to clear a home successfully with a carbine/mid length AR15. I also recommend a sling if you’re going to clear homes with an AR. It’s harder to pull away a gun that’s attached to a person with a quality heavy duty sling.
I feel the AR15 is the best choice for a rifle that can do short, medium, and long range applications. It’s light, easy to use, most of the time they’re relatively accurate, ammo is easy to find, and you can carry a lot of ammo.
I think the author did a good job with the article. Short and sweet. I do think he should’ve explained that the M1 Garand, G3 clone, and M1A are HEAVY rifles though.
I am of the mindset that I will not clear my house unless I have to get to a loved one in a different area of my home. I’d rather stay put and have the tactical advantage.
For sure. I wouldn’t either. I’d just get in a place where I would have the element of surprise, and call 911.
This could go on forever. Some things to think about are the ability to store a rifle and its ammo. I know a lot of people with absolutely no desire or ability to own a rifle. To them I’d suggest looking into a PCC in the caliber they already own. It extends the range and power of pistol calibers close to 100 yards, and you’ll only have to own and carry one caliber of ammo. Many PCCs take the same magazine of different brands of firearms, so if you already own a Glock, you can get one that takes Glock magazines you already own.
Moving on to rifle calibers, something to think about is the cost and availability of the ammo, particularly if things go bad, as well as how much of any particular ammo you’d be able to reasonably carry, especially if you end up on foot.
If things do go bad and you find yourself camped out somewhere living off the land, a .22 LR will serve you well for hunting small game to feed yourself and others. You can purchase a .22 takedown rifle and ammo for a reasonable price.
I use my origin 12 as my home defense “Rifle”. Actually a shotgun, but cant beat the number of rounds and room clearing.
Can’t beat a old scatter gun as my grandfather use to call his old shotgun. Can’t make the shells like my grandfather did since they would almost bring a tree down after he was done packing them with powder and buckshots. I only have my 9mm for personal and home defense as of right now, but planning on making more gun purchases in the next few months.
I’ve narrowed down my choice to either a Marlin 336 or the Ruger PC Carbine.
Home defense, other than say my handgun. My long gun is a semiautomatic 12ga. If someone did try to make a grab for it, 1 shot from such a gun will rattle any one at the other end with the ability for rapid follow up shots.
I have no official training in clearing homes but the next nearest thing is clearing rooms in the game paintball with my teams field having alot of structures for CQB play.
If you want practice. Look for a local paintball field that has a lot of buildings so you can get real practice clearing them with an opponent doing the same thing.
In paintball, if you take a couple hits up close, it’s going to leave a mark but it will help train you on what to do and not do.
Granted. A home intruder is likely not going to be trying to clear the home looking for you but if you are practiced in clearing rooms on a paintball field giving yourself a minimal aspect while properly clearing. You will be better prepared should you ever need to do so.
@txradioguy I was seriously considering a PCC as my next purchase and did a lot of research into them. I don’t think you can go wrong with the Ruger.
I’ve shot the Ruger Carbine and it’s nice!
Nice quality feel to them too.
I’ve been doing research as well and I agree with you. Decision came down to two things…what doesn’t scream “scary black rifle” and what could my wife shoot with confidence if I’m not there.
I fired a Marlin 30-30 a couple weeks ago…the kick is manageable for me but I don’t think it would be for her even though she regularly shoots a .357 revolver.
The PCC is the best fit for both of us and makes a nice SHTF rifle to boot.
I like the fact it’s a takedown rifle as well.
This subject comes down to individual factors. Training, as with everything else in the world of self defense, is everything. Like others have mentioned, it is best to “barricade” yourself and loved ones, and avoid direct confrontation in other parts of the house. Another thing to carefully consider is proper ammunition type. You want a bullet that will expand and quickly incapacitate an attacker. However, you also want a bullet that won’t overpenetrate your home’s walls. That applies to both handguns and rifles. I myself am still researching the ammunition that I really want to use in my home defense guns. I have heard good things about Inceptor ammunition, but I have yet to test it.
I’ve got the variety pack I guess you could say. A Ruger 10/22 takedown, a couple AR15s, a Mossberg 308, shotguns in 12 & 20, and a Mosin Nagant. So I’ve got something for various situations.
@Nathan and @James check out this I saw a few days ago the inceptor ammunition is demonstrated.
What is the Best Gun & Ammo for Home Defense | Ballistic Test | Tactical Rifleman - YouTube
I’ve got a .357 lever action carbine, 10 rounds .357 mag in a short handy rifle. It is deadly accurate to 100 yards, fast and handy. Plus, if you should ever have the misfortune of having to use it the 12 folks in the box are looking at John Wayne defending the homestead instead ofJohn Rambo and his evil killing machine. Too many folks out there who are ignorant about weapons and see AR’s and similar as “death rays” with no reason for any having one but to commit crime. stupid? Sure, but a fact of life in today’s PC world. A hit from an AR is nowhere near as destructive as a hit from an M1 30-06 or an 1895 Marlin 45/70, but to the public the AR is the baddest of the three (because that’s the misinformation they’ve been fed for the last 40 years) YMMV
I prefer my ruger pc carbine running Glock mags for HD rifle
I prefer my 12 gauge for clearing the home. It contains all the power one would ever need and the rounds not finding their mark wont wind up in the neighbor’s home, three houses down. I keep two rounds of #4 shot first in the magazine, considering a hit with bird shot would not be quite so destructive and convince the violator to back off. But, the 3rd round is buckshot and far more damaging and so on. No matter which firearm you might favor, the shock of rounds fired in an enclosed space like a home is devastating and one should be well prepared for it. One could easily be disabled by that blast and not able to continue in self defense. Just something to consider.