There are so many answers to this question, that none of them are wrong. It all kind of depends on what works for you.C-dub wrote:There are several threads on this topic. If you were thinking of one in particular, it may have been this one.
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=52012&hilit=shotgu ... me+defense
As I mentioned in that thread and is still valid today, my first choice is my M4 carbine and then my Glock .45. The carbine has a 40 round mag of hollowpoints and the Glock has a 13 rounder and one in the chamber. Both have lights attached. The Glock has night sights and the M4 has an ACOG. The ACOG is sighted in at 100 yards, as recommended and what it is designed for, but I have also practiced with it at CQC distances quite a bit to be familiar with what is needed for those sighting at those distances. However, at those distances, using the sights may be a moot point since pointing and shooting may be all there is time for and required. Which I also practice using a timer.
I don't bother keeping my shotgun loaded.
Kyle Lamb of Viking Tactics is big on the use of the AR15 as a primary home defense weapon, and for some good reasons: https://www.americanrifleman.org/articl ... s-opinion/. I would add a couple of remarks about. ACOGs (which I love). One is that the price of the ACOG can easily exceed the price of an AR15, so be prepared for sticker shock. The other is that if you do buy an ACOG, don’t let the magnification bother you in CQB. They are designed to use the Bindon Aiming Concept - which is what the “BAC” means in some of the ACOG names. This means that you shoot with both eyes open. At CQB distances, your brain will automatically superimpose the reticle over the target as if you’re seeing it with both eyes.
But, the AR may not be for you. Like others, I think that the bit about the sound of a shotgun being racked is a myth, and it isn’t one I want to stake my life on. Keep a round chambered with the safety on, and store the gun where YOU can reach it, but little ones can’t. Mine is a Mossberg 590A1, loaded with Federal topflight #1 Buck. It’s a pump gun. Kyle Lamb, in his article above, advocates a semiauto, regardless of platform, and including shotguns. In his words:
In the end, for me, I’ve gone with a Glock 17 with a tactical light mounted, and a suppressed AR15 SBR chambered in .300 blackout subsonics, also with a light mounted. But, in a 1200 to 1700 sq foot house, you may not be confident with a carbine.AR: What about other choices, such as the shotgun, for home defense?
KL: For self-defense, a reliable semi-automatic is king. That is why I would not pick the shotgun. Rarely can you find a semi-automatic shotgun that is 100-percent reliable with assorted ammunition. Add the fact that you may need to shoot without your shoulder to the buttstock and reliability with the scattergun drops even more. Recoil-operated semi-automatic shotguns are light and handy but unreliable when not held tightly, and gas-operated guns are heavier than I prefer for a home-defense scenario. Once again, if you want to carry a shotgun for home defense, knock yourself out. I choose not to do so. I am sure those who carry pump shotguns will chime in with the absolute final word on the proper pick for the home-defense shotgun—all I ask is that you head to the range and try to operate your pump gun with only one hand. Simulating a disabled arm will make you a believer in the semi-automatic carbine. The shotgun is also extremely deficient in magazine capacity. Once again, the AR shines in this category. Even in 10-round-maximum states, in which long-gun rights have been destroyed, you have more firepower than with most shotguns.
Here’s a real good Paul Harrel video about why a shotgun is better than a carbine for home defense:
In the end, it’s a very personal choice, and you have to decide what works best in your home. Just one piece of advice......DON’T use your .308 inside the house!
Lastly, watch this video before making up your mind. Best video I’ve seen yet for bullet performance inside of a house: