What is your home defense load or preference?

[Tactical_Texan_CHL]

As noted in the video surveilance post, I have asked this question in a separate thread.

The test that TXI linked for us showed ALOT of penetration by alot of common self and home defense options. Thanks, TXI, that was good and interesting info.

I personally have a Glock 21SF .45 for home defense. It's loaded with 230gr Winchester Rangers, the ugly ones, I don't remember the letters after Ranger. And it has an Insight M6X light/laser on it. I chose this personally because I like the stopping power of the .45, and my wife is able to handle the SF with it's slimmer frame. I added the light/laser because, well, honestly I like toys. But I also wanted the light to be able to ensure that I have identified a target, and not a kid sneaking cookies in the middle of the night, and the laser so my wife can put the dot center mass and pull the trigger. I do not have a shot gun or a rifle in the house, because we have small children, and I have not found a secure yet fast way to mount a shotgun or rifle. The Glock lives in a fingerprint activated safe, that is bolted to our bed frame.

I feel the key is to be aware of what you and your family will do in a home invasion situation, and prepare for it, just like having a family fire drill. I also feel like a person should shoot as often as they can, and if possible, take some advanced training. Shot placement is the key. If you're worried about a bullet going through the wall, don't shoot the wall.

Well, that's what I chose and why I chose it. If this has been beaten to death in another thread, I apologize. I searched for it, but couldn't really find what I wanted.

[txinvestigator]

Those Rangers are called SXT, they are basically the old Black Talons re-branded. (SXT=Same eXact Thing)

I have a Kimber Desert Warrier loaded with the same load as you, with a Surefire X200 light attached for home defense. I also have an AR handy.

[Texasdoc]

I my Defense gun I load it with Win. SXT 230gr. Supreme. the gun is a Kimber Pro carry 2 and soon I will be getting Laser grips on it .


I saw a test that showed Fed.HST ,Win.SXT and Rem. GS and with the info which was slinted toward the HST it showed that he SXT and the HST where the way for me to go.

Here is the link to the test.

http://www.le.atk.com/pdf/Pierce%20Coun ... rkshop.pdf


Doc

[Dan20703]

12 gauge #4 buckshot from an 18" barrel

[ELB]

My primary home defense gun is my daily carry gun -- 9mm Hi Power with Winchester Ranger 127gr +P+ SXTs. I do have an SKS and an 870 available, but the Hi Power is what I go to first. I always carry a Surefire G-2 Nitrolon, so that is also my home defense light, separate from the pistol. So far I do not like the concept of having the light mounted on the pistol, since I use the light to search with - I don't want to light up something and find out I am drawning down on "a kid [or in my case, a Labrador] sneaking cookies in the middle of the night."

elb

[Keith B]

My primary home weapon is also my main carry. It is a Kahr PM-9 loaded with Cor-Bon Pow'r Ball 100gr. I like that load for the 483 ft lbs of muzzle energy, 1475 fps velocity, and the .64" expansion and 12" penetration in ballistics gell. Have night sights so I can find it in the nightstand drawer. Beside that is my tactical flashlight (a rechargable 6P CREE LED clone) with the cookie cutter bezel.

As a backup to the PM9, I have a S&W .40 Allied Forces loaded with Federal Classic Hi-Shok 155gr JHP.

If all else fails, back to my S&W .357 Model 66 with black talons or my Mossberg 500 with #4 buck (but they need to give me time to get those out of the safe.) LOL

[RKirby]

One of my Springfield XD's loaded with 124 gr Hydrashocks should get the job done if I can't get to my preferred home defense weapon, a Rem 870 HD loaded with 00 buck.

[lrb111]

I like 000 buckshot in a 3" 12 gauge shell. Backed up with slugs. That's double-tap w/buckshot, one slug, repeat as needed.

[hsp]

I keep my Sig P220 .45 handgun next to my bed loaded with Hornady 200gr Tap ammo along with a 12 gauge shotgun loaded with buck shot close by. I'm lucky in that I don't have small kids in the house so I'm hoping if the time ever came the recognizable loading of the 12 gauge will be enough to scare them out.

I too have instructed my wife and 20 year old daughter on what to do in the event someone enters the house at night. I think the most important thing is to make sure they know to give the 911 operator descriptions of us so the LEOs don't confuse anyone once they arrive.

I'm also new to this forum. Purchased my first handgun in December 2007 after my wife had a scary dream that we had a home invasion. Since the youngest is now 20, she finally agreed to let a hand gun enter the house. Me and my son completed our CHL class with Tom Estep last Saturday and I really enjoyed the information that was presented.

[carlson1]

Welcome hsp to the Forum. I also have a Remington 870 with tactical light right next to me at the Bed. I have a couple of .45's in the bedroom. I too am fortunate not to have any little ones (except for the grand babies) on a regular basis.

[frankie_the_yankee]

Winchester Ranger SXT 230 gr. in 45ACP. Both my Gold Cup Commander and Para Carry LDA feed them reliably, and from what I've read the ballistics are good enough.

Personally, I think we all put too much emphasis on ballistics anyway. Pretty much any decent load will do.

[ghostrider]

my choices are based on what feeds reliably and what I can get components for to load practice
ammo with:

# 45ACP: Remington Golden Sabre (not +P)
# 9mm: Speer 124gr Gold Dot

[Skiprr]

Winchester Ranger SXT 230 gr. in 45ACP.

Same here, both in an XD .45 Service and my 1911s.

Primary go-to though, like Carlson1, is my 870 Tac2 with a tube full of 00 standard load, and four Federal TruBall slugs mounted on the receiver. I might go to #1 shot if it were more readily available, but nothing smaller; I don't rotate load shot/slug in the magazine because I don't want to chamber a slug unless I really need one. The shotgun is maintained with a fully-loaded magazine, hammer down on an empty chamber, safety off.

The home handgun is mainly the XD, primarily for the extra magazine capacity. I never use the XD for concealed carry. My main carry gun is a compact 1911, and it's always easily accessible as a BUG for the XD, if need be. Both are loaded with Rangers in good ol' 230 grain. The other .45 ACP defensive rounds I'll buy are Federal HST and Speer Gold Dot, both in 230 gr. I just like the heavier bullet. I also don't dislike Remington Golden Sabers in 230 gr.; I still have several boxes of them, but my compact carry seems to like them a little less than the other types, so I don't buy it much anymore. One I haven't tried but have thought about is Hornady XTP also in--you guessed it--230 grain.

But I think Frankie is right in that most modern defensive loads will serve the purpose, so I generally worry more about whether the particular brand and round shoot reliably for me, and what kind of deal I've found on the price. Oh, and did I mention I prefer a heavier bullet? When I highlighted "most defensive loads," what I'm not personally sold on are the non-bullet bullets like Glaser or Magsafe. By that I mean lightweight projectiles that are either individual shot pellets or pre-fragmented things designed to disperse rapidly on impact. There is no super-duper ultra-stopping ACME magic ammo...and that's sorta what many like these claim to be. I don't spend time looking for real-world ballistics tests, but my gut just tells me to be suspicious of next-generation bullet claims, and even more suspicious of the penetration capability of the pre-fragmented stuff.

YMMV.

[mctowalot]

With "infant" recently turned "toddler" ( I thing "waddler" a better term ) I will probably be investing close to to cost of current arsenal in fast opening safes, trigger locks, etc. in the next few days. Current home defense system basics=my daily carry - Glock .40 with powerball loads, her daily carry - hammerless .357 (with which she is frightenly capable).House fenced 360 degrees. Motion detecting lights. Two very appreciative (rescued) indoor/outdoor dogs with easy to interpret barks - ie: hey, some other dog or person is walking by vs. HEY! person with ill intent scoping out house (no, I'm not a dog whisperer). 12 ga. loaded with 00 buck hanging "tastefully" high above bed concealed behind curtain (her idea).High intensity flashlights placed all over, (no harm in temporarily blinding someone) with a few large caliber revolvers scattered about as well. Did I mention the golden statue that when touched releases fast rolling boulder in direction of bad guy? Ok, kidding about that last part.Check out the "Streamlight" brand of rechargable flashlights bye the way. Latest generation features separate switched LED or 40,000 candle power beam, and you never have to buy batteries again. Plus large size also makes for handy nightstick when needed (thousands of HPD officers can't be wrong).Again, with baby more mobile now I'm really interested in your experience/opinions re: fast action safes. trigger locks, etc. Any one dealt with the Magtech ring system? Seems too good to be true. Looking forward to your input, thanks

[M9FAN]

I like 000 buckshot in a 3" 12 gauge shell. Backed up with slugs. That's double-tap w/buckshot, one slug, repeat as needed.

I use 00 buckshot in a 2 3/4" 12-guage shell. (Via my Winchester Defender 1200).


Step away from my residence/personal property/family/friends!