TexasCHLforum.com

AndyC wrote:

dihappy wrote:IMO all the talk about a shotty for home defense is over rated.

First there is hardly any spread in pellets when speaking of the distances involved in home defense situations. (12' = 1 3/4'' - 4'') hence, you still have to aim.
Nobody said you didn't have to aim a shotgun
Many people believe it to be so, this is why there have been some tests analyzing spread pattern for home defense

Second, its larger than a pistol and requires two hands.
Granted
Third, not practical for small or weak individuals.
It can be very practical - it just depends on the caliber/gauge and the individual's training. Something which will put 8 or 9 9mm-size pellets in a single shot - it's kinda hard to argue against that
Tests have shown that an effective load should ONLY be 0 buckshot as the minimum to penetrate vital organs, but not slugs as it will over penetrate. That being said, even 0 buckshot can be difficult for some individuals to handle effectively.

Nothing against it, however i dont think its as good as a good pistol.

A pistol will allow you to defend and fire at the same time.
So will a shotgun
Yeah, so will an RPG, with training. A shotgun is more maneuverable than an RPG and a handgun is more maneuverable than a shotgun.

A pistol will allow you to maneuver better
Debatable - depends on expertise, but yes, a pistol is overall easier to maneuver if this is required
Better safe than sorry.

A pistol can be handled by weaker, more frail individuals
So can a shotgun - again, it depends on the caliber/gauge and the individual's training. Even a little .410 loaded with slugs would be similar in effect to a .41 Magnum to the bad guy.
So then if its the same, then the better choice would be the lighter .41 Magnum which would free your other hand if its required.

Hollow point pistol rounds will be less likely to go through an individual and hit something else.
Most shotgun pellets, even 00-buck, tend to be quite soft and generally don't penetrate as deeply as a lot of pistol rounds.
Very true, but even if you hit an intruder with a shotty, you could very well miss him at the same time. That is if your capable of wielding a shotty to begin with and dont have a problem with your other hand, arm, or shoulder :)

my $ .02

NcongruNt wrote:

dihappy wrote:If you got the money, do it.

IMO all the talk about a shotty for home defense is over rated.

First there is hardly any spread in pellets when speaking of the distances involved in home defense situations. (12' = 1 3/4'' - 4'') hence, you still have to aim.
Second, its larger than a pistol and requires two hands.
Third, not practical for small or weak individuals.

Nothing against it, however i dont think its as good as a good pistol.

A pistol will allow you to defend and fire at the same time.
A pistol will allow you to maneuver better
A pistol can be handled by weaker, more frail individuals
Hollow point pistol rounds will be less likely to go through an individual and hit something else.

my $ .02

It's not about the spread, it's about the devastation. My HD shotgun is loaded up with 3" 00 buckshot. That's Twelve 8.38 mm 54 grain pellets hitting the BG all at once. You're essentially pulverizing an entire area a few inches in diameter, making a vital hit much more likely than a single shot from a handgun bullet of any caliber.

While not as portable or maneuverable as a handgun, the shotgun is quite superior in its effects against an intruder. I do not see how you think a handgun is more appropriate than a shotgun for a "weaker" person. If someone has trouble holding a shotgun, they're likely going to have the same issue with a handgun, except they have no shoulder to steady against with the handgun.

As far as over-penetration is concerned, the only time I think you're really going to see that kind of issue is with slugs.