[MikeJK]

Originally Posted by buffalolake

I have kids, so keeping a loaded rifle in the bedroom would be more than irresponsible. Rifles and shotguns have to be kept unloaded and locked away. My biometric safe allows me to keep a loaded handgun on the nightstand next to the bed, yet safely locked away from the kids. Only my fingerprint can open it.

As for shooting the shotgun from the hip, I live in a very heavily forrested area. To the east and west, it is over 2 miles of trees and rolling hills to the next house. To the north it is 1/2 mile of dense trees and brush to the next house. Other family members have a house 200 yards to the south, but I never fire in that direction. The animals that kill our chickens, tear up our property, and attack our pets come from the east. And all there is that direction is a chicken coop and trees. I have tried using rifles and hunting shotguns in the past, but it's just not effective. If you take the time to verify that you are shooting a nuisance animal, and not the family dog, you will have time for 1 shot before the animal gets away. When I talk about firing this thing from the hip, I am sighting with the laser. I am using the flashlight to see the target and verify what I am about to shoot, and I am putting the laser on the target before I fire. I am also shooting at something running on the ground about 30 feet away. I'm not just firing wildly with no concern about where my projectiles go. I was brought up with the belief that you never pull the trigger unless you know what is behind your target, where the bullets are going to go if you miss.

I don't live a city. Bullets don't riccochet off of trees and dirt like they do off of pavement and bricks.

I'm in the same boat. Like I stated before I have a 4 y/o and therefore I'm not comfortable keeping an AR next to the bed. I do pull a M&P9 out at night to keep next to the bed. I sleep w/ the bedroom door locked while asleep.

My personal experience w/ lasers is not very positive. Lasers are slow and cumbersome. The majority of the people I see using lasers have a tough time. It's actually funny watching them. I was watching a guy using a green laser on white steel IDPA style targets. The laser was on, off, and everywhere. It was wait, bang, miss, wait ,wait, bang, ping, wait, wait, bang, repeat. The guys w/ RDS were on target much faster and more accurately.

W/ kids in the house I'm making sure my rounds are on target. You know the feeling. You are being safe by using the bio safe but reality is chances are by the time you access the situation and get the firearm out of the safe it'll be to late. I wish we didn't have to worry about that sort of thing.

[axxe55]

i don't consider my AR a primary or even secondary firearm for SD/HD. my shotguns are primary and the pistols are secondary. i could resort to the AR if needed. as we don't have any children in the house, having to safeguard them isn't a concern. those with children in the house, i can see where they have a different approach in regards to safeguarding the firearm, but having it able to use if needed.

[buffalolake]

My personal experience w/ lasers is not very positive. Lasers are slow and cumbersome. The majority of the people I see using lasers have a tough time. It's actually funny watching them. I was watching a guy using a green laser on white steel IDPA style targets. The laser was on, off, and everywhere. It was wait, bang, miss, wait ,wait, bang, ping, wait, wait, bang, repeat. The guys w/ RDS were on target much faster and more accurately.

For the most part I agree with you on the laser. I would never use one on a rifle or a pistol. You can't see them during the day or at any distance, recoil turns them off, the accuracy isn't there, ect... But on this particular shotgun at night it works pretty well for me. I set the switch for both flashlight and laser, and I get a bright red aiming dot dead center of the flashlight beam.

[oldpapps]

All depends....

Do you live in an apartment with lots of close neighbors behind a couple of layers of sheet rock? Do you live in the wide opens of Montana?

You want enough to get the job done but not get the locals on you for hunting people. You don't want so much more that endangers anyone around.

For an AR, the advise given above about using fast light varmint rounds is sound, in some cases.
For shotguns, 30 plus years ago, the FBI Firearms Instructor's class that I went through agreed that number 4 buck was better than 00 buck. I still think that.
For hand guns, I like 45s but 40s will also do. 357s and 9s penetrate too much. I like my 44s but they are too slow to do a good 'double tap'.

But your question was about ARs. Well, I live in open rolling hill country that is covered with trees or is farmed fields. My nearest neighbor lives west of me and he has one of those yard lights on a light pole like a city street light, I see it when I drive down the road. I have a 40 and a 45 within reach. But an AR is not 6 feet away. I have 3 granddaughters, 5 to 10 years, in the house, my ARs are not loaded but mags are on the shelf next to them.

Still comes down to your needs and where you live.

[MikeJK]

Originally Posted by buffalolake

For the most part I agree with you on the laser. I would never use one on a rifle or a pistol. You can't see them during the day or at any distance, recoil turns them off, the accuracy isn't there, ect... But on this particular shotgun at night it works pretty well for me. I set the switch for both flashlight and laser, and I get a bright red aiming dot dead center of the flashlight beam.

What makes a shotgun different than a rifle or handgun?

[connectegr]

Many years ago I assisted in teaching a home defense/personal protection course. And there was no mention of a home defense rifle. For most the recommendation was a pump action 20ga shotgun. Several participants in the course were uncomfortable with handguns (especially with small children at home) and the shotgun was a suggestion. The course covered most of the other recommendations in the Recoil article, alarm systems and a safe room. However, the article describes a shotgun as an over penetrating weapon and a poor choice.

I live in a nice residential community, with a higher risk of being struck with a golf ball then a gun fight. But I have always applied most of the recommendations in the article. However, I frequently burn all my 223 ammo at the range. I did see online a biometric rifle safe for under the bed, with a sliding padded tray for a handgun and rifle. This might be an excuse to purchase a new gun toy.

[Cattledog]

As with most issues with firearms, context is everything. When I first built my AR I did some in maneuverability drills from the bedroom and through the house. I found it to be far less agile than a pistol in my home. As for me, everything's in the safe except for my go-to pistol. It's all about your specific circumstance and really requires some thought, especially if you're worried about over penetration and/or kids.

[MikeJK]

Originally Posted by Cattledog

As with most issues with firearms, context is everything. When I first built my AR I did some in maneuverability drills from the bedroom and through the house. I found it to be far less agile than a pistol in my home. As for me, everything's in the safe except for my go-to pistol. It's all about your specific circumstance and really requires some thought, especially if you're worried about over penetration and/or kids.

I tried this one thing once and it didn't seem good so I stopped doing it. LOL.

I can only imagine how proficiant you are w/ your "go-to-pistol" is that's all the effort you put into the AR.

[Cattledog]

Im plenty proficient with my AR too but there's no need to use it if another weapon is more efficient. Ive got stairs, railings, hallways, neighbors and my own dog (thats gonna beat me too them) that all factor in. Firepower is a factor but being able to easily bring it on target is just as important, if not more so.

[tacticalfun]

She follows me around the house