[Jay]

I carry inside my home, all the time. My handgun will be employed first. If it's in the middle of the night, we'll stay in the upstairs bedroom, where I have 100% control over who gains access. The stairway makes a great choke point. (short of a hand grenade being tossed in) I'll defend that room with a shotgun, while the wife is on the phone. I'll not attempt to clear my hoome not knowing who is there, how many are there, how they may be armed, and where they are. Clearing your home in the middle of the night is a hollywood move unless you've had specific training to do so, and have some back-up.

Too many folks are under the impression that a shotgun, inside, is simply a point and shoot weapon. All I can say is pattern your shotgun at the longest distance you might have to shoot inside your home. You may well discover that you'll need to aim it, just like you do a handgun.

[7point62]

Originally Posted by skullcrusher

Exactamundo! The handgun is what you use to give you time and space to get to your long gun, shotgun or rifle. I will entertain zero arguements on this.

Still, you are grabbing a handgun first. With the knowledge that you may not have the option of time or space.

[easterner123]

This is a valid point. Inside the confines of a house or apartment, the spread of a shotgun will not taked effect enough for you to simply "point and shoot." Unless you're Tom Knapp (I don't think hes on here) then training yourself for reactionary shooting would be good, as well as reloads in the dark. Thats a big disadvantage of shotguns, if the engagement goes past the two in the barrels of 4+1 in the gun. I practice because due to my situation, average response time for a local state trooper is about... 15-25 minutes. Thats a long time in an isolated area, so I am ready for more than just a threat followed by a hole in the dry wall. I'll worry about the owners yelling at me later.

[chopkick]

I guess I should jump in on this one. Personally I sleep with my Kimber on my nightstand. You are right about long weapons being vulnerable to takeaways.

I'm a huge fan of my 870 but the reality is I feel more comfy bringing my .45 on target than anything else.

In a situation where you have to confront an intruder, the last thing in mind should be the amount of damage your walls are going to sustain.

And just because you have an intruder in your house, shop, barn, etc. doesn't mean you can shoot the sucker. You had better be damn sure he has a weapon or you will be bent over in the state pen for quite a few years.

All of that being said, i sleep with my 870 against my headboard just in case.

[7point62]

Originally Posted by chopkick

And just because you have an intruder in your house, shop, barn, etc. doesn't mean you can shoot the sucker. You had better be damn sure he has a weapon or you will be bent over in the state pen for quite a few years.

The laws are different in each state. Florida's got a Stand Your Ground law. You are under no obligation to retreat when faced with a threat, and you have the right to use deadly force if you feel you, your family or innocent bystanders are in immediate danger of death or serious bodily injury. This law applies to any citizen, no matter where they are, but carries a lot more weight when they are faced with a threat inside their home.

It's important to know the law in your state. Also important in any case to give a warning first, to understand that if an intruder turns and runs and you shoot him in the back, you will have some explaining to do. If you tell a man to freeze and get down on the floor and he obeys, you hold him at gunpoint until the law arrives.

Your cellphone is a weapon for your defense. Your call to 9-1-1 will be recorded. It will come back to you in court. It can send you to jail or it can set you free.

[Jay]

^^^ yep, what he said. In Indiana, I can use deadly force to "prevent, or terminate unauthorized entry to my dwelling, curtlage, or occupied motor vehicle."

7point62... Semper Fi

[GEORGIA]

I have both,as in a pistol and shotgun.Both have lights on them.I would like the assurance of my shotgun,because i prefer a longer weapon if it moves outside.Plus,as some have pointed out,a pump shotgun does have an intimidation factor,not that its terribly important.If time allows,im grabbing both weapons,cus you never know when one could fail.