Realistic AR home defense scenarios--things to think about

[Doc Safari]

Are you using BAC at all? Seems like you're not, that might be a way to get better performance with magnified optics. Not that BAC is going to be anywhere as consistently precise as an RDS or holographic sight, due to phoria, but it can make magnified optics a bit more versatile.

I have a bad eye so "both eyes open" doesn't work really well for me except when shooting a handgun. With an optic on a carbine it's sort of "iffy." I usually just close my non-dominant eye when shooting through an optic on a carbine.

Good question: My limitations might not apply to someone with two good eyes.

[daddyusmaximus]

Real talk dudes.

Why are we running a long gun inside a house in lieu of a pistol?

I just found this thread today, so I had to go back and read all the parts to catch up. I saw this post... ^^^

This idea of a handgun in the home gets brought up a lot in defensive threads. This is an "AR" defensive thread, but I also want to give my .02.

You ALWAYS want to run a long gun. (Rifle) Tight quarters? Get a short rifle. (It's still considered a "long gun".)

Any time you can, you want to run a long gun. (Rifle) You will have a platform you can control better, and a more potent cartridge. With the AR you have a fast shooting, low recoil, high capacity, accurate weapon that is easy to learn to shoot with.

The question is why carry a hand gun?

Convenience. The only reason to ever limit yourself to a smaller, less powerful, less accurate weapon is the convenience of not having to lug around a rifle all day, every day. Having a rifle slung across your back all the time is a PITA. Having a small hand gun strapped to your side in a holster is much less troublesome.

But I love my rifles.

[Defaultmp3]

I just found this thread today, so I had to go back and read all the parts to catch up. I saw this post... ^^^

This idea of a handgun in the home gets brought up a lot in defensive threads. This is an "AR" defensive thread, but I also want to give my .02.

You ALWAYS want to run a long gun. (Rifle) Tight quarters? Get a short rifle. (It's still considered a "long gun".)

Any time you can, you want to run a long gun. (Rifle) You will have a platform you can control better, and a more potent cartridge. With the AR you have a fast shooting, low recoil, high capacity, accurate weapon that is easy to learn to shoot with.

The question is why carry a hand gun?

Convenience. The only reason to ever limit yourself to a smaller, less powerful, less accurate weapon is the convenience of not having to lug around a rifle all day, every day. Having a rifle slung across your back all the time is a PITA. Having a small hand gun strapped to your side in a holster is much less troublesome.

But I love my rifles.

A handgun can be a better choice in some niche home defense scenarios, mainly those where you need at least one had free, probably to help deal with family members. A bullpup could be a viable option there, too, but a handgun is certainly the a possible option if you're trying to carry a child or something.

[SBRSarge]

I just found this thread today, so I had to go back and read all the parts to catch up. I saw this post... ^^^

This idea of a handgun in the home gets brought up a lot in defensive threads. This is an "AR" defensive thread, but I also want to give my .02.

You ALWAYS want to run a long gun. (Rifle) Tight quarters? Get a short rifle. (It's still considered a "long gun".)

Any time you can, you want to run a long gun. (Rifle) You will have a platform you can control better, and a more potent cartridge. With the AR you have a fast shooting, low recoil, high capacity, accurate weapon that is easy to learn to shoot with.

The question is why carry a hand gun?

Convenience. The only reason to ever limit yourself to a smaller, less powerful, less accurate weapon is the convenience of not having to lug around a rifle all day, every day. Having a rifle slung across your back all the time is a PITA. Having a small hand gun strapped to your side in a holster is much less troublesome.

But I love my rifles.

And, If I may add, there is the consideration many folks always bring up of over-penetration, (although I am not familiar with any cases where this has actually been an issue)

FBI tests a number of years back revealed that the 9mm handgun rounds penetrated more then any of the 223/556 rounds.

Score another win for the rifle.

[Ron3]

Is this a handgun vs Rifle for HD thread now?

I'll just add that if one is stationary or going outside the long gun is the way to go. But if your going to be moving through your house collecting kids or going through doorways clearing it or whatever by yourself a handgun is the tool to have. Or at least a VERY short, light shoulder-able (and easily used one-handed) weapon like a 4.5 inch barreled pistol-caliber AR or Mp5K or other extremely short PDW.

[Doc Safari]

Is this a handgun vs Rifle for HD thread now?

I'll just add that if one is stationary or going outside the long gun is the way to go. But if your going to be moving through your house collecting kids or going through doorways clearing it or whatever by yourself a handgun is the tool to have. Or at least a VERY short, light shoulder-able (and easily used one-handed) weapon like a 4.5 inch barreled pistol-caliber AR or Mp5K or other extremely short PDW.

That's why God invented "the sling". At point blank range you can probably get by with point and shoot while you navigate narrow hallways. Your weapon light would be in the "constant on" position by now. I always do at least a little bit of training with silhouette targets at 10 feet or less firing the carbine from the hip for just such a scenario.

[daddyusmaximus]

Is this a handgun vs Rifle for HD thread now?

I'll just add that if one is stationary or going outside the long gun is the way to go. But if your going to be moving through your house collecting kids or going through doorways clearing it or whatever by yourself a handgun is the tool to have. Or at least a VERY short, light shoulder-able (and easily used one-handed) weapon like a 4.5 inch barreled pistol-caliber AR or Mp5K or other extremely short PDW.

If you have a child young enough that is needs to be carried, you won't be taking it with you as you clear the house. You go to the child, then hunker down there, collecting the older ones, (who can follow on their own) and the spouse (who should also be armed) with you as you go. Or the armed spouse stays put, (on the phone with 911) while you go. Only a fool would try to fight with a child in one arm, and a weapon in the other.

Clearing a building alone, even one you know as well as your own home is almost always the wrong move, but in a possible home invasion, we have no choice. The kids may be upstairs, and we are unsure of the location, and number of intruders. A .300 Blackout or 5.56mm SBR, or AR pistol or the like gives you that rifle like control, accuracy, and firepower, with a much more potent caliber than a pistol cartridge. Any rounds you may have to fire will have a better shot at stopping the threat, and less chance of going through too many walls.

More rounds, each one being much more effective, more accurate, and less dangerous downrange.

The handiness, and convenience of having a handgun is offset by it's limited lethality. It's ONLY benefits, are it's portability (in the holster) and concealability when out, and about. Something not needed in the home.

Sorry, but a handgun is what you have when you can't have a rifle. Nothing more. IMHO of course... Plan B at best.

[Ron3]

No doubt the rifle is deadlier. But it's far more likely to be taken or pushed aside by a bad guy while rounding a corner, door way, counter, appliance, furniture, checking a closet, etc.

[Doc Safari]

This thread is not supposed to be an argument about whether the carbine is better than the handgun for home defense.

We are assuming for purposes of this thread that for whatever reason you are using a carbine and we are discussing realistic scenarios for that.

[26 Inf]

At point blank range you can probably get by with point and shoot while you navigate narrow hallways. Your weapon light would be in the "constant on" position by now.

Doc, people have differing views regarding light usage.

The thing that I think can be pretty universally accepted is that once you trigger a light, anyone that sees the beam knows there is someone at the other end.

Try an experiment - get in the room that is at the end of the hallway - have someone come down the hallway with their light on. You will probably notice that you can track them by the beam's appearance in the room you are in. In any event, the moment that person activated the light, you knew their general location. Forewarned IS forearmed.

Based on my experiences, I want to either have myself in darkness while the other area is lit up - turning on overhead lights in the room from the hallway would be an example; or have lighting equal so the bad guy doesn't have an advantage. I learned to useuse lights sparingly while searching.

As I noted at the beginning, people have differing philosophies.