From: ems@michael.apple.com (E. Michael Smith)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: suggested weapons (was: Killing burglars.)
Date: 28 Aug 92 04:42:37 GMT
Organization: Apple Computer Inc, Cupertino, CA

In article <mjc.714864001@NL.CS.CMU.EDU> mjc+@cs.cmu.edu (Monica Cellio) writes:
>>1. shoot to kill to avoid lawsuits.
>>2. use a calibre large enough to take out a big hunk of meat, but not too
>>   large that a missed shot will pentrate walls and kill neighbors.

Large calibre, low power, good 'expansion' (hollow points or soft 
lead points or just soft lead all over ...)

>>3. keep club soda handy to clean up spilled blood and circumvent stains.
>
>So, what specific weapons and ammo do you folks recommend for home 
>protection?  Assume it's for an adult with no previous firearms experience
>(bows and crossbows aside) and a willingness to learn.  

This has been recently covered in rec.guns and you should look there
for more detail.  A brief synopsis is:

Get a revolver in .357 Magnum and practice with .38 special target
loads.  Move up to .357 loads when you are used to the .38's  (for 
some arcane reasons, a .38 Special will fire in a .357 gun since
they are the same diameter and the .357 was designed with this in mind.)

Only get a 'double action' revolver unless you know why you want 
something else ... in which case this posting isn't for you ...
Me, I like a 'single action' but don't use it for defense... I like
to think about living in the Old West while Gun Smoke is on the TV ...

The .357 Magnum with 110 or 125 grain hollowpoints has one of the 
best ratings for effectiveness.  CCI, Winchester, Remington, etc.
all make decent loads like this.

Colt, Smith & Wesson, Ruger.  They all make good guns.  Ruger is 
'Politically incorrect' in the gun owner circles these days for 
almost advocating gun control laws ... In the second price tier
there are Taurus, Charter Arms and some others that are also good.

Some folks advocate the .44 Magnum (which also shoots .44 Special),
but I'd hold off on this if you are a gun novice.  It kicks more
than the .357 and isn't as comfortable for most folks.

Above all else:  IF YOU GET A GUN LEARN HOW TO USE AND STORE IT WELL!

If you have firearms experience, get a semi-auto handgun in any 
reputable make for any of {9mm Parabellum, .45 APC, .40 S&W, .10mm,...}.
But if you have experience, you already know this ... so see rec.guns
for the latest religious arguments of Colt vs. Sig vs Glock vs Beretta ...
and .45 ACP vs 9mm vs 40 S&W vs 10 mm.  If you just HAVE TO HAVE
a gun like Magnum P.I., then get a COLT Government Model in .45 ACP
and learn to shoot it.  Me, I'd get the Glock or Beretta in 9mm
or .45 ACP.

If you don't want a handgun, get a pump action shotgun and load it 
up with small buckshot (some folks advocate lighter loads.  I, for
example, like using 'dove loads' with are a light loading of small
pellets.  It won't penetrate walls that well, but at interior ranges
acts as a single projectile about 1 inch in diameter ...)

The 12 gauge is about the only thing worth getting.  If it kicks
too much for you, get light loads ('dove' or 'target' loads).  You
can also consider a 20 gauge, but the ammunition and gun style options
available to you are much more limited.  I'd rather get a 12 guage
and load it light than a lighter guage and load it full ... the 
kick and impact will be about the same in either case.

The shortest gun legal in your locale with the highest legal shell
capacity is to be prefered.  Winchester makes a 'Defender' model.
Mossburg makes a similar 18 inch barrel model 500 somthing or other.
Remington also makes some good ones.  I have a Winchester, but 
most folks seem to buy the Mossburg (it is cheaper and more available
and has more optional stuff you can put on it.  I like the way
the Winchester feels, but my first gun (.22 LR Rifle) was a 
Winchester of simliar lines so I'm biased, I guess... 

>(Of course, no weapon
>gets into my house under *my* power before I've been properly trained with 
>it.)  

EVERYONE READ THAT LAST SENTENCE, TWICE!

>Goals are to maximize effectiveness (shooting to wound is stupid) while 
>minimizing both risk to others (pass-through on walls) and property damage.

Get the shotgun for max effectiveness, and load it light for minimum
wall penetration.

>I would have sent email, but I suspect there are others who would like to
>know.  I am not being sarcastic.

It's a valid topic, I guess.  But for the full info, see rec.guns or 
similar.

BTW, why the 'bows and crossbows aside'?  I just put the shotgun in 
a gun safe and put a compound bow behind the bedroom door since my
kids got big enough to pick the gun up ...

The bow, with hunting arrows, is rather effective (not in the same
legue as a shotgun, but not far off from a .380 ACP or .38 Special
on a 'typical' target).  It is self limiting in that the kids can't
pull it until they are big enough to know how to handle it.  It is
quiet.  It is harder to get sued for using your 'hobby equipment in a 
desperate attempt to save your life' than for 'blasting away like
Rambo with your ASSAULT SHOTGUN against my poor innocent Mr. Felloneous'.
And it is tranquil to practice with...

A good compound bow has a 50%+ 'let off' so a 50 lb bow takes 50 pounds
to pull it, but only 25 or less pounds to hold.  They can be had in 
pound ranges from 9 pounds (kids stuff, which my kids have... yes,
that is a COMPOUND 9 pound bow!) on up to 100 pounds.  Mine is 
ajustable from 40-70 lbs or so with 60% letoff.  A practiced archer
can get repeated shots about as fast as a decent lever action gunner...

Then again, I've had a few years of Karate and weigh about 200 lbs, 
so I can accept the outcome of a 200 lb wounded crook looking pissed
about the arrow in his shoulder... I hope ... 

-- 

E. Michael Smith  ems@apple.COM

'Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.  Boldness has
 genius, power and magic in it.'  -  Goethe

I am not responsible nor is anyone else.  Everything is disclaimed.
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