From: jheath@fieldofdreams.npirs.purdue.edu (Jim Heath)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: Best defense: Machine gun or shotgun?
Date: 27 Jul 92 21:36:11 GMT
Organization: Center for Environmental and Regulatory Information Systems, Purdue University

#From article <9207262227.AA02241@gtephx.com>, by forda@gtephx.UUCP (Andrew Ford @ AGCS, Phoenix, Arizona):
# In article <1992Jul24.163830.22825@CERIS.Purdue.EDU>, jheath@fieldofdreams.npirs.purdue.edu (Jim Heath) writes:
# # # In my home, I'd want at least 4 or 5 weapons including short shotgun, 
# # # a good medium to large game rifle, a high capacity .22 rifle, several
# # # handguns, and, if possible, a sub-machine gun.  
# # # 
# # # If I had to leave, I'd want to have two handguns on me (preferably a
# # # high capacity auto and a revolver) and a shotgun.  (Short range
# # # defense only -- if I'm out and about I'll run first / fight as
# # # a last resort: if I'm home, I'll fight ASAP [I'm talking riots and/or
# # # general anarchy here]).
# # 
# # Why not 2 high capacity autos (or 3 if you can hide 'em) or 2
# # revolvers that use the same ammo?  (Oh those would be
# # self-loaders that use the same magazines)  
# 
# The high-capacity auto would obviously be the weapon of choice.
# However, in being out and about during a riot one may encounter
# situations where weapons would be abused (ie: dropped, fallen
# upon, dunked in mud/water/dirt, etc): it seems to me that a 
# revolver will continue to be operational for longer than a 
# auto pistol given the same level of abuse and assuming that
# the barrel does not get blocked.  (Revolvers have fewer moving
# parts to get gummed up.)  
#

Which is why Smith & Wesson 686s won the trials for the armed
forces sidearm, right? ;-{)  From what little experience I have
had with Glocks (for instance) and the reports I have read about
them, I still think I would go with a self-loader, possibly in
.40 S&W (seems like the best compromise between capacity and
power).  I have never tried it, but I have a feeling that a mud
bath would be more likely to do in a revolver than a
self-loader.
 
# # I have the impression that it wasn't a good idea to wander about
# # LA with a shotgun during the riots. 
# 
# I had the impression that it wasn't a good idea to be outside at all
# in LA during the riots: however, children need food and water and one
# should be prepared to venture out to obtain necessities (and then 
# get your *ss back home ASAP!).
# 

Hmmm, one could always shoot and eat looters ;-{) but they might
be hard to find when you actually wanted one.

# I would limit it to two handguns because of weight considerations
# (but you make a good point about similar ammo -- maybe a DE would
# be a good idea -- carry two guns and one type of ammo): obviously,
# I'd be going out to get something and I would like to be able to 
# return home ASAP.
#

What's a DE?  I like the Glock system with the extended magazine
(30 rds?) and might carry a couple of those magazines if I owned
the Glocks ;-{).  I think the FBI has some for their S&Ws as
well.  Are they available to the general public? 
-- 
"Land of song, said the warrior bard,           Jim Heath
Though all the world betrays thee.
One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard, (The Minstrel Boy)
One faithful harp will praise thee."         (Thomas Moore)