[quote]pushharder wrote:
I agree. Mossberg makes a short barreled 20 gauge, semi-auto “tactical” shotgun that I think would be perfect for home defense.
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+1. Do not get the one with the pistol grip. Pump is better if there are kids around, since I’d probably leave a shotgun loaded with one in the chamber if a semi-auto.
Re: the advice about an AK-47, this is a bad choice. That’s a large bullet and has some recoil. The more modern AK-74, in contrast, has a very little recoil at all. A 100lb person could easily shoot it.
That said, any rifle with a magazine (AR-15, AK, whatever) is psychologically hard for a novice to use.
I’d strongly recommend sticking with a 20g or a larger revolver (.357 with .38 specials).
[quote]Mr Bojangles wrote:
If my the way my Asian mates drive is any indication I’d be keeping your mrs well away from anything with bullets…[/quote]
Which is about the equivalent of saying to someone with an Australian wife, “if the way my Aussie mates drink is any indication I’d be keeping your Mrs. well away from the medicine cabinet…”
[quote]cstratton2 wrote:
Shotgun for sure, you do not want her having a carbine or 45 caliber for home defense. If there are kids in the home they could be hit by stray fire which will travel through walls. [/quote]
A shotgun is about twice as powerful as carbine…it’ll probably go into the next house.
[quote]cstratton2 wrote:
Shotgun for sure, you do not want her having a carbine or 45 caliber for home defense. If there are kids in the home they could be hit by stray fire which will travel through walls. [/quote]
A shotgun is about twice as powerful as carbine…it’ll probably go into the next house.[/quote]
Your shot will determine that.
There isn’t a one size fits all solution. What will be best for you won’t be best for someone else. Shotguns and revolvers will work best for most people.
Three other things have occurred to me that have not been touched on.
Many gun ranges do rentals. Call around and see if there is one that she could try a variety of firearms and find one she is comfortable with.
www.thefiringline.com is a very good resource for information about firearms. It is moderated and they do a good job of weeding out the dipshits. One of the moderators there, pax, is basically the Yoda of women’s firearm issues.
pax has a website, The Cornered Cat, that is an excellent resource for the female shooter.
[quote]cstratton2 wrote:
Shotgun for sure, you do not want her having a carbine or 45 caliber for home defense. If there are kids in the home they could be hit by stray fire which will travel through walls. [/quote]
A shotgun is about twice as powerful as carbine…it’ll probably go into the next house.[/quote]
Well, yes and no.
The aggregate kinetic energy of a 12-gauge shotgun is about 25% higher than a .30-06 rifle, or over two times the energy developed by a 7.62x39 or 5.56mm projectile. If you were firing a slug, or a sabot, or a round lead ball, then yes, it would go through your target and likely penetrate the wall beyond.
However, take into account the reduced velocity and weight of each individual projectile in a shotshell. An 18-inch-barrelled, 20-gauge shotgun (which is what a small-framed Asian lady would probably be shooting) firing a standard 2 3/4" no. 1 or 2 buck load is the equivalent of having a James Bond 7.65 Walther PPK that can perform the magic trick of sending all 12 soft lead bullets into a 3" group at the exact same instant.
Penetration is nowhere near that of a .223 from an AR carbine, but kinetic energy, which is what I think you mean when you say “power” is considerably higher.