Mobile Home - Defense

[r.garza04]

Hey guys Ive been thinking about something for a few months and I cant make up my mind. Im looking for a 20 ga or .410 for my wife for home defense. I rent a house at the moment, but we will be moving into a mobile home by Feb of next year. Most likely the unit would have been built around 1998 or 2000.

My fear is to buy something with too much penetration and cause injury to my child or my neighbors. Anyone have good advice as to what I should buy. Maybe not even go with a shotgun?

Ive done tons of research but just about everyone has a "elitist" attitude more than likely and never really go into detail for their reasoning.

Please advise as much as possible.

[CnA]

Here is a site that shows actual penetration of different calibers through layers of sheetrock.

Rifle and handgun rounds
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot1.htm

Shotguns rounds
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3.htm

[Ruger]

In a mobile home frangible ammunition might be the way to go.

[hopeitsfast]

In a mobile home frangible ammunition might be the way to go.
It depends. If it has standard drywall, then it is the same as a house with vinyl siding. If it has something different like 1/4 inch DW or that paneling stuff, then i would agree with you.

[Big_Jim]

Hey guys Ive been thinking about something for a few months and I cant make up my mind. Im looking for a 20 ga or .410 for my wife for home defense. I rent a house at the moment, but we will be moving into a mobile home by Feb of next year. Most likely the unit would have been built around 1998 or 2000.

My fear is to buy something with too much penetration and cause injury to my child or my neighbors. Anyone have good advice as to what I should buy. Maybe not even go with a shotgun?

Ive done tons of research but just about everyone has a "elitist" attitude more than likely and never really go into detail for their reasoning.

Please advise as much as possible.


First off, good job in looking out for your families safety.

Regardless of what type of firearm you choose there a couple points to consider. First, let the wife have input in the decision as, like you said, it is for her. Second, no matter what you end up with, she has to practice with it and be comfortable with its recoil and operation under adverse conditions. You cant just go buy a shotgun and load it up, lean it in a corner and tell her to shoot any badguys that come in.

Although I have a variety of suitable HD guns, in my house we use Glock 9mm's and Rem 870 20 ga. shotguns. Why? Because thats what my wife has practiced with and is comfortable with.

After you get that taken care of then go with a good HP for the 9 and some buckshot for the SG.

PS. Buy a good tactical style flashlight as well.

[r.garza04]

Thanks for the advice guys, especially Big Jim! Absolutely agree that she must practice with what she has to be proficient and comfortable in the first place.

I was thinking about a 9mm in the back of my head but the shotgun idea was dominant. You guys absolutely helped a bunch and I will be looking into Frangible ammo.

Thanks Again!

[Mike in Michigan]

I suggest rethinking the buckshot loads for indoor use. Buckshot will penetrate most 2x4 and drywall partitions and will surely go through any mobile home walls. Consider loading the magazine so that the first rounds fired are #6 or #4, going to progressively larger shot as the shotgun is fired, assuming the situation to escalate. Better yet, make at least the first round one of the non-lethal rounds (rubber shot, shot filled bean bag, etc.). That gives you a gold star against the inevitable questions from the DA regarding the need for lethal force. Having seen forensic video and photos of actual shotgun damage to the human body done by various size shot at close range, I see no real need for buck shot in confined spaces, especially when there is the danger to innocents in the next room.

[Big_Jim]

Thanks for the advice guys, especially Big Jim! Absolutely agree that she must practice with what she has to be proficient and comfortable in the first place.

I was thinking about a 9mm in the back of my head but the shotgun idea was dominant. You guys absolutely helped a bunch and I will be looking into Frangible ammo.

Thanks Again!


Glad to help. PM me if you have any specific questions. I don't mind.

[Toledo Kid]

Do you have a Good Dog laying around???

[r.garza04]

I have a 5 pound chihuahua guarding my house lol. Thanks again Jim and if I do come accross any questions I will throw them your way.

Thanks for the additional advice guys!

[wchancey]

I don't live in a mobile home , but I do keep my 870 loaded for defense.

I have told my family in case of trouble immediately hit the floor as flat as possible or if they hear me scream FLOOR !!

[Mike in Michigan]

wchancey's suggestion is very good advice. The problem lies in getting the family members to follow it in a panic situation. Unless you have home invasion drills on a regular basis, you cannot be sure untrained individuals, especially children will remember what they are supposed to do when it goes down.

[kimberlady]

consider a german shepherd! Not as a replacement for a gun, but a replacement for the chihuaha!! lol

[seeker01]

I have a 5 pound chihuahua guarding my house lol. Thanks again Jim and if I do come accross any questions I will throw them your way.
Thanks for the additional advice guys!
...put a couple of cycles of steroids, and it will be about 8 pounds of MUSCLE with an ATTITUDE ;-)

[Tungsram]

The best home security IMHO is a well trained, decent sized dog. A barking dog is a terrific deterent, and they would likely move on to another place, leaving you safe and sound.

Aside from that, a .410 pump would be a good choice in that it is very managable for a small-framed person to handle. It's also very reliable and simple in operation. Also, with the assortment of different ammunitions, it is diverse and can accomodate many different needs.

Having a nightstand pistol is nice, but if I hear someone kicking in the door, you can bet I'll grab my Rem870 12ga first (#6 shot). There is no mistaking the sound of racking a shell into the chamber, and that sound alone may cause an invader to think twice about sticking around.

[hopeitsfast]

There is no mistaking the sound of racking a shell into the chamber, and that sound alone may cause an invader to think twice about sticking around
:popcorn:

[Tungsram]

:popcorn:
I know.

Short of a serious home invader who is intent on killing you...

Your typical criminal will likely run in the other direction if he knows that you have the upper hand. Assuming it's night time and quiet, then they likely couldn't see you anyway, so perhaps that "sound" could make the difference between having to pull the trigger or not. Yelling "I have a gun" seems like it would be pointless.

A Russian mob hit-squad will shoot it out with you, and likely a shotgun won't be enough to begin with.