169 – Our Rifle Bias: Setting Up The Best Gun for Home Defense

You should have a rifle. Handguns suck…comparatively. Rifles, by contrast, are awesome. By and large, in fact, a rifle — specifically an AR15 — is going to be your best gun for home defense. Particularly with the appropriate (in fact, we would say mandatory) accessories.

Agree? Disagree? That’s what we’re going to talk about in Episode 169 of The Mag Life Blog: our rifle bias, why we think the way we do, and why we hope to bring you to our way of thought too.

Now, let’s clarify a few things.

1. Should you have a pistol? Absolutely, if it’s legal in your state. After all, unless you’re Steve Fisher/Zeke Stout/Gregor Clegane sized, you’re going to need a handgun for concealed carry. But in a fight where a rifle is a practicable (and pragmatic) option — such as in your home, where you can stage a long gun —  then a rifle is going to be the better option.

Steve Fisher of Sentinel Concepts on the range at Alliance Police Training.
Steve Fisher of Sentinel Concepts demonstrates shooting on the move at the Alliance Police Training range. Fisher can carry a carbine concealed: we recommend the rest of you stick with a handgun.

2. From a gun handling perspective, at least as home defense weapons go (i.e. ability to manipulate your weapon and hit what you’re aiming at), the term “rifle” in this context could actually mean literally rifle, but could also be interpreted as a carbine, PCC, AR15/AR10 pistol, etc. Calibers will, of course, be a contentious issue, but even that discussion won’t (in most cases) refute the long gun over handgun assertion.

Using an AR pistol style weapon for a home defense gun

3. We mention the AR due to the ubiquity of that weapon. This could easily be changed to AK, FAL, G3, etc.

Here’s the discussion. As always, if you have questions that weren’t addressed, hit us up in the comments below. We’ll try to get ’em answered in a future episode.  Editor

 


 

Host: Daniel Shaw

Co-Host: Varg Freeborn

Introduction/Timeline: David Reeder

 

AR 15 Setup

Equipping the best gun for home defense

Timeline

00:40 Why should someone have a good rifle?

01:05 What are the advantages of a rifle?

• greater magazine capacity (typically)

• faster, more accurate faster shots on target

• better recoil management

• mitigation of fundamental errors vs. how they manifest in a handgun

 

Outside of concealment considerations, the rifle is a superior weapon in basically every single way.

 

01:18 Effectiveness of fighting with a rifle vs. handgun and how each platform handles the elements of marksmanship.

A vertical foregrip of some kind is often a popular accessory but isn't often really necessary.

02:25 The rifle for hearth and home: beginning the discussion, why is it the best home defense gun?

03:05 Rifle setup. Differences (if any) between a “fighting” rifle (such as one for duty) and home defense. How that impacts “advanced safety” and benefits accurate gunhandling and effect PID.

a long gun is our choice for the best home defense gun -- AK, FAL, whatever
Inside your house, outside your house…in most cases (and with the appropriate accouterments and ammunition selection) a rifle is our preferred choice for “best home defense gun”; no matter what country it comes from.

03:40 Weapon lights and Positive Identification (PID): why a WML is the most obvious bit of rifle furniture that a home defense (or any fighting/defense gun) should have a light.

04:50 WML build and features (capabilities and characteristics of the light). Note Varg’s point about busting a light in the doorway of a shoothouse! Remember, you don’t have to have the best/most expensive light, but you should have the best light you can afford.

Training with a Stribog PCC.
If it has a rail, and there’s any chance you’ll have to fight with it, put a WML on. If there isn’t a rail, find a different way to mount it up! No home defense gun should be without a light. 

09:30 Daniel Shaw and Varg Freeborn: their personal rifles (both AR and AK types).

Using an AK 47 in non standard positions on the range.

11:10 Freeborn and Shaw: rifle set up, particularly the Low Powered Variable Optic (LPVO).

Daniel Shaw showing off a carbine build (with low powered variable optic).

12:20 Struggling with sights…how hard use and training lead DS to identify a weakness in his Magpul BUIS — and why it behooves all of us to train hard in order to identify potential failure points of equipment. Have gear for the worst-case scenario.

13:30 Slings and QDs — slings are an integral part of manipulating the weapon.

Slings are a funny thing. You’re gonna have a love-hate relationship with your sling. The sling does a lot of things for you.

17:20 How Shaw and Freeborn arrange their slings, and why.

Rifle slings do a lot more for you than just hanging it around your neck.

22:10 Optics and LPVO mounting and use.

25:08 Advantages of a higher mount (and “creating a vice” around the gun).

27:05  Muzzle device: brakes, comps, and flash hiders.

The best home defense gun should have a flash hider for a muzzle device.

29:50 Magazine selection

Note: for the video referenced here, watch “The 31 round magazine.” 

35:00 Accessorizing for a purpose. The right accouterment (or “furniture”) for the right reasons.

 

Weigh in with comments, concerns, clarifications, and your opinions!

 

Older rifles can be just as effective as newer ones for use as a home defense gun.
Older rifles can be just as effective as newer ones for use as a home defense gun…or for that matter, “art guns” (which are newer guns disguised as older guns!).
Gunmag Training's Chief Instructor Daniel Shaw is a retired US Marine Infantry Unit Leader with multiple combat tours and instructor titles.  Since retirement from the Marine Corps, Daniel teaches Armed Citizens and Law Enforcement Officers weapons, tactics and use of force. Daniel takes his life of training and combat experience and develops as well as presents curriculum to help Law Enforcement, US Military and Responsible Armed Citizens prepare for a deadly force encounter.  When he isn't directing marketing for Gunmag Warehouse, Daniel travels the US teaching and training under Gunmag Training, and discusses all things hoplological and self-defense related on The MagLife Podcast.

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11 thoughts on “169 – Our Rifle Bias: Setting Up The Best Gun for Home Defense

  1. Have a SIG 556 that is too heavy and unwieldily for in-house defense. Love my Fulton Armory M3 Scout Carbne. All new parts, chrome lined barrel, picatinny rail for a red dot and tactical light, short & maneuverable, weighs 5 pounds. With Hornady FTX ammo, a potent, easy to shoot personal defense weapon. My 12-year old grandson easily can handle it.

  2. I was trained with both the 12Ga pump shotgun and M4.I also have an AK47.I like them all including a 1911 handgun.I agree with your discussion but the nagging question is always there what ammo for each.

  3. I have the Mossburg 930 semi auto, 1911 45 acp, Mac 10 defender 45 acp, and ar10 308 for back up. Wish I had four hands. No children in the house. Just me and the wife.

    1. I had to break in my Mossberg 930 SPX with heavy loads for a long time, to finally get it reliable…At room distances, it’s excellent.

  4. After talking to a sheriff on the phone to report a suspicious luxury car out in front of our house, three guys quickly jumped out of the car and ran up our driveway, with one of them heading toward the rear. I almost panicked but told the sheriff I was grabbing my shotgun. At that time, I didn’t really have time to think which weapon to use but for whatever reason, I grabbed it and went downstairs with it. It was over 15 minutes before the first sheriff came. But in retrospect, I thought that I would probably rather have an AR especially when faced with multiple criminals, which actually turned out to be 4. Faster follow-up shots because of less recoil is a big consideration. The main one for me though was the potential aftermath of a shooting. A 12-gauge shotgun just seemed too gruesome. I’d hate to live with the memory of what the shotgun would have left if I had shot someone or several people with it. But the more important consideration is over penetration. At least one person demonstrates that the AR is thee ideal weapon for mitigating over penetration, even more ideal than a 9mm pistol. He used several weapons using various calibers and the AR with hollow points penetrated an abandoned home’s walls the least. Over penetration is a huge consideration for me because I live in a suburb with several homes surrounding me plus a park.

    1. The .45 ACP does not over penetrate. LuckyGunner.com did some penetration tests and the .45 ACP was one of the least penetrating. It doesn’t have the velocity. And with hollow points it expands quickly.

    2. In a life situation, in the dark, and outnumbered, you will likely miss at least 1/2 your shots with a rifle. The 5.56mm will penetrate multiple walls in houses, even exterior walls unless they are brick. In a crowded neighborhood, that is a tragedy in the making.

      1. Yes, I’m sure that’s true about the 5.56 but not about the .223 in JHP. I’ve read about the AR-15 penetrating the least and I previously mentioned that video where the most popular calibers are used in an abandoned house. But what solidified the AR-15 as my weapon of choice for home defense is that the testing was repeated several times, and the .223 continued to penetrate the least. I was surprised by the outcome because I didn’t expect a rifle round, especially one from an AR-15, to penetrate the least compared to even a 9mm round. The only problem with an AR-15 for home defense is the deafening sound that it causes indoors.

  5. For home defense, at the usual ranges involved, I would go with a shotgun, either a pump or a semiauto. Shotguns are very effective ‘stoppers’ with the right ammunition. They are much less likely to penetrate walls and hit people you don’t want to hit. And less likely to endanger your neighbors. I had a rifle bias when I was in the Army (many years ago). as a civilian my ideas have changed. If I were in a situation where longer range threats might be involved, of course I would prefer a rifle. However I do keep a handgun very handy.

  6. Home Defense? My go to is a shorter barrel shotgun with a full stock, open choke, 12 gauge firing #4 steal shot . Pump or auto, your choice. Much less wall penetration, noise, flash and is perfect for in home distances. Cheap to use and easy to find ammo for. It will definitely get the job done.

  7. My home defense gun for inside the house is an Ithaca 37 riot gun with an 18″ full choke bore. It is DEADLY at room distance! It’s easy to shoot with fairly mild recoil if you choose the right ammunition. It’s not as loud as an AR-15 and doesn’t penetrate nearly as much.

    The first dead man I ever saw was shot with a similar shotgun at close range by a 71 year old policeman. He did not shoot back and he did not get up off the ground. He looked like he was taking a nap but snow fall was sticking on his face. no trial, no lawyers, no lawsuits, etc…
    Case closed. This made a believer out of me.

    I’ve talked to men who used riot guns as policemen and soldiers in WW2 and Viet Nam and also trauma Doctors and they all told me a 12 shogun will stop a bad guy, usually permanently

    Back-up for my shotgun is a Winchester 30-30 and a Glock 21. My wife has a Saiga 410 shotgun she can handle very well. Her other option is a Nylon 66 loaded with 22 high speed hollow points.
    I told her if she has to shoot at an intruder just fire a warning shot to the left eye and they’ll leave you alone.

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