Home Defense meets reality...

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I was looking through the Mossberg 2009 Buyer's Guide last night and stopped on the 500 Road Blocker. I was really entranced by it and was thinking that this would be a great SD/HD firearm (for those that haven't seen the Road Blocker, there's a photo of it below). Fortunately, though, common sense started to prevail and I banished any thoughts of this as a SD/HD firearm. A muzzle brake? INDOORS?? My house has several narrow corridors leading to bedrooms, so engaging a BG with a weapon of this design would blast out my eardrums for good.

I then started to think about the most likely scenario for HD: inside the house and at night. Considering the blast noise from most large caliber firearms, I thought perhaps I should have my hearing protectors in the nightstand next to the pistols. In a real emergency, you're going to be calling out commands to family members, on the phone with 911, talking to police afterwards, etc., so protecting your hearing is important. But, would I REALLY want to put on hearing protection if a BG was suspected of breaking in? The answer is no. Hearing is one of the most important senses in these situations and you do not want to impair it while trying to assess the situation at hand.

Until recently, I hadn't given much thought as to the effect of a large caliber blast inside the house. It's one thing to fire a 44 mag on the range while wearing nice hearing and eye protection, but it's an entirely different matter blasting one inside your house in the dead of night. Flash blindness and concussive stun could be significant and make you very vulnerable.

Sitting next to my XD40 by the nightstand is a S&W Model 10, which I have now designated as my primary "night/inside gun". I have switched out any 38 Spl +P rounds for Hydra-Shok 110 gr with reduced flash. If I had to use it inside, it is still going to hurt and blind, but not nearly as much as my Remy 870 or large caliber pistol.

Anyway, food for thought...my $.02 doesn't buy much brain food nowadays... ;)
 

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Yes, I had just seen the road blocker yesterday on their web site. I thought it was quite rediculous. Aren't muzzle breaks most effective for follow up shots? In this case (pump shotgun with pistol grip) it's completely useless! I think it was Mossberg or Savage that had done the same thing on a small bore rifle. We came to the conclusion that they were aiming for the "mall ninja" market.
 
While the muzzle brake is good for reducing recoil, it's going to make things a LOT louder and the flash a lot brighter.

Give me my 870 Express.
 
While a muzzle brake does help with follow up shots, it's main purpose is to redistribute the gasses so the weapon doesn't recoil as much.
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If you've ever been standing around a long gun with a muzzle brake on it, you'd grok the OP. They make the weapon insanely, incredibly louder. It's PAINFUL to be around, even with hearing protection.

As with the OP, choosing a long gun that is muzzle heavy and defeaningly loud to no good end makes little sense to me, too. If recoil for the SO is an issue, I'd much rather get a 20" 20ga than a 18.5" muzzle-braked 12ga... I'd certainly NEVER get a shotgun without a full buttstock for anyone that is recoil shy..
 
That looks like McCarthy's worst nightmare, complete with that shoulder thing that goes up! I sure Barrett will call and ask for their muzzle brakes back.
 
Push come to shove, I'll risk losing a few cochlear cilia in order to have a .730 instead of a .38 for HD, thanks. I can do without muzzle brakes, ports and any other muzzle attachments though. Good technique arising from training and practice takes care of fast followup shots if needed...

lpl
 
Well, I sleep with earplugs. The wife snores loud enough to damage my cilia. :rolleyes: I don't like porting, normally, either, though. But, with the earplugs already in, I could use my .357 magnum in the house without hearing damage. The muzzle flash might be rather blinding, though.
 
That muzzle break is silly. I think it is just a marketing tool to make it appeal to someone who wants a really, really tough looking gun.

Still, I don't understand the worry about muzzle flash. Are you really ever going to be shooting in darkness with fully expanded pupils? If so, how can you identify your target?

The point is, if you have illuminated your target (flashlight, weaponlight, or light switch) then your pupils have already adjusted to the light and narrowed. The muzzle flash will not significantly change that fact and put you in any disadvantage (unless you are using 221 fireball for your SD firearm ;)). I think the low-flash thing is marketing. It is simply by-product of faster burning powder. The reason for faster burning powders is to increase velocity in short barreled firearms. :)
 
or save your money, hop on gunbroker and find something like one of these beauties: (this is probably someone from here's collection, whoever it is...I'm jealous) also note the glaring absence of "muzzle brakes".... shotguncollection.jpg
 
Still, I don't understand the worry about muzzle flash. Are you really ever going to be shooting in darkness with fully expanded pupils? If so, how can you identify your target?
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Quite possibly, yes. Consider the scenario with a BG at your bedroom door and you're half asleep (my kids do this to my wife and me on occasion and (1) it's startling, and (2) your pupils are very dilated). Also, consider the scenario where you're sweeping the house after hearing a disturbance. You may have a flashlight with you, but you wouldn't necessarily have it on; otherwise, you may become the target. Flash blindness could be an issue for that all-important second shot.
 
Wearing ear protection while there may be a bad guy around sounds like a bad idea to me. You need to be able to hear him. I've never shot a shotgun indoors w/o protection but I did let off an SKS in our living room when I was a teen (long story, but thank God it was pointed in a safe direction) and we were all surprised how little noise it made.

I hadn't thought about this muzzle flash thing but it seems to me the most important thing is to land that first shot. And I can't envision a case where I would take that shot without the target being lit well enough to recognize friend or foe.
 
You may have a flashlight with you, but you wouldn't necessarily have it on; otherwise, you may become the target.
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No. You have a LEGAL OBLIGATION to be sure of your target. You're not a soldier clearing a house in Iraq. You MUST know your target before you fire. So you need to have enough light in your house to ID the target or a tactical light. This trumps theoretical tactical considerations. Besides, for all the talk about giving positions away nobody has ever cited a case where home invaders were fast enough and clever enough to shoot a home owner by looking at his light (or his muzzle flash). Put a tactical light on a long gun and you'll have enormous advantages. You can see him with perfect clarity. All he sees is a blinding light. If he's armed, you shoot him immediately. If he's not armed, you hold him and phone the police.
 
I don't understand your point. Not having a flashlight on doesn't mean I cannot ID the intruder. My eyes see just fine in the dark, especially with enough ambient light emitted. Under NC's Castle Doctrine statute, I don't need to hold him for any reason per the guidelines below:

Use of deadly physical force against an intruder.

(a) A lawful occupant within a home or other place of residence is justified in using any degree of force that the occupant reasonably believes is necessary, including deadly force, against an intruder to prevent a forcible entry into the home or residence or to terminate the intruder's unlawful entry (i) if the occupant reasonably apprehends that the intruder may kill or inflict serious bodily harm to the occupant or others in the home or residence, or (ii) if the occupant reasonably believes that the intruder intends to commit a felony in the home or residence.

(b) A lawful occupant within a home or other place of residence does not have a duty to retreat from an intruder in the circumstances described in this section.

Of course, I am only addressing this as a resident of North Carolina. Your state (and others') may have entirely different statutes.
 
My eyes see just fine in the dark,
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If you can see well enough to ID your target, you should be fine. Personally I can't see in the dark very well. Can you see your sights?

nder NC's Castle Doctrine statute, I don't need to hold him for any reason per the guidelines below
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If your plan is to start blasting at an unidentified person in your house under the Castle doctrine, you'd better be absolutely sure it's not some relative or friend. Beyond identification, there's also the little issue of BEING ABLE TO AIM in the dark. Have you ever actually shot something in the middle of the night? It's not as easy as I expected it to be. The tactical light helps enormously.
 
I keep a set of electronic earmuffs next to my bed, which do an excellent job of taking care of the hearing situation. I would also be tempted to grab one of my long barrelled shotguns over the shorter stuff in my particular scenario because of they make for a huge reduction in blast/flash.
 
If your plan is to start blasting at an unidentified person in your house under the Castle doctrine, you'd better be absolutely sure it's not some relative or friend. Beyond identification, there's also the little issue of BEING ABLE TO AIM in the dark. Have you ever actually shot something in the middle of the night? It's not as easy as I expected it to be. The tactical light helps enormously.
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Very true. It's not very easy to do. I have epoxied Lum-Tec solution on my sights for good visibility at night (kudos to the THR who recommended that) and I have done live-fire exercises at night (both in military and civilian). I do have a flashlight mounted on my 870 and XD40 just in case I need it; if I cannot ID in the dark, a quick flip of the switch should do the trick.

Good comments, thanks. I appreciate the feedback, Cosmoline (and, incidentally, where exactly is the "Raggedy Edge of the Verse"? :) ).
 
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BINGO to the electronic hearing muffs. IF you're that worried about BG's inside, then those would be a wise investment. Allows you to hear soft sounds while protecting your ears from permanent damage from muzzle blasts
 
Good call on the electronic hearing muffs! They're pricey, for sure, but a wise investment for the range and HD.
 
Cosmoline said:
No. You have a LEGAL OBLIGATION to be sure of your target. You're not a soldier clearing a house in Iraq. You MUST know your target before you fire. So you need to have enough light in your house to ID the target or a tactical light. This trumps theoretical tactical considerations. .
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Is this true? In all states?

I live alone. *No one* should be entering my house at nite without permission. My plan is to yell for the intruder to identify themselves (if they enter at nite). If they dont, I dont feel that I have any further obligation to identify them myself. I have told the people who might need to know, like neighbors, that they need to ID themselves if they come for assistance in the night (and they arent likely to break in).

What is the law here?
 
If your state has a very strong Texas style castle doctrine you may be able to assume the intruder is out to do you harm, but to fire blindly at a shape you think and hope is such an intruder is very risky and that sort of thing has ended in tragedy before. There are also ethical obligations beyond the law, and the very real problem of how to aim at a dark shadow amongst dark shadows, when you cannot even see your own sights. Now if you have lots of nightlights and such you may already have the situation resolved.

Personally when I'm awoken at 3AM I'm not at my best and I'll be lucky to find my own glasses. I need all the help I can get, which means a long gun with a tactical light.
 
Quite possibly, yes. Consider the scenario with a BG at your bedroom door and you're half asleep (my kids do this to my wife and me on occasion and (1) it's startling, and (2) your pupils are very dilated).
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You have just made my point. :) How do you know it is a BG? Firing before identifying your target is absolutely incorrect and could be incredibly tragic. Would you really fire without being absolutely positive that your target was indeed an intruder? I don't think anyone would advocate that course of action. If you can do so without using a light, then you must have an amazing amount of ambient light in your home at night. :scrutiny: Most of us sleep in the dark.

A flash of your weapon mounted light to identify your target is the necessary and responsible way to proceed. Muzzle flash should be the least of your concerns at that point, and is irrelevant.

I, for one, am not going to take the time to put on hearing protection either. Just how much time do you think you will have? Why not go ahead and put on body armor and a football helmet while you are at it (don't forget the chin strap):p. I'm sure the bad guy will wait for you. Just call a 'time-out'.
 
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