a handgun is only for when you can't get to a long gun for self defense.

[KodiakBeer]

The fact is that _I_ can reach a handgun faster than you can reach a long arm.

I have handguns also, quite a few in fact. But if I have the opportunity, I'm coming at my attacker with a real gun. Arguing in favor of a handgun over a shotgun or rifle is akin to arguing in favor of a pocket knife over a sword. I think you may have a rather exaggerated view about how effective a handgun is.

 

[bigfatdave]

just because you can get to your car doesn't mean that you will be able to MOVE your car.

You have feet, don't you?
A traffic jam is not really a good reason to grab a long gun and turn around.

When the heck did we (as a society) become so dependent on taking a private vehicle everywhere we go? Here's a thought, maybe you're more than a mall parking lot away from your car once in a while, and maybe you walk somewhere or >gasp!< take some kind of shared transport (bus, train, carpool, waterslide, whatever) once in a while.
I suppose if one is chained to an automobile anyway, they might as well keep a rifle, shotgun, Gatling gun, RPG, and some landmines in there, "just in case" ... I'm more worried about my vehicle being stolen than I am about some situation I can't solve with a handgun but can by ... running to my car ... getting out a suitably secured long gun ... and heading back in.
I feel dumber for even trying to picture such a scenario, and while we have firearms because of the consequences and not the odds, the odds of a vehicle theft DO have to be weighed against the odds of such an impossible situation.

 

[mljdeckard]

I'm not.

 

[bigfatdave]

not what?

 

[mljdeckard]

More worried that my car will be stolen than that I might need a rifle. I HAVE NEEDED a rifle more than once in my life. Not only has my car never been stolen, it's not a common occurance around here.

I said before, there are reasons that keeping a rifle in my vehicle matches my lifestyle. I never said that it matches for everyone.

 

[ChaoSS]

I have handguns also, quite a few in fact. But if I have the opportunity, I'm coming at my attacker with a real gun. Arguing in favor of a handgun over a shotgun or rifle is akin to arguing in favor of a pocket knife over a sword. I think you may have a rather exaggerated view about how effective a handgun is.

I think you have a rather exaggerated view about how ineffective a handgun is.

Look, if you only have knives available, the long sword is going to be easier to kill someone with, but if I had an array of blades in my house and no guns, and I had to defend myself, I'd be reaching for the short sword. Still quite capable of killing someone very quickly, and much less awkward in the confines of the house.

 

[miestro_jerry]

I keep a rifle in my van a lot of the time, when I have to go to the mall, the rifle stays at home and my J frame or Glock goes in my belt.

The closest population center that has a police force is still too close to me and it is a 20 to 30 minute trip.

There are no LEOs in my area, haven't seen a deputy out here since I moved here. I have seen the staties once or twice a month flying past, but I am not in their world.

Each weapon has it's purpose and it's uses. In some cases I think some of my pistols will do more damage to a human than some of my varmit rifles.

Jerry

 

[oldfool]

wow
I am just a tad amazed this one has lasted so long, and with many good points made by those so obviously of different mindsets..

but me still thinks it's offense vs defense mindset -
and mebbe (in some small part) sheepdawg vs family friendly german shepherd dawg
(GSDs could care less who "else" gets hurt, much less themselves, but it better not happen to them that they own... unless it looks helpless, be it a small bunny or a small child)
me always have been fond of GSDs, but never have considered myself the equal of any who owned me, much less any sheepdawg I ever saw at work, much even less a well trained pit bull with a 30 round mag

so... obliged to still agree w/ David E & those of a similar mindset

but keep it going... maybe I will change my mind

and get an RPG to replace my "bedside" revolver,
can't very well say a RPG ain't more "effective" than a six shooter, or any rifle of any caliber, or any shotgun of any gauge..
recoil is just a tad hefty, but over penetration thru walls not much of a concern, unless they be somewhere pretty close to the house, and with proper tactical training technique, RPGs really can be handed well in tight quarters, CQC
good sight radius, point real well
relatively light recoil, considering
maybe a bit loud, but under stress, adrenaline will probably negate that anyway
and will clear a room like nothing else you can carry by yourself will, guaranteed (not even a 308 bullpup at 15 feet) !
anything within 30 feet or so of aim point pretty much qualifies as COM hit
(even if you do miss 1st round, they prolly ain't going to get back up before you reload, not even with a "single shot")
and really not that hard to conceal in whatever it is you are running to, whilst getting to it with your handgun of choice
WILL make that horde of MS-13 machete wielding gangbangers think twice about ambushing YOU again at the local quickie-stop gas-n-beer

hmmm...
mebbe I will start parking my 30-30 by bedside
ain't over 'til the fat lady sings, and this thread might just be a record breaker

good news for me is, I do own "both" (rifles/shotguns),
if just stock up on duct tape, I will pretty much have it covered

bad news is, don't own no RPG (yet)
but the day day ain't over with yet (?)... glancing at the clock here
and lots of ARs are going down fast in price, certain to keep dropping in price
"his" RPG, and "hers" AR ??
could happen

donchajustluv Friday nights on gun forums ?

 

[David E]

Arguing in favor of a handgun over a shotgun or rifle is akin to arguing in favor of a pocket knife over a sword.

Maybe. I can carry a pocket knife all the time. I can't carry a sword all the time. I can access my pocket knife faster from my pocket than I could get the sword from the corner or from the closet.

As a recent "Deadliest Warrior" showed, a short bladed knife can inflict some deadly damage pretty damn quick....long before a sword could be reached and wielded.

Does this mean a sword is worthless? Not at all, but there are some tasks that a knife (gun) WITH you can solve far better than the sword (long gun) placed elsewhere.

Change the situation from defensive to offensive, you can bet I'll go with the sword. But for general purpose defensive use, I'll trust my large bocote scaled Sebenza.

 

[KodiakBeer]

Maybe. I can carry a pocket knife all the time. I can't carry a sword all the time. I can access my pocket knife faster from my pocket than I could get the sword from the corner or from the closet.

I'm talking about home defense, not zombie apocalypse or ninja training. If all you have is a handgun, use it. If you have a carbine or shorty shotgun, use that. Use the most lethal weapon you have.

 

[FLAvalanche]

Here's my opinion for what it's worth, which in today's economy is about squat.

I'm not a big proponet for using shotguns as self defence weapons. Either at home or in public and for several reasons. It's just easier to carry and use a pistol, especially at home. They are slow to reload and their rate of fire is slower than a handgun at least if you're using a pump or even worse a single shot which seems to be making headway as the perfect home defence weapon for some silly, silly reason. You need two hands to operate a shotgun which can be a hinderance given the situation.

Rifles are even worse and I'll end that arguement with one word...overpenetration.

While there are times when a rifle or shotgun may have it's place in a SD situation I still prefer a handgun. Easier to conceal, easier to reload, faster rate of fire, one handed operation if necessary, easier to manipulate in closed quarters, etc.

 

[General Geoff]

Rifles are even worse and I'll end that arguement with one word...overpenetration.

Won't somebody please make this myth stop?


FLAvalanche, I personally keep a Springfield M1A prepped for home defense duty, on a shelf above my bed. It's stoked with Hornady TAP 155gr ballistic tipped/hollow lead cavity ammunition. It reliably penetrates ~14-15 inches of gelatin while expanding and fragmenting up to that point. I wouldn't exactly call that overpenetration. Penetration is something easily addressed by ammunition type, not necessarily caliber.

 

[David E]

I'm talking about home defense, not zombie apocalypse or ninja training.

Where do you get that?

Home invasions are on the rise. Suspicious noises have always been. A handgun allows a faster response than a long gun. No zombie apocalypse or ninja training involved at all.

Long arms typically require two hands to operate and are difficult to wield in tight, confined spaces. Handguns win in those situations. Add the faster response and you have a pretty convincing argument for a suitable handgun.

I'm not trying to convince you to forget about your long arm, I'm just pointing out some major oversights in your assessment.

 

[General Geoff]

A handgun allows a faster response than a long gun.

In certain situations, this may be true. The purpose of a pistol over a long gun is accessibility.

Long arms typically require two hands to operate and are difficult to wield in tight, confined spaces.

Requiring two hands is not always a deficit. Using two hands makes the firearm more difficult to wrestle away from you, and also gives you more leverage in the event you must use it as a melee weapon (bashing or stabbing w/bayonet).

As for difficulty to wield in tight, confined spaces, this is what short barreled carbines are for. Do you see our soldiers clearing buildings over in the sandbox with M9 pistols? No. They use M4s, for a multitude of reasons.

If you expect a gun fight, and can't avoid it, always bring a long gun.


Think of it like this. If you're expecting to put out a fire, which would you rather have, a fire extinguisher or a hose and hydrant wrench? (yes I realize someone will reply "what if there's no hydrant nearby?" or "what if it's a chemical fire," etc.. there are exceptions to every rule, and technical-details-minded individuals such as gun enthusiasts are a hard crowd to cater to, with analogies ).

 

[KodiakBeer]

A handgun allows a faster response than a long gun.

Why? My shotgun and 1911 are next to my bed and I can grab one as quick as the other.
It may not be as tactical as your cunning plan to have guns hidden around your house, but I don't keep a pistol hidden under the toilet paper roll in my bathroom. I don't keep a pistol inside a fake turkey in my freezer. I don't have an old VCR that pops out a Glock when I hit the button on my remote. And I'm sure as hell not going to walk around in my own house with a handgun strapped on.

My plan (as paltry as it may be), it to get my shotgun and deal with it while the wife grabs her revolver (on her side of the bed) and dials 911. Anybody coming at me gets to experience what a load of buckshot to the chest feels like. Anybody running out the door gets to keep running.

 

[General Geoff]

I don't have an old VCR that pops out a Glock when I hit the button on my remote.

This must be invented. I nearly spat out my beverage as I read this.

 

[Sam1911]

Anyone else notice that the OP hasn't said a word since setting the bait?

Guess we'll never know whether a handgun is only for fighting your way to your long gun or not...

If you guys want to volley the home defense question any more, take it to PMs. I haven't seen a new point brought up in a page or two, and it doesn't look like anyone's mind is being changed.

If all parties feel they've had a fair chance to wave their flag, lets let this one fade into the sunset.