I'm in the camp that says we spend a great deal of time on minutia about calibers when in reality, most any rifle would be enough for a person to defend their home. Now mind you, I'm not addressing the upper limits in this thread (i.e. what would be too much), just the lower limits. And I'm only talking rifle calibers. Any center-fires that you'd consider to be inadequate?
What center-fire rifle cartridge would not be sufficient for home defense?
- Thread starter Dr_2_B
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allaroundhunter
Member
With the right bullet, any centerfire rifle round is sufficient IMO. I would rather hit someone with a .17 Rem FIREBALL V-MAX than a 9mm JHP in a defensive situation.
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BADUNAME37
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Any.
627PCFan
Member
Define sufficient. It means different things to different people.
matrem
Member
Not positive it wouldn't suffice, but I'd hate to have to use any .172 centerfire.
I've killed enough g-hogs with .17 Rem to realize that I'd certainly not want to have to stop anything ten times heavier with it.
I've killed enough g-hogs with .17 Rem to realize that I'd certainly not want to have to stop anything ten times heavier with it.
7mm Rem Mag and 300 Win Mag. Way too messy to clean up all the blood splatered on the walls and floor and ceiling and behind the refrigerator and behind the stove and on any carpets, Total inadequate for a clean kill, maybe a messy kill but that's another story (LOL)
Jim
lloveless
Member
Shotgun is better for home defense. Won't have to worry how far the bullet is going to travel even after hitting the perp.
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allaroundhunter
Member
I hope I don't get in trouble for this answer, but how can you take this question seriously. It is not the caliber that makes the difference but where you put the bullet(s).
Just this week a women killed a rapist with 9 rounds of 22 LR. While not a center-fire cartrage a rifle round no less or pistol depending on what gun you are using. So maybe someone with a cristal ball can tell ME if I use a .204 or 17 caliber to the head, if it will not kill an attacker??
I don't think that ANY RIFLE CALIBER would be inadiquate depending on where the bullet is placed. Heck, a sharp knife would even work (but guns are better)
Jim
And just for clarification, any firearm over 16 inches is a rifle, so yes shotguns are rifles also. 12 gauge will work, 16 gauge will work, 20 gauge will work, 28 gauge will work and even the 410 will work depending on shot placement and makeup of the shotshell.
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lloveless
Member
allaround hunter-you aren't a mod or the OP. You didn't add to the thread. I agree that probably all rifle rounds are adequate, but with consequences.
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C-grunt
Member
A) A lightweight hollow point 223 has been proven to likely penetrate far less than buckshot through common household barriers.
B) Id bet that any centerfield cartridge has well enough power to easily kill an attacker. However the smaller ones, ie... 204 or the 17s, are going to most likely have shallow penetration therefor making them a bad choice because they would need precise, unobstructed shot placement.
grendelbane
Member
I am not sure that all the various .17 caliber rifle cartridges would penetrate deeply enough in certain circumstances. Please note that I said certain circumstances! The same caveat could be raised for varmint loads in several calibers.
The 5.7x28 might also not be the best choice, for some what the same reason.
.30 carbine is technically a rifle cartridge, and in full metal jacket form doesn't perform well. 7.62x39 FMJ is not the best performer either.
But, I do understand what you are saying. I just wanted to nit pick a little.
The 5.7x28 might also not be the best choice, for some what the same reason.
.30 carbine is technically a rifle cartridge, and in full metal jacket form doesn't perform well. 7.62x39 FMJ is not the best performer either.
But, I do understand what you are saying. I just wanted to nit pick a little.
allaroundhunter
Member
Lloveless, I gave my input and what I would be comfortable using centerfire rifle-wise. When the OP asked our opinion, he did not ask to be dissuaded against a rifle, nor did he ask if a shotgun would be better suited to the job.
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dagger dog
Member
Even the miniscule 14-222 wildcat with it's 11.5 grain HP bullet traveling at 4,465 fps and a muzzle energy @ 505 foot lbs would just about vaporize an eyeball along with a good portion of the skull.
Speed kills !
Speed kills !
meanmrmustard
Member
Isn't unobstructed shot placement the point in a home defense scenario? Can't see winging a dude with a .458 Lott being more effective than a .223 to a vital organ.
Flatbush Harry
Member
I spent a good deal of time studying the "Monsters from the ID" in Forbidden Planet starring Leslie Nielsen, Ann Francis and Walter Pidgeon. I believe that there are no home invaders that could survive a double tap from a .416 Rigby (and few home defenders who could get a double tap off from a .416 Rigby).
This is a dimmmmmmm thread.
Haryr
This is a dimmmmmmm thread.
Haryr
Hunter125
Member
Pretty sure that's not accurate. Both are long guns, but I believe a rifle = rifling and a shotgun = smoothbore. I know there are rifled slug barrels, but I think a smoothbore rifle would technically be a musket.
NeuseRvrRat
Member
R.W.Dale
Member
A cartridge that will turn about 8lbs of flesh into slimy bloody goop is certainly going to let the fight out if anyone hit by it.
I would take 17 rem over 45 acp any day of the week and twice on Sundays.
The only centerfire rifle round that comes to mind as borderline would be 30 carbine but only then if using non expanding bullets.
I wouldn't use a .17 caliber unless there was no choice. I've read and been told that in an urban setting a .223 caliber fragmenting bullet is effective and a lot less likely to overpenetrate, but I don't own a gun in that caliber so I have no personal experience with it. When I lived in the country with no neighbors close by I kept a semiauto 7.62x39 as my go to long gun.
C-grunt
Member
I was referring more to things like outstretched arms being in the way of the torso.
Sam1911
Moderator Emeritus
This thread is just going nowhere.
Nope, not at all. The definition of rifle and shotgun are given in 18 USC 921.
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