AR15 As Primary Home Defense Weapon

[Mr.Blue]

I’m close to switching over from my nightstand .45 ACP handgun (13+1 of 230gr Speer Gold Dots) to an AR15 for primary home defense.

I’m going to run a 16 inch M4 with an EoTech EXPS-2, Surefire x300 (1000 lumen) light, LWRC Skirmish BUIS, and a Vickers sling.

My biggest concern is the noise and concussion of an AR indoors. To those of you that count on the AR15 for home defense duty:

1) What muzzle device do you use? Most likely I’ll go with a flash hider, I’m not going to get a suppressor. Currently I have an LWRC enhanced flash hider on my home defense rifle.

2) Do you have hearing protection at the ready? What about for family members? It seems like a lot to worry about in the heat of the night. I’ve fired .45 ACP indoors and although not pleasurable, it is not intolerable like an AR is. I just grab it and go.

What’s your opinion? BTW - My first line of defense is a Cane Corso and German Shepherd tandem! Below is my current home defense set up.

 

[woodline]

Sorry probably not what you are looking for but my go-to for home defense is a 10.5" SBR set up with an optic, BUIS, sling, and suppressor. I have a small tactical murse staged next to said rifles' location that has a spare mag, ifak, earpro, etc.

 

[Mr.Blue]

Sorry probably not what you are looking for but my go-to for home defense is a 10.5" SBR set up with an optic, BUIS, sling, and suppressor. I have a small tactical murse staged next to said rifles' location that has a spare mag, ifak, earpro, etc.

Sounds like a great setup. I would like an SBR and a suppressor too, but I don’t want to do all of that paperwork and have to wait. I try to keep paperwork at a minimum. Part lazy and part cautious.

 

[woodline]

Sounds like a great setup. I would like an SBR and a suppressor too, but I don’t want to do all of that paperwork and have to wait. I try to keep paperwork at a minimum. Part lazy and part cautious.

I completely understand. For me it was worth it, but not everyone will feel that way. eForm 1 SBR waits should only be a few weeks now. Hopefully ATF will turn their eForm4 service back on this year, so you may only have to wait a few weeks or a month. Won't help with not wanting paperwork though.

 

[danb]

In a real emergency you wont have time to don ear protection, nor will your family. The only muzzle device that reduces the sound concussion to a not-painful-for-ears-indoors level is a supressor. You can find suppressors ~$450 including tax stamp, some as short as 4" (sound reduction for shorties about 22dbA). TMGN does class 3 transfers the old fashioned way for $60. Then there is the easy peasy Silencer Shop option, lots of good choices for 556. There is the build your own option as well ( maybe $350 incl tax stamp depending). Supressors are not that costly and the "paperwork" is straightforward, easier than the HQL.

 

[Mr.Blue]

In a real emergency you wont have time to don ear protection, nor will your family. The only muzzle device that reduces the sound concussion to a not-painful-for-ears-indoors level is a supressor. You can find suppressors ~$450 including tax stamp, some as short as 4" (sound reduction for shorties about 22dbA). TMGN does class 3 transfers the old fashioned way for $60. Then there is the easy peasy Silencer Shop option, lots of good choices for 556. There is the build your own option as well ( maybe $350 incl tax stamp depending). Supressors are not that costly and the "paperwork" is straightforward, easier than the HQL.

It’s not the money. It’s a fear that by getting a suppressor, I’ll be on a “list”. I like limiting paperwork as much as I can. I know I filled out paperwork to purchase weapons, but I worry that NFA stuff is more risky.

I guess I may be stuck with a handgun as my home defense weapon.

 

[danb]

It’s not the money. It’s a fear that by getting a suppressor, I’ll be on a “list”. I like limiting paperwork as much as I can. I know I filled out paperwork to purchase weapons, but I worry that NFA stuff is more risky.

I guess I may be stuck with a handgun as my home defense weapon.

Always good to see people with more BGOS than me, and I have a lot.

Seriously, you are already on a lot of lists. Plus you post on the internet, which means the NSA already has a searchable database of everything you've said.

 

[Mr.Blue]

Always good to see people with more BGOS than me, and I have a lot.

Seriously, you are already on a lot of lists. Plus you post on the internet, which means the NSA already has a searchable database of everything you've said.

True. What is BGOS?

 

[Schipperke]

With those dogs, they go to the next house. I'd say you got near zero home invasion worry.

 

[danb]

True. What is BGOS?

Battered Gun Owner Syndrone. Aka Maryland Paranoia of an overzealous prosecutor.

 

[Mr.Blue]

With those dogs, they go to the next house. I'd say you got near zero home invasion worry.

It’s true.

 

[Mr.Blue]

Battered Gun Owner Syndrone. Aka Maryland Paranoia of an overzealous prosecutor.

I certainly do have BGOS.

That said, maybe I will get a suppressor and put it on a piston AR.

 

[eshoremd]

Do those dogs get along?

 

[Mr.Blue]

Do those dogs get along?

Yes, very well. The GS is a 7yr old female and the CC is a 2.5 yr old male. She runs the house, although he tries to hump her a lot.

 

[GrimReaper]

A ar "pistol" would be ideal. When I say pistol i mean a "SBR" with one of those stabilizing braces that are technically not a stock.

Or if you want to jump through all the hoops to make a legal SBR.

 

[babalou]

I just picked up a Sterling Arsenal 8.5 inch 300 pistol. Will put an omega 7.62 on it for my hd as well as my glock 17 gen 4

 

[jrumann59]

A ar "pistol" would be ideal. When I say pistol i mean a "SBR" with one of those stabilizing braces that are technically not a stock.

Or if you want to jump through all the hoops to make a legal SBR.

He still would need to suppress because of the shorter barrel so 6 in one hand half a dozen in the other since he has to deal with ATF.

 

[holesonpaper]

For home defense, aka indoors without a suppressor..... Good luck with that. You might hear the first one, and hope that scares the rest as you'll likely be unable to hear after the first shot (and good luck asking someone to wait to put your ears on). And if you go shorter barrel (SBR/AR pistol).... My 11" 5.56 SBR sounds like a tank and throws a ~16" flame unsuppressed. It usually gathers a crowd. I'm all for transitioning and going shorter barrel (especially indoors), but you neeeeeed a suppressor. My primary setup is not far from your's, but my backup is a 10.5 300 BLK SBR suppressed. Cheers

 

[Capt Skup]

When someone kicks in your front door in the middle of the night, ear plugs/ muffs are not what you will be thinking of. As for dogs, sadly they will be the first to be shot. A 300BO pistol with 220 grains load or a 12guage pump with #4 buckshot would be first on the list of go to protection for inside the home.

 

[alucard0822]

Any unsupressed firearm is going to be deafening inside a house, but heavy loads with linear comps or flash cans help. Huge difference between a 5.56 AR with a brake, and 300BO with a flash can, even with supersonic ammo. Your chances of putting ears on if there is trouble is practially 0, about the same as unlocking a safe, loading an empty gun, or accessing it outside of your bedroom. Most training I've had claims you would be lucky to turn on the EoTech, sling it, or slap in a mag and charge it. Best bet is a firearm that is immediately accessible, that is ready to go soon as you pick it up, although you may have more considerations with kids or other people living with you. In my case, a braced 9"pistol in 300BO with a always-on Aimpoint is next to my bed, my larger rifles, and those equipped with optics that have to be turned on are secured in the safe. Much easier to secure the small AR, move around, and shoot with 1 hand if I have to open a door, or move family, and 300BO with a flash can from a 9" barrel isn't any worse than a handgun as far as blast.