Best rifle for home defense in MD

[FPL53]

FN FiveseveN with LE 5.7 x 28 Hollow Points.
HK VP9 with 147 +P Ranger Hollow Points, second magazine is IWI 124 +P Black Tip Hollow Points ( not quite black talons, but pretty close).
FN SLP 12 Guage.

AR and SKS is too much over penatration for my walls. I do have frangible rounds for the AR.

 

[Justoutdoor]

I’m looking for recommendations for the best rifle for home defense. Thanks I’m advance!

Keltec sub2000

 

[teratos]

FN FiveseveN with LE 5.7 x 28 Hollow Points.
HK VP9 with 147 +P Ranger Hollow Points, second magazine is IWI 124 +P Black Tip Hollow Points ( not quite black talons, but pretty close).
FN SLP 12 Guage.

AR and SKS is too much over penatration for my walls. I do have frangible rounds for the AR.

9mm penetrates more than 5.56…..

 

[Bountied]

FN FiveseveN with LE 5.7 x 28 Hollow Points.
HK VP9 with 147 +P Ranger Hollow Points, second magazine is IWI 124 +P Black Tip Hollow Points ( not quite black talons, but pretty close).
FN SLP 12 Guage.

AR and SKS is too much over penatration for my walls. I do have frangible rounds for the AR.

9mm penetrates more than 5.56…..

Maybe, I think it comes down to bullet choice. I've seen a .22lr go through a stud and 2 layers of drywall. I think whatever puts the threat down the fastest is a good choice. 17rds of 9mm should work.

 

[FPL53]

9mm penetrates more than 5.56…..

This is also why I use law enforcement +P Hollow Points in the VP9. Plus, it has night sights. However, in the winter, I lean more towards the 5.7 with standard non Hollow point rounds since they have no issues penatrating level I and II body armor. With all of the sweatshirts and heavy down parkas, I want something that won't have an issue penatrating.

If I can tell if it is multiples, it is shotgun time.

 

[cantstop]

I've used a variety of guns for home defense over the years. When I was in an apartment I kept #4 shot in my shotgun under the bed, My unloaded Beretta 92sb with 2 x 15 round mags nearby. When I bought my townhouse, I went to loading the Beretta 92sb and keeping it close by. When I bought my single family home, I would keep a loaded Winchester 94 in the closet. The Winchester was nice for the few times someone would wander out of the woods behind my house "just looking around". I'd say "Be careful, I might mistake you for a deer next time." Nowadays, in that same house, I prefer the AR-15. The neighborhood is fully developed and the only folks wandering out of the woods are the neighbors' kids (from 18 houses to approx 500 houses and a golf course). The woods went from a couple of square miles with ATV traffic to 13 acres and no real hidden access.

 

[Bountied]

This is also why I use law enforcement +P Hollow Points in the VP9. Plus, it has night sights. However, in the winter, I lean more towards the 5.7 with standard non Hollow point rounds since they have no issues penatrating level I and II body armor. With all of the sweatshirts and heavy down parkas, I want something that won't have an issue penatrating.

If I can tell if it is multiples, it is shotgun time.

I thought you said you don't want over penetration?

 

[Bountied]

I've used a variety of guns for home defense over the years. When I was in an apartment I kept #4 shot in my shotgun under the bed, My unloaded Beretta 92sb with 2 x 15 round mags nearby. When I bought my townhouse, I went to loading the Beretta 92sb and keeping it close by. When I bought my single family home, I would keep a loaded Winchester 94 in the closet. The Winchester was nice for the few times someone would wander out of the woods behind my house "just looking around". I'd say "Be careful, I might mistake you for a deer next time." Nowadays, in that same house, I prefer the AR-15. The neighborhood is fully developed and the only folks wandering out of the woods are the neighbors' kids (from 18 houses to approx 500 houses).

That's too many houses for me.

 

[cantstop]

That's too many houses for me.

I miss the days I could go in the woods and shoot. Now I'm in a "Metropolitan zone" and for all I know, the way HoCo keeps expanding "school zones", I'm probably in one of those too. I would have moved south 3 years ago, but the missus medical issues have me locked in to this house.

 

[FPL53]

I thought you said you don't want over penetration?

Correct! From everything I've seen and read the 5.7 round tumbles after penetrating. With 11 inches of possible over penetration and my neighbors' houses being 20 feet or more from my house, I'm not too concerned. I also don't plan on missing the target.

I would not use slugs in the shotgun.

 

[Bountied]

Correct! From everything I've seen and read the 5.7 round tumbles after penetrating. With 11 inches of possible over penetration and my neighbors' houses being 20 feet or more from my house, I'm not too concerned. I also don't plan on missing the target.

I would not use slugs in the shotgun.

00 buck works well. There are a ton of videos on YT demonstrating how much different rounds will penetrate in side of building. You'd be surprised how far a 9mm will go, or a 5.7.

 

[outrider58]

9mm penetrates more than 5.56…..

Plus, it blows lungs out, which is nice...

 

[outrider58]

00 buck works well. There are a ton of videos on YT demonstrating how much different rounds will penetrate in side of building. You'd be surprised how far a 9mm will go, or a 5.7.

Just remember, when you miss with 00, you missed eight times.

 

[smokey]

This is also why I use law enforcement +P Hollow Points in the VP9. Plus, it has night sights. However, in the winter, I lean more towards the 5.7 with standard non Hollow point rounds since they have no issues penatrating level I and II body armor. With all of the sweatshirts and heavy down parkas, I want something that won't have an issue penatrating.

If I can tell if it is multiples, it is shotgun time.

The front of hollow points crush in going through drywall...effectively turning them in to FMJ. A light ballistic tipped 5.56 will shatter when it hits a wall and then the pieces on the other side will quickly shed energy and penetrate less. Of course if those 5.56 rounds hit tissue, they will do much more damage than that 9mm, having roughly 3 times the energy to work with.

 

[EXIT WOUND]

I’m looking for recommendations for the best rifle for home defense. Thanks I’m advance!

Get a shot gun. Rifle has to much penetration.

 

[smokey]

Okay.... some have already invoked the "carry the defensive handgun rounds the LEOs use" stuff. Extend that to the guns the professionals use in CQB... which is essentially what home defense is. When was the last time you saw a HRT or police swat team roll in to a building with handguns or just shotguns when they had the option to choose? Do you think they don't consider things like overpenetration, terminal effect, and ease of use? There's a reason any professional gunfighting team or individual WILL have an AR15 when going in to a house or building. 5.56 in an AR gives the user 30-40 shots that are extremely easy to control in rapid-fire, that still give good terminal effect on a badguy, while limiting liabilities due to overpenetration.

Handguns are good because you can always have one on your hip, and they allow you to have a spare hand for things like scooping up kids.... and that's about it. They're difficult to aim under stress and suck at stopping people, relative to a rifle or shotgun. Handgun projectiles aren't going fast enough to fragment through walls, so they retain mass and just punch through a bunch of them.

Shotguns lack capacity, are difficult to shoot fast, and are one of the most complex weapons to actually use correctly. Buckshot is essentially just a mag of 9mm all shot at once... complete with overpenetration, but adding random scattering due to deflection.

If you are able to have a rifle, they are the best tool for the job.

 

[Bountied]

Okay.... some have already invoked the "carry the defensive handgun rounds the LEOs use" stuff. Extend that to the guns the professionals use in CQB... which is essentially what home defense is. When was the last time you saw a HRT or police swat team roll in to a building with handguns or just shotguns when they had the option to choose? Do you think they don't consider things like overpenetration, terminal effect, and ease of use? There's a reason any professional gunfighting team or individual WILL have an AR15 when going in to a house or building. 5.56 in an AR gives the user 30-40 shots that are extremely easy to control in rapid-fire, that still give good terminal effect on a badguy, while limiting liabilities due to overpenetration.

Handguns are good because you can always have one on your hip, and they allow you to have a spare hand for things like scooping up kids.... and that's about it. They're difficult to aim under stress and suck at stopping people, relative to a rifle or shotgun. Handgun projectiles aren't going fast enough to fragment through walls, so they retain mass and just punch through a bunch of them.

Shotguns lack capacity, are difficult to shoot fast, and are one of the most complex weapons to actually use correctly. Buckshot is essentially just a mag of 9mm all shot at once... complete with overpenetration, but adding random scattering due to deflection.

If you are able to have a rifle, they are the best tool for the job.

OK what about an AK?

 

[Lafayette]

I own a musket for home defense, since that's what the founding fathers intended.

Four ruffians break into my house. "What the devil?" As I grab my powdered wig and Kentucky rifle. Blow a golf ball sized hole through the first man, he's dead on the spot. Draw my pistol on the second man, miss him entirely because it's smoothbore and nails the neighbors dog. I have to resort to the cannon mounted at the top of the stairs loaded with grape shot, "Tally ho lads" the grape shot shreds two men in the blast, the sound and extra shrapnel set off car alarms. Fix bayonet and charge the last terrified rapscallion. He bleeds out waiting on the police to arrive since triangular bayonet wounds are impossible to stitch up.

Just as the founding fathers intended.

 

[Bountied]

I own a musket for home defense, since that's what the founding fathers intended.

Four ruffians break into my house. "What the devil?" As I grab my powdered wig and Kentucky rifle. Blow a golf ball sized hole through the first man, he's dead on the spot. Draw my pistol on the second man, miss him entirely because it's smoothbore and nails the neighbors dog. I have to resort to the cannon mounted at the top of the stairs loaded with grape shot, "Tally ho lads" the grape shot shreds two men in the blast, the sound and extra shrapnel set off car alarms. Fix bayonet and charge the last terrified rapscallion. He bleeds out waiting on the police to arrive since triangular bayonet wounds are impossible to stitch up.

Just as the founding fathers intended.

I like it!

 

[4g64loser]

Do you know if .556 up close hits w more energy than the 9mm hollow point? I had read somewhere that .556 "too close" doesn't tumble and just goes through and through. Ty!

Projectile selection for the use case is important. The yaw of some projectiles is NOT guaranteed nor is it consistent/predictable. An example is MK262; the Sierra 77 will often yaw but it is not incredibly consistent about the behavior, especially when you consider the direction of the yaw rather than just the depth before the yaw begins. If you purchase Nosler 77 custom comp, or load the bullets yourself, the Performance in tissue is different. The front third to half of the jacket and core become very small shrap (lead pieces about the size of wheat farina typically). The rear of the jacket USUALLY remains on trajectory line, sometimes with core remnant in place. Two different projectiles of almost identical outer dimensions and intended use but vastly different terminal performance due to the jackets they use (nosler uses the j4 match jackets). Below is a 77 nosler recovered using water test media.

Midweights, like 60 to 69gr pills, are no different. I like 64BSB noslers for purposes as diverse as deer shooting, personal defense in an environment with low probability of background liabilities, and shooting through common urban media like auto glass and body panels. They deflect very little and lose minimal if any mass during transit through tissue. Two holes to let blood out and air in. Will easily break both shoulders on a mature white tail and exit. Not ideal if you have neighbors. The 64TGK from Sierra, well, different animal. I just loaded some to test and I can't agree with them Calling the bullet a gameking. Way too frangible. In gallon water jugs, it did not even enter the third jug. Energy transfer was very rapid and penetration shallow. This bullet acts like a slightly heavier 55 blitzking and.thus I would use it for varmints OR in a situation where overpenetration is unacceptable. The downside to this, or any other highly frangible projectile, is that you may not reach vital organs in spite of the significant energy transfer. Consider that "jackhammering" a closely grouped burst into the torso is a probability to effect organ damage. "Shock" may result in a psychological stop but absent major trauma to the central nervous system, bullets in this category will create nasty, shallow, wounds that may not be sufficient to lower blood pressure rapidly. They are also a bad bet for pelvic girdle/femur shots as they do not guarantee penetration with significant retained mass. Below is a 64TGK recovered from water test media. Note that the lead fragment pictured is the largest piece of the core recovered (it is the base that was originally in the jacket cup boat tail).

This is a speer 62gr gold dot. It was hand loaded but the same projectile is available as a factory load and is popular with law enforcement for duty use and for close range deer hunting. Recovered from water test media, this was found in the fourth gallon jug. The first two jugs were violently split apart but not shredded to the degree the 64TGK exhibited. The third and fourth jugs showed "wounds" slightly smaller than recovered projectile size. This is typical for a bonded duty load in a small case like the 223. When loaded into a 22-250AI, performance is a bit more violent and the penetration depth a bit less.