Is This Really Necessary?

Raggedyman · November 10 2014 09:41:23 AM MST

Another article I wrote. Please share any criticism and feedback. Thanks.

QuoteThere is a tendency for folks to hang all manner of accessories on a gun until it looks like it fell through a Tapco catalog. Is all that really necessary? Is it even useful? What characteristics should a home defense gun have? What is absolutely mandatory, what is desirable, and what is counterproductive?

There is much debate over what is the "best" gun for home defense, but the best gun for you is the one with which you are most proficient. If the gun with which you are most proficient is a single shot .410 bore shotgun, you might wish to consider getting some training on a more effective tool. This article doesn't presume to tell you what that tool should be, but it will give you a good idea of what is really important in a home defense gun.

The rest is here if you're interested.

harrygunner · November 10 2014 10:55:14 PM MST

I wouldn't need the bipod or the scope, but the suppressor and light make sense to me.

Raggedyman · November 11 2014 12:04:33 AM MST

That's my multipurpose rifle. It doesn't do anything great but it can do a lot okay. Not really optional for defense. My HD rifle is shown at the end of the article. It's an 11.5" A2 style with a light, a can, a two point sling, and a tritium front post. MOE furniture is just cosmetic.

4949shooter · November 11 2014 03:28:11 AM MST

Necessary is whatever you like.

It looks like a nice coyote hunting gun.

enidpd804 · November 11 2014 03:08:12 PM MST

I like the article and it goes further than just AR's. People hang all kinds of crap from their defensive setups and then never give the combination an honest test.

Raggedyman · November 12 2014 12:13:13 AM MST

Thank you. Although the pics are ARs, I tried to keep the content platform neutral.

ShadeTreeVTX · November 13 2014 05:55:23 AM MST

Your picking on my toy ${$default_wink_smiley}$

Not an AR - its a 10mm Mech-Tech carbine - for deer and bear and wild pigs( Boar ). I was contemplating putting a Williams muzzle brake on it but that would be just a pimping addition, rubber butt pad handles the recoil just fine - of interest, the flip iron sights line up exactly with the red dot - Red dot for the close shots and iron sights for the long shots.
The base is a G20sf gen 3. The tri pod (2 legs ) also helps keep the barrel down for rapid shots. And yes I find what I've got on mine necessary.

Doug

Raggedyman · November 13 2014 07:27:01 AM MST

The context was a home defense gun. In that role, the bipod is not useful.

ShadeTreeVTX · November 13 2014 02:21:07 PM MST

To answer your statement,you would use an AR for home defense instead of a hand gun - in my opinion not a good choice, but to satisfy you on the bi pod - if I hit him in the head - he goes down - thus lessening the chance of collateral damage to others from over penetration of high powered rounds in surrounding walls. Now outside and defending your home, its what ever makes you feel comfortable - I myself would not have a light attached to my M-T because it gives away my position and is useless in the daytime.

Doug

DeltaSteve · November 13 2014 07:13:32 PM MST

What you need for the job ...... no more, no less.

DAVIDF · November 14 2014 01:56:02 PM MST

Quote from: ShadeTreeVTX on November 13 2014 02:21:07 PM MST
To answer your statement,you would use an AR for home defense instead of a hand gun - in my opinion not a good choice, but to satisfy you on the bi pod - if I hit him in the head - he goes down - thus lessening the chance of collateral damage to others from over penetration of high powered rounds in surrounding walls. Now outside and defending your home, its what ever makes you feel comfortable - I myself would not have a light attached to my M-T because it gives away my position and is useless in the daytime.

Doug

A good test of a weapon mounted light is to have someone shine it in your eyes while you are trying to aim your (empty of course) firearm at them. If the light is good, then you cannot see your sights and therefore relying on point shooting. Most people do that very poorly. Try the same thing during the day. It is not totally useless in daylight. It can have the same or similar effect, especially if you are indoors, heavy cloud cover and bad weather, etc. What if you are in a building and the power goes off? That can be darker than the darkest night. I experienced that in a Lowe's store. It is not totally useless until you don't have it with you.

ShadeTreeVTX · November 14 2014 08:10:47 PM MST

Well lets see - If its at night and I'm defending my house OUT side - if they can see where their going ( using light I would think ) then I can see them - - I use a red dot that will allow me to sight at nite and not give away my position - till I fire.
Well I wouldn't be carrying my M-T in lows or any other building except my own, thats what my edc is for - and I'm not swat either - so no reason for me to be carrying the M-T around in other buildings.
You would be surprised in the dark what your other senses can tell you if you learn how to listen to them - like a blind man learns to use them. I was forced to learn how to use them in the past and was surprised at what I could do - like a blind man .

Doug

Pinsnscrews · November 15 2014 12:27:49 AM MST

I learned that when the lights go out in a store or large warehouse type building where the back up lighting is limited to the exits only, to sit on the floor close to a shelving unit and close my eyes for a 30 count or longer. Just settle and get my bearings. When I open my eyes, I can see quite a bit.

As mentioned before, I have a 6 D-Cell Maglight flashlight. Though I was at Walmart earlier today and noticed a "Baton" with a built in flashlight at the end. It has both standard fixed light and a strobe feature. Having experienced a strobe mounted to a handgun, it is as disturbing to me as it is the person who's eyes it is flashing into. As I mentioned, I have practiced using my off hand arm as a rest while holding the flashlight in my off hand. Puts my body off center from the light so if someone "returns fire" at the light, I am not directly behind it like I would be with it mounted on my rail.

I feel that if my handgun has enough juice to take down an elk at a range further than the front door to the back door of my house, and with my skill at keeping the shots within the 9 and 10 ring, it is sufficient for inside my home. I am not saying an AR is not a good HDW, if you train and practice with it, and have had training in house clearing techniques with an AR, then it is a good choice. The vast majority of people do not have that training. It is just as easy to deliver a non incapacitating shot with a rifle as it is a handgun. It is also very easy for someone who has not practiced a house clearing technique, to foul themselves on walls and furniture with a full sized AR, even one built on a Carbine platform.

I will say I have considered an AR or Pistol Caliber Carbine in what the military is classifying as "Personal Defense Weapon" sizing. A weapon that is compact, kept close to the body, short Barrel, flash and sound suppressor, possibly one that basically encloses the full length of the barrel. Red Dot sight. For myself, I would want one in 10mm, though I have considered having one chambered in 22TCM or 5.7x28. I do not expect Home Invaders to be wearing Armor, like the fear mongers in California are screaming, but considering how much Cartel activity has hit Arizona and New Mexico, to steal a Mythbusters phrase, it is "Plausible". Most home invasions in my area are Teens seeking drug money. Some of them are actually well to do, but don't want Mommy and Daddy to wonder why they are taking out a couple hundred in cash every week.

Raggedyman · November 15 2014 10:32:49 AM MST

I covered this in the article, but I think maybe it wasn't clear enough. There are two popular, and completely false, misconceptions about weapon lights indoors.

The first is that they give away your position. It is true that a light that is actually ON all the time would give away your position, which is why that's not the way they are used. You keep the light off, except for brief flashes for navigation if it becomes necessary or to identify the target and shoot. Even then, you should flash the light on their face quickly and step to the side with the light off before activating it again just before pressing the trigger.

The second misconception is that you have to point the light at everything that you want to see. Navigating through the home, you should keep the weapon pointed in a safe direction and use the "splash" off ceiling, walls, and floor to navigate. You should only aim the light at someone if you have identified them as a threat and have decided to fire.

This goes into much more detail and is better articulated: http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_20/446092_Proper_use_of_weapons_lights_on_ARs.html

Whether the light is actually mounted or a handheld light, many of those same concepts still apply. The most important feature of a "tactical" light is that YOU are in control of what is seen and not seen.

Quick 2 · November 28 2014 08:58:04 AM MST

I keep mine a light and simple as possible. MagPul forearm and stock iron sights A1 barrel BushMaster Carbon15 SLC. With this set up with a fully loaded 30rd mag my rifle is still 1 pound lighter than a M4 contour barrel and will shoot under an inch MOA with cheap steel case ammo. There was a saying we had when I was in the Military ounces equal pounds and pounds equal pain.