Thoughts on Home Protection for non-gun people...

[sore shoulder]

Even with really soft .38 handloads that were barely above squib power, both my wife and daughter complained about the recoil with the SP101. My wife and daughter are no stranger to working with their hands, both have helped me build houses, and in the past my wife has even stood in as my cut man when I was framing houses for a living. I really really really don't think a snubbie .38/.357 is a ladies gun. No matter what's written on it. I think the women who can shoot them well with no issues are the exception, not the rule.

[Mescalero]

I think the new .32's might be workable here, also the older SOLID frame models.
But it needs a reloader who understands the science of making Hornaday 85 gr. XTP's expand in medium.

[MrMurphy]

I tend towards long guns for internal defense, but I spent years running around inside buildings in a team with rifles. They're easier to hit with, and if you have half a clue, keep a hold of too.


Pistols....no need for a small gun. A 4" K frame .38, full size 9mm (Glock 17, etc) are easy to hit with.

My wife's house gun is a 92FS because she used one in the Army and she's familiar with it, and until the budget allows we don't have enough M&P's to go around.

But if it's bad enough, the AR with a full 30 round mag is her personal default weapon, after 8 years with the M16 she knows it better than anything else.

As to caliber and actual willingness to use it..... my grandmother, sometime in the early 50s, who had not shot a gun since probably 1925 (grew up on a farm) had a guy try to gain access to her back door in Los Angeles. They lived in Lawndale and had a large (long but not wide) back yard with a shed and crops (Victory garden, still producing 40 years later).

She retrieved grandpa's Winchester 94 and was about to put a .30-30 through the guy when he realized she was there and ran for it.

He probably needed some new underwear. Never underestimate a Swedish housewife defending her kids.....

[sore shoulder]

I'm building my wife a Mk18 clone on a composite lower and will have a 20 round Magpul. Should make a very good house PDW with a good taclite. Until I get the SBR stamp it will wear a pinned 14 1/2" lightwieght.

For those who dont know, Mk18 is a 10.5 inch barrel AR used by SEALS. Army has it's own version. I'll be using a LMT upper.

[1894c]

talked to the wife and she decided that she would like to learn how to shoot one of my Ruger LCR-357's (own two), we will be using Speer Gold-Dot 135gr. +P as a carry load. i have both LCR's, one in .38spl. (13.5 oz.--recoil with +P is stout), the other two are LCR .357's which weighs 17.2ozs., the weight comes from the stainless steel frame. The LCR-357 handles +P's very well. what i like about the Ruger LCR's is that they are double-action only, operation is simple, and the double-action is nicer than my J-frame air-weights (my wife really likes the grips too). we talked at length that she needs to practice. Thank you all for you're input and opinion, this has been a fun thread... :)