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Need Advice For Daughter's Home Defense Weapon

8K views 90 replies 47 participants last post by  Munch520 
#1 ·
Hello all,
Requesting advice/opinions about providing my 22 year old daughter with her first home defense weapon. She's a full-time university student living in a big city and up to now had room mates. The room mates have moved out and she's now living alone and asking if she can take a pistol home for self defense.

She's been shooting since she was small and is trained in gun safety, and has a concealed weapons permit in the great state of Oklahoma (Go Pokes!). I use 1911(ish) weapons for all purposes but I'm not sure this is the best weapon for a 22 year old girl to use if something goes bump in the night.

My question: Should I arm my kid with a pistol or with additional training should I arm the kid with a shotgun for home defense (small apartment)? She has 12GA skeet shooting experience but that's not enough.

I value the opinions here and thank you in advance for your time. If I posted this in the wrong place, please let me know.

LEINVITO
 
#62 ·
sounds pretty solid, Vito

The only thing that jumps out at me as a bad idea is the biometric lock safe
They're just not fast/reliable enough

consumer grade bio locks are play things for gadget geeks, not serious use


I saw last week Sam's club has their small size long gun safe clearance priced at $149 right now.
Fire rated, dial combo, weighs appx 250 pounds, lots of shelf configurations

the best value on the market right now IMO

No it's not greatest safe in the world, but is as good or better than any of the similar sized safes selling for twice as much.
It'll keep the typical smash 'n grab punk out


..L.T.A.
 
#65 ·
sounds pretty solid, Vito

The only thing that jumps out at me as a bad idea is the biometric lock safe
They're just not fast/reliable enough

consumer grade bio locks are play things for gadget geeks, not serious use
Cappi is correct; biometric technology is somewhat sketchy at best.

However, the purpose of this pistol safe isn't quick access, its to keep unwanted hands off the gun... the shotgun is the 'quick access' gun.
 
#63 · (Edited)
Sounds like a good/solid plan to help your daughter

The 8 shot was my idea. She may never master quick reloading on a revolver so I figured 8 was better than 5 or 6. S&W makes a short one (627) that doesn't weigh too much. She wants a carry purse we looked at. It will fit in there and will give here quick access.
Great minds think alike! :rock: I also suggested an 8-shot revolver in post #13, along with other recommendations. I did not mention this in my post, but if there are no other people in the house, it is always best to "hunker down" in your bedroom with your choice of weapon, rather than risk getting ambushed by trying to clear your own home.......you never know how many criminals are in your home....:scratch: When I was a LEO, our agency always cleared a building and/or home, with two officers.....less risk of an ambush, and no officer wants to find out how well their kevlar vest works...!:eek:
 
#64 ·
On the safe, I have had one since we had our first child. Keep the key in a handy spot, you don't want to have to search for it when the battery dies. I originally thought that I would just change the battery out when I change the smoke detector batteries (always swap them all when the first starts chirping) but the safe batteries don't last as long.

I also didn't bolt one down as it might need to be opened while I am on the move, it's just there as an added "safety" not as a theft prevention device.
 
#67 ·
I'm not too sure how much I trust the biometric safe but she can open it with a key. Good information about the batteries. I the end, it just to keep her "friends" fingers off the pistol.

Cappi-Thanks for the info about the safe at Sam's club. We have one up the street so I'll check it out. Sounds like a good deal.

I think we've settled on a Mossberg Youth Model 500 Bantam in 20 ga. Some will hold 6 rounds of 3 inch shells. USMM guy-Thanks for the advice about the buckshot. I found the shotgun at a LGS but won"t buy it if I can't buy 20 ga buckshot somewhere around town.

Still not 100% on the S&W 8 shot revolver. I'm going to her place next weekend to start setting things up. I'll take her shooting again. Difficult to keep her focused when manufacturers are producing pistols in rainbow,pink and purple. Not to mention the 1911 that looks like a 57 Chevy. :rolleyes:

Plan is coming together. Thanks to all for the advice!
 
#68 ·
Cappi-Thanks for the info about the safe at Sam's club. We have one up the street so I'll check it out. Sounds like a good deal.

!
I bought one a year or so ago when clearance priced at $199.
(needed a safe for downstairs )
I thought that was a good deal

When I saw them at $149 last week I gave serious thought to get another "just because"


My friend bought the exact same shotgun for his wife and adult daughter.
I shot it...due to the short stock, I had to be carful my thumb knuckle didn't punch me in the nose during recoil :biglaugh:


..L.T.A.
 
#69 ·
Yup, I'm 6' 3" and thought WTH when I first held it but then I'm having to remind myself that this isn't for me. :D

My daughter is much smaller and only weighs about a buck ten so it should be a good fit.

At 149.00 I may buy a couple of those safes. She can have one and I can always use the safe room. My gun habit is a little out of control. :eek:
 
#70 ·
Just for fun, a couple shotgun options. Both do require tax stamps, and pattern about 3-4" at 7 yards with Federal Flitecontrol #1 buck... the M37 is comfortable to shoot; the 311 is a handful...
 

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#72 ·
I like the Sig P239 for concealment and it's big enough to hang onto. My wife shoots the heck out of one in 40 S&W.
 
#75 · (Edited)
Give her a can of pepper spray and a rape whistle...DO NOT GIVE HER A GUN!! Girls are stupid (its a scientific fact)...and the 20-something college dorks that hang around your daughter are wreckless.

She'll tell her boyfriend she has one, he'll be from a non-gun background and have an unhealthy curiosity about it. He'll take it out while he's drunk one night and...BANG!! Dead daughter.

Don't do it, man...just don't.


P.S. The above scenario was a FACTUAL 911 call I ran on while living in Tempe, AZ.
 
#77 ·
21 years and still going experience as an LEO in a city always rated in the top 5 most dangerous cities in the US, and usually in the top 3, has taught me this. Most criminals don't mind hurting, or maybe even killing, their victims. However, they are decidedly adverse to being hurt themselves, much less killed. Bottom line....a K-framed sized revolver, in .38 Spcl, with a 3-4" barrel and good hollow-points will probably be the best thing for her. Big and simple enough to work easily under extreme stress while also being small enough for her to hide when she's not there and can't carry it, or there are others there. If one in 2-3" barrel can be found, it would still be able to be easily carried by her for CCW.
 
#78 ·
While I didn't read through the whole thread, her armed response is but one concern in her safety. The other is detection of a threat. It wont help her to have any weapon if she doesn't know the threat exist. Waking up with the bad guy in the room just wont do. Something as simple as a door alarm (URL below) will alert her to the threat when needed. No alteration of rental property needed and can be set whenever she is there. They also may prevent her from having to use her weapon which is even "more better". Don't forget the windows. They need to be locked when not opened for a reason and you can alrm those as well if they provide easy access.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/GE-Door-Stop-Alarm/10258356
 
#82 ·
I have many females that are very close to me that need to carry. A few will carry, some have gun safes in her home, the other ones are not doing either yet. I have a personal passion about teaching females to shoot. I read every book I can and talk with a lot of female shooters. So far, I have done very well in the gun recommendation arena. Let me share my system with you.

I always take the new shooters up to shoot myself. I allow them to shoot many types of guns and calibers. After they have shot quite a few they will almost always pick a small 380 or 22 cal. So, then I put up the steel dueling tree so they can see if their choice of weapon has the ability to at least knock some steel around. 380s, 22s do not. Starting at 9mm they start to get the job done. So I let them self teach themselves into a decent fighting caliber. And it always works. Here is a list of the 9mm guns that my females love.

Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm with safety
Smith & Wesson M&P Shield with safety
Sig Sauer P938
STI Elektra 9mm
Dan Wesson Guardian 9mm
EMP 9mm

I hope this helps. As far as a rile or shotgun I would let them shoot a few of both and most usually pick the 12ga pump shotgun.

Best of luck. Let us know how it goes. Of the females mentioned above, 2 are my daughters, 2 are daughter-in-laws, and one is my wife. The rest are friends and daughters of friends.
 
#84 ·
I installed a Simpli-Safe alarm in my brother's house recently. Fairly straight forward. No permanent installations to worry about.
 
#86 ·
The right gun is the one she is most proficient with. The 870 is a great choice but useless if she short strokes it. A double barrel coach gun is light and maneuverable but only holds 2 shells. An AK or an AR are battle proven and they are reliable.

I tried keeping a 870 or coach gun by my bed at night in addition to my holstered 1911 I hang on the bed post, but I got tired of taking it in and out of the safe every night so I just take the holster and hang it on the bed post every night.

Whatever she chooses she must be consistent. Her best option is going to be something that she will use consistently. A handgun is not the best choice but it is something I always have, if I am not wearing it the gun is holstered on my bedpost
 
#87 · (Edited)
Night stand gun.....

I want my night stand gun to be very easy to get to in an emergency.....

I have two nightstands on opposite sides of my bed in my Master bedroom.... and both sit very close to my king size bed. My night stands also have a slight overhang on the top. I mounted an old leather holster on the side of the night stand which is very close to my bed/mattress. You can not see the gun/holster when you walk into my bedroom, and it is very well concealed when standing near the night stand.....it is very easy for me to grab the gun if needed, and my night stand gun is a ParaOrdnace P-14 load with 14 rounds of hot 185 gr. JHP .45acp ammo.

Since my daughters are grown, I don't have to worry about small children finding my gun.....
 
#89 ·
Take her to a local gunshop and have her check them out. See what she feels comfortable with in her hand. If you agree with her choice, take her to a range to be sure she knows whats up and if she still feels comfortable with it. She does NOT NEED AN AR!
 
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