I have to agree with Mr. Lund that it's hard to have one ideal self-defense
weapon. I would think that one consideration that is very specific to each
person is the type of house they have. What kind of approach is there to the
bedroom or likely place you would gather your family if you have the time. Is
the floor of the approach stone or marble? Another thing to consider is how
proficient the person is with the particular type of weapon. A less powerful
weapon you are comfortable with is better than a stop-dead weapon you are
already nervous about handling. Plus, I don't imagine most intruders are
psychotic killers and the unmistakable sound of the homeowner racking the
shotgun may just be enough to convince an intruder that their best course of
action is to find the nearest exit. > Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2009 17:35:56 -0500>
From: nl...@gmu.edu> Subject: Re: Shotguns as recommended for self-defense for
some people over handguns> To: jol...@gw.hamline.edu> CC:
firearmsregprof@lists.ucla.edu; vol...@law.ucla.edu> > Joe is right about the
myth of filling the hallway with lead. But there > are other factors that may
cause some people to reasonably prefer a > properly configured shotgun loaded
with appropriate ammunition in many > situations. Some of what Joe calls
"practical problems" would be > considered advantages by some people in some
situations. There are > always tradeoffs, and I would be wary of declaring any
particular gun or > type of gun ideal as a general matter.> > Just to give one
extreme example: Eugene asked about "self defense" in > general, not home
defense specifically. If I were worried about > defending myself against a
brown bear, I'm pretty sure I would prefer a > shotgun to a handgun, and I
would hope to use it before the animal was > at a range of 3 yards. One could
also easily describe situations > involving human threats that would lead to
the same result, especially > if short-barreled shotguns were eligible, which
in my opinion they > should be.> > Nelson Lund> > > Joseph E. Olson wrote:> >
Unfortunately, Eugene, the shotgun idea is the result of ignorance by > > gun
owners as well as the general populace. Many in both groups > > believe the
/nonsense/ that an 18 inch (shortest legal length) > > barreled shotgun will
_*fill a hallway*_ with lead. Simply FALSE. > > The pattern of shotgun pellets
expands about 1 inch per yard. So at 3 > > yards, the usual self-defense
distance, the pattern is *3 inches* in > > diameter. NOT 3 feet.> > > > Based
on police stats, it is easy to miss completely at that > > distance. But,
conceding this point, if you hit them at three yards > > with a 3" pattern
consisting of nine .32 caliber projectiles (using > > size OO Buck which has a
huge recoil) you will stop them about 96% of > > the time (and kill them "dead
right there").> > > > But the practical problems of size, weight, recoil, and
barrel length > > (allowing the intruder to leverage it right out of your
hands) > > remain. All are avoided with a three-inch barreled .357 magnum > >
revolver which, loaded with proper ammunition has the *same* 96% > > one-shot
stop record.> > > > **************************************************> >
Professor Joseph Olson, J.D., LL.M. o- > > 651-523-2142 > > Hamline University
School of Law (MS-D2037) f- 651-523-2236> > St. Paul, MN 55113-1235 c- > >
612-865-7956> > jol...@gw.hamline.edu > >> >> > >>> "Volokh, Eugene"
<vol...@law.ucla.edu> 2/4/2009 1:08 PM >>>> > I've often heard people say that
shotguns are better than handguns > > for self-defense for some people. I know
others disagree, but for now > > I just want a cite for the proposition that
just as Heller points out > > that handguns are reasonably preferred by some,
so shotguns could be > > reasonably preferred by others. Can anyone please pass
along such a > > quick cite for me? Many thanks,> > > > Eugene> >
------------------------------------------------------------------------> >> >
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