Loading...
Building the perfect home defense AR-15
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="680"]
Image courtesy of Tom McHale[/caption]
Ever since the first days of the double-barreled break action, the shotgun has reigned supreme as the home defense long gun of choice. But that is changing as the AR-15 and related guns becomes more and more popular with American gun owners as a range gun, competition gun and hunting rifle.
But how does it work for defending your home?
Very well, thank you.
First off, let's talk about what we want a long gun (i.e. "not pistol") to do in a home defense scenario. Whether's it's buckshot, rifle rounds or higher-veloctity pistol ammo, a long gun should "bring more to the party" than what your CCW gun does. A home-defense long gun should also extend the engagement range beyond the 25 or so yards, yet still be able to maintain a decent volume of fire and not be too big our unwieldy inside the home. Taking all of that into account, today's AR-15's make a lot of sense for keeping your home safe.
So what would the ultimate home-defense AR look like?
I'd suggest starting with a pistol-length AR-15 for size and ease of maneuver inside your home. Then add a SIG Sauer pistol stabilizing brace for comfort and accurate fire, along with a laser sight for accurate fire from awkward positions, a rail-mounted flashlight for navigation and target identification and a sling for keeping it near you moving around the house. Lastly, because rifle rounds like .223 are LOUD compared to pistol ammo, consider adding a suppressor to your rifle in order to protect your ears and the hearing of your family.
