[Uncle Ike]

,” a semi-automatic weapon is the best home defense shotgun. “

Gotta disagree, here — there’s no more intimidating sound, from man or nature, than the distinctive ‘racking’ of a pump-action shotgun...

Makes it much more likely to be able to defuse a situation without having to fire a shot....

[shotgun]

Agreed.

One also needs to consider other aspects as well, such and pointing and shooting without aiming (especially when roused from a sleep). As for rate of fire auto loaders are pretty damn quick.

The only drawbacks are the large holes in the walls and doors, length of the firearm in tight spaces, lack of ammunition (3-5 rounds).

[P8riot]

This is a commonly accepted fallacy. If you have to "rack" a shotgun you are at a disadvantage already. Best not to give them any warning at all. The first, and last, sound they should hear is

BOOM!

[jospehm20]

Cycling any type of gun tends to give away your position. I personally do not think that is a good idea.

[U S Army EOD]

If you have waited that long to charge the weapon you have waited way too long.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

there’s no more intimidating sound, from man or nature, than the distinctive ‘racking’ of a pump-action shotgun...

Makes it much more likely to be able to defuse a situation without having to fire a shot....

. . . which makes me wonder if I don't want an actuator mechanism which can be concealed somewhere and triggered remotely to produce that sound.

Intruder hears sound, cannot locate the source, loses confidence in his ability to control the tactical situation, departs.

[Dick Bachert]

Agree.

[USS Alaska]

Gotta disagree, here — there’s no more intimidating sound, from man or nature, than the distinctive ‘racking’ of a pump-action shotgun...

Makes it much more likely to be able to defuse a situation without having to fire a shot....

I've seen this illogical reasoning posted many times and couldn't disagree more.

You should never pull a weapon unless you intend to use it to protect your life, which to me, means shooting the bad guy in the 10 ring.

I would never give an intruder any idea of my position, nor any idea that my weapon was not ready to be fired.

Aim and fire, no sound, no warning and hopefully, he'll never even hear the shot that killed him.

Situation defused.

[Vendome]

That’s my dream too. Racking a shotgun and hearing intruders go “Ahhhhhh!” as they run out the door.

However, my assumption is they are intent on following through on whatever they are in my home for, so it has always seemed reasonable and lifesaving to fire away.

My goal is to save my life and my loved ones and not give them the opportunity or chance to get anywhere near me.

I don’t want to interview them on intent and I am not interested in learning why they are there.

The bottom line is they shouldn’t be in my home and my assumption is they are committed, no matter what, on achieving their goal and if I am in the way, they don’t care.

I do.

[wtc911]

there’s no more intimidating sound, from man or nature, than the distinctive ‘racking’ of a pump-action shotgun...

Makes it much more likely to be able to defuse a situation without having to fire a shot....

__________________________________________

You watch too many movies.

[starlifter]

I absolutely agree.

And with a shotgun:
- You just have to be close to get a disabling hit
- Chances of sending a round through the Sheetrock and hitting fluffy bunny in the next room are nil.

[archy]

Gotta disagree, here — there’s no more intimidating sound, from man or nature, than the distinctive ‘racking’ of a pump-action shotgun...

I'm willing to bet you've never heard the distinctive *pop* of the igniter cartridge of an M2-A2 flamethrower about to go to work.

[ExSoldier]

I disagree with the use of any PUMP action shotgun for home defense by a novice shooter or homeowner not into regular practice. Under extreme pressure, too easy to “SHORT STROKE” the reload in order to fire the second round. This means that there is a failure to bring the pump forcefully to the bottom of it’s cycle and then start back up to chamber the round. This results in a double feed jam and can only be cleared by a detail strip of the weapon (usually a gunsmith job) difficult to stay alive under these circumstances. As far as the legendary sound, it can be exactly duplicated by "racking" the bolt of a semi auto shotgun. I'll take my Benelli anyday. But don't take my word for it: Ask the USMC

[Nathaniel]

I don't WANT an intruder to hear me rack a pump's slide. The only thing I want him to hear is the sound of the shot that sends him to perdition, just before the drop in blood pressure causes him to black out & then die. I also have a Ruger PC9 with aftermarket 32 round magazine, ghost ring sights and a Tac Star light with pressure switch on the wife's side of the bed. It also uses the Mec Gar 17 round magazines my P89DC uses. Buffalo Bore +P+ 115 grain Speer Gold Dots loads are the current round of choice. I'm perfecting a handload - no I do NOT subscribe to the lawyer-proofing “only factory loads for defense” theory. We live way out in the country -on my side of the bed is a semi auto AK along with the aforementioned P89DC. I don't CARE about "overpenetration" - it's just the wife our Peke and I - nobody sleeping in adjacent bedrooms. If we have bears snooping in our garbage, I may keep my Marlin 45-70 Guide Gun by the bedside. I love bears and hope only to scare them away, but two-legged intruders? I intend to shoot to kill, and keep shooting until I know they're dead - dead people don't sue you.