What bullett/caliber for an apartment...
 

I just moved into an apartment from a house. When I lived in the house my night-stand gun was a 9mm that was loaded with hot +p+. But now I am worried about having to shoot someone and the bullet going through the wall into my neighbor’s apartment. I don’t know for sure but, if I had to guess the wall is made up of two, half inch pieces of drywall on each side of the wall (ie. two inches of drywall).

So, I'm looking for suggestions on bullet or calibers that are best suited for an apartment. I can switch calibers with out any problems b/c I have most of the common calibers. So, without getting side tracked about how .45 ACP is the best caliber since sliced bread...(like most posts go around here)

What is your suggestion?

I suggest you pick up some MagSafe Ammo for your 9mm. It breaks up in sheet rock, yet creates a tremendous wound channel. This ammo is available in most popular calibers, and the ballistics on it are quite impressive.

I second the MagSafe, in any caliber you won't go wrong.

I have looked at these before...and was reading up on the websight that you supplied. They look good, but they are damn expensive. It will cost me $45 to fill up one mag...I don't like my neighbor that much. (just kiding, I know you can't put a price on safty) But, wow!!! Any other ideas?

Magsafe, Glaser. Either one.

Don't consider them high priced. These rounds aren't something you will be using to go plinking, right? Go ahead and spend the money. You'd feel fucked up if you ended up shooting some neighbor's kid through the wall.

It's worth the expense, believe me.

Magsafe and Glaser. Expensive? Yes, but less so than a dead neighbor.

The last time I needed them in .308 (some years past), they were running about $4.50 a round. The .380's were $2.00 and .45 was $3.00.

Each and every one was well worth every penny.

I posted a link to an article back in an old thread that described an FBI experiment into wall penetration. the bottom line for you is that any normal bullet ie. non-frangible like the mag-safe or glazer will go through your walls and a few more. Not even good for home defense let alone apartment defense. :(

Don't you have a shotgun? Load a 12 gauge with any of the smaller shot, and it'll do just fine for the ranges you're talking about, and will not overpenetrate

And since you're in an apartment, saw it off for ease of use and wider spread.

But make SURE you have an approved BATFE Form 5320.1 for that modification in hand before you do it. Also, check your state laws to make sure such a modification would be legal.

I think he was joking.

Semi-joking. :) If he could legally have one, I think a sawed-off would make for great home defense. The semi-joking part comes in with the fact that most places that I know of don't allow sawed-offs.

sawn or no, I second the 12 guage- versatile and deadly.....

Be careful even with a 12GA in an appartment. I had a friend in college whose girlfriend got hammered one night and started playing with his 20GA loaded with bird shot. Next thing you know BLAM!

She was 10-15 feet from a wall and the shot went right through the sheet rock, through a 1x4 wall support and then through the cement siding they had on the house. I would go with the Glazer. Manufactured to penetrate skin, not walls.

Fleshettes....will penetrate even the thickest winter jackets but not sheetrocked walls.... rips flesh to shreds causing very extremely painful wounds pretty much taking all enthusiasm from the bad guys intended line of work.... cut brass brazing rod at sharp angles to fit in a shot canister for either a pistol or in a shotgun.

Not only is that illegal, piano wire works better ;)

Hence, my earlier comment on lime pits ;-)

If you're into reloading, a mixture of 3/4 inch wire brads and glaziers point work well out of a .44 shot capsule to about 10 feet.

Actually yeah. Just load up your own custom shotgun shells with some lower-impact stuff. *thinks back to Kill Bill 2 where Uma Thurman gets shot with rock salt*

What was she doing with a loaded gun in the first place?

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Thanks for everyones help...you all gave some ideas to look into...

Isn't there a side by side shotgun called the 'coachgun' that conforms to most state laws regarding shotgun barrel and stock lengths?

I saw one in action in Utah. Very impressive. Think it was about $300. He referred to it as a coachgun, that's why I asked. Called by that name due to it being very like the modified shotguns used by the guy riding up with the coach driver.

Stoeger Industries
http://www.globurban.com/gohunt/coachgun.jpg
http://www.stoegerindustries.com/firearms/coach.tpl

Overall length is about 37 Inches from butt to muzzle.
Side by side with double triggers, 12 and 20 gauge and .410

That's the one.

He had a 'borrowed' parking sign. Fired one buckshot cartridge at it and turned it into a cup.
Then fired a slug and it put a hole the size of my thumb through it.

That's what I'd want in the home if I couldn't get a pump action.

I've used 'rat-shot' before. It was for a .357. Was similar to really small bird shot. Used it to kill rattle snakes, pretty sure it would hurt an intruder like hell without going through walls with enough force to do anything to anybody on the other side.

I have 3 things for my apratments defense.
1) baseball bat. You don't have to worry about that going through the wall hurting the neighbor.
2) Big ass knife. If I don;t want to stab the guy, I can always throw it at him.
3) 30-30, soft point 150 grain bullets. If it comes to shooting someone... it means it's me or him. I'm planning on being the one talking to the judge, not the one going 6 feet under. The chances of hitting my neighbor are slim enough I can deal with squeezing off a round.

All I can say is "Wow, that is a bizzar question/" You live a completely different world than anyone I know if you are asking that sort of question.

i think you should go with the magsafe amo. $45 is a one time fee. You are never going to have to buy another box, well at least hope that you don't ever have to!

What is so weird powderedmaggot? A guy needed protection for his home?

powdered;

some of us do live in nighborhoods where random violence does occur. i personally disagree with a firearm as a home defense option, but i do understand the mentality.

I have a 20g. for my home. Am thinking of getting a 410. at ten feet it will hurt and won't go thru the walls.