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Get Off My Lawn: Great WWII Guns for Home Defense

I have a 1911, and I would love to have an M1 and any of the WWII Remington or Winchester shotguns to go with it. I've got the Mossberg 590A1 Retrograde tribute to the old trench guns, and it is an awesome firearm, but nothing beats the real thing. The closest I've got to an M1 is the Ruger Mini 14.
 
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And it cuts grass too. 😂😂😂😂😂
 
Not much in the article to disagree with, but maybe to offer a couple finer points. The 1911 is quite a handful for most females as is the Garand. Yep, they'll both work very well as a home defense weapon, but if I'm not home and the little lady is in charge, I want to know she has something at hand that she can use with authority. The 1911 is often too much for the small framed woman, and few can lift and handle with any proficiency the Garand.

There are many firearms today that will make that grade like shortened shotguns, Mini 14's, even AR's, and a wide assortment of handguns a little tamer than a 1911. I want to be sure she can get the bad guy even if he's hiding behind the fridge, but not the fridge at the neighbor's house. So in my opinion, of those mentioned in the article, the M1 would be the likely choice for my home, with either of the shotguns a close second.

Here's a funny little story ...... when the wife and I first married some 51 yrs ago, she had never even touched a firearm. But marrying me she quickly developed an interest. Well, we lived for a short time in a 60' long, single wide mobile home and in a park not especially comfortable looking, even if reasonably in fact safe.

I would occasionally work out of town or overnight and she and I wanted her to feel and be safe, so I always loaded an old 12 ga side X side I had, and would stand it against the wall by the head of the bed. The bedroom was at the very back of the mobile home with a single wide hall stretching nearly the full length of the trailer. I placed a small night light at the front end and explained to her that anyone or anything trying to get to her would be back-lighted and cause a perfect silhouette coming down that hall. All she would have to do is pick up the shotgun, slide off the safety, and point it at the door to the hallway. Then whenever she was ready, just pull both triggers and blow both walls out of the hallway.

She thought about it for a minute or two and said .... "but won't it knock me back on my backside?" I laughed a little and told her NO, she'd be perfectly fine since she was already laying down.
 
jumpinjoe said:
Not much in the article to disagree with, but maybe to offer a couple finer points. The 1911 is quite a handful for most females as is the Garand. Yep, they'll both work very well as a home defense weapon, but if I'm not home and the little lady is in charge, I want to know she has something at hand that she can use with authority. The 1911 is often too much for the small framed woman, and few can lift and handle with any proficiency the Garand.

There are many firearms today that will make that grade like shortened shotguns, Mini 14's, even AR's, and a wide assortment of handguns a little tamer than a 1911. I want to be sure she can get the bad guy even if he's hiding behind the fridge, but not the fridge at the neighbor's house. So in my opinion, of those mentioned in the article, the M1 would be the likely choice for my home, with either of the shotguns a close second.

Here's a funny little story ...... when the wife and I first married some 51 yrs ago, she had never even touched a firearm. But marrying me she quickly developed an interest. Well, we lived for a short time in a 60' long, single wide mobile home and in a park not especially comfortable looking, even if reasonably in fact safe.

I would occasionally work out of town or overnight and she and I wanted her to feel and be safe, so I always loaded an old 12 ga side X side I had, and would stand it against the wall by the head of the bed. The bedroom was at the very back of the mobile home with a single wide hall stretching nearly the full length of the trailer. I placed a small night light at the front end and explained to her that anyone or anything trying to get to her would be back-lighted and cause a perfect silhouette coming down that hall. All she would have to do is pick up the shotgun, slide off the safety, and point it at the door to the hallway. Then whenever she was ready, just pull both triggers and blow both walls out of the hallway.

She thought about it for a minute or two and said .... "but won't it knock me back on my backside?" I laughed a little and told her NO, she'd be perfectly fine since she was already laying down.
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Sorry—a shortened shotgun (I assume you are referring to the “shockwave” style models) is TAMER than a 1911?

Maybe in .410...but definitely not in 12 or 20ga.

And Ive found that a 1911 isn’t too much for most women—IF you don’t play up the false “it kicks like a mule” and TELL them it's too much for them...fact is the slim grip, short, light trigger, and relatively soft recoil on a gov't model makes it a darn good choice.

That being said...the best choice that they give is, hands down, the M1 carbine. Light, fast handling, accurate at short range, and very effective with proper ammo, it’s the best thing going...my wife loves my RockOla.

But the best choice not on that list? M1 Thompson or a M3 ”Grease Gun”...followed closely by a M2 Carbine. But...they’re a little spendy these days...
 
HansGruber said:
Sorry—a shortened shotgun (I assume you are referring to the “shockwave” style models) is TAMER than a 1911?

Maybe in .410...but definitely not in 12 or 20ga.

And Ive found that a 1911 isn’t too much for most women—IF you don’t play up the false “it kicks like a mule” and TELL them it's too much for them...fact is the slim grip, short, light trigger, and relatively soft recoil on a gov't model makes it a darn good choice.

That being said...the best choice that they give is, hands down, the M1 carbine. Light, fast handling, accurate at short range, and very effective with proper ammo, it’s the best thing going...my wife loves my RockOla.

But the best choice not on that list? M1 Thompson or a M3 ”Grease Gun”...followed closely by a M2 Carbine. But...they’re a little spendy these days...
Click to expand...
Really wasn't thinking of the 'Shockwave' or similar, more of just a shortened bbl on a pump action primarily. I'm reasonably certain the 'Shockwave' would be a 'handful' for some/most women, especially in 12ga. However it seems to make a real difference to some/many of them with just a shortened bbl and full stock they can lay against their hips. My wife loves 'shooting from the hip' with my Ithaca 'Featherlight' 12ga w/16.5" bbl and handles it pretty well, but she absolutely hates to shoot a 1911 45cal. Certainly she is not the deciding factor in all this, but she is fairly common to those smaller framed ladies I've worked with over the years.

Only going on personal experience in the majority of the classes/cases I've done over the years that many (especially small framed) ladies have a hard time dealing with 'limp wristing' on the 1911. The power of the 45cal along with the actual weight seems to be a problem for them in general and the "big gun" scares those with smaller hands. That's not to say they cannot learn to deal with it, just that most seemed happier with something a little "less" big.

Absolutely agree the M1 which you describer very appropriately was the best choice of those offered. I don't have one myself, but if I did it would likely be one of her 'go-to' long guns when/if needed. As mentioned she does like the Ithaca on occasion just for grins and giggles on the range or the back 40, but has no interest whatever in a Garand. "Too big, too bulky, too heavy, and too damned loud." LOL!

On the other hand, her routine carry gun is a Judge 'Public Defender', 3" chamber w/2 45 LC's alternating with 3 3" 410 Personal Defense type shells. She has no problem with 'limp wristing' with the Judge since it's a revolver. It's also very front heavy and so makes it much more comfortable for her to shoot than the 1911.

Never had opportunity to work with any ladies on the "Thompson" or "Grease gun" or any full auto's. Did mess around with a Thompson semi-auto a little and most liked it OK for fun, just didn't feel it was practical. Oh well, to each his own I guess.
 
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