If a protester can throw a Molotov Cocktail at me from 100 or 200 yards, they wouldn't be out protesting. They would be the starting QB for the New England Patriots.
I believe the idea is you see them coming and stop them before they can possibly get in range. 200 yards I agree, but I'm not letting someone get closer than 100 and waiting for them to throw it.
Think his main point is about the fact that like a stone mountain these rioters have rifles themselves. And a molotov can be chucked 30 to 40 yards. Not an easy pistol shot for MOST people. I could center mass somebody with my compact .45 but I'm FAR from average.
I keep trying to find the longest distance a legal self defense shot in America has happened by a non law enforcement officer.but I can’t find this info . If you happen on a mass shooting I could see it being justified , but I don’t wanna be running around with a long gun in a mass shooting when the cops pull up . I keep my 10.5 gas piston sbr locked up and realistically I couldn’t get to it very quickly and I plan to use my Glock 19 with a light for home defense . If I had to shoot that short ar in the house the concussion and noise would be extremely intense even with hearing protection I used double hearing protection shooting it outside . I get the point that if a complete war broke out it’s the best weapon choice . But if a full war breaks out in America I’m gunna be wanting a sail boat or a pass port to find a new place to live .
I was an infantryman back in the 90s and an enthusiast since. I expected to roll my eyes a lot during this video. You addressed all of my “yeah, but...” almost as if we were having a beer together at my kitchen table. I’ve got a little updating to do. Well done, sir.
ASP: Affordable rifles suck. Palmetto State Armory: You sure bro? I own rifles/pistols from Daniel Defense, Patriot Ordnance Factory, Radical Firearms, BCM, etc. My PSA AR-15 has been as reliable and just as accurate as any of my other rifles (in some cases more accurate). I did get my PSA rifle's gas block pinned (as I do on all my rifles), some higher end manufacturers already have the gas blocks pinned, that's honestly the biggest difference between high end and PSA. Even PSA's barrels are pretty decent in comparison to high manufacturers. On a side note, I shoot the piss out of my guns, I'm not the average gun owner that buys a gun and 1 box of ammo and puts it under there bed and never shoot it. I've shoot over 3000 rounds through my PSA (mostly cheap steel cased wolf ammo) since I got it and I've had no issues. Obviously this is anecdotal and just my experience with 1 PSA rifle, but I felt like I should speak up because not everyone can afford high end rifles and they should know that affordable rifles can be just as good. Unfortunately, PSA is getting hit pretty hard with sales at the moment because the virus and social unrest, so it may be hard to get a firearm from them at the moment=(.
@@steveosoprano9078 Same. I've spoken with people in the industry who work at high end manufacturers and they hate PSA. They make very similar rifles at a 1/3-1/4 the price of other companies. PSA deserves respect for making quality affordable rifles that even someone in poverty can afford.
Daniel That’s awesome. You saved yourself some money without sacrificing anything. Some companies are just greedy and think their rifles are a gift from god and should priced accordingly. It’s sad. I have a lot of appreciation and respect for manufacturers that put a fair price on their weapons.
@@KB-ji3yr and I really like that they are willing to listen to criticism and make changes when necessary instead of being bull headed about their product. Much respect to PSA.
Got an M&P Sport 2 a month ago (the best basic AR I could afford). Now I need my sling, optic and light. Will start training as soon as they re-open the ranges in my state. Thanks, John!
Love that rifle ❤ I picked mine up about 2 months ago; ~1200 rounds in and not a single malfunction, besides me not seating the magazine properly like a n00b once or twice. 😅
You just can't beat Smith and Wesson for a fine American made firearm. I bought the Smith and Weston performance center 6.5 creedmore AR10 and absolutely love it
For Red Dot optics i suggest Vortex, Holosun, Primary Arms or Sig.... all reliable and wont break the bank. (LPVO’s the Primary Arms or Vortex are best for lower priced, just be aware that to get one with daytime useable illumination(red dot like) the cheapest I found is the Vortex Viper PST Gen2 starting at $600, the primary arms and vortex strike eagle are very useable but their illumination is very weak and really only useable in dim to low light)
Excellent choice! I bought myself the Springfield Saint last month for $1100. [used that stimulus check] but I need the sling, ambi charging handle, strike industries mega-fin grip [California 😒] Olight flashlight, red dot and last but most importantly, training.
When I was in the US Army, we used iron sights, and we could definitely hit targets much farther range than 100-200 yards. We trained for 50-300 yards typically, and on 'fun' days we would practice at 500 yards with iron sights. We didn't have the red dots that I think are currently used. I understand that 300-500 yards isn't practical in civilian use, however I'd feel more comfortable with iron sights. I've been considering an AR-15, and I have to assume the ballistics are the same or similar to the M-16xx. Is this true?
Thanks for this info. I use iron sights when I first get a new rifle or pcc. After I use it awhile, I have a better idea of the type of optic I want for it, and I keep the iron sights as backup, and I can usually co-witness. From time to time, I'll practice with the iron sights to refresh my skills.
Duane Sikkema I’d be willing to bet when you were in the Army, you had a 20 something year old’s eye sight too? I’m only the n my 30’s, and can already tell my eye sight is garbage compared to what it was 10 years ago. I can, from a fundamentals standpoint, hit at 300 with irons. Problem is, I’d have a hard time making sure what I hit, is something I need to be shooting at. Thats the value of a lvpo.
It’s just like the one from my service. I mostly used ACOG system when I was out in the field (rarely ever used iron sight except for training). If you have enough financial resources, try out Trijicon ACOGs (but trust me, they are little expensive).
Legit self defense? No clue. But a justified shooting? I heard of a rancher who shot 3 men trying to steal his cattle at supposedly 200 ish yards from horseback, I believe killed all three. Stealing cattle is a killing offense, if you don't own cattle that doesn't matter to you
I would guess farther than 1/4 mile. For example, living at my parents house if someone broke in I’d run as fast as possible and take the nearest vehicle (my dirt bike for example), then at around 1/4 mile at either the stop sign on the hill or maybe even farther if I went into the field, I’d spin around and start plinking the bad guys because my parents would still be in there or nearby on the property (let’s face it, my mom couldn’t start the quad bike up since the battery is dead, and half the time the truck battery is stolen for use in a tractor, and my mom wouldn’t want me sticking around but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t provide some protection). Based on the fact I can plink toy army soldiers and quarters decently from 100 yards with a .22, I’d imagine I could still go for head shots (then if the drop is significant it still lands on them). I would not be surprised at all if the farthest home defense shot from a spouse or loved one of the family is even half a mile (the chances of hitting your loved one is incredibly low and magnitudes safer than letting violent bad guys in, plus even shooting their vehicle may distract them or cause a retreat because bad guys don’t like getting shot, or a chance for your family to escape when disabling the attackers tires or radiator could buy them the time they need). I’m curious if anyone has done past a mile (even if it’s just to disable vehicle, like a kidnapping).
Not sure there is a legal standard for that....it just depends on what they are carrying. For instance if the attacker is carrying a 300 win mag and you can see him shooting at you at let's say 300 yards, that's an EASY shot with that rifle so firing in self defense would be justified. That's part of the totality of circumstances. Person has intent to cause you harm and the ability to do so then you add the fact that he is in fact that hes winging lead....or even preparing to....
@@rfross771 I do not doubt that you can imagine scenarios where legit self defense could happen at any range you want. However, I'm wondering if anyone has ever actually done it. What is the longest range civilian (or heck, what about police) self-defense shooting that has actually happened in the real world?
That shirt is hilarious. Great video. You hit a lot of really good points. The need to engage threats at 100 and even 200 yards is totally valid in a SHTF scenario. A buddy of mine used a term I had never heard before...”Homestead Defense.” It refers to the space between your doorstep and the street or any other boundary to your property. You could also argue it extends down the street or into other parts of your neighborhood. Great video.
Yeah, but most people don't live on a homestead or have a very large house or property. My house is barely over 1,000 square feet and I own less than a quarter of an acre plus I have many, many neighbors around me so I will not be taking any of my pew-pews out onto my lawn to engage with a possible threat. That's a good way to get yourself locked up for a very long time. If someone breaks into my house wanting to cause physical harm to me then yeah I will defend myself, but if they're just trying to steal my big screen TV out on my living room then they can have it. I'm not going to chase him around town with a firearm or take somebody's life over a material possession.
The best home defense rifle is one the family can afford and also one that shoots. Of course John’s gonna tell you how badass his $6500 rifle is, because it was free. Personally I think it’s too long to be swinging around indoors and all the nic nacs are overkill.
That rifle is way too long for use in my home. While I'm not a fan of short barrels due to the way the 5.56x45 is designed, a short barrel is exactly what I need for in home. As for that light, my walls are painted white. It's gonna blind me. There is such a thing as too many lumens. The optic is for reaching waaayyyyy out. I would use an optic of that size out to 600 yards. 200 yards and in a red dot is just fine because you can set point blank in that range. In summary, everything needs to be smaller.
As a guy who is building a house on the 40 acres he just bought, I appreciate that you’ve now given me even more reason to get a nicer AR than the one I currently have
I guess my qualm is the optic choice. Army qualifications include 300 yards with iron sights and it’s doable with good skills and a steady position. I get the draw of a magnified view but for primarily home use with ability to reach out, a red dot provides the best both eyes open situational awareness for home defense. Thoughts John?
I went with a 1-6 because even without my glasses I can see clearly with the lpvo, if I couldn't grab, or drop my glasses I could still identify the target clearly. Of course a red dot is more convenient and suitable for home defense but if I can't see then it doesn't do much good.
I agree with having the light and the sling. For home defense I would suggest a red-dot sight with backup irons. If this rifle has to have magnification it has to be 1X on the bottom end and have an etched reticle. Adding a scope to a rifle adds a lot of weight and will make you slower. Speaking of weight, there are various barrel profiles and barrel lengths to consider. There is also ammunition selection to consider as well. edit: Couple of other thoughts: What is the trigger pull weight on that rifle vs what a home defense rifle should have. And in general, should custom competition firearms be used in home/self defense?
My AR, AK and shotgun just have the normal factory triggers installed, but my Glock 17 Gen 3 has a custom OverWatch Precision Poly-D.A.T. trigger and it is fantastic.
Hey John, I totally agree with you about having a carbine for home defense. I've heard that "a pistol is just for fighting your way to your rifle". I love your set-up. Mine is very similar (although less expensive 😉). The one topic that you did not mention was your choice of ammunition. This is a hot topic for carbines and home defense. What is your opinion? Do you use ball, hollow point or frangible (or other)? Over penetration is always the concern. Thanks for all of the effort and great lessons!
My friend owns a Mp AR 15 sport 2.. He's run the hell out of that rifle, hardly cleans it, mainly bore snake... He bought it on sale for 500bucks.. He runs it against us at the 300yd line .. I don't believe you need the most expensive rifle... Yes , I'm contradicting myself, I own Daniel Defense and Bravo rifles.. But , I'm impressed that there's riflesthat will keep up ...
Here are my two cents... 1. Have a plan, a day time plan and a night time plan; no more than 6 scenarios. Single intruder, multiple intruders, leaving the house, getting home, someone in the house, being forced out, etc. 2. Make sure your family knows the plan. 3. Know how to assess the threat. 4. Know your property like the back of the hand, have a rallying point if all goes to heck. 5. Get to know your neighbors really well. 6. Join or start a neighborhood watch if possible. 7. Know the normal sounds of your house. 8. Get a home alarm. 9.Get a dog, any dog. 10. Get a gun (anything 9mm or over), get a 12g shot gun (a Remington 870 or a Mossberg 500 series), that should cover you for most defensive situations. And get a good light like Surefire. 11. Train, train, train, be proficient. Dry runs will work for now. And be SAFE! 12. If you can afford it get NODs, or a thermal monocular, 3A or 3+ plate carrier if possible. 13. Most threats will be crimes of opportunities from junkies or unorganized gangs, so keep your ears and eyes open to what is going on in your town/region. You may want to pick up a good multichannel police scanner. The likelihood of Navy Seal Team 6 or a squad Delta Force Operatives storming your house is highly unlikely, unless your into some dark America hating shit, so then I hope you’ll be meeting your god soon. 14. Almost forgot... know the day to day routines of your neighbors and neighborhood, your pets, local wildlife, farms animals, etc. if something is out of place, there usually a disturbance and a problem. EVERYTHING has a pattern. Well, have to do some chores now. Have a great day, be safe and God bless America!!! Romeo Tango out!
Prefer pistol length AR for home defense. My carbine and rifle length ARs are locked up. The pistol length AR can easily hit at 100 years and it is much easier to maneuver in a home environment.
Hope you're grabbing ear pro when you grab your AR pistol because shooting them indoors sans ear pro will absolutely cause you permanent hearing damage, and can definitely take you out of the fight. I know, deaf is better than dead, but...it also isn't if it's avoidable.
@PalealYah Bayn Yisra'el - fair enough. If one hasn't put some thought and preference in home defense, then it certainly is advisable to use anything at hand.
Why not both? Also my friend argues the gym isn't good for natural movements and makes you too slow and bulky. Calisthenics or other forms of bodyweight training/arts may be more beneficial for defense. But I still lift 6 days a week Oh and guns unlike the gym provide a quick power advantage, that will give you time to learn a material art. Win win but get the gun ASAP. Glad I bought an AR15 (just because I wanted one) for $500 before covid. Haven't shot it yet since ranges closed but it's ready for home defense with my 9mm CCW. ~23 year old
Im in NY...mag can only be 10 in my AR....and if i have features on it...mag has to be locked in the gun. So these days I go with a 12 gauge next to the bed....and an M1 Carbine with 6 mags.
That rifle is HUGE for defense. That barrel and optic are complete unnecessary. A short barreled AR pistol is much more practical. Shots aren't going to be long range. Iron sights or a red dot are also more appropriate. For soldiers who carry alot of ammo and have to walk alot, 5.56 is the best choice. In the focus of closer range fighting, I honestly believe alternate calibers like 300, 7.62x39, 6.8 SPC, and 6.5 Grendel bring a lot to the table. More power, and ammo weight matters very little. One mag in the back pocket is all you need for a reload. Add a flashlight and a sling, and you're good to go.
If you compress the stock fully and shorten your sling that weapon would be a more appropriate length and could also be used for other things. I think it's a better all-around rifle. One thing most people don't debate much is commonality of caliber. If you're in a bad situation and you drop somebody who has an AR platform you can pick up their ammo if it's 556 and you're extremely unlikely to find grendel or blackout. 5.56 is way more common. And that's why my backup pistol is a 9 mm. 85% of all handguns on this planet are 9 mil so you're wa more likely to find that ammunition in a bad situation. I get where you're coming from but if you lived in Portland you might think that 60 rounds of an uncommon caliber was not quite enough....I'm playing the numbers.
Scope is wrong. Average in city distance is 75 yards per FBI. His barrel is too long For close quarters. Light looks like he does not use it intermittenly (a.k.a trying to catch bullets) all the distance he mentioned in the video can be done with a short barrel ar pistol. Just another video by someone who does not know what they are doing.
John has very very good Judo and body language skills makes you underestimate how dangerous he is, half the time I can't tell his next move very swift. Thank you for your lessons John.
I have a cheapo Bushmaster XM-15 $600 on sale. Put a two-point sling and a bright white on it for cheap. I use the stock iron sights. Step two is practice, practice, practice, practice! Practice!!!
Joe Foss range, 300 yards 4 moa Aimpoint Micro H1 red dot with 16" Bushmaster 3 for 3 solid hits on man size steel plates. No magnified optics needed. Magnified optics are for identifying your target and shooting small groups, not hitting your target. An AR pistol with a red dot is the best home defense weapon.
Personally I only have a 400 lumen light on my rifle because when I had a 2k light the glare from using it in my house was so much that it blinded me too. As for using it long distance I think it’s not needed plus a light at that range just gives them something to shoot at while you try to find your target. Just my opinion but something to think
@@ASPextra I think he's right. Around my own place that I know better than anyone, the darkness is my friend. A bright light that destroys my night vision hurts more than helps, and that is why I like a green light.
Would you consider ear pro in a defense situation if you don't have your setup suppressed? Or is it one of those "I'd rather be alive and deaf" kinda things?
Awareness > hardware I've survived two armed home invasions. In the first, I had prior notice (a failed attempt to breach the front door). For the second, I didn't. Awareness gives you the time to arm yourself, and position yourself, which (in almost all cases, even if you're inexperienced) increases your chances of survival ten-fold. In contrast, if you're caught unaware (or are paralyzed by conflict), even a perfectly set-up AR (that you can't access and ready) won't help you. If I'm prepared, I could defend myself with a big fork, or a frying pan.
Sure, but if you had to, would you choose a fork or a rifle? And since you'd choose a rifle, would you choose a crappy setup or a good one? And since you get to make those choices now, under cool reflection, why not make good ones?
Is an "AR-Pistol", best of both worlds in home defense? Its my preference, but more for the suppressor I have setup on it. Large capacity, significant stopping power, very mobile, finally anyone in my family can extremely accurately operate it.
.223 WILL BLOW RIGHT THREW AN INTRUDER TUMBLE THREW THE DRY WALL BEHIND HIM JUST TO COME TO A REST IN THE CHEST CAVITY OF A LOVED ONE OR NEIGHBOR SLEEPING IN BED... 9/10 TIMES YOU WILL HAVE TO ENGAGE AN INTRUDER WHILE THEY HAVE ALREADY MADE ENTRY TO YOUR HOME BLASTING AWAY WITH .223 IS NOT GOOD IDEA IF HAVE KIDS OR NEIGHBORS... PISTOL GRIP SHOTGUN WITH BIRD SHOT IS ALWAYS THE WAY TO GO FOR HOME DEFENSE!!!
To aaaall the people getting upset over his use of a “long range scope” on his rifle, that is a variable optic. It has a 1x setting and a decent fov so it is more than suitable for close range.
I mean..for Red Dots, you have unlimited eye relief haha. Nonetheless, “nothing is stupid if it works for you.” Doesn’t matter what people have to say, if it works out for you, go for it. Me, personally, stick with dot sight.
I like my FN-15 SRP Tactical. 14.5 barrel. Aimpoint PRO. Surefire scout m300light and I changed out the stock for a Magpul SL carbine stock. It chews through any steel or brass ammo that I can find for it. I run 77GR OTM for home defense with a huge surplus of m193 brass for later. 50/200 zero. Run drills often.
This channel produces great content but I disagree a little here. A good home defense CQB AR is simple. A quality manufacturer's short barrel - pistol or sbr depending on you laws and needs, a good quality weapon light , good quality defense ammo, and a good quality rds of your choice. It will be a fast accurate setup from 5 feet out to 100 yards. Realistically nobody is ever gonna take a home defense shot further than that.
You don’t need a long range scope to “reach out and touch” someone in a home defense scenario unless your house is 200 yards wide inside. Might as well get a range finder if this is the logic...
Did you watch the video? It’s pretty clear to me within the first couple minutes that the rifle setup is in the context of having to defend against a similar situation to the one he cited.
If you have acreage people start trespassing on in attempt to get to your house, yes it's justified. 200 yards is nothing out in the country. And if they are coming for you, it's justified.
If you cant get it done with metallic sights at less than 25 feet you are doomed. And you better not go outside in an offensive manner. Self defense gives some legal protections. Go offensive and its your ass.
No AR-15's in my armory, though I do have a CETME .308 rifle. Got a great deal on it from a guy moving to Commiefornia, who wanted to offload it before the move. That said, my home is a 1-bedroom apartment, so not much room to maneuver a full carbine in here.
IMHO: inside work either 11.5" AR for maneuverability, shotgun for power. Holo sights for those. 16-20" AR with LPVO for exterior work. The 11.5 will do it all if you can only have one.
I got some 75 grain Speer Gold dots in my 11.5", red dot zeroed at 200 yards. That round has less flash and report vs xm193, but breaks apart at lower velocities.
@@marzcapone9939 Zeroed at 200 yards seems excessive for home defense. (unless you live on a big plot of land or on a ranch or something; I'm talking about city and suburbs) _ Are you not worried a prosecutor might exploit that? (genuine question)
@@MrNicoJac 200 is a "normal and typical" zero for an AR. John had an interview with Mas Ayoob a couple videos ago and they were talking about trigger pull, same idea. If you are within the normal range on a given spec, a prosecutor can bring it up, but it is an easy "defense." In any event, the whole point of the 50/200 BZO is to allow for not having to hold over or under at all ranges out to 250 or so, you'll be a little low out to 50 and a little high from there to 200, but never outside a couple inches either way.
@John Neill a quality LPVO can be a good option even on a short barrel. Urban environments can easily have distances that are 50 to 100+ yards. Red dot like performance on 1x plus the ability to positively identify a target and make more precise shots.
"Statements are made that the shotgun or pistol should be used because of the over-penetration problem with 5.56 carbine ammunition. This could not be further from the truth. If you conduct a little research you will find that numerous law enforcement departments, to include the FBI, have proven this to be false in most cases. The fact of the matter is that many of these bullets will penetrate numerous walls, but standard 5.56 loadings are the least of your worries when compared to pistol and shotgun fodder, which continue to take top honors in the category of over-penetration." US Army Sergeant Major Lamb (former Delta/CAG) www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2015/5/26/the-ar-for-home-defense-one-experts-opinion "Common pistol rounds easily penetrated all 4 walls spaced out at room distances. This is a critical issue. Think about the inside of your house and imagine if you shot through 4 walls. Could you hit a loved one? Know your target and what is behind it....The 5.56 rounds deviated greatly from the original flight path once they started tumbling. This occurred after the second wall." Old_Painless (certified Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Personal Firearms Defense, and Home Firearms Safety Instructor) www.theboxotruth.com/the-box-o-truth-12-insulated-walls/ "Proponents of the pistol for home defense like to think that because it’s 'just' a pistol round, overpenetration really won’t be an issue. Such is not the case. Drywall sheets and hollow-core doors (which are what you’ll find in the majority of homes and apartments in this country) offer almost no resistance to bullets....For years many people just assumed they knew what would happen to a rifle bullet fired indoors-it would go through every wall available and then exit the building. While armor-piercing and FMJ ammunition is specifically designed to do this, extensive testing has shown that light, extremely fast-moving .223 projectiles (including FMJs) often fragment when they hit a barrier as soft as thin plywood." James Tarr (former police officer; contributing editor for Guns and Ammo) www.gunsandammo.com/ammo/long-guns-short-yardage-is-223-the-best-home-defense-caliber/ "The .223/5.56 is moving at around 3,000 feet per second, and while it isn’t magic bullet, it’s a far cry better than any pistol round. Another advantage of the .223/5.56 is its limited penetration. The shape and velocity of the round cause it to immediately expend or dissipate its energy once it strikes something." Tiger McKee (adjunct instructor at Thunder Ranch) gundigest.com/reviews/ar-15-ideal-home-defense-guns "The pistol rounds were seemingly unaffected by the drywall and/or wood barriers. There was no observable deviation or fragmentation of the 9mm projectiles. You’d be safe counting on a pistol round to keep going, and going, and going. After all, premium pistol ammunition is designed to expand, and lose energy, when striking liquid-based targets-not walls. The full metal jacket .223 rounds tended to tumble rather than break apart when they encountered barriers." Tom McHale (contributor at AmmoLand and OutdoorHub) www.outdoorhub.com/stories/2013/11/04/ar-15-appropriate-home-defense-part-one-penetration-issues/ "FBI and Independent Testing Has Consistently Shown .223/5.56 NATO Fired From AR-15’s Do Not Over Penetrate More Than Pistol/Shotgun." Caleb Lee (NRA Certified Basic Pistol & Personal Protection Inside The Home Instructor) preparedgunowners.com/2016/07/14/why-high-powered-5-56-nato-223-ar-15-ammo-is-safer-for-home-defense-fbi-overpenetration-testing/ "Since all of the 5.56 mm/.223 bullets fired through the interior wall had significantly less penetration than 9 mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, and 12 ga. shotgun projectiles which were fired through an interior wall, stray 5.56 mm/.223 bullets seem to offer a reduced risk of injuring innocent bystanders and an inherent reduced risk of civil litigation in situations where bullets miss their intended target and enter or exit structures. As such, 5.56mm/.223 caliber weapons may be safer to use in CQB situations and crowded urban environments than service caliber handguns or 12 ga. weapons." Dr. Gary Williams (ballistics expert) www.recoilweb.com/ar-vs-shotgun-for-home-defense-again-2-of-2-39203.html#ixzz4zCOCPykZ
Colt, Daniel Defense, LMT, Bravo Company, Knights Armament, and Noveske have been the gold standard rifles for years. Others have surely entered the fray. HK, PWS, Radian, Geissele, Sig, and lots of others are now available all over. But certain factors play a role. Learn about the platform and choose wisely. Some rifles have some proprietary parts, and may not be available if needed later. That's why some go milspec stuff only, then invest in spare parts you might need. Viking Tactics and Blue Force Gear slings, Aimpoint and Eotech red dots, and Surefire weapon lights have long been known as the top stuff to outfit your rifle, but there are other options nowadays, especially since people aren't fast roping from Blackhawks or riding SWCC boats around in the dark. You can order the parts you want and build it yourself, if you're handy that way, and save some money there. LPVOs are all the rage, which is a good way to go if where you live or where you go could involve longer shots, say out past 200 yards, where target identification is key. Getting a 1x4 can work, for less than a grand, or you can jump up to a S&B 1x8 version for over 4 grand. Lots went with the Vortex Razor HD II-E 1x6, but so many choices exist now. Marines are losing the ACOG on their M27s, and getting the VCOG 1x8, which should be useful for them. SOCOM is using the NF ATACR 1x8. For most people, simpler is better, since we're not shooting full auto, with an SBR, suppressed, in a compromised environment. Try this on for size.......an LMT CQB MRP rifle, DI or piston, in 6.8spc, which hits about 80% as hard as a .308 with 50% of the recoil. Not talked about much, but units that have used it report devastating terminal effects with minimal recoil penalty, i.e., one good hit is far superior to the 5.56 effect, which is still good. Only problem is finding the ammo regularly, which sends you back to 5.56.
If your planning on popping off bad guys in self defense at 100+ yards I would recommend a nice 400 rifle. That way is doesn’t sting so bad when you toss it in the ocean and you can concentrate more on constructing a solid alibi.
sorry John but i cant get past that thing that looks longer than kentucky rifle. Thats a scary thing to have in a self protection. seems better to do well as a very long spear with a flashlight.
If most home defense scenarios are in low light situations how would that optic be of any use? I’m all for Tac lights but that setup looks more like a RECCE shtf gun instead of a dedicated home defense rifle. IMO going with a 10.5 or 12.5 setup with a dot, light and sling will do just fine in CQB. But his setup would excel in SHTF.
Yeah I think red dot would be ideal for most cases, but he does have a light on the front which should be more than adequate for that scope to see a reasonable distance. Also if it’s super close like 20 ft I don’t think anyone is going to aim, you could land most of your hits on their head hip firing at that range (unless you’ve got Hollywood bad guy accuracy, in which case good luck, hope it wasn’t the A-team breaking in)
Low profile vertical or angled foregrips are something to consider if it’s a home defense build. It gives you a solid leverage point for retaining the weapon/yanking it back and controlling the angle of the muzzle if god forbid you surprise someone (that surprises you) that is within arms reach of ya. My 2 cents~
You guys should check out the Modlite Modbutton. It is both a momentary on switch, and the mount for the Scout lights. John, your light will be closer to the rail, and won't leave that wire hanging out there. Plus, those Surefire switches are just held on by pressing them on, it will wear out, and comes off too easily.
@@ASPextra Cool. I've been suggesting to Modlite and Unity that they should also make a front sight, with the button on the back angle. It would not be a solution for everyone, I know. It would be a light mount, button, and pic mounted front sight. Talk about low footprint for a SBR or AR pistol.
My Ruger MPR I got for 650$ with a nice little primary arms LPVO, vickers sling, and a stream light does well for me. Well over 1,500 rounds with only 1 malfunction. Was using some really crappy monarch steel case .223 after shooting 600 rounds without cleaning it. Round felt underpowered so I blame the round. Bolt did not pick the next round up from the mag. So probably the crap ammo. I know with my brass ammo it’s 100% reliable.
Not a bad gun at all. When Bushmaster got sold and then ruined, the old team from BM reconvened as Windham Weaponry and they make a decent mid-grade gun.
Im proud of myself , My rifle is set up just like yours pretty much but with a red dot. Im glad I went with a 16" barrel and didnt do the the super cool pistol route. Curbing that desire for the pistol was extremely hard though......give me the excuse "I need both " , hehe
So I bought a Romanian AK47 for $570 a couple weeks ago for my home defense gun and after sighting it in and seeing the accuracy, reliability and stopping power it has I really don't think I'll be buying any AR15. AR's are great guns, but they're definitely more expensive and require much more weekly maintenance. The only downside to the original AK platform is that it limits your customizability. You can't put a taclight on an AK or really any sights.. But the 7.62x39 round has far superior stopping power than the 5.56.
@@ASPextra You mean you don't rotate the detents every 500 rounds and check the spring pressure? I take mine in weekly to have the optic washer fluid refilled. I'm getting an AK. Too much weekly maintenance!
John did a great job of disclosing Lone Star Armory gave him the rifle. I've never fired or even held one, but I'm sure it's a high quality rifle. John also did a great job admitting you don't have to spend $2,200 on an AR. There are manufacturers who make great, high quality rifles for less than $1,000 including M&P. I believe Smith & Wesson nailed gassing, bolt carrier, and wear solutions. If you have new found interest in fire arms due to recent events welcome! Please don't be discouraged thinking you have to spend $2,200 as an entry fee! There are a lot of good channels and content here and continue to avail yourself of them to learn more. You will find that all the content encourages training and practice; and there is a reason for that. And as a Bob from next door who sometimes drinks, I appreciate the shout out, John! Thanks for thinking of my safety!
@@ASPextra Isn't home defense pretty close quarters? There are hallways, banisters, narrow doorways to deal with. It would be rare to take a shot beyond 10 yards. Unless you are talking about defending your home from an outside force like it is under siege or something. That doesn't seem to happen very often.
My only comment would be if you choose to go with a LPVO over a red dot with a flip to side magnifier maybe add a set of off set iron or even a micro red dot. That way up close indoors you have a better field of view
John, you mention in a hypothetical "hunkering down behind your bed." You often say that concealment often times works as well as cover being that most people don't practice shooting through concealment. Generally speaking, are you personally going to use concealment just as much as you would cover?
I have a PSA and I'm working on upgrading it piece by piece. It beats not having anything, but I know there are parts that should be upgraded. I'm hoping to get to a class maybe next month.
@@ASPextra Thanks John! I knew you'd approve. Any recommendations on upgrades to make? I've got a light coming monday (800 lumens) and I've replaced the handguard with Midwest industries furniture. I want to put a holosun red dot and a sling, and a new stock on it, but I'm on a tight budget. Any recommendations on internal parts to change? Thanks in advance if you have the time to respond. You're definitely appreciated.
Not arguing at all(and I love LPVOs on ARs, and think they are far more versatile than most people appreciate), but have you ever seen a scenario where a citizen had to reach out to 1-200 yards to engage a threat? Again, not arguing, and I do love LPVOs, but I personally prefer a red dot for home defense, as I think they are just quicker and more intuitive than even LPVOs with a center dot. Also, I totally sympathize on the lefty thing. I'm right handed, but shoot long guns lefty due to my eyes being cross dominant. Having a _truly_ ambidextrous gun/AR(with the exception of the ejection port I guess) makes a world of difference, and like you said, the safety selector is practically mandatory. In fact, a lefty with an ambi gun is almost better off than righties, as it's far easier to lock the bolt back if you can reach, or have an extended bolt lock and release(the Radian guns are an excellent example), though there are ways for righties to deal with that. Okay, I'm sorry, this comment is getting way too long. I just need to go on a quick rant. Lol. While it is true that more companies are making ambi ARs/lowers/parts, etc., it's mostly high end companies, and there's still not a lot of them. Due to state laws where I live I have to build my own guns(well, I don't have to, but it's infinitely easier to get a gun set up the way I want than to hope to find one in a store), and instead of being able to just spend under $100 on an Aero lower or something, I end up having to pay $250 or more for a Seekins Precision ambi lower(though they are great lowers, and the uppers fit perfectly on them.) The Radian ambi lowers are(I think?) Like $475 bucks. So the purpose of my rant, is to point out this fact: Despite only 10% of the population being left handed, about _30%_ of the population is left eye dominant. This means that nearly 1/3 of these companies' customers are(or should be according to most trainers) shooting their guns left handed. Yet so few manufacturers are keeping them in mind. Granted, over the past few years it's gotten better, but I feel like at this point it should almost be standard. Okay, rant over.
Caught on video? No. I am thinking a setup here that works for not only home defense but defense of neighborhood in WROL scenarios like hurricanes and disasters and riots and the like, where the LPVO can help with identification of potential threats.
I got lucky. I got a stock Bushmaster many years ago. I have trained and trained with it. Thousands and thousands of rounds. Run and guns, shooting past 500 yards. Even hunted with it. No problems except a rare ammo related issue. I have wanted to trade up to a newer, "more cool" design. The cost is so out there to get mid to high end. Also, I can't bring myself to sell a known reliable and consistent weapon. So I've stayed with it.
I'm not sure if you've fired a rifle in doors. Especially a hallway in particular without ear protection but you need to be ready MENTALLY for your bell to get rung. Say goodbye to being able to hear anything that's not yelling. IT'S GOING TO SUCK EVERY TIME YOU PULL THE TRIGGER. the concussion and loud noise will rattle your cage BE READY FOR IT. that cool little brake you have is going to clean out your sinuses and increase the suck x5
I have an AR platform carbine for my home defense....however I live in a small home in an urban area. So while I have an AR it's a 9mm. Not the power of a .223 for sure, however for close range in the house work or even 50 yards away it's perfect. Little Holosun red dot, SureFire light with pressure switch and 50 round drum capable. Whizzes out those 90gr Leheigh Xtreme Defense +P's at about 1800 fps, 50 of those coming the creeps way will certainly have them rethinking about storming the hill I call my home. For the reach out and touch I do have an AR-10 also, but that thing is brutal.
The problem here is that pistol rounds penetrate more interior walls than rifle rounds do, and rifle rounds cause hydrostatic shock and that is a significant stopping factor.
@@ASPextra I mistyped. I use the fast rounds for goofing around and rodent killing up north. In the home the 9 is loaded with 158 gr Fiocchi sub-sonic.
One question I have, is an AR is pretty loud, now I get it, your protection is important, but firing an AR and a pistol for that matter may cause hearing loss. You can’t wear earplugs obviously, but to grab Noise cancelling earmuffs, you may not have the opportunity, any advice?
Best solution is a suppressor on the gun. Second best is to hang your ear pro on your rifle. But recognize that you'll only fire it in response to an imminent threat of death or great bodily harm, so the competing harm to your hearing is slight.
John, what is your reference for the "un-organized militia?" You said 18 to 45 yrs of age. I thought it was 65? Perhaps I'm confusing my "Regular" commission timing? Oops... found it. 10 U.S. Code 246. Thanks for jogging my memory.
Magnification on a home defense rifle...interesting. And what looks like an 18" barrel, maybe 20"...again, interesting. Some might say an AR pistol with red dot and light would be better for rooms and lawns.
It feels like John is trying to cram as many applications into one rifle to try and make it a Swiss Army Gun. I just added the AR pistol to my HD inventory because the M4-style still felt too long for the current environment and potential threats that could come near the house. Not saying you can’t do what John’s doing, but that gun seems waaaaaay too big for home defense.
This gun makes it look like John lives on a big ranch and want to go deer hunting with this rifle too XD For home defense in suburbs and such, you'd probably be better off with the shortest barrel you can get, and a red dot sight. - Thinking you'll need more than 100 yards of range because you might get attacked by a mob with rifles is just overkill... Remember, if you survive the day, you'll have to survive the courts too. If you picked a set up to have 300-500 yards of range, while you live in a city or suburb, you're making it way too easy for the prosecutor :(
The versatility of a good lpvo should not be discounted. Red dot like performance on 1x, the ability to positively identify target further away (say 50yrds +) and make more precise shots is a great force multiplier.
I'm a lefty as well. I've tried all kinds of accessories to "fix" my ARs and I've come to the conclusion that the best fix is training. I can engage/disengage my standard safety, drop the bolt catch, and change mags just fine while shooting left handed. No need for multiple accessories for every rifle and I can shoot other people's rifles without thinking.
It's situational. A long rifle with a heavy magnification scope is not needed unless you live in the desert and want to engage people at 300 meters plus. Someone invades your home you need mobility, easy to obtain sight picture instantly, flash light /LASER combo for point shooting and a spare mag on gun or a drum mag. You are at a disadvantage already, you have no idea how many "baddies" there are, you might not have time to find extra mags and you might have to dump lots of rounds at the targets to make them dead or retreat. If you want magnification a wide optic 4X or 6X scope is fine maybe even a flip on/off magnifier.
people talk alot of bad about low cost AR15s. in my case, theyve been a "hit and miss".... most of the time, theyve been pretty good. for instance, every single PSA AR build i have ever seen in person has been nothing but problems. every. single. one....... good thing it wasnt me buying PSA AR kits.... ive had a Armalite/Eagle Arms M-15 MFT Edition for four years now and its been a rock solid carbine for me. several thousand rounds and NEVER had ANY problems with it, EVER. i even put on a new barrel because well, several thousand rounds. lol. but yeah, its been great for me so far. that being said, i understand wanting to spend more on a rifle. a higher quality rifle will most likely be better in every way. at the same time, use what works. ive spent alot of money on Kimber and not one of them ive bought worked, so its not just about how much you spend, but how well it works for you.
John I really appreciate todays extra video. I have been spending multiple hours a day trying to learn everything I can about my rifle before I look like an idiot at the range. Finding a range over 25 yards is proving to be incredibly difficult in Charlotte, NC. If you have any recommendations I would really appreciate it. as for optic i went with the 1-4x vortex crossfire II, and it seems good. But I dont know what i'm talking about.
Do you keep a magazine in the gun... I have a biometric trigger lock.. any one of finger prints blows the lock of immediately, so I do not worry if someone got to it and I don't need a key... I put my finger on it and Im ready to go.
Firearms staged for home defense should be kept loaded because they're in use defending the home, and properly secured against unauthorized access. Generally speaking, long guns should be kept "cruiser ready" or "closet ready".
I shoot left handed. Special left hand controls are pointless and get in the way. The factory controls work perfect for left hand use. Your thumb flipped over the back of the grip or your finger knuckle works great on the safety. Right hand thumb on the mag release works perfect. Just use your middle finger on the bolt catch. Use your left hand on the charging handle while using you right around the mag well. I think the importance of doing a speed reload is over emphasized. Like they say if you had to use two, 30 round magazines, you would be famous.
I have every confidence that the rifle you used here is an excellent AR-15, but I do take exception with using an AR-15 as anything but a backup home defense weapon (although I agree with you that it is an exceptional 'community defense weapon'). Since most home self defense weapons are used (guess where?) in the home, a much shorter and lower power (for less over-penetration risk and lower sound issues) weapon is my personal choice, IMHO. My primary HDW is a CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S2 mini, which is a 9×19mm Parabellum (aka 9mm) with up to 35 round mags. It's only 16.35" long with its brace unextended, but still allows for a solid 2 hand grip, but can't be shouldered; or 23.35" with it's brace extended, allowing for full shouldering just like a rifle (just don't tell ATF about it). Even if you add a suppressor, it's way shorter than your AR-15, and if you're moving through hallways or up/down stairwells, that makes a big difference. It also has more than ample room to mount a light, red dot sight (in addition to back-up iron sights), and a laser or 2 if you want. It will also do well (with a little training) at up to 100 yards, although it's pistol caliber ammo is best in the under 50 yd. range--still perfect for in home use. And there are a vast number of similar sized 9mm (or even 45 ACP or 10mm) brace-mounted pistols that do an excellent job at in home protection. So: own an AR-15? Absolutely. Own it exclusively, including for home defense? Not so much. I also own an AR-15, which I bought almost 30 years ago for home defense (together with some pistols). But today, with the advent of bullpups, like IWI's X95 (5.56, 300 BO or even 9mm), Tavor 7 (.308) or TS12 (12ga. 15+1 semi-auto shotgun), and others, there's a lot better to choose from for home defense. Particularly if you've no desire to become an advanced shooter and (like most gun owners) actually spends only a minimal amount of time training.
@@ASPextra I'm not sure this study supports your proposition: [Study] Home Defense Overpenetration: Shotgun, Handgun, Rifle [ www.pewpewtactical.com/home-defense-overpenetration/ ]. But in any event, a well chosen 9mm JHP which goes wide of the mark shouldn't be a more significant risk in that regard than a 5.56 (or .223) that also misses the mark, particularly because it packs so much less punch, and should in all likelihood be a whole lot less problematic.
Move out of the so-called "Constitution State" to one that actually is a Constitution state. :) shotgun. preferably one that can hold several rounds. IMO
I’ve seen people on TH-cam that can have fixed magazine ar 15 with a 30 round in California . I’m not sure if they just weld a magazine on and then take the upper off to reload
I get it John, you're trying to sell. But I've got 3 budget build AR's and they are good. One of them I have thousands of rounds through with no failures. A couple issues with some magazines, but that is to be expected. My others are new and built by me from PSA and Primary Arms primarily. The times I've gone out, they have been really good. Are they as nice and cool as the expensive ones? No. Will they work when I need them to? I have no doubts. Will I hit my target? Damn skippy.
Slowly building mine, as quality parts cost money, and Commiewealth of Massachusettstan doesn't allow me to buy a complete one anymore (yes I can buy within state but prices are astronomical).
Curious about making it short barreled rather than as long as that? If you was in a home situation would it be one of those situations you would carry a side arm for the house/corridors and switch to the Rifle if it went outside? Couldnt you just do a kind of middle ground with a short barrel ? Not a gun owner, just seems overkill to have a large barrel on the rifle considering the distances you could be shooting?
So, I have neighbors very very close, for our home defense we use pistols with jhp, and then we have a shotgun with numerous load options.. in a very urban area ( cant wait to move) this is our best options.. we of course have rifles, that would work fine.. but not really set up for home defense.. edit we also have cameras and a dog
John, any chance we can get a build list for the parts on your gun. Like you I am also left-handed, and would like to know what charging handle you are running, as well as what paddle switch for your light setup. Part numbers would be helpful. My home defense rifle is currently a bolt action 30-06. After watching your excellently narrated videos and stories on the local news every night that mirror what I'm seeing on your channel, the time has come for me to, reluctantly, upgrade.
![일상 속 기분 좋음 [Proto disco meme]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/DwmEIaZ7XGQ/mqdefault.jpg)
The McClosky AR was his day time protester deterrent set up. 🤣👍
If a protester can throw a Molotov Cocktail at me from 100 or 200 yards, they wouldn't be out protesting. They would be the starting QB for the New England Patriots.
I believe the idea is you see them coming and stop them before they can possibly get in range. 200 yards I agree, but I'm not letting someone get closer than 100 and waiting for them to throw it.
Think his main point is about the fact that like a stone mountain these rioters have rifles themselves. And a molotov can be chucked 30 to 40 yards. Not an easy pistol shot for MOST people. I could center mass somebody with my compact .45 but I'm FAR from average.
I keep trying to find the longest distance a legal self defense shot in America has happened by a non law enforcement officer.but I can’t find this info . If you happen on a mass shooting I could see it being justified , but I don’t wanna be running around with a long gun in a mass shooting when the cops pull up . I keep my 10.5 gas piston sbr locked up and realistically I couldn’t get to it very quickly and I plan to use my Glock 19 with a light for home defense . If I had to shoot that short ar in the house the concussion and noise would be extremely intense even with hearing protection I used double hearing protection shooting it outside . I get the point that if a complete war broke out it’s the best weapon choice . But if a full war breaks out in America I’m gunna be wanting a sail boat or a pass port to find a new place to live .
Hahahaha this is a good one. Fellas, don’t try to refute this man or argue with him. This is a good one. Just laugh and get over it.
Clear_gray_sky if there is one, you can bet google has that buried on page 76 of your search results
I was an infantryman back in the 90s and an enthusiast since. I expected to roll my eyes a lot during this video. You addressed all of my “yeah, but...” almost as if we were having a beer together at my kitchen table. I’ve got a little updating to do. Well done, sir.
Right on! Thanks for the comment, Mike. Have a good one.
ASP: Affordable rifles suck.
Palmetto State Armory: You sure bro?
I own rifles/pistols from Daniel Defense, Patriot Ordnance Factory, Radical Firearms, BCM, etc. My PSA AR-15 has been as reliable and just as accurate as any of my other rifles (in some cases more accurate). I did get my PSA rifle's gas block pinned (as I do on all my rifles), some higher end manufacturers already have the gas blocks pinned, that's honestly the biggest difference between high end and PSA. Even PSA's barrels are pretty decent in comparison to high manufacturers.
On a side note, I shoot the piss out of my guns, I'm not the average gun owner that buys a gun and 1 box of ammo and puts it under there bed and never shoot it. I've shoot over 3000 rounds through my PSA (mostly cheap steel cased wolf ammo) since I got it and I've had no issues. Obviously this is anecdotal and just my experience with 1 PSA rifle, but I felt like I should speak up because not everyone can afford high end rifles and they should know that affordable rifles can be just as good.
Unfortunately, PSA is getting hit pretty hard with sales at the moment because the virus and social unrest, so it may be hard to get a firearm from them at the moment=(.
Love my PSA rifles.
@@steveosoprano9078 Same. I've spoken with people in the industry who work at high end manufacturers and they hate PSA. They make very similar rifles at a 1/3-1/4 the price of other companies. PSA deserves respect for making quality affordable rifles that even someone in poverty can afford.
I've shot over 1,000 rounds through my Del-Ton rifle. Not one malfunction and only cleaned when I bought it. $600 dollars well spent
Daniel That’s awesome. You saved yourself some money without sacrificing anything. Some companies are just greedy and think their rifles are a gift from god and should priced accordingly. It’s sad. I have a lot of appreciation and respect for manufacturers that put a fair price on their weapons.
@@KB-ji3yr and I really like that they are willing to listen to criticism and make changes when necessary instead of being bull headed about their product. Much respect to PSA.
Got an M&P Sport 2 a month ago (the best basic AR I could afford). Now I need my sling, optic and light. Will start training as soon as they re-open the ranges in my state. Thanks, John!
Love that rifle ❤ I picked mine up about 2 months ago; ~1200 rounds in and not a single malfunction, besides me not seating the magazine properly like a n00b once or twice. 😅
You just can't beat Smith and Wesson for a fine American made firearm. I bought the Smith and Weston performance center 6.5 creedmore AR10 and absolutely love it
For Red Dot optics i suggest Vortex, Holosun, Primary Arms or Sig.... all reliable and wont break the bank. (LPVO’s the Primary Arms or Vortex are best for lower priced, just be aware that to get one with daytime useable illumination(red dot like) the cheapest I found is the Vortex Viper PST Gen2 starting at $600, the primary arms and vortex strike eagle are very useable but their illumination is very weak and really only useable in dim to low light)
For a light the best budget option is Streamlight... I wouldnt trust my life to Olight or a cheap Amazon one...they wont stand up to the recoil.
Excellent choice! I bought myself the Springfield Saint last month for $1100. [used that stimulus check] but I need the sling, ambi charging handle, strike industries mega-fin grip [California 😒] Olight flashlight, red dot and last but most importantly, training.
TRAINING! Heck yes... taking a pistol and a rifle training class early next month! Looking forward to it.
Have fun!
Excellent!
When I was in the US Army, we used iron sights, and we could definitely hit targets much farther range than 100-200 yards.
We trained for 50-300 yards typically, and on 'fun' days we would practice at 500 yards with iron sights. We didn't have the red dots that I think are currently used.
I understand that 300-500 yards isn't practical in civilian use, however I'd feel more comfortable with iron sights.
I've been considering an AR-15, and I have to assume the ballistics are the same or similar to the M-16xx. Is this true?
I’d imagine the ballistics would be the same if you match your AR barrel length and twist rate to the m16 variant you were accustomed too.
Thanks for this info. I use iron sights when I first get a new rifle or pcc. After I use it awhile, I have a better idea of the type of optic I want for it, and I keep the iron sights as backup, and I can usually co-witness. From time to time, I'll practice with the iron sights to refresh my skills.
Duane Sikkema I’d be willing to bet when you were in the Army, you had a 20 something year old’s eye sight too? I’m only the n my 30’s, and can already tell my eye sight is garbage compared to what it was 10 years ago. I can, from a fundamentals standpoint, hit at 300 with irons. Problem is, I’d have a hard time making sure what I hit, is something I need to be shooting at. Thats the value of a lvpo.
It’s just like the one from my service. I mostly used ACOG system when I was out in the field (rarely ever used iron sight except for training). If you have enough financial resources, try out Trijicon ACOGs (but trust me, they are little expensive).
If you were using A2s, ARs use the same 556/223, so it should feel the same. I personally feel no difference at all.
The dry dialogue between Drunk neighbor Bob and John had me deader than Bob if John didn't have a weapon light.
It's almost like he was recalling an actual incident verbatim 😂
🤣🤣🤣🤣 FR tho
It actually was really good! I laughed.
What's the longest range civilian shooting that you've seen which was legit self-defense?
Legit self defense? No clue. But a justified shooting? I heard of a rancher who shot 3 men trying to steal his cattle at supposedly 200 ish yards from horseback, I believe killed all three.
Stealing cattle is a killing offense, if you don't own cattle that doesn't matter to you
I would guess farther than 1/4 mile. For example, living at my parents house if someone broke in I’d run as fast as possible and take the nearest vehicle (my dirt bike for example), then at around 1/4 mile at either the stop sign on the hill or maybe even farther if I went into the field, I’d spin around and start plinking the bad guys because my parents would still be in there or nearby on the property (let’s face it, my mom couldn’t start the quad bike up since the battery is dead, and half the time the truck battery is stolen for use in a tractor, and my mom wouldn’t want me sticking around but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t provide some protection). Based on the fact I can plink toy army soldiers and quarters decently from 100 yards with a .22, I’d imagine I could still go for head shots (then if the drop is significant it still lands on them). I would not be surprised at all if the farthest home defense shot from a spouse or loved one of the family is even half a mile (the chances of hitting your loved one is incredibly low and magnitudes safer than letting violent bad guys in, plus even shooting their vehicle may distract them or cause a retreat because bad guys don’t like getting shot, or a chance for your family to escape when disabling the attackers tires or radiator could buy them the time they need).
I’m curious if anyone has done past a mile (even if it’s just to disable vehicle, like a kidnapping).
Not sure there is a legal standard for that....it just depends on what they are carrying. For instance if the attacker is carrying a 300 win mag and you can see him shooting at you at let's say 300 yards, that's an EASY shot with that rifle so firing in self defense would be justified. That's part of the totality of circumstances. Person has intent to cause you harm and the ability to do so then you add the fact that he is in fact that hes winging lead....or even preparing to....
@@rfross771 I do not doubt that you can imagine scenarios where legit self defense could happen at any range you want. However, I'm wondering if anyone has ever actually done it. What is the longest range civilian (or heck, what about police) self-defense shooting that has actually happened in the real world?
@@rifleshooterchannel208 didn’t know that jerk was antifa!
That shirt is hilarious. Great video. You hit a lot of really good points. The need to engage threats at 100 and even 200 yards is totally valid in a SHTF scenario. A buddy of mine used a term I had never heard before...”Homestead Defense.” It refers to the space between your doorstep and the street or any other boundary to your property. You could also argue it extends down the street or into other parts of your neighborhood. Great video.
Yeah, but most people don't live on a homestead or have a very large house or property. My house is barely over 1,000 square feet and I own less than a quarter of an acre plus I have many, many neighbors around me so I will not be taking any of my pew-pews out onto my lawn to engage with a possible threat. That's a good way to get yourself locked up for a very long time. If someone breaks into my house wanting to cause physical harm to me then yeah I will defend myself, but if they're just trying to steal my big screen TV out on my living room then they can have it. I'm not going to chase him around town with a firearm or take somebody's life over a material possession.
The best home defense rifle is one the family can afford and also one that shoots. Of course John’s gonna tell you how badass his $6500 rifle is, because it was free. Personally I think it’s too long to be swinging around indoors and all the nic nacs are overkill.
An “ambassador” for a product loses all credibility to critique other brands and should be viewed as an ad for the product and nothing more.
That rifle is way too long for use in my home. While I'm not a fan of short barrels due to the way the 5.56x45 is designed, a short barrel is exactly what I need for in home. As for that light, my walls are painted white. It's gonna blind me. There is such a thing as too many lumens. The optic is for reaching waaayyyyy out. I would use an optic of that size out to 600 yards. 200 yards and in a red dot is just fine because you can set point blank in that range. In summary, everything needs to be smaller.
no bro DO NOT GO CHEAP WITH YOUR LIFE ON THE LINE.
As a guy who is building a house on the 40 acres he just bought, I appreciate that you’ve now given me even more reason to get a nicer AR than the one I currently have
I guess my qualm is the optic choice. Army qualifications include 300 yards with iron sights and it’s doable with good skills and a steady position. I get the draw of a magnified view but for primarily home use with ability to reach out, a red dot provides the best both eyes open situational awareness for home defense. Thoughts John?
Threat identification is more important than being able to simply hit the target. Magnification provides good target ID and is therefore preferable.
I went with a 1-6 because even without my glasses I can see clearly with the lpvo, if I couldn't grab, or drop my glasses I could still identify the target clearly. Of course a red dot is more convenient and suitable for home defense but if I can't see then it doesn't do much good.
I agree with having the light and the sling. For home defense I would suggest a red-dot sight with backup irons. If this rifle has to have magnification it has to be 1X on the bottom end and have an etched reticle. Adding a scope to a rifle adds a lot of weight and will make you slower. Speaking of weight, there are various barrel profiles and barrel lengths to consider. There is also ammunition selection to consider as well.
edit: Couple of other thoughts: What is the trigger pull weight on that rifle vs what a home defense rifle should have. And in general, should custom competition firearms be used in home/self defense?
My AR, AK and shotgun just have the normal factory triggers installed, but my Glock 17 Gen 3 has a custom OverWatch Precision Poly-D.A.T. trigger and it is fantastic.
We need a small sign on a post that reads
"If you trespass here,
I will reach out
And touch you there"
Hey John, I totally agree with you about having a carbine for home defense. I've heard that "a pistol is just for fighting your way to your rifle". I love your set-up. Mine is very similar (although less expensive 😉). The one topic that you did not mention was your choice of ammunition. This is a hot topic for carbines and home defense. What is your opinion? Do you use ball, hollow point or frangible (or other)? Over penetration is always the concern. Thanks for all of the effort and great lessons!
Ammunition is critical. Just beyond the scope of this video. :) pistol-forum.com/archive/index.php/t-4344.html
My friend owns a Mp AR 15 sport 2.. He's run the hell out of that rifle, hardly cleans it, mainly bore snake... He bought it on sale for 500bucks.. He runs it against us at the 300yd line .. I don't believe you need the most expensive rifle... Yes , I'm contradicting myself, I own Daniel Defense and Bravo rifles.. But , I'm impressed that there's riflesthat will keep up ...
Here are my two cents...
1. Have a plan, a day time plan and a night time plan; no more than 6 scenarios. Single intruder, multiple intruders, leaving the house, getting home, someone in the house, being forced out, etc.
2. Make sure your family knows the plan.
3. Know how to assess the threat.
4. Know your property like the back of the hand, have a rallying point if all goes to heck.
5. Get to know your neighbors really well.
6. Join or start a neighborhood watch if possible.
7. Know the normal sounds of your house.
8. Get a home alarm.
9.Get a dog, any dog.
10. Get a gun (anything 9mm or over), get a 12g shot gun (a Remington 870 or a Mossberg 500 series), that should cover you for most defensive situations. And get a good light like Surefire.
11. Train, train, train, be proficient. Dry runs will work for now. And be SAFE!
12. If you can afford it get NODs, or a thermal monocular, 3A or 3+ plate carrier if possible.
13. Most threats will be crimes of opportunities from junkies or unorganized gangs, so keep your ears and eyes open to what is going on in your town/region. You may want to pick up a good multichannel police scanner. The likelihood of Navy Seal Team 6 or a squad Delta Force Operatives storming your house is highly unlikely, unless your into some dark America hating shit, so then I hope you’ll be meeting your god soon.
14. Almost forgot... know the day to day routines of your neighbors and neighborhood, your pets, local wildlife, farms animals, etc. if something is out of place, there usually a disturbance and a problem. EVERYTHING has a pattern.
Well, have to do some chores now.
Have a great day, be safe and God bless America!!!
Romeo Tango out!
Is Romeo Tango your real name? That would be cool 😎
i think a red dot would be a better optic than a scope...
Prefer pistol length AR for home defense. My carbine and rifle length ARs are locked up. The pistol length AR can easily hit at 100 years and it is much easier to maneuver in a home environment.
Hope you're grabbing ear pro when you grab your AR pistol because shooting them indoors sans ear pro will absolutely cause you permanent hearing damage, and can definitely take you out of the fight. I know, deaf is better than dead, but...it also isn't if it's avoidable.
lonememe agreed, that’s why a suppressor is high on my list.
@PalealYah Bayn Yisra'el - fair enough. If one hasn't put some thought and preference in home defense, then it certainly is advisable to use anything at hand.
This is a great recipe to make my place as safe as possible. Keep up the good work! BTW: 32Icon says Hi!
There is no guarantee of safety but beltfed full auto is the way to go.
Just bought a Daniel defense ddm4 v11 pro. Can't wait to set it up and run it.
Good rifle, I used that very one as a home defense gun for about a year and trained a good bit with it!
@@ASPextra awesome
I have an 18” rifle with irons only.
Ok boomer.
It'll work!
"I don't see many people volunteering to get shot by it."
"Standard capacity magazine" Thank you for that.
I would strongly recommend hitting up the gym it may not always be enough to have a good gun
Why not both? Also my friend argues the gym isn't good for natural movements and makes you too slow and bulky. Calisthenics or other forms of bodyweight training/arts may be more beneficial for defense. But I still lift 6 days a week
Oh and guns unlike the gym provide a quick power advantage, that will give you time to learn a material art. Win win but get the gun ASAP. Glad I bought an AR15 (just because I wanted one) for $500 before covid. Haven't shot it yet since ranges closed but it's ready for home defense with my 9mm CCW.
~23 year old
I tell my friend that he has a body like a god. Budda.
minicoopertn Hahahahaha good one
@@christopherwilliams6746 how can it be ready for self defense if you've never shot it? You don't even know if it works.
Im in NY...mag can only be 10 in my AR....and if i have features on it...mag has to be locked in the gun. So these days I go with a 12 gauge next to the bed....and an M1 Carbine with 6 mags.
That rifle is HUGE for defense.
That barrel and optic are complete unnecessary.
A short barreled AR pistol is much more practical. Shots aren't going to be long range.
Iron sights or a red dot are also more appropriate.
For soldiers who carry alot of ammo and have to walk alot, 5.56 is the best choice.
In the focus of closer range fighting, I honestly believe alternate calibers like 300, 7.62x39, 6.8 SPC, and 6.5 Grendel bring a lot to the table. More power, and ammo weight matters very little. One mag in the back pocket is all you need for a reload. Add a flashlight and a sling, and you're good to go.
I always enjoyed your channel. It's been a while. Stay safe
300Blk is preciously for this purpose.
@@SolitarySubstructure
Thanks
@@Aznprada
Exactly
If you compress the stock fully and shorten your sling that weapon would be a more appropriate length and could also be used for other things. I think it's a better all-around rifle. One thing most people don't debate much is commonality of caliber. If you're in a bad situation and you drop somebody who has an AR platform you can pick up their ammo if it's 556 and you're extremely unlikely to find grendel or blackout. 5.56 is way more common. And that's why my backup pistol is a 9 mm. 85% of all handguns on this planet are 9 mil so you're wa more likely to find that ammunition in a bad situation. I get where you're coming from but if you lived in Portland you might think that 60 rounds of an uncommon caliber was not quite enough....I'm playing the numbers.
Scope is wrong. Average in city distance is 75 yards per FBI. His barrel is too long For close quarters. Light looks like he does not use it intermittenly (a.k.a trying to catch bullets) all the distance he mentioned in the video can be done with a short barrel ar pistol. Just another video by someone who does not know what they are doing.
Someone didn't watch and doesn't know what he is talking about.
My house rifle is left dedicated. Right side charging, right side selector, left side mag release. I friggin love it.
John has very very good Judo and body language skills makes you underestimate how dangerous he is, half the time I can't tell his next move very swift. Thank you for your lessons John.
Glad to help. The key to good verbal judo, in my opinion, is to actually love people.
I have a cheapo Bushmaster XM-15 $600 on sale. Put a two-point sling and a bright white on it for cheap. I use the stock iron sights. Step two is practice, practice, practice, practice! Practice!!!
Joe Foss range, 300 yards 4 moa Aimpoint Micro H1 red dot with 16" Bushmaster 3 for 3 solid hits on man size steel plates. No magnified optics needed. Magnified optics are for identifying your target and shooting small groups, not hitting your target. An AR pistol with a red dot is the best home defense weapon.
So you think that at 300 you’re gonna be able to identify an actual threat without magnification? I doubt it.
Active Self Protection Extra are we talking about a home defense AR?
Personally I only have a 400 lumen light on my rifle because when I had a 2k light the glare from using it in my house was so much that it blinded me too. As for using it long distance I think it’s not needed plus a light at that range just gives them something to shoot at while you try to find your target. Just my opinion but something to think
I think that’s misguided.
@@ASPextra I think he's right. Around my own place that I know better than anyone, the darkness is my friend. A bright light that destroys my night vision hurts more than helps, and that is why I like a green light.
Would you consider ear pro in a defense situation if you don't have your setup suppressed? Or is it one of those "I'd rather be alive and deaf" kinda things?
I would guess that if you have time to grab a rifle you could grab your ear pro provided you stage it nearby. I know I like my hearing :)
Awareness > hardware
I've survived two armed home invasions. In the first, I had prior notice (a failed attempt to breach the front door). For the second, I didn't.
Awareness gives you the time to arm yourself, and position yourself, which (in almost all cases, even if you're inexperienced) increases your chances of survival ten-fold. In contrast, if you're caught unaware (or are paralyzed by conflict), even a perfectly set-up AR (that you can't access and ready) won't help you.
If I'm prepared, I could defend myself with a big fork, or a frying pan.
Sure, but if you had to, would you choose a fork or a rifle? And since you'd choose a rifle, would you choose a crappy setup or a good one? And since you get to make those choices now, under cool reflection, why not make good ones?
I get it - if I need a scope for my home defense AR I have bigger problems.... like how much ammo is stored and its condition.
Is an "AR-Pistol", best of both worlds in home defense? Its my preference, but more for the suppressor I have setup on it. Large capacity, significant stopping power, very mobile, finally anyone in my family can extremely accurately operate it.
.223 WILL BLOW RIGHT THREW AN INTRUDER TUMBLE THREW THE DRY WALL BEHIND HIM JUST TO COME TO A REST IN THE CHEST CAVITY OF A LOVED ONE OR NEIGHBOR SLEEPING IN BED... 9/10 TIMES YOU WILL HAVE TO ENGAGE AN INTRUDER WHILE THEY HAVE ALREADY MADE ENTRY TO YOUR HOME BLASTING AWAY WITH .223 IS NOT GOOD IDEA IF HAVE KIDS OR NEIGHBORS... PISTOL GRIP SHOTGUN WITH BIRD SHOT IS ALWAYS THE WAY TO GO FOR HOME DEFENSE!!!
@@keng9744 are birds breaking into your house or something Hitchcock like going on?
To aaaall the people getting upset over his use of a “long range scope” on his rifle, that is a variable optic. It has a 1x setting and a decent fov so it is more than suitable for close range.
Yeah, but no... I have a 1-6x and it is not the same as a red dot for home defense; but great on a patrol carbine.
I mean..for Red Dots, you have unlimited eye relief haha. Nonetheless, “nothing is stupid if it works for you.” Doesn’t matter what people have to say, if it works out for you, go for it. Me, personally, stick with dot sight.
I like my FN-15 SRP Tactical. 14.5 barrel. Aimpoint PRO. Surefire scout m300light and I changed out the stock for a Magpul SL carbine stock. It chews through any steel or brass ammo that I can find for it. I run 77GR OTM for home defense with a huge surplus of m193 brass for later. 50/200 zero. Run drills often.
The smelling of the rifle. That’s precious 😂
This channel produces great content but I disagree a little here. A good home defense CQB AR is simple. A quality manufacturer's short barrel - pistol or sbr depending on you laws and needs, a good quality weapon light , good quality defense ammo, and a good quality rds of your choice. It will be a fast accurate setup from 5 feet out to 100 yards. Realistically nobody is ever gonna take a home defense shot further than that.
You don’t need a long range scope to “reach out and touch” someone in a home defense scenario unless your house is 200 yards wide inside. Might as well get a range finder if this is the logic...
Did you watch the video? It’s pretty clear to me within the first couple minutes that the rifle setup is in the context of having to defend against a similar situation to the one he cited.
If you have acreage people start trespassing on in attempt to get to your house, yes it's justified. 200 yards is nothing out in the country. And if they are coming for you, it's justified.
Dom DeLiso That just sounds like a waste of a perfect opportunity to break out the .50 cal....
If you cant get it done with metallic sights at less than 25 feet you are doomed. And you better not go outside in an offensive manner. Self defense gives some legal protections. Go offensive and its your ass.
Yeah but he said “home-defense”
Leave it to me to point out the package deal
Security cameras, dogs, pistols, rifles and spicy treat and verbal judo
@@papimaximus95 if someone is walking in your yard you ask them to kindly get off your property.
@@papimaximus95 lol
No AR-15's in my armory, though I do have a CETME .308 rifle. Got a great deal on it from a guy moving to Commiefornia, who wanted to offload it before the move. That said, my home is a 1-bedroom apartment, so not much room to maneuver a full carbine in here.
IMHO: inside work either 11.5" AR for maneuverability, shotgun for power. Holo sights for those. 16-20" AR with LPVO for exterior work. The 11.5 will do it all if you can only have one.
I got some 75 grain Speer Gold dots in my 11.5", red dot zeroed at 200 yards. That round has less flash and report vs xm193, but breaks apart at lower velocities.
10.5-12.5 pistol with a red dot will do everything you need in any urban setting period.
@@marzcapone9939
Zeroed at 200 yards seems excessive for home defense.
(unless you live on a big plot of land or on a ranch or something; I'm talking about city and suburbs)
_
Are you not worried a prosecutor might exploit that?
(genuine question)
@@MrNicoJac 200 is a "normal and typical" zero for an AR. John had an interview with Mas Ayoob a couple videos ago and they were talking about trigger pull, same idea. If you are within the normal range on a given spec, a prosecutor can bring it up, but it is an easy "defense." In any event, the whole point of the 50/200 BZO is to allow for not having to hold over or under at all ranges out to 250 or so, you'll be a little low out to 50 and a little high from there to 200, but never outside a couple inches either way.
@John Neill a quality LPVO can be a good option even on a short barrel. Urban environments can easily have distances that are 50 to 100+ yards. Red dot like performance on 1x plus the ability to positively identify a target and make more precise shots.
"Statements are made that the shotgun or pistol should be used because of the over-penetration problem with 5.56 carbine ammunition. This could not be further from the truth. If you conduct a little research you will find that numerous law enforcement departments, to include the FBI, have proven this to be false in most cases. The fact of the matter is that many of these bullets will penetrate numerous walls, but standard 5.56 loadings are the least of your worries when compared to pistol and shotgun fodder, which continue to take top honors in the category of over-penetration." US Army Sergeant Major Lamb (former Delta/CAG)
www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2015/5/26/the-ar-for-home-defense-one-experts-opinion
"Common pistol rounds easily penetrated all 4 walls spaced out at room distances. This is a critical issue. Think about the inside of your house and imagine if you shot through 4 walls. Could you hit a loved one? Know your target and what is behind it....The 5.56 rounds deviated greatly from the original flight path once they started tumbling. This occurred after the second wall." Old_Painless (certified Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Personal Firearms Defense, and Home Firearms Safety Instructor)
www.theboxotruth.com/the-box-o-truth-12-insulated-walls/
"Proponents of the pistol for home defense like to think that because it’s 'just' a pistol round, overpenetration really won’t be an issue. Such is not the case. Drywall sheets and hollow-core doors (which are what you’ll find in the majority of homes and apartments in this country) offer almost no resistance to bullets....For years many people just assumed they knew what would happen to a rifle bullet fired indoors-it would go through every wall available and then exit the building. While armor-piercing and FMJ ammunition is specifically designed to do this, extensive testing has shown that light, extremely fast-moving .223 projectiles (including FMJs) often fragment when they hit a barrier as soft as thin plywood." James Tarr (former police officer; contributing editor for Guns and Ammo)
www.gunsandammo.com/ammo/long-guns-short-yardage-is-223-the-best-home-defense-caliber/
"The .223/5.56 is moving at around 3,000 feet per second, and while it isn’t magic bullet, it’s a far cry better than any pistol round. Another advantage of the .223/5.56 is its limited penetration. The shape and velocity of the round cause it to immediately expend or dissipate its energy once it strikes something." Tiger McKee (adjunct instructor at Thunder Ranch)
gundigest.com/reviews/ar-15-ideal-home-defense-guns
"The pistol rounds were seemingly unaffected by the drywall and/or wood barriers. There was no observable deviation or fragmentation of the 9mm projectiles. You’d be safe counting on a pistol round to keep going, and going, and going. After all, premium pistol ammunition is designed to expand, and lose energy, when striking liquid-based targets-not walls. The full metal jacket .223 rounds tended to tumble rather than break apart when they encountered barriers." Tom McHale (contributor at AmmoLand and OutdoorHub)
www.outdoorhub.com/stories/2013/11/04/ar-15-appropriate-home-defense-part-one-penetration-issues/
"FBI and Independent Testing Has Consistently Shown .223/5.56 NATO Fired From AR-15’s Do Not Over Penetrate More Than Pistol/Shotgun." Caleb Lee (NRA Certified Basic Pistol & Personal Protection Inside The Home Instructor)
preparedgunowners.com/2016/07/14/why-high-powered-5-56-nato-223-ar-15-ammo-is-safer-for-home-defense-fbi-overpenetration-testing/
"Since all of the 5.56 mm/.223 bullets fired through the interior wall had significantly less penetration than 9 mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, and 12 ga. shotgun projectiles which were fired through an interior wall, stray 5.56 mm/.223 bullets seem to offer a reduced risk of injuring innocent bystanders and an inherent reduced risk of civil litigation in situations where bullets miss their intended target and enter or exit structures. As such, 5.56mm/.223 caliber weapons may be safer to use in CQB situations and crowded urban environments than service caliber handguns or 12 ga. weapons." Dr. Gary Williams (ballistics expert)
www.recoilweb.com/ar-vs-shotgun-for-home-defense-again-2-of-2-39203.html#ixzz4zCOCPykZ
use my lwrc with rien 3.0 uh gen 2 and vortex 3x magnifier with vickers sling giessele trigger and golddot 75gr
Colt, Daniel Defense, LMT, Bravo Company, Knights Armament, and Noveske have been the gold standard rifles for years. Others have surely entered the fray. HK, PWS, Radian, Geissele, Sig, and lots of others are now available all over. But certain factors play a role. Learn about the platform and choose wisely. Some rifles have some proprietary parts, and may not be available if needed later. That's why some go milspec stuff only, then invest in spare parts you might need. Viking Tactics and Blue Force Gear slings, Aimpoint and Eotech red dots, and Surefire weapon lights have long been known as the top stuff to outfit your rifle, but there are other options nowadays, especially since people aren't fast roping from Blackhawks or riding SWCC boats around in the dark. You can order the parts you want and build it yourself, if you're handy that way, and save some money there. LPVOs are all the rage, which is a good way to go if where you live or where you go could involve longer shots, say out past 200 yards, where target identification is key. Getting a 1x4 can work, for less than a grand, or you can jump up to a S&B 1x8 version for over 4 grand. Lots went with the Vortex Razor HD II-E 1x6, but so many choices exist now. Marines are losing the ACOG on their M27s, and getting the VCOG 1x8, which should be useful for them. SOCOM is using the NF ATACR 1x8. For most people, simpler is better, since we're not shooting full auto, with an SBR, suppressed, in a compromised environment. Try this on for size.......an LMT CQB MRP rifle, DI or piston, in 6.8spc, which hits about 80% as hard as a .308 with 50% of the recoil. Not talked about much, but units that have used it report devastating terminal effects with minimal recoil penalty, i.e., one good hit is far superior to the 5.56 effect, which is still good. Only problem is finding the ammo regularly, which sends you back to 5.56.
All that glitters is not Gold
If your planning on popping off bad guys in self defense at 100+ yards I would recommend a nice 400 rifle. That way is doesn’t sting so bad when you toss it in the ocean and you can concentrate more on constructing a solid alibi.
sorry John but i cant get past that thing that looks longer than kentucky rifle. Thats a scary thing to have in a self protection. seems better to do well as a very long spear with a flashlight.
If most home defense scenarios are in low light situations how would that optic be of any use?
I’m all for Tac lights but that setup looks more like a RECCE shtf gun instead of a dedicated home defense rifle.
IMO going with a 10.5 or 12.5 setup with a dot, light and sling will do just fine in CQB. But his setup would excel in SHTF.
Yeah I think red dot would be ideal for most cases, but he does have a light on the front which should be more than adequate for that scope to see a reasonable distance. Also if it’s super close like 20 ft I don’t think anyone is going to aim, you could land most of your hits on their head hip firing at that range (unless you’ve got Hollywood bad guy accuracy, in which case good luck, hope it wasn’t the A-team breaking in)
The optic functions identically to a red dot at 1x.
Thank you. This was very helpful!
Low profile vertical or angled foregrips are something to consider if it’s a home defense build. It gives you a solid leverage point for retaining the weapon/yanking it back and controlling the angle of the muzzle if god forbid you surprise someone (that surprises you) that is within arms reach of ya. My 2 cents~
Hand stop does all that without the bulk.
You guys should check out the Modlite Modbutton. It is both a momentary on switch, and the mount for the Scout lights. John, your light will be closer to the rail, and won't leave that wire hanging out there. Plus, those Surefire switches are just held on by pressing them on, it will wear out, and comes off too easily.
None available. Trust me, I have Ike holding one for me when it comes back in stock.
@@ASPextra Cool. I've been suggesting to Modlite and Unity that they should also make a front sight, with the button on the back angle. It would not be a solution for everyone, I know.
It would be a light mount, button, and pic mounted front sight. Talk about low footprint for a SBR or AR pistol.
My Ruger MPR I got for 650$ with a nice little primary arms LPVO, vickers sling, and a stream light does well for me. Well over 1,500 rounds with only 1 malfunction. Was using some really crappy monarch steel case .223 after shooting 600 rounds without cleaning it. Round felt underpowered so I blame the round. Bolt did not pick the next round up from the mag. So probably the crap ammo.
I know with my brass ammo it’s 100% reliable.
What do you think of Windham Weaponry as a home defense carbine?
Not a bad gun at all. When Bushmaster got sold and then ruined, the old team from BM reconvened as Windham Weaponry and they make a decent mid-grade gun.
Im proud of myself , My rifle is set up just like yours pretty much but with a red dot. Im glad I went with a 16" barrel and didnt do the the super cool pistol route. Curbing that desire for the pistol was extremely hard though......give me the excuse "I need both " , hehe
You have two hands, therefore...
So I bought a Romanian AK47 for $570 a couple weeks ago for my home defense gun and after sighting it in and seeing the accuracy, reliability and stopping power it has I really don't think I'll be buying any AR15. AR's are great guns, but they're definitely more expensive and require much more weekly maintenance. The only downside to the original AK platform is that it limits your customizability. You can't put a taclight on an AK or really any sights.. But the 7.62x39 round has far superior stopping power than the 5.56.
Weekly maintenance?
The fear of an AR jamming due to not being spotless.
@@ASPextra You mean you don't rotate the detents every 500 rounds and check the spring pressure? I take mine in weekly to have the optic washer fluid refilled. I'm getting an AK. Too much weekly maintenance!
John did a great job of disclosing Lone Star Armory gave him the rifle. I've never fired or even held one, but I'm sure it's a high quality rifle. John also did a great job admitting you don't have to spend $2,200 on an AR. There are manufacturers who make great, high quality rifles for less than $1,000 including M&P. I believe Smith & Wesson nailed gassing, bolt carrier, and wear solutions. If you have new found interest in fire arms due to recent events welcome! Please don't be discouraged thinking you have to spend $2,200 as an entry fee! There are a lot of good channels and content here and continue to avail yourself of them to learn more. You will find that all the content encourages training and practice; and there is a reason for that.
And as a Bob from next door who sometimes drinks, I appreciate the shout out, John! Thanks for thinking of my safety!
Haha DAMN IT BOB, ARE YOU DRUNK AGAIN?!?!
@@ASPextra Indeed John. Don't shoot me! I'm on my way home.
Outstanding rifle setup, but not optimized for hone defense. Red dot and shorter barrel would be advantageous.
You're confusing CQB with home defense.
@@ASPextra Isn't home defense pretty close quarters? There are hallways, banisters, narrow doorways to deal with. It would be rare to take a shot beyond 10 yards. Unless you are talking about defending your home from an outside force like it is under siege or something. That doesn't seem to happen very often.
If u have to reach out and touch 100 yards is not a threat
You’re not thinking of the actual issues.
My only comment would be if you choose to go with a LPVO over a red dot with a flip to side magnifier maybe add a set of off set iron or even a micro red dot. That way up close indoors you have a better field of view
John, you mention in a hypothetical "hunkering down behind your bed." You often say that concealment often times works as well as cover being that most people don't practice shooting through concealment. Generally speaking, are you personally going to use concealment just as much as you would cover?
That's situational. I have two kids still in the house and I gotta defend their bedrooms too.
Variable glass optics for a HD gun? -nah
In low light at hallway distances, red dots are the way to go.
He made the point that you don't want low-light because you might shoot family members.
@@gblarggBut what if you live alone?
I appreciate you posting this...Please make more videos along these lines...Thanks again John. Cheers Amigo.
I have a PSA and I'm working on upgrading it piece by piece. It beats not having anything, but I know there are parts that should be upgraded. I'm hoping to get to a class maybe next month.
Good plan, Daniel!
@@ASPextra Thanks John! I knew you'd approve. Any recommendations on upgrades to make? I've got a light coming monday (800 lumens) and I've replaced the handguard with Midwest industries furniture. I want to put a holosun red dot and a sling, and a new stock on it, but I'm on a tight budget. Any recommendations on internal parts to change? Thanks in advance if you have the time to respond. You're definitely appreciated.
Damn it bob
Not arguing at all(and I love LPVOs on ARs, and think they are far more versatile than most people appreciate), but have you ever seen a scenario where a citizen had to reach out to 1-200 yards to engage a threat?
Again, not arguing, and I do love LPVOs, but I personally prefer a red dot for home defense, as I think they are just quicker and more intuitive than even LPVOs with a center dot.
Also, I totally sympathize on the lefty thing. I'm right handed, but shoot long guns lefty due to my eyes being cross dominant. Having a _truly_ ambidextrous gun/AR(with the exception of the ejection port I guess) makes a world of difference, and like you said, the safety selector is practically mandatory. In fact, a lefty with an ambi gun is almost better off than righties, as it's far easier to lock the bolt back if you can reach, or have an extended bolt lock and release(the Radian guns are an excellent example), though there are ways for righties to deal with that.
Okay, I'm sorry, this comment is getting way too long. I just need to go on a quick rant. Lol.
While it is true that more companies are making ambi ARs/lowers/parts, etc., it's mostly high end companies, and there's still not a lot of them. Due to state laws where I live I have to build my own guns(well, I don't have to, but it's infinitely easier to get a gun set up the way I want than to hope to find one in a store), and instead of being able to just spend under $100 on an Aero lower or something, I end up having to pay $250 or more for a Seekins Precision ambi lower(though they are great lowers, and the uppers fit perfectly on them.) The Radian ambi lowers are(I think?) Like $475 bucks. So the purpose of my rant, is to point out this fact:
Despite only 10% of the population being left handed, about _30%_ of the population is left eye dominant. This means that nearly 1/3 of these companies' customers are(or should be according to most trainers) shooting their guns left handed. Yet so few manufacturers are keeping them in mind. Granted, over the past few years it's gotten better, but I feel like at this point it should almost be standard.
Okay, rant over.
Caught on video? No. I am thinking a setup here that works for not only home defense but defense of neighborhood in WROL scenarios like hurricanes and disasters and riots and the like, where the LPVO can help with identification of potential threats.
What about a Strobe light? Changing positions is often advocated by you! SBR?
I think a strobe isn't wrong, but isn't really necessary.
I got lucky. I got a stock Bushmaster many years ago. I have trained and trained with it. Thousands and thousands of rounds. Run and guns, shooting past 500 yards. Even hunted with it. No problems except a rare ammo related issue. I have wanted to trade up to a newer, "more cool" design. The cost is so out there to get mid to high end. Also, I can't bring myself to sell a known reliable and consistent weapon. So I've stayed with it.
I'm not sure if you've fired a rifle in doors. Especially a hallway in particular without ear protection but you need to be ready MENTALLY for your bell to get rung. Say goodbye to being able to hear anything that's not yelling. IT'S GOING TO SUCK EVERY TIME YOU PULL THE TRIGGER. the concussion and loud noise will rattle your cage BE READY FOR IT. that cool little brake you have is going to clean out your sinuses and increase the suck x5
Great video, John. Can you tell me the approximate cost to purchase your TX-15 setup (including all of the accessories)?
About $6500.
Active Self Protection Extra - Dang‼️ 🧨🙀
Dude always have liked your videos and Stuffiz, but with that optic and length of rifle not my choice for a home defense gun.
I have an AR platform carbine for my home defense....however I live in a small home in an urban area. So while I have an AR it's a 9mm. Not the power of a .223 for sure, however for close range in the house work or even 50 yards away it's perfect. Little Holosun red dot, SureFire light with pressure switch and 50 round drum capable. Whizzes out those 90gr Leheigh Xtreme Defense +P's at about 1800 fps, 50 of those coming the creeps way will certainly have them rethinking about storming the hill I call my home. For the reach out and touch I do have an AR-10 also, but that thing is brutal.
The problem here is that pistol rounds penetrate more interior walls than rifle rounds do, and rifle rounds cause hydrostatic shock and that is a significant stopping factor.
@@ASPextra I mistyped. I use the fast rounds for goofing around and rodent killing up north. In the home the 9 is loaded with 158 gr Fiocchi sub-sonic.
Nice
One question I have, is an AR is pretty loud, now I get it, your protection is important, but firing an AR and a pistol for that matter may cause hearing loss. You can’t wear earplugs obviously, but to grab Noise cancelling earmuffs, you may not have the opportunity, any advice?
Best solution is a suppressor on the gun. Second best is to hang your ear pro on your rifle. But recognize that you'll only fire it in response to an imminent threat of death or great bodily harm, so the competing harm to your hearing is slight.
Apreceate the light that blew my retinas out brother! ....lol
Now I want that light. Love your content. God Bless
Haha!
John, what is your reference for the "un-organized militia?" You said 18 to 45 yrs of age. I thought it was 65? Perhaps I'm confusing my "Regular" commission timing? Oops... found it. 10 U.S. Code 246. Thanks for jogging my memory.
The 14th amendment I would say expands that to include everyone. “equal protection of the laws”
Magnification on a home defense rifle...interesting. And what looks like an 18" barrel, maybe 20"...again, interesting. Some might say an AR pistol with red dot and light would be better for rooms and lawns.
I would say...
It feels like John is trying to cram as many applications into one rifle to try and make it a Swiss Army Gun. I just added the AR pistol to my HD inventory because the M4-style still felt too long for the current environment and potential threats that could come near the house. Not saying you can’t do what John’s doing, but that gun seems waaaaaay too big for home defense.
16" barrel.
This gun makes it look like John lives on a big ranch and want to go deer hunting with this rifle too XD
For home defense in suburbs and such, you'd probably be better off with the shortest barrel you can get, and a red dot sight.
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Thinking you'll need more than 100 yards of range because you might get attacked by a mob with rifles is just overkill...
Remember, if you survive the day, you'll have to survive the courts too. If you picked a set up to have 300-500 yards of range, while you live in a city or suburb, you're making it way too easy for the prosecutor :(
The versatility of a good lpvo should not be discounted. Red dot like performance on 1x, the ability to positively identify target further away (say 50yrds +) and make more precise shots is a great force multiplier.
Lefty, sorry to hear about your disability John.
I'm a lefty as well. I've tried all kinds of accessories to "fix" my ARs and I've come to the conclusion that the best fix is training. I can engage/disengage my standard safety, drop the bolt catch, and change mags just fine while shooting left handed. No need for multiple accessories for every rifle and I can shoot other people's rifles without thinking.
I shoot a rifle left handed and a pistol right handed I’m all screwed up but hey I make it work
Would you consider 5.56, 300 blk or 7.62x39 to be optimal for “SHTF”/home defense purposes?
Any of those work great. Optimal? Kind of depends on your setup honestly.
What would be a good lightweight light for a Keltec beretta sub 2000? It has Mlok slots on both sides.
www.bigtexoutdoors.com/product/new-surefire-x300u-b-1-000-lumens-led-weapons-mounted-light-x300-ultra/
It's situational. A long rifle with a heavy magnification scope is not needed unless you live in the desert and want to engage people at 300 meters plus. Someone invades your home you need mobility, easy to obtain sight picture instantly, flash light /LASER combo for point shooting and a spare mag on gun or a drum mag. You are at a disadvantage already, you have no idea how many "baddies" there are, you might not have time to find extra mags and you might have to dump lots of rounds at the targets to make them dead or retreat. If you want magnification a wide optic 4X or 6X scope is fine maybe even a flip on/off magnifier.
I'm between an M&P Sport 2 or a Ruger AR 556. I know they are not the most expensive rifles but they have pretty good reviews
For budget rifles, those are both good choices.
people talk alot of bad about low cost AR15s. in my case, theyve been a "hit and miss".... most of the time, theyve been pretty good. for instance, every single PSA AR build i have ever seen in person has been nothing but problems. every. single. one....... good thing it wasnt me buying PSA AR kits.... ive had a Armalite/Eagle Arms M-15 MFT Edition for four years now and its been a rock solid carbine for me. several thousand rounds and NEVER had ANY problems with it, EVER. i even put on a new barrel because well, several thousand rounds. lol. but yeah, its been great for me so far. that being said, i understand wanting to spend more on a rifle. a higher quality rifle will most likely be better in every way. at the same time, use what works. ive spent alot of money on Kimber and not one of them ive bought worked, so its not just about how much you spend, but how well it works for you.
John I really appreciate todays extra video. I have been spending multiple hours a day trying to learn everything I can about my rifle before I look like an idiot at the range.
Finding a range over 25 yards is proving to be incredibly difficult in Charlotte, NC. If you have any recommendations I would really appreciate it.
as for optic i went with the 1-4x vortex crossfire II, and it seems good. But I dont know what i'm talking about.
Brett A check out Foothills outdoor complex near Gastonia - they’ve got some long ranges:
foothillspublicshooting.cc/
For the price, that's a fine LPVO.
@@flyboy8752 thank you!
Do you keep a magazine in the gun... I have a biometric trigger lock.. any one of finger prints blows the lock of immediately, so I do not worry if someone got to it and I don't need a key... I put my finger on it and Im ready to go.
Firearms staged for home defense should be kept loaded because they're in use defending the home, and properly secured against unauthorized access. Generally speaking, long guns should be kept "cruiser ready" or "closet ready".
I shoot left handed. Special left hand controls are pointless and get in the way. The factory controls work perfect for left hand use. Your thumb flipped over the back of the grip or your finger knuckle works great on the safety. Right hand thumb on the mag release works perfect. Just use your middle finger on the bolt catch. Use your left hand on the charging handle while using you right around the mag well. I think the importance of doing a speed reload is over emphasized. Like they say if you had to use two, 30 round magazines, you would be famous.
Bad ass man nice Gun.
I have every confidence that the rifle you used here is an excellent AR-15, but I do take exception with using an AR-15 as anything but a backup home defense weapon (although I agree with you that it is an exceptional 'community defense weapon'). Since most home self defense weapons are used (guess where?) in the home, a much shorter and lower power (for less over-penetration risk and lower sound issues) weapon is my personal choice, IMHO. My primary HDW is a CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S2 mini, which is a 9×19mm Parabellum (aka 9mm) with up to 35 round mags. It's only 16.35" long with its brace unextended, but still allows for a solid 2 hand grip, but can't be shouldered; or 23.35" with it's brace extended, allowing for full shouldering just like a rifle (just don't tell ATF about it). Even if you add a suppressor, it's way shorter than your AR-15, and if you're moving through hallways or up/down stairwells, that makes a big difference. It also has more than ample room to mount a light, red dot sight (in addition to back-up iron sights), and a laser or 2 if you want. It will also do well (with a little training) at up to 100 yards, although it's pistol caliber ammo is best in the under 50 yd. range--still perfect for in home use. And there are a vast number of similar sized 9mm (or even 45 ACP or 10mm) brace-mounted pistols that do an excellent job at in home protection. So: own an AR-15? Absolutely. Own it exclusively, including for home defense? Not so much. I also own an AR-15, which I bought almost 30 years ago for home defense (together with some pistols). But today, with the advent of bullpups, like IWI's X95 (5.56, 300 BO or even 9mm), Tavor 7 (.308) or TS12 (12ga. 15+1 semi-auto shotgun), and others, there's a lot better to choose from for home defense. Particularly if you've no desire to become an advanced shooter and (like most gun owners) actually spends only a minimal amount of time training.
Pistol rounds penetrate more interior walls than rifle rounds do.
@@ASPextra I'm not sure this study supports your proposition: [Study] Home Defense Overpenetration: Shotgun, Handgun, Rifle [ www.pewpewtactical.com/home-defense-overpenetration/ ]. But in any event, a well chosen 9mm JHP which goes wide of the mark shouldn't be a more significant risk in that regard than a 5.56 (or .223) that also misses the mark, particularly because it packs so much less punch, and should in all likelihood be a whole lot less problematic.
I’m in Ct. 10 round plus one in the tube max. Any suggestions for those of us living in “The Constitution State” for home defense rifle?
Move out of the so-called "Constitution State" to one that actually is a Constitution state.
:)
shotgun. preferably one that can hold several rounds.
IMO
I believe the answer here is to use a shotgun for general home defense duty and leave the rifle for property defense in worst case scenario.
I’ve seen people on TH-cam that can have fixed magazine ar 15 with a 30 round in California . I’m not sure if they just weld a magazine on and then take the upper off to reload
Why do we have a whole ass long range optic for a home defense carbine? You got 300m hallways or something??
Maybe listen to the video. And watch the myriad videos on the channel about why a LPVO is a fantastic choice for a home defense gun.
I get it John, you're trying to sell. But I've got 3 budget build AR's and they are good. One of them I have thousands of rounds through with no failures. A couple issues with some magazines, but that is to be expected. My others are new and built by me from PSA and Primary Arms primarily. The times I've gone out, they have been really good. Are they as nice and cool as the expensive ones? No. Will they work when I need them to? I have no doubts. Will I hit my target? Damn skippy.
You hope.
After Bob came up all I could think of was "Please! Gimme gimme gimme! I need! I need! I need!"
And for good measure: "I'm sailing! I'm sailing!"
barrel is too long bro. why did you get so long a barrel
Slowly building mine, as quality parts cost money, and Commiewealth of Massachusettstan doesn't allow me to buy a complete one anymore (yes I can buy within state but prices are astronomical).
Holy shit, Bob
Curious about making it short barreled rather than as long as that? If you was in a home situation would it be one of those situations you would carry a side arm for the house/corridors and switch to the Rifle if it went outside? Couldnt you just do a kind of middle ground with a short barrel ?
Not a gun owner, just seems overkill to have a large barrel on the rifle considering the distances you could be shooting?
Not really. The differences in length in actual engagement are minimal and the advantages are many.
So, I have neighbors very very close, for our home defense we use pistols with jhp, and then we have a shotgun with numerous load options.. in a very urban area ( cant wait to move) this is our best options.. we of course have rifles, that would work fine.. but not really set up for home defense.. edit we also have cameras and a dog
John, any chance we can get a build list for the parts on your gun.
Like you I am also left-handed, and would like to know what charging handle you are running, as well as what paddle switch for your light setup. Part numbers would be helpful.
My home defense rifle is currently a bolt action 30-06. After watching your excellently narrated videos and stories on the local news every night that mirror what I'm seeing on your channel, the time has come for me to, reluctantly, upgrade.
Currently running a Raptor large ambi charging handle and a Modlite ModButton Light for the light.
@@ASPextra thanks John!