Best for HD: .357 Lever Action, 30 Carbine, or AR-15?

[m25operator]

I too would go with the AR and do, sits right next to the bed, with the aimpoint on, at 1/2 intensity, also has backup weapon light.

The 5.56 is quite safe in the home, I have a small hole on the inside of my garage wall and a big 1 one the other side at the porch wall, gypsum wall plus 1/4" fir down with vinyl covering, the opposite wall, about 4', has only speckles in the vinyl around the porch lamp, glass was not broken. This was PMC bronze, 55gr fmj. Don't know how it got there. The 5.56 won't over penetrate, but neither will your choice of the .357 glaser safety slug, don't know how well it work in a lever gun, and as that is your choice, you can rubber band a good rear pressure switch flashlight to the forend, hell even duct tape it and it will work without buying rails, or blocking the sights. ( Rails are available you know )

[Bill Stryker]

I like the M1 Carbine as I have written here before. The M2 version served me well in combat. So, I am familiar with the M1. I kept the M1 as my bedroom gun for more than 40 years!

I don't know what got into me a couple of years ago. I bought a RockRiver carbine that now hangs from a peg in the BR closet with 26 rounds of SP varmint ammo from Hornady.

But either will do the job. I doubt I would grab any carbine first though. I like my P226 with Crimson Trace grips right now.

I think dogs are a better deterrent. We have two that sleep upstairs on watch. Sure they are setters, but the Gordon is big and has a loud bark. She also can be protective according to a police officer that answered an alarm while we were out. The police officer would not go in until we got there. Apparently the perp wouldn't go in either if there actually was one.

[m25operator]

The .30 carbine is a natural pointer and I like it, good mag capacity, just wish the ammo manufacturers would bring it into the 21s't century, a Tap, or XTP bullet would be perfect, I talked to Corbon about it in the early 90's and they said they were working on it, but I personally have never seen it. If such ammo was available, I would probably buy another one on purpose. Speer had the 100grn Plinkers, which did expand, but were not very reliable.

[GUNS-R-US]

it'll give more punch at HD distances than the 5.56/.223.

Walter,
I have to say bull on that! 5.56 has twice the power and a lot less penetration that the .357 or .38!


Hornady Tap .55gr 5.56

  MUZZLE               100       200      300      400      500
3240/1282    2854/995   2500/763   2172/576   1871/427   1598/312

Federal 110gr 30 Carbine

Velocity 100 Y 200 Y 300 Y 400 Y 500 Y
1990     1564  1231  1031   919   839
Energy  100 Y 200 Y 300 Y 400 Y 500 Y
967       597    370    260   206    172

Hornady Critical Defense 125gr .357 Mag

 MUZZLE       50               100
1500/624   1301/470   1147/365

[bryand71]

the only advantage the .30 Carbine and the .38/357 have over the 5.56 is bullet weight. More mass in an object is always good for doing damage. Not that it is always better.

[Sponsor]

[TAB]

Also with the lever gun you can top up the mag with out opening the bolt, removing a mag or otherwise disabling the action.

thats going to depend on th emodel

[SIG229DAK]

Well,

Given those choices listed, I'd use the Puma .357mag that I use in CAS matches.   Fast, accurate as hell and loaded with ten .357mag Gold Dots, no BG would be left standing.

Me and the wife are the only ones in our 2 story house, single story houses on either side.   No real worries of over-penetration here.

[Combat Diver]

I actually own all three of those so, I'm familiar with them (except my Marlin is in .41 Mag).  However, for HD my frist garb would be the AR as I've got over 26+ yrs experience with them and with many years in both Iraq and Astan.  My M4ergy has a Aimpoint and a Surefire light on it next to the bed but comfortable with it being slick as I've know my come ups to 500yds with the loaded Mk 262 77gr BTHP.  I've also been thru several CQB course with it and one was 2 months long.