I'll take permanent hearing damage over death any day of the week...
A couple of points on this. A regular FMJ military 5.56 such as M-193 or M-855 round might penetrate more than say a 9mm, but there are much more effective 5.56 defense rounds for HD that penetrate less than any 9mm except frangible rounds (those frangibles are out of vogue because the frequently result in nasty, but shallow wounds that don't effectively incapacitate). Rounds such as Hornady's 5.56 & .223 TAP fit the bill perfectly. They offer very high velocity that will create a temporary wound cavity that can aid in a "one shot stop", plus they offer fragmentation that creates a very destructive permanent wound cavity. 5.56 ammo is catching up to pistol ammo in technology. Past the highly frangible rounds such as the TAP, you have rounds designed to penetrate intermediate objects such as auto glass, sheet rock, etc., yet still offer controlled expansion and deep penetration. Rounds such as the FBI's Federal M556FBIT3 62 grain Bonded Core SP's, Speer's CCI-223GDSP 64gr Gold Dot and the USMC's Mk 318 Mod 0 SOST 62gr Open Tip with a small lead core and heavy solid copper base do well in the patrol role where defeating an intermediate barrier might be critical.
Handgun rounds can't so all that with good terminal effect, but they can create a sizable permanent wound cavity with effective bullet design. A round of 00 Buck contains nine .33 caliber pellets. These pellets are the least efficient design for wounding available. They can easily deflect off of or slip around bones and blood vessels and they create a very miniscule permanent wound cavity, with little to no temporary cavity. The stopping potential of 00 Buck relies on overwhelming the central nervous system with multiple pain receptors firing simultaneously, which doesn't work well if the subject is drunk, high or crazy. Don't get me wrong, they're great at effecting death through hemothorax and pneumothorax (blood and oxygen loss), but that can take longer than you'd prefer.
Your average pump shotgun shooter (and I stress average) will be able to fire a round about every 1/2 to 3/4 of a second. Your average pistol shooter can fire almost twice that number at 5 yards or less. Accuracy results with both will vary. But, your average AR shooter can fire 3-5 rounds per second with very good accuracy, almost no recoil and it's a VERY effective round, particularly if you select good ammo.
Overall, an AR is more easily employed effectively by people who run the gamut from novice to expert level shooters. As I stated before, I still use a handgun as primary, but only because over-penetration isn't an issue in my home and I've trained to a very high level with it. It increases mobility and multi-tasking while retaining a large capacity and an effective round, at least as handgun rounds go.
Point is, if you prepare ahead, you don't have to live with permanent hearing damage! There are lots of good HP weapons & ammo out there that won't necessarily cause you and your family permanent hearing damage... and still have the ability to stop or kill multiple intruders. It is my opionion that there is no need to permanently maime yourself or a family member over some 'Macho' like for the AR when there are excellent alternatives to close quarter fighting inside the home.
Problem solved:
Yep, I agree!
I just get a kick out of the Macho guys who are gonna get one heck of a big suprise the first time they cap a rifle or magnum pistol round off inside a closed house with central air & heat. Looking for a intruder inside their home after they have blown out their ear drums will be difficult.. they won't be able to hear their wife or children calling out to them or hear the bad guy knocking items over trying to escape. It makes clearing the house in the dark much much more difficult if your ears are ringing like a fire engine siren.
As a semi-recent example....I think it was the woman in the OKC area who shot & killed her fire chief husband... who had complained about having hearing issues after the shots had been fired. She was pretty addled and had trouble hearing after having fired a revolver / pistol inside their home... just imagine what a AR would have done.
David2012 said:
It has nothing to do with a "macho AR thingy". It has to do with if there is an unwanted subject in my house it's no holds barred and take no prisoners I'm going to use the most effective tool I have.
David2012 makes a valid point I have permanent damage and some of it is because of unprotected hearing and discharging weapons. I do know what to expect, it's brutal.
bettingpython said:
Hearing aids are cheaper than getting resurrected.
Obviously you know NOTHING about tinnitus. Hearing aids don't fix "I wish I was dead".
Nobody said you have to downgrade to a bow or a rock - if you think AR is the best for HD - have some sense to suppress it.
I'm sticking with 12ga 00 and AK.
That is just his youth & inexperience talking. There have been people who have committed suicide because of tinnitus. When I worked at a LEO range.. a lot of the old timers at one time would just pick up some spent brass and stick it in their ears as plugs. They were the ones who in later yrs were always going "Huh!", "What!", "Speak-up!" They often complained of headaches and a constant ringing or tone in their head. Several described it as a constant carrier wave, like you use to hear when a TV station went off the air! They said it went on 24 / 7. It didn't matter what drugs they took or how much they drank....if they were awake, they heard that loud tone. About the only relief they got was when they took enough drugs or alcohol to pass out and sleep for a few hours. That isn't how I would want to live my life.
