Rifles for Self Defense

I did this article for a Martial Arts Periodical some time back...


Author's note:
I started in the martial arts at the tender age of seven in 1982. Ironically, that same year was the first time my father ever took me shooting. For many years - even past the point when I got my black belt, I considered the two activities mutually exclusive.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Introduction:
When most people think of a firearm in the home for self defense, a pistol or shotgun immediately comes to mind. While there is nothing wrong with either choice, the point of this article is to expound on the virtues of the rifle as a legitimate and viable self defense tool in the home.

Why a rifle?
Pistols are far more maneuverable, even if they are noticeably less powerful. Shotguns provide more power than a pistol, but have less risk of over-penetration than a rifle. So why use a rifle for home defense? There are several reasonable answers:
- Some people might not own a pistol or shotgun.
- People in rural areas will benefit from the multitude of uses for a good rifle.
- Rifle projectiles are more powerful than shot from a shotgun or a bullet from a pistol.

Now there are some people out there that will say that a shotgun can be loaded with a slug for self defense. This is true, and that is often an excellent choice, but the fact is that a slug has the same, if not greater risk, of over-penetration as a rifle does.

Another main factor to consider: when our military or SWAT teams are armed in expectation of confronting the enemy, they are overwhelmingly armed with rifles. Pistols, if issued, are used as side-arms. Shotguns are rarely issued. The rifle is the firearm of choice for those who knowingly step into harm's way. There is a reason for that: they work.

Rifle choice:
The first thing the reader needs to be aware of is that the rifle you already have is infinitely better for self defense than some ideal rifle you haven't yet purchased. If the reader does not currently own a rifle, and wants one for self defense - read on, as suggestions will be made.

A self defense rifle is ideally going to be semiautomatic (one shot fired for each time the trigger is depressed). If the reader has a bolt action or lever action rifle (or the rare pump-action rifle), take special note of reloading and cycling the action. Single shot rifles may be used, but reloading and getting off a second or third shot becomes problematic. Be mindful selecting larger calibers for home defense.

The AR15 is the patriot rifle of choice for those of us blessed enough to call the USA our home. While a handful of states have restrictions on certain features associated with the AR15, it is still the most popular rifle for a reason - it is effective. Other excellent choices include, in no particular order:
- AK47
- AK74
- SKS
- M1 Carbine
- Mini-14

Firearm safety:
The first, most basic skill with any firearm is proper handling. Col. Jeff Cooper advocated four basic rules of firearm safety. These were developed with the battlefield in mind, but are equally effective for the shooting range or at home:
1. All guns are always loaded. (treat them as such)
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target and you are ready to fire.
4. Identify your target, and what is beyond it.

Firearm skills:
The most fundamental skill one should acquire after learning proper gun handling, is to learn how to operate the rifle. Refer to user manuals if you are unfamiliar with how to operate part of your rifle. Broadly speaking, you will want to know how to:
- Load the rifle (and unload).
- Put the safety "on" (and off).
- Cycle the action (if necessary).
- Clear malfunctions. (more on this later)

Shooting skills
Next comes the idea of how to hit a target with a fired bullet. There are many marksmanship classes all over the United States. Some deal with pistols, some with rifles. Nevertheless, there are a few fundamentals that apply no matter what kind of firearm, which can be called the "3 S's":

1. Sight alignment
- Lining up the sights with each other.
- Lining up the sights with the target.
- Focus the eye on the front sight (NOT the target!).
- Focus the mind on the target.

2.  Steady hold
- Proper breathing
- Proper body positioning

3. Squeeze the trigger
- Maintain a steady hold with sights lined up and on target.
- Depress trigger in one smooth motion in such a manner so as not to disrupt the sight picture.
- Make a mental "snapshot" of the sight picture at the moment of firing.

Gunfighting skills:
Once a person can hit a target (the author recommends being able to hit targets all the way out to 300 yards or so before moving on), then the next step is to learn how to fight with the gun. The main techniques for a gunfight are listed below:

1. Identifying targets
2. Moving
3. Using cover / concealment
4. Reloading
5. Malfunction clearance
6. Low light conditions
7. Clearing a room
8. Combat mindset

While no one article can cover every aspect, it is the author's desire that this be a good broad overview of the facts of using a rifle for personal self defense. With a decent rifle and ammunition, combined with proper gun handling, and topped off with some quality training, a person can defend himself'/herself as well as their family with far less of an investment and to much greater effect with minimal training when compared to the empty handed arts.