That's a really good point. I really like regular iron sites (which may be weird to some of you), but I'd probably shoot the gun out to 50-75 meters, with maybe a rare 100 meter group every now and then (I can't see me going any farther out than that). I need with very little to no zoom that will help me aquire the target quicker (like an Aimpoint or Eotech), because if no one is at the range (and usually they aren't, as the range is at a national park in the middle of nowhere), I usually play 'games'. Some 'games' I like are to set up 3 targets at different ranges, try put 2 center mass and 1 head shot on each as fast as possible). Another fun one is to set up a bunch of targets at different locations, and shoot/change mags while walking (hard to explain the exact technique, I read about this little drill in "The Warrior Elite", it's an exercise/drill they teach you in 3rd phase at BUD/S...but I certainly don't claim to do it well or even correctly). I also shoot 3 or 5 shot groups at different locations. What scope do you like for those scenario's (I figured you'd know as well as anyone since you are an infantrymen)

Yeah, in a CQB type of situation (certainly not implying that I'm trained in CQB at all), I think the stopping power of those rounds is plenty, and obviously accuracy is the name of the game. I'm leaning on getting the 40 S&W round, because I think it's a great combination of low recoil (for plinking) and power (for home defense). What round do you prefer? Never shot a .40 or .45, so a little unsure of those rounds. Any modifications you'd make? I would probably add a EOTECH 522 (takes AA batteries I believe), because if it didn't work I could still use the iron sights. I would also consider a flashlight and foregrip, but I wouldn't want to make it super complicated either.

I'm personally a fan of 9mm and 45 ACP, but 40S&W is a solid performer with a lot of fans out there among skilled and knowledgeable shooters.  Any of the three is a good choice for defense, for plinking 9mm is the cheapest of the three for your basic FMJ kind of range ammo.  With 9mm (the only one of the three I've shot) you've pretty much got a 50 or 75 meter kind of gun, I think (was shooting it on a 25m range, so may be underrating it), I'd imagine the other two perform similarly.

The only major issue I'd see with the Cx4 for real CQB work is that it has a cross-bolt kind of safety (i.e shotgun sort of style) that does not seem to lend itself well to AR-based sort of combat marksmanship drills (i.e. weapon on safe until you're ready to shoot, then back on safe).  It may be something that can be worked around with practice, though, I haven't played around with one enough to see if there is some modification to basic methods which accomodates that different safety.

 

The set up you mentioned -- EOTech, foregrip, and light is pretty much everything you need for civilian world limited visibility shooting.  The EOTech model you probably want is the 512 (AA battery model) -- doesn't have the night vision compatible settings, but unless you've got NVGs why pay extra $$$ for something you're not going to use?  For mounting a vertical forward grip and light there's a $70 or so rail adaptor that is probably something you'd want to invest in as well.  The Cx4 has a retractable piece of rail that can extend forward of the stock, but I think it's too flimsy for really vigorous range drills or real world CQB use.  Probably good for a light, but you'd probably want that on the side, which the rail adaptor allows for too.

 

The 9mm that I used was pretty solid, very low recoil and very accurate  (certainly not trying to make this gun into something it ain't though), so I may go with that. And like you say the 9mm rounds are very well priced (I'd probably use Remington or PMC for plinking, probably Federal Hydroshok for personal defense). Yeah, I'm also used to the AR type of saftey, and I definitely think it's superior for CQB (just so much quicker and easier to use I believe).

Yeah, I haven't done any real research into the scope, foregrip, or light, but I have always heard great things about EOTech and surefire (they have a foregrip/light combo, but it's $620). Surefire claims their MU series of light is in use with US Army SF, but I know how those companies operate, that could simply mean that a Surefire rep called a SF armorer and said "Hey bro, I'm going to drop off some lights for the guys to use, I know they'll love 'em"...then they can make the whole "Super ninja bad-a$$ SOF operator approved" (Luminox did this exact thing to the SEAL Teams, and I talked to some of the SEALs who got the free stuff and they said their watches were crap and the faces would break very easily, but I picked up a gun mag the other day and read their ad say "Official watch of US Navy SEALs"). Sorry, got a little side tracked, lol.  I can't really afford any of this yet (I'm still a few hundred $ short on the gun), so the accessories would have to wait for a while, lol.

On a sidenote, I have read of people who have basically a home defense kit, so I thought of buying a 5.11 vest and load it with 1-2 extra mags, pepper spray, a large knife (I'm a big fan of Gerber, I carry one of their spring assisted tactical folders...so probably th

In this case, Surefire's claim is legitimate.  There's always a dimension of operator-choice with those sorts of things, but a lot of real DoD money has been spent on Surefire products for SOF units, including SF.

That said, I wouldn't bother spending hundreds of dollars on a Surefire gun light (unless that amount of money really doesn't make an impression on you).  You can get one of the polymer bodied Surefires (G2 model if I'm remembering correctly) for about $30 and then either get a relatively inexpensive product-designed mount (Viking Tactical has a plastic one for about $30 for instance) or even just mount it with a pair of $10 Leupold scope rings from Walmart and you've got a good enough light for checking on things that go bump in the night and getting familiar with using a weapon light.  You can always spend the mega-money on a top end Surefire gun light later, if desired, but the Cx4 plus EOTech will already be costing you around $1000, combined, so I don't know if you want to add another $5-600 on top of that right out of the gate.

 

As for the kit, I'd try to avoid the impression you're sitting at home in a vaguely paramilitary outfit waiting for things to go bad, just because it could make a poor impression on a jury.  I'd definitely avoid the large knife, both for appearances sake and because you haven't been trained to use it.  A quality pocket knife or leatherman will do what you need it to do without giving a prosecuting DA an exciting exhibit to shock a jury with.  Also, throw a cell phone into the rig as well, as has been discussed elsewhere, so you can call 911 from anywhere in the house, etc., both before and after a hypothetical shooting.  In Alabama, you tend to have a pretty positive atmosphere concerning justifiable self-defense (at least that's my recollection from when I lived there), but there are always those exceptions to any rule, in terms of DAs and anything/anyone else. 

On the flashlight, wouldn't it be hard to hold a carbine while holding a flashlight (not trying to sound sarcastic at all, as I've never done it)? I'm also completely untrained in the use of flashlights, and those things could become bullet magnets if an untrained idiot like myself uses the wrong technique. Basically, my only assets or things I know how to do is 1) Call the police, 2) Shoot a gun with pretty good accuracy, 3) I'm a pretty good MMA'er (my Jits is very good in case I really f*ck up and we end up rolling around with a weapon or whatever).

Great point. I wasn't planning on trying to flex cuff him while he was conscious. I know that sounds evil and would probably look bad to a jury, but it's all about survival in that scenario...I was thinking more along the lines of pepperspraying the suspect, then throwing a rifle butt to the head, then flex cuffing the suspect (if I had all that junk). Like I said, I don't really have any training at all, or a real plan on what to do with the suspect. Alabama has the most lenient self-defense laws (I think the most logical aswell), so I don't know if my rifle butt to the head idea would get me in much trouble. I have a feeling that in most cases though, the suspect probably wouldn't argue with someone pointing a carbine (me) and a Desert Eagle or 12 gauge (my Dad) at the suspect.

This has got me fascinated actually. What do you recommend me do first, phone the police or deal with the suspect? You see, if it was just me at my house and no family was present, then I'd just lock myself in my room, phone the police, and cover the door. But I wouldn't allow someone to just roam around my house with family present, I'd have to take action. All of this is extremely unlikely, but it's better to be prepared and survive, then be unprepared and die.

Alright, so from the reccomendations, here is the updated home defense setup:

 

1 Beretta CX4 Storm in .40 S&W, with extra magazine - $800

1 extra magazine - $30

1 EOTech 512 w/batteries - $379

1 Viking Tactics Mount/Surefire G2 combo - $46

1 gun case with lock- Check

1 Gerber tactical folder - Check

1 book by Jeff Cooper; "To Ride, Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth" - $20

1 book by Masoob; not sure which one yet: - $20

1 cell phone - check

1 pair of designer pajama's that I wear that are extremely comfortable, even though they look homosexual - check

A whole lotta balls, and I pray some common sense and tactical ability - Check

The piece of mind knowing that I'll have a decent chance of survival in a home defense situation, and look like a complete f@ggot while doing it: Priceless.

 

I updated my list, and took out what was useless. Never trained with flex cuffs, they seem like a bad idea from what Chd said. No big knife needed, as using that could be more a risk to myself then to the suspect...but their is talk of our MMA gym adding knife fighting in aswell, but that's down the road. No pepperspray needed, as I've read that could be tricky and dangerous if I spay it in a room with a fan or in a similar scenerio, it is spray after all. No need for the 5.11 vest, as that has no use now other than to cover up my gay looking pajama's (hey, my Grandmother bought them for me at Christmas, lol).

"On the flashlight, wouldn't it be hard to hold a carbine while holding a flashlight (not trying to sound sarcastic at all, as I've never done it)? I'm also completely untrained in the use of flashlights, and those things could become bullet magnets if an untrained idiot like myself uses the wrong technique." GOP

 

It's really not as hard as it sounds. Personally I like the Harries technique, but whatever you choose usually works just as well when mastered. Most things like that come down to personal preference/experience and what "feels" right to you. With the Harries technique you basically hold the flashlight reversed in your left hand (assuming you're right handed) operating the switch with either your pinkie finger (for a side mounted switch) or your thumb (with an end cap type switch). You bring your left hand up under (or over for the reverse Harries ... which has its own benefits) your right applying isometric tension against the back of your right hand with the back of your left hand. This steadies both the gun hand and the light hand. It also works well with a carbine by applying the back of your light hand to the forearm in much the same way. No, it's not as steady as a weapon mounted light, but in my opinion does offer enough advantages to warrant it's inclusion in your bag of tricks.

 

1. It offers independence between what you illuminate and what you cover with your muzzle. Remember the golden rule. 

 

2. It allows you the possibility to use indirect lighting in your search (in simple terms, think of it as being able to indirectly

bounce light off walls, windows, floors, etc., down a dark obstructed hallway while being able to cover the hallway itself).

 

3. It allows you to use your light while keeping your weapon in a low ready position when moving to contact. Without

being pretty well versed in clearing a building, a long gun brings along a set of drawbacks when it comes to weapon retention. Your muzzle breaking the plain of a blind corner invites a grab by an intruder that's been alerted to your search for him. Keeping a long gun in a low ready in a building search offers the advantages of retention while still maintaining the ability to quickly respond to a threat. Any long gun is much harder to defend than a hand gun in a grab to begin with. That (among many reasons) is why I generally prefer a handgun for most self defence applications outside of being invaded by Spetznatz paratroopers in my sleep.

 

4. Ideally, both a dedicated weapons mounted and a separate hand held light would be available. But if my choice came down to only one, I would choose an independent hand held light every time based primarily on versatility I do have a Surefire forearm light on one of my 870s, but mainly because of the issue of cycling a pump. Otherwise, even with a CAR-15 type carbine, I use a separate light. In my opinion though, night sights are far more important than a weapons mounted light for low light shooting.

 

5. Most problems can be solved with a couple of love taps from a good Streamlight.

 

6. I generally don't care for a bunch of crap mounted on my rifle or shotgun. It's one more thing to get hung up or fail. I prefer quicker fast handling carbines and shotguns over ones with a lot of crap hung off the fore arm. I keep it simple.

 

7. On the use of flashlights in general, here's my opinions on that. Most people use them way too much. The old saying "when you control the light, you control the situation" is true. However, prematurely alerting a subject that you're on the hunt for him gives him the time to choose between flee or fight. If he's armed and chooses to fight, he knows where you are before you know where he is ... you give up the initiative. Therefor, I do not advocate the use of much light at all when doing your initial search. Unless its just flat ass pitch dark, there is generally enough ambient light to allow you to move effectively and alert you to the presence of an intruder. You locate an intruder using existing ambient light and your hearing, only using your light to get into those really deep dark corners if absolutely necessary ... then you move, quickly. When you do hit your light its to confirm and positively identify your target as an intruder, rather than locate them to begin with. If the first thing that alerts an intruder to your presence is being lit up followed by clear, concise, and assertive verbal commands ... then you have a better chance of controlling their actions.

 

In that regard, it is also a good idea from a homeowners perspective of leaving lights on in the house that make sure that ambient light is provided. My kitchen light is always on all nigh