According to the CDC, the rate of assaults against adults 60 and older soared by about 53 percent in the last decade.
One reason for this is because the older adult U.S. population is growing faster than younger populations.
Since criminals take advantage of those who are vulnerable it’s not surprising that crimes against seniors are on the rise.
But a Texas man named Donald S. refused to be part of this trend.
The 78-year-old had been the victim of multiple break-ins and was tired of his house being broken into.
But Donald struggles with health problems and has a permanent hip injury.
So, to prevent criminals from getting easy access to his home Donald nailed his windows shut and kept his shotgun close by at all times.
One evening, as Donald sat on his screened-in porch with his shotgun nearby, a 19-year-old criminal broke into his house.
Without hesitation, Donald fired his shotgun at the intruder.
The criminal immediately ran away after being shot.
He was arrested by police a short distance from Donald’s home.
The intruder had been shot in the shoulder and was begging for a ride to the hospital.
Thankfully, Donald was unharmed.
Unfortunately, criminals prey on seniors because they believe they are “easy targets.”
Which is why I believe everyone who can responsibly handle a firearm should own one for self-defense.
Now, I don’t know the exact shotgun Donald used to defend himself.
But it was a shotgun that he could safely and accurately handle – even with his health problems.
Shotguns are popular for home defense whether you are young or old.
Yet, as we age, a 12-gauge shotgun can be a lot to handle. In truth, the recoil can be tough no matter your age.
This is why it’s worth considering another option.
Most people are familiar with the 12-gauge and 20-gauge shotguns.
But here are a few reasons why it could be worth owning a 16-gauge shotgun.
Less expensive:
In most cases, you will be able to find a 16-gauge shotgun for considerably less than a 12-gauge.
The savings are even more noticeable when buying a used shotgun.
Most shops that have used 16-gauge shotguns will have them reasonably priced in order to move them.
There aren’t a lot of folks that walk into the gun shop looking for a 16-gauge.
So, used gun sellers are more willing to negotiate to sell these guns.
In the middle:
The 16-gauge falls right between the 12-gauge and 20-gauge shotguns.
A 16-gauge will be lighter and easier to shoot than a 12-gauge, but more powerful than a 20-gauge.
The 16-gauge is ideal for hunting small game, where the 20-gauge might not pack enough punch.
For example, with a 16-gauge you can hunt waterfowl, turkeys, rabbits, and even deer.
The 16-gauge allows the shooter more versatility when hunting.
Ammo:
Most sporting goods stores will have 16-gauge ammo in stock.
It might not be carried by big box retailers, but gun shops should have a good supply.
Also, since it’s not the most popular shell, it won’t fly off the shelves as fast as 12-gauge.
It’s easy to find plenty of 16-gauge shells in stock at online retailers like Cheaper Than Dirt.
Lastly, shotgun shells are not usually worth reloading because the savings are minimal.
However, if you have no choice but to reload shotgun shells 16-gauge is the best option.
This is because of the range of reloading options.
For instance, you can load anything from a ⅝ oz. target load up to a 1 oz. slug.
If you are considering a 16-gauge shotgun I would check out the Browning A5 or the Savage 555.
It could be the perfect shotgun, and an addition to your home arsenal that you never considered before.
