Joe Biden says forget the rifle — get yourself a shotgun

By Olivier Knox, Yahoo! News | Modified: January 24, 2013 at 2:53 pm | Published: January 24, 2013 Comment on this article

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Vice President Joe Biden recently participated in a Google+ hangout to promote President Barack Obama’s gun control and anti-violence proposals, and what he said about the choice of a home defense weapon may (or may not) surprise you.

photo - FILE - In this Jan. 21, 2013, photo, Vice President Joe Biden reacts with his wife, Jill, as they walk down Pennsylvania Avenue en route to the White House, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013, in Washington, during the Inaugural Parade during the 57th Presidential Inauguration parade after the ceremonial swearing-in of President Barack Obama. Biden in 2016? The inauguration is barely over but the vice president already is dropping plenty of hints that he might have another political act. Biden packed his schedule with events and receptions attended by party stalwarts throughout the long weekend of inauguration festivities, stoking speculation he may be laying the groundwork to carry the torch from Obama. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

FILE - In this Jan. 21, 2013, photo, Vice President Joe Biden reacts with his wife, Jill, as they walk down Pennsylvania Avenue en route to the White House, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013, in Washington, during the Inaugural Parade during the 57th Presidential Inauguration parade after the ceremonial swearing-in of President Barack Obama. Biden in 2016? The inauguration is barely over but the vice president already is dropping plenty of hints that he might have another political act. Biden packed his schedule with events and receptions attended by party stalwarts throughout the long weekend of inauguration festivities, stoking speculation he may be laying the groundwork to carry the torch from Obama. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

“Guess what? A shotgun will keep you a lot safer, a double-barreled shotgun, than the assault weapon in somebody’s hands [who] doesn’t know how to use it, even one who does know how to use it,” Biden said. "It’s harder to use an assault weapon to hit something than it is a shotgun. You want to keep people away in an earthquake? Buy some shotgun shells.”

Biden doesn't claim to be a ballistics or weapons professional, but experts (here and here) say to carefully choose a self-defense weapon based on what you're comfortable with while keeping in mind your surroundings and situation.

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