What Pistol Is Best For Home Protection?

[Jagger69]

OK, I am considering buying a pistol for home protection. Other than having a .22 rifle when I was a teenager, I have never owned a gun in my life. I'm getting older now, kids are gone and I'm thinking it might be a good idea to have a weapon available "just in case". Actually, I have been thinking about it since last fall when Hurricane Ike hit us. If looters had decided to come to my house while my power was out and the whole local infrastructure was basically inoperative, it became grimly evident to me how vulnerable I really would have been not having a weapon at hand had I needed one (thankfully, I didn't).

I don't want a rifle. I need to have a pistol that is accurate, reliable, easy to load, aim and shoot and that will stop any intruder dead in his tracks when the bullet hits him. I have gotten conflicting information about what type of pistol is best for home protection (my wife will need to be able to use it as well and we intend to take shooting lessons). Some have told me that a .38 revolver would be the easiest to use and is very reliable. Others have said I should go with a bigger, more powerful pistol like a .45 or a .357 magnum or even a 9 mm. Still others have told me that even something like a Buntline .22 would be more than adequate. I'm quite confused so far. And so, of course, I turn to my fellow denizens on a pornography board to seek the best answer to my question....

Any of you gun nuts (only kidding!) out there have any recommendations for me? What pistol is best for home protection and why? Any specific models or brands anyone can suggest would be very helpful.

And please, let's not turn this thread into a debate over gun laws or the 2nd amendment or crime or Obama or anything political, OK? Just some recommendations if you care to help me. Any input is appreciated....THANKS!

 

[Hot Mega]

The one that most comfortably fits your grip, has stopping power but won't go through your wall, your neighbor's wall and kill someone in his household in the event you have to lay down an invader.

That said, if given the choice between firearms for home protection...I would suggest a shotgun.

 

[biomech]

I prefer a .45 caliber, Sig Sauer has some nice ones.
Also Glocks are very good. A shotgun is always nice, I have a mossberg 590a, it is compact and packs a punch.
Hope this helps.

 

[Donkey Boy]

I'll second (third?) the idea of a shotgun instead. For a few reasons:

1. You don't need to be super-accurate with it
2. Over-penetration of walls is not as big of an issue
3. If it's a pump-action, most intruders would bail as soon as they heard the slide get racked

If you are dead-set on a handgun, you can't go wrong with a Glock, Sig, or H&K in 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP or .357 Sig.

Of course, there are several other great manufacturers. Smith & Wesson M&P and the Springfield XD are very popular weapons now too. Try to find a local range that has rentals that you can try or at least go to a few gun dealers and try to find what feels best in your hand.

For self-defense, load with high-quality hollow-point ammunition (Speer Gold-Dot, Remington Golden Saber, Federal Hydra-Shock, etc.)

And believe it or not, in ballistics testing, an AR-15 in .223/5.56 shows less over-penetration than most popular pistol calibers due to impact characteristics of the round.

 

[Legzman]

Rocket Launcher

 

[Mauser98k]

"I have never owned a gun in my life"

having read that, i'd recommend a couple trips to the range first. rent a pistol and try it out. something along the lines of .38 Special or .40 might be good to start off. if you find those comfortable, maybe move up to the .45 or the .357.

9mm is ok, but there's a reason the police departments in the US don't really carry that anymore; it may not stop it's intended target if that person has some sort of narcotic in their system that gives them, for lack of a better term, super strength. i wouldn't entrust my life to a .22. that's just not strong enough to get the job done in many cases.

as far as brands of handguns, Ruger and Smith & Wesson revolvers are great and revolvers are very simple to maintain. For semi-automatic handguns, Glock, Springfield Armory and Sig Sauer are all great. (Sigs, however, can be quite expensive)

And as far as shotguns go, yeah they're about the deadliest thing in close quarters that you can have, but the mess they make is ungodly. that cocking sound is usually a pretty big deterrent in it's own right too.


i have a Springfield .45 and i'd feel perfectly safe with that should i ever need to use it.

 

[Legzman]

And as far as shotguns go, yeah they're about the deadliest thing in close quarters that you can have, but the mess they make is ungodly. that cocking sound is usually a pretty big deterrent in it's own right too.

There ya go. Get a shotty and a towel. :thumbsup:

This is why I recommended the Rocket Launcher, grenade launcher whatever. You don't have to be that accurate and it also blows away the mess! Can't really go wrong :hatsoff:

 

[Hot Mega]

"I have never owned a gun in my life"

having read that, i'd recommend a couple trips to the range first. rent a pistol and try it out.

Exactly.

Like I said, the primary considerations ought to be it fitting your grip comfortably and packing enough stopping power but not so much so that you may endanger the unintended or it recoils so powerfully that it's difficult to control and less accurate in close quarter situations.

Novice or occasional users of firearms would be more than wise to own a shotgun IMO. It most certainly requires far less accuracy skills and it may be used as a hammer if necessary.

I think people watch allot of movies and they can get the wrong impression of how difficult it can be to put a bullet in someone in the heat and adrenaline of a close quarter situation.

Consider this video and all of the shots fired but not a single person hit...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi5kj-krgso

 

[Facial_King]

Jagger, since you bring up the possibility of looters, and wanting to "stop any intruder dead in his tracks" I just want to ask this:

Are you really comfortable with the idea of killing someone - especially if they are themselves unarmed - because they are trying to take some of your stuff? Or are you thinking about armed looters, robbers, home invaders who are ready to be violent themselves? Some looters are first-time opportunists, not people who will or would want to physically harm someone else. They want to snag some free shit and be on their way.
Should they die for doing so?

Just asking.

 

[Jagger69]

Jagger, since you bring up the possibility of looters, and wanting to "stop any intruder dead in his tracks" I just want to ask this:

Are you really comfortable with the idea of killing someone - especially if they are themselves unarmed - because they are trying to take some of your stuff? Or are you thinking about armed looters, robbers, home invaders who are ready to be violent themselves? Some looters are first-time opportunists, not people who will or would want to physically harm someone else. They want to snag some free shit and be on their way.

I would NEVER shoot an unarmed person UNLESS they were trying to physically assault me or a friend/family member and REFUSED TO YIELD when warned to do so. In that case, I would not hesitate to pull the trigger. If they were stealing my possessions and were trying to flee, I would not shoot them. Hopefully, the sight and immediate presence of the gun would be enough to frighten them away. I know it would frighten me enough to make me stop what I was doing.

There is another issue I have with a neighbor's dog (a pit bull) who is extremely vicious and with whom we have had some problems in recent weeks and that too is adding to my consideration. As a result, my motivation is not only to prevent possible criminal violence against me or one of my loved ones but also to act as a deterrent against some unforeseen danger suddenly presenting itself with this animal.

Should they die for doing so?

Just asking.

C'mon man. I assume the question is rhetorical. If not, look at my sig. However, make no mistake....just because I am anti-death penalty doesn't mean that I am some passive pussy who would simply sit idly by and sing Kumbaya while some fucking asshole invades my house and tries to kill me and my family. Big difference between acting in self-defense and deliberately murdering someone who is no longer a threat to anyone.

 

[girk1]

I'll second (third?) the idea of a shotgun instead. For a few reasons:

1. You don't need to be super-accurate with it
2. Over-penetration of walls is not as big of an issue
3. If it's a pump-action, most intruders would bail as soon as they heard the slide get racked

A man who knows Home defense.

You can find a good Remington 870 pump 12 guage(I own one) for less than $300. Indestructible.


If for home defense only you may opt for a shorter barrel(24' or 26' inch) or just inquire about the YOUTH 12 gauge shotguns which have 22' or 24'(?) inch barrels.

I have a 28' inch barrel since I hunt very infrequently so I like the long swing, but you may want a shorter barrel for a confined space like your home/apartment.

You can opt for Buckshot(if you plan to kill) or simply use small game shells(#6 or #4) or birdshot to maim or get your point across(which will no doubt be recieved).

Pistols are woefully inaccurate compared to a shotgun.

 

[Kingfisher]

.45 will drop em', but has a hefty kick, but training will reward in spades. .357 be aware of where you're shooting, it has a higher potential of going through a thinner subject, but the right ammo can resolve that issue. 9mm. is fine, but requires a higher degree of training, aka, only head shots or double tapping to the chest. I have them all. I keep a .357 in the office and a 12ga in the bedroom.
The most scariest sound is a 12ga pump being worked in the dark.

 

[jibbijib]

It's sad that people need to think like this.

 

[Afficial_Nastee]

Good look with ya shooting lessons! It's good that you wanna protect your family by purchasing a gun....

 

[Little Red Wagon Repairman]

The gun I grab for is a Sig-Sauer P220 .45 ACP. Totally accurate and reliable.

But, if you're more of a novice and a second person might need to use it, I would suggest a .38 Special or .357 Magnum with a grip that fits well in your hand.

Even if I didn't have my .45, my Smith & Wesson 686 Plus .357 Magnum would make me feel nice and safe. I load it with 125 grain JHP which will stop anyone that's shot in the chest.

When you pick your gun, make sure to go to the range and Practice! Practice! Practice!

 

[D-rock]

The right handgun is different for each person and each circumstance. So, it's hard to know for sure without being there for you. I will just have to go with what you told us. If you are just going to practice or use it infrequently, need it to be something your wife can more easily operate, and have it as what you use for home defense you should probably go with a mid sized revolver. They are reliable, simple to operate, almost always work when you need them to and don't jam, you don't have to mess with anything like rotating or cycling the cartridges that are stored in magazines so they don't deform and mess up the feeding in the pistol when you need it the most.

You could get something like a .357 Magnum, it shouldn't be too much and if it is you can always shoot .38 special cartridges in it. It will take down most people if the shot is right and if not it will hurt them. (Of course if the other person is armed and it's come to the point where you feel you or people your trying to protect lives are at stake you never just shoot once and look to see what happened. In all but a limited number of situations you shoot two or three times at your attacker when you pull the trigger if you got him where you're going to hit him.)

Like other people have said, a shotgun can also work well in the home, but it does have a drawback. If for some reason somebody is in between you and your attacker it might not be a viable option to use for risk of hitting the person in between the both of you where it might still be reasonable to get the shot off with a handgun.

Of course if you ever go out and shoot all the time and figure out what you like you should then go with what you are most comfortable and proficient at operating.

 

[E-Ann-Hilden]

A man who knows Home defense.

You can find a good Remington 870 pump 12 guage(I own one) for less than $300. Indestructible.


If for home defense only you may opt for a shorter barrel(24' or 26' inch) or just inquire about the YOUTH 12 gauge shotguns which have 22' or 24'(?) inch barrels.

I have a 28' inch barrel since I hunt very infrequently so I like the long swing, but you may want a shorter barrel for a confined space like your home/apartment.

You can opt for Buckshot(if you plan to kill) or simply use small game shells(#6 or #4) or birdshot to maim or get your point across(which will no doubt be recieved).

Pistols are woefully inaccurate compared to a shotgun.

I totally agree, I have a Benelli 12 Gauge that I use for sporting clays. Its all you need for home defense and you can spend less with a Mossberg.

I keep it loaded with heavy bird shot and hope I never have to use it. The racking of the chamber is often warning enough.

 

[Mr. Daystar]

Well, My thoughts are these. If you don't want to spend a lot, and you are absolutely sure you will not be carrying it as a ccw weapon, go with a 20 gauge shotgun. You can go with a pump, they're right, no reasonable man can ignore the sound of a pump shotgun going "CHA CHINK". If you want to keep it simple, by a coach gun, which is essentially a short double barrel shotgun, of minimum legal length. I would load them with #4 buckshot, the pellets are about .25 caliber each. If you absolutely want a handgun, again, since you aren't a big gun person, keep it simple, a snub nosed .38 special is about the best. Simple to use, always reliable, not over complicated, and you can find rounds that will stop a man, without going through walls. All of the guns above are fine weapons, even though I wouldn't choose some, the important thing is YOU ARE comfortable with what you are shooting. The advantage to a pistol, as far as I'm concerned, is you can retrieve it from the little table top safe, you really ought to buy, when you buy the gun, much easier then removing the trigger lock from a long gun. I have a 12 gauge ready to go, but it's not the easiest thing in the world, to manipulate that little key, under stress, in the dark, and if you want a gun for home protection, you need a loaded gun, and if you have one, it needs to be secured in some fashion, especially if you have children (any age) in the home. I also have my pistol, when I'm sleeping, or not carrying it, locked in my little safe, which is bolted to the dresser, and has a keypad entry lock. But try and remember, most gun fights take place in a distance that is less then the length of your house...you are defending against a person, not a bull moose, you do not need a hand cannon, but it would be wise to go no less then 9mm/38 special, and USE hallow points.

 

[pancha]

Cool thread, as I was considering the same myself! never had a gun either, so this is extremely helpful! I was considering the shotgun, both for the expense as well as the fact that i am a novice! I think it would be fun to shoot at clays and would serve the self-defense purpose well!
I have been told to be careful when you shoot it the first few times. too many people butt it up against their shoulder without realizing how much it kicks back.

 

[Undertaker]

This baby.

http://www.mdgardner.com/guns/Luger4.3077.jpg