Best home defense handgun?

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I would go with a shotgun for HD. 12 or 20 ga. with a 21" deer barrel on it. I don't believe you need to meet a firearms instructor's definition of proficiency with it because if I have an intruder I'm grabbing the phone and the gun, call 911 and barricade myself in a room with only one entrance. The door is going to open onto one nasty surprise for any BG. However I do live by myself, so that may influence your thinking.
 
Disclaimer: I am not a metallurgist. Nor am I a mechanical engineer.

Is it just me or does leaving a semi-auto in the bedside drawer for months give anyone else the willies re: magazine spring fatigue?
For PDW/concealed carry, I go semi-auto, or occasionally the SW .38 Airweight, but for a bedside gun a revolver, with no spring on tension, just feels better.
Am I being unduly vigilant/obsessive? Why does it drive me nuts to have a magazine loaded for more than a few days? Does loading a 15 rounder to 12 rounds make any difference?
In a nutshell, this is why I prefer a 357 revolver for home defense/ "bedroom" use.
 
Q: Best home defense handgun?

A: The one you have in your hand when TSHTF.

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"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
 
Thanks for all the responses. I should have given a bit more info. The weapon will be for home defense strictly. The spaces are kind of tight so a shotgun is not an option. I would like to train the wife (she's not comfortable shooting anything) but I still think pulling a .22 or .32 or even a 9mm on an intent criminal is a joke. I don't want to knock anybody or start another debate over calibers but even the special forces realized that the standard 9mm was a bit small for a personal sidearm. I would like to get a .45 but quality is usually a bit expensive. Personally, I prefer the Springfield Armory compact as it fits my hand perfectly and seems to be reliable. Sorry for rambling a bit but it seems more than a few agree that a revolver is the best choice. If so, what's the best way to secure this in my bedroom from children?
 
Dear Friends,

I prefer my pistol over my shotgun for meeting an intruder. Here's the reason: I am able to go to the pistol range and practice 100 or more rounds at least every month. I can practice different stances, both hands, etc. I feel very comfortable shooting it. BUT at the range I go to, they will nervously let me shoot my shotgun a few times at a silhouette target, but I have to be at least 30 yards away, and they won't let me try any "funny stuff" like different firing positions. The result is that, although I can aim and shoot my shotgun just fine, I don't have the necessary level of expertise to rely on it in an emergency.

So, I say go pistol or revolver.


JP

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Nehemiah 4:18 " ... and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked."
 
Since it is strictly home defense, and you think a shotgun is too big, get a revolver.
But first take at least a half day course and learn to USE a revolver.

If I were you I'd look for a good used S&W .45 ACP revolver. Keep the rounds in the full moon clips, ready for action. Also get a flashlight which turns on with the push-button on the end - easy to use one - handed. If you can't find a .45 ACP revolver, get a good DA .357 magnum.

The EASIEST and a very effective way to secure a revolver - even with the chambers loaded - is to swing out the cylinder and put a plastic-coated padlock (preferably combination) through the frame, keeping the cylinder from closing. It CAN'T fire.

I use Mag-Safes for inside the house, and Hydra-Shoks for carry. The MAg Safes are because I am concerned with over-penetration thru the interior walls of my house and perhaps hitting one of my kids.

BUT, my MAIN home defense weapon is the 65-pound German Shepherd who loves my kids and is ALWAYS home - and who is sweet and friendly to people EXCEPT when she knows they don't belong in the house.
 
I was reading down the posts and was amazed no 9one mentioned a good dog in the house.
I realize the question was about guns, but I expected the dog issue to come up a lot sooner. (Not to mention attack cats).
I have a 3" S&W Model 66 and a 21" barreled Rem. 1100, next to me at night. The 50# pooch is at the foot of the bed. She is the early warning system so that I can get up and prepare for the uninvited "visitor".

Neil Casper
 
Puddle Pirate, proficiency to an instructor is the ability to load,aim, fire,etc safely, w/o any tragic consequences. Expertise is something else.

And, of course you base your opinion on lots of real world experience?
 
Wow, so much advice to a relatively simple question.

My .02 - That GP 100 will do you just fine. Rugers are sturdy as anything and the extra weight will help tame recoil. If you like it, go with it. I would reccomend shooting several brands/makes/calibers before buying if you really are a newby.

If the wife needs to be able to use it as well, just load it with Corbon .38 Special 110 grain +P. You may even have enough $$ left over for a good used pump shotgun.

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"Put a rifle in the hands of a Subject, and he immediately becomes a Citizen." -- Jeff Cooper
 
Well in recommending a shotgun I'd forgotten a few things:

#1 not everyone here is a hunter like me, Or a LEO or a soldier and your opportunities to train and practice with a shotgun may be limited. Nothing gives a thrill like busting clay pigeons with a scatter gun with a 20 or 26 inch barrel. Its also a HELL of a lot of fun with a black powder double.

#2 some people (reguardless of how many guns they own) don't shoot that much, or get out of the habit of keeping thier skills sharp. You really DO have to practice to be able to effectively use a pump gun in ANY situation or ANY gun for that matter(in the field, at the range or YIKES! In your house). If you aren't used to how it feels with a lil adrenaline in your system (say when flushing grouse or pheasant or bad guy) you might JAM your pump gun.

#3 the picture of someone fumbling with a phone a flashlight and a weapon that REQUIRES two hands to use is a scary one and one we tend to forget.

So i'll say this... decide if you are gonna pick up the shotgun OR the phone cause you REALLY should NOT do both. ;)

Any for the record i also agree that a dog of 50 pounds or more is the BEST deterent to a break in or burglary. YOU can't be 100% vigilant and "prepared" sleeping with one eye open all the time you'll become paranoid and schizo in a few weeks. ;) But FIDO your loveable pooch.. has all these WONDERFUL senses that are BETTER than yours. Treat your doggy well and HE will keep you informed and safe. And hey its OK when the kids find and play with your DOG. Of course cleaning your guns is easier than cleaning up after the dog.

so my recommendations are:

1. Big Dog (he doesn't have to be a trained killer he just has to go WOOF when a stranger approaches)

2. Whatever firearm you feel the MOST proficient and comfortable with even if its a 22 its better than no gun at all. Practice practice practice. Try to shoot once a month.. or even every OTHER month. Practice with WHATEVER you are gonna load the gun with. (ie don't just shoot lightwieght target loads then stuff full house magnums in the gun, you should practice with your defense loads too)

3. THEN worry about calling 911.. after you have armed yourself.

4. And don't forget to be premptive. leave a light on here and there leave a talk radio station on when you aren't home, leave the BIG DOG dish out where a bad Guy can see it. Put a sign (small) in your window that explains that a big nasty crack fed rotweiler lives there and he drinks human blood every sunday. (not recommended if your ACTUAL dog is a chihuahua). Get to know your nieghbors. tell them when you are leaving town, don't let mail and newspapers pile up etc. And when you ARE HOME don't forget to lock the door behind you. "home invasion" is a LOT harder if your door is chained, or deadbolted with a kick plate. (While THEY are trying to GET IN you have time to go get yourself armed or run away.)

Hope these ramblings have aided in the discussion.

Good luck and remember.. guns aren't JUST for defense they are just plain FUN to shoot. So shoot a lot and have FUN.

Dr.Rob
 
Security systems are very effective deterrents against most robbers, as they prefer the easier targets.

I'm more worried about catching a robbery in progress when I return home, than actually being robbed at night, as most thugs are active when people are not home. In this case a longer range shootout is a possibility if the intruder bolts the house and you are in your car. If the intruder is outside, and he isn't shooting, it is probably better to remember what he is wearing etc. and let him get away than to take potshots, for legal reasons.
 
1. Can't beat the RELIABILITY of a good quailty revolver.

2. Hard to beat the STOPING POWER of the .357 magnum.

3. Hard to beat the INEXPENSIVE cost of a good quality revolver.

So I hit all three of your requirements with a good quality (Smith and Wesson my first choice, followed by Ruger) .357 magnum Double Action revolver. I picked up a used Smith Model 19-4 for about $225 and it works flawlessly. I prefer a shotgun for home defense but I wouldn't feel under armed with my Model 19.
 
I don't understand the "tight quarters" issue against a shotgun. I can stand in my bedroom and go a full circle pointing any shotgun I own out at arm's length. Maybe I'm not made out of the same stuff as the rest of you, but I'm NOT going to be going room to room trying to flush out a BG. Nobody sleeps downstairs in my house. I can cover the only staircase from my bedroom door. There is a cellphone on my dresser. If there is someone rummaging around downstairs, the police can flush him out. There isn't anything down there that I would die or kill for. My only concern is to keep the BG from coming up the stairs.

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"An unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."

Cesare Beccaria, the father of modern criminology



[This message has been edited by Sport45 (edited November 17, 1999).]
 
Regarding shotguns for home defense: a 12 gauge can go through a LOT of walls, but nothing deters like the sound of pumping a shell into the chamber. Use EXTREME caution and know where the shot will go AFTER it goes through the bad guy.

Otherwise, I'd recommend a RELIABLE 4" or 6" barrel revolver in .357. Use .38's for practice; but keep it loaded with .357 HP.

An auto for home defense should be left to experts. If your wife - or non-shooting husband - will use it... go for the .357.

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Stand against evil, lest evil have its way...
 
FWIW, I'm another newbie here. I've got a 20 guage I've had since I was a kid (Rem 1100 youth--I know but it's too special to trade) but only a Ruger .22 for a handgun. What I've decided based on the advice I've been given here is to hold off on the centerfire handgun for now because I can't afford the level of quality I want for a defensive arm. (besides, guns are illegal on my college campus so I can't bring my guns "out of the closet" until I graduate in May.

When I do get my centerfire, probably in February or so when my tax "return" comes, I've just about decided to get the best used quality revolver I can afford--used Smith, Ruger or Taurus in .357 with at least a 4" barrel. This is because:
1. I won't carry it--illegal here.
2. Someone brought up mag springs--I'll probably only shoot once a week.
3. Only shooting once a week, I need something simple.
4. Reliability.
5. Ammo--.45 is expensive and I don't quite trust 9mm yet. .357 seems just right and I seem to hit well with .38, at least.
6. $$$$ left over. I figure I'll need lots of ammo, a better flashlight, and a safe with fairly quick access. This stuff ain't cheap.

Am I the only one who thinks it makes no sense to buy a Glock or revolver because "it's simple when TSHTF" and then put a triggerlock on it?

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Don

"Its not criminals that go into schools and shoot children"
--Ann Pearston, British Gun Control apologist and moron
 
We have a Pure Bred Pomeranian. Sure, go ahead and laugh but this hog is a genetic mishap and about the size of a small Pit Bull Terrier. He constantly roams through the house looking for something to get upset about. When someone comes within 50 feet of the house in any direction, he goes ballistic! Heck,he even gets upset if the neighbor's kids jump on one of the beds! A dog is the best first line of defense. A home security system with cell phone back up in the event of cut phone wires is a necessity.

Always sleep with a few lights on in the house. Never sleep in the pitch dark if you can help it. The reason being is bg's just love to shine a flashlight in the eyes of an unsuspecting homeowner who turns all the lights off. The stark contrast will temporarily blind you.

Find a weapon you are comfortable with and one that will fire fodder that will destroy flesh and not penetrate walls and practice with it. I hate to tell you this but the only way you will be totally happy is to find a full service range and try a few rental handguns and shotguns. Make a deal with the range to go easy on your range time and rental fees in exchange for the guaranteed purchase of a firearm. Be safe. Get training. Good luck!

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"When guns are outlawed;I will be an outlaw."
 
MrTW,
This is officially my first post. (new guy)
Everyone seems to have some good points, family safety being an important one. But to keep it as simple as possible, and leave out tactics, I'll give you my meager opinion:
(refering to pistols)
1. Reliable - Sig and Glock
2. Stopping power - Shot placement (But WTSHTF, I would prefer to point, shoot, and hit the BG with lots of big bullets.(anything bigger than a 9mm) Sigs and Glocks are fairly idiot proof - just point and pull the trigger.(They are good combat weapons and,when a BG enters, i think you're in combat.)
3. Price - Sig is much more expensive than the Glock. But, whats the price of your life?

I think for a last piece of advice, go back read Mr meyer's and george hills comments.
Good luck
 
Many good comments. I went shooting a few days ago, and haven't adequately cleaned my guns yet, aside from a cursory wiping down. (I know. Bad John! Bad John!) That means that, for now, my Glock 23 is not beside me. I really don't feel too concerned, though, because I have one of my Mossberg 500's there, instead.

As has been pointed out, shotguns are powerful, inexpensive, and intimidating (not that that factor ever influenced me; my arms could all be day-glo, if they shot well and powerfully). I feel fairly comfortable with a shotgun, but they aren't for everyone. I grew up shooting shotguns at running small game, so a quick shoulder mount and fast, instinctive shot has been drilled in. Many shotguns kick like hell. I put perhaps 25 rounds of 00 buck and 20 rounds of #6 through 12 gauges on Saturday. (and had a blast doing it! http://www.thefiringline.com:8080/forums/showthread.php?threadid=45953 )I expect the bruise on my right bicep to go away in another week or so.

Retention is another issue. I train in a martial art that focuses heavily on 3 to 6' sticks, so I have lots of experience using implements the size of my 500's. We all want to attempt to realistically assess our potential threats; but, in the real world, few BG's realize that firearms' advantage is *distance*. If you are not able to train as much, a sidearm will be easier to retain, though harder to shoot accurately than anything that with a stock.

Others have made good suggestions, so I will not repeat those. One item you may wish to consider would be a .45 Colt revolver. These should be even easier to locate than a .45 ACP revolver, and powerful, but not prohibitively so. If you had very little money at all, a single-action revolver is probably the least expensive quality sidearm you could buy. (I'm discounting .38's, of course. I said "powerful". :D) I am by no means suggesting a single-action, though, unless you are practically broke. Get a DA if you can.

Best of luck!



[This message has been edited by Spectre (edited November 20, 1999).]
 
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