Defense Handgun...which way to go...

Shotgun is much better for HD IMO. If you must use handgun then I suggest a large semi-auto like S&W M&P or Glock with pic rail for a light, so you dont have to tie up a hand holding a flashlight. But Shotgun is by far the best HD choice. As far as choice I carry both semi's and revolvers. My semi's have proven themselves through practice to be relieable. I wouldnt have a gun that I didnt have full confidence in.
 
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To me it's not as much how reliable is the gun--as many have stated, most name brand autos are pretty good these days--as it is "how reliable are you?" I don't even (necessarily) mean how technically proficient, though that's certainly important, but given a bump in the night even range-and SD class-seasoned shooters can go fumble, with adrenaline rushing, low light, etc. I think I'm proficient with my auto, but is it in battery, what's the mode, if it has a safety is it engaged, etc etc. A good DA revolver simply doesn't have these issues, as has been stated. SO, my first go-to is a Smith .357 loaded with warm +P.38s, my SECOND is the .40 auto just if needed beyond the revolver--and that (maybe) includes first attempt at speedloader--if needed. If I fumble that (in a hypothetical HD exercise) the NEXT step is reach for the auto. Actual ideal first go-to--given time--is the 16 pump in the corner.
 
Revolver vs. Semi-Automatic is one of the oldest and most hotly debated topics in the world of handguns. Really, there is not cookie-cutter right or wrong answer as the best choice depends on the individual and his or her unique circumstances. Both types have distinct advantages:

Advantages of a Semi-Automatic: greater capacity, faster and easier reloading (assuming availability of pre-loaded magazines), better recoil-to-power ratio, less expensive to manufacture than a revolver of comparable quality, cheaper and easier to repair or rebuild.

Advantages of a Double Action Revolver: Less sensitive to ammunition type, misfires more easily remedied, less likely to malfunction when fired at contact distance, less likely to malfunction when fired from inside or under a garment, better power-to-size/weight ratio, simpler manual of arms, elimination of magazine-related malfunctions, less prone to malfunction due to spring fatigue, generally more accurate with major calibers (fixed barrel vs. tilting barrel), greater adaptability to hand shapes and sizes (greater availability of aftermarket grip shapes and sizes), easier to verify loaded/unloaded status, faster and easier to reload with loose cartridges, not sensitive to a weak or improper grip, easier to retrieve spent shell casings (mainly an issue for handloaders).

Only you can determine which platform best meets your needs. After careful examination of my own circumstances, I have chosen a revolver. My reasons are as follows:

I live in a relatively low-crime area where gangs and multiple-attacker situations are extremely rare. There is, however, a growing meth problem in my area so an attacker who is under the influence of a mind-altering substance is not at all out of the realm of possibility. I am a fairly large individual (6'4" and roughly 300lbs) and I've come to the conclusion that since people are more reluctant to attack someone bigger than they are, the most likely person to attack me is going to be someone who is as big or bigger than I am making for a rather large individual. Because of this, the extra power and penetration that is available from a revolver is advantageous to me as I need a gun that will penetrate deeply and readily break bone.

I also note that when a violent crime does take place in my area, it typically happens over very short distances and goes down very quickly. This makes the lack of sensitivity to a contact shot an advantage for me.

Finally, a revolver offers me a wider array of cartridges in the same basic platform. All of the revolvers that I rely on for self-defense are Smith & Wessons. This means that whether I'm using my .38 Spl pocket gun or my .44 Magnum bedside/woods gun, the manual of arms is identical for all of them. I can choose from four different guns from my collection and still only have to master one basic set of operations.
 
Forget the Derringer, They are as big and heavy as a pocket pistol and only have two shots that usually don't shoot to the same point of aim. Between revolvers and semi autos there is no right answer, it is what works best for you. I own and shoot both and would trust my life to a good quality revolver or auto. It is the person not the tool that counts, learn to shoot which ever one you chose, get training and practice,you will be good to go.
 
I feel revolvers are better for home defense.

Do you have a wife or live-in girlfriend? Is she strong enough to rack the slide on an auto? How strong are her wrists? Strong enough that she won't cause an auto to jam?

I have zero confidence that my wife could defend herself with her Hi-Power. It is all she can do to rack the slide, she never practices with it, and when she does, she gets stovepipe jams from limp wristing sometimes.

With a revolver, most of those problems go away. Then, it is just down to her aim. ;)

She we decided the best bet for her is 22LR in her Buck Mark with good ammo.

I keep an SP-101 with laser grip, and I feel I have the best chance with that. I'm a heavy sleeper, and it is likely that I will be groggy and may not have proper technique for an auto. Groggy and having to remember about safeties, arm straight, wrist locked, etc. is just not realistic for me.

Failure drill is easy with a revolver; just squeeze the trigger again. If I'm injured in the right arm and am down on the floor in a bad position, I can still shoot it lefty and again don't have to worry about my wrist.

I also don't think it is likely that I'll need more than 5 rounds. As a cop here once said: "I'll run out of time before I run out of ammo."
 
I have zero confidence that my wife could defend herself with her Hi-Power. It is all she can do to rack the slide, she never practices with it, and when she does, she gets stovepipe jams from limp wristing sometimes.
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I keep an SP-101 with laser grip, and I feel I have the best chance with that. I'm a heavy sleeper, and it is likely that I will be groggy and may not have proper technique for an auto. Groggy and having to remember about safeties, arm straight, wrist locked, etc. is just not realistic for me.
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While I don't entirely disagree with your logic, you do need to make sure that your wife can repeatedly pull the DA trigger of your SP101 without difficulty. I have found that people with limited enough hand strength to have difficutly racking a slide oftentimes also have difficulty pulling through a DA trigger. Small-frame guns like the Ruger SP101 and S&W J-Frames seem to cause the most problems because their smaller, lighter hammers require heavier mainsprings in order to reliably ignite primers. It seems as though medium frame revolvers, S&W K-Frames in particular, seem to work well for most people because they have better triggers than small-frame guns but are not so large as to not fit the hands of smaller statured people.
 
As you have seen in this thread, there are valid arguments on both sides. I chose a semi for the capacity. Cops are said to only average a 20% hit rate. We can assume we will be better, but will we? If we don't, that means we will only hit the BG once by unloading the average revolver. Thus, we are forced to assume a one-stop shot and just one BG. I'm not ready to bet my life or the lives of loved ones on those assumptions. And what if the BG gets me and my wife is on her own? She doesn't shoot as often or as well as me, so how many rounds might she need?

I used to carry a revolver. I like revolvers. I switched to semis a while back for self defense. The extra capacity seems to my mind to be a significant advantage. Think it over and reach your own conclusion, though - I'm just explaining my thought process.
 
I should have made myself more clear, I meant in a SD situation, where you wouldn't pull the trigger slowly but have to fire quickly. If I shoot a DA pistol for target shooting, I don't find the hard pull to get me off my target, but that's because I pull it slowly to adjust my aim if necessary. In my experience, pulling a DA trigger fast will always generate some sort of wobble (at least more then even a squirky 5 lbs SA trigger)
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Fascinating. Goes to show that no two individuals are alike.

I'm the exact opposite. When I do "dive for cover" drills, engaging multiple targets out to 15 yards rapid fire, I find I do better with a long DA trigger as my inclination, or temptation to jerk the trigger seems to be held in check better, versus say the short trigger of a 1911 which doesn't give any time to "moderate" the squeeze (for lack of a better term) before the hammer falls.

As a result, I shoot DA revolvers more quickly and more accurately than 1911s, XDs, Glocks, etc. For me, it is easier to keep the DA trigger in a constant, steady state of motion (I'm already squeezing the trigger while the gun is coming back on target) as I get more tactile feedback in the from of positive pressure from the mechanism, whereas with a 1911 I have to wait for the gun to get back on target and it doesn't really feel like I'm squeezing anything because the pull is so light, which makes it more likely that I'll end up jerking it (yes, this is my problem, not the gun's). In a good handling car, thats also the reason why I prefer a little heft in the steering as it makes my fine movements more precise.

I still love 1911s, but I'll have to try out a DA only CZ-75 someday, I figure I might well like it.

Different strokes, different folks. If we were all the same, life sure would get boring!

Cops are said to only average a 20% hit rate. We can assume we will be better, but will we? If we don't, that means we will only hit the BG once by unloading the average revolver. Thus, we are forced to assume a one-stop shot and just one BG.
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Don't assume you will do better than 20%, know you will do better than 20%. Realistic training is of course important, but deep within your mind you must know you will do better than 20%, 40% ... 75% ... 90%. No doubts whatsoever. The ability is there. On the flip side, Bill Jordan spoke in his book No Second Place Winner about how to keep your mind focused while under fire. One of the things he stressed that I found particularly interesting is to not hope the other guy will miss, but know he will miss. For him, this allowed him instead to focus on putting rounds on the bad guy, specifically his shirt pocket IIRC.

Anyway, yes that does sound corny, and that may or may not work for you, but it may give you some "mind training" exercises to consider.
 
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You and me think alike Tailgator:)



While I enjoy shooting them both. And if both are 100% reliable. I prefere a Semi Auto for reasons aleady mentioned.

Some people say that 5 or 6 rounds should get the job done? But In my area, I've been hearing about too many instances where there have been 2 or 3 intrudors. So 13+ rounds makes me feel a little more comfortable. It's been posted and makes good sence. Ammo capacity is like insurance. You can never have enough.;)
 
sheepman

you probably weren't even referring to my post plus I know derringers get a bad rap a lot, but I'm giving them a shout out here. I heard about them beforehand, but it didn't stop me. I knew I liked derringers enough to have one. to me a BUG only needs two shots(some people prefer or demand more while others think a BUG is unnecessary). I've had issues if I ever get to the situation where I need the derringer, but I know it will get me the two shots when it does happen. my CCW is much bigger and heavier, but the derringer is like a nice little mouse gun.

all the best

GO BRUINS
 
This gun doesn't FTF or FTE. Most HKs don't know either.


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I like a full size semi auto with a rail and a good light for home defense. I use a CZ SP-01 9mm as my home defense pistol. I live in an area with close neighbors and the 9mm will hopefully lessen the chances of a round hitting a neighbor.

I always hear recommendations for a shotgun as a home defense weapon. Shotguns are great weapons, but they have major drawbacks and training issues. They are not a wonder weapon that makes people fly through windows when shot and other such nonsense. They are longer than handguns, have lower capacity, heavy recoil, pumps require a hand to feed the next round etc... The shotgun can be great, but make sure you train with it properly and remember 00 buck is basically 9 rounds that you have to account for. You need to know you guns shot pattern at any distance you might be employing it on. Most shotguns spread too much at 35+ yards to be able to consistently keep all the pellets on target.
 
When it comes to home defense I personally prefer a handgun. Quicker to get to on the night stand. I keep a Glock 30 (10 rounds of 45) for myself and a Walther PK380 for my wife. A hit with a 22 is more deadly than a miss with a 44 mag...
 
I am a 357 magnum fan for self defense so I gravitate toward revolvers though I do own a Coonan Classic that I am thinking of using for home defense. Currently my home defense gun is a 12GA (Remington 870) with 6 rounds of Winchester PDX1 ammo. ;)

My wife uses her Sig P238 for carry and home defense but I am not sure I trust it.
 
In my experiance most ladies will feel more comfortable with a K Frame size revolver loaded with 38 Specials.
I was at the range a week ago, and got the Plate Rack out for some sporting clays shooters to try out. As I was putting it away, a lady shooter and her husband arrived at the range. She shoots alteast weekly. I asked her if she wanted to try the plate rack. She said she would give it a try. I turned the tractor around and repositioned the rack. She ran it with her Sig 9mm, and also with her CZ75 in 9mm at 10 yards. She was hitting probably a little over 50%. I handed her my 4" HB Model 64 Smith & Wesson to try. She hit 6 for 6 the first time, and 5 for 6 the second.

I have an XDm in 40 s&w and a custom 1911 Colt. My wifes home defense gun is a 4" 686. She could use either semi-automatic as her house gun. She does not like them. Too many things to remember, and she has had problems with my semi's feeding for her. She likes her revolver just fine. I also keep my old Scattergun Tech TR870 behind the bedroom door. She has shot quite a few cases of 12 gage shotgun shells shooting Trap with her 870 Trap Gun. You can take it to the bank, she can shoot the riot gun just fine.

My home defense gun depends on what I was carrying that day. I carry my 64 smith all the time. Some times I carry my 1911, and some times my 638. I also carry my 29 Smith and my 480 SRH at times. What ever I was packing around that day, is what I have on my dresser at night. Normally it is a revolver of some type. If I had some idea that I might need a handgun, I would probably have the XDm with TFO night sights out of the safe.

I shoot a lot, and I am comfortable shooting about anything. If you do not shoot all the time, I still think a revolver is the best choice. A revolver is much more Goof Proof, and Wife Friendly.

Bob
 
After purchasing 2 BHP's (different generations), and an EAA Witness, I have come to realize that Clint Smith has said it well: "I would rather shoot 5 rounds well, over shooting 12 or 13 rounds not so well!"

After waking up with someone knocking on 'wrong apartment door' at oh-dark-thrity, grabbing significantly smaller revolver vs. full-size BHP with Rhodesian magazine (don't tell Sen. McCarthy), fits my hand a LOT better in a hurry, and more controllable without 'stand down from Condition 1', or "breaking the gun" necessary.

Semi-autos are nice. They -are- peculiar to what you feed them. They WILL jam when you don't need them to do that. Yes, semi-autos do hold more rounds (weight). Magazines do take more physical space, and must be loaded in a correct direction of travel.

Revolvers will eat what you feed them, but are usually built for a particular grainage bullet, and will shoot at different POI's. Yet, at a 30-foot range or less, the difference is small. Yes, revolvers have less rounds to hold. Reloads are different actions than semis, but can be just as quick, with practice.
 
Overall, I've had more "issues" with a limited number of semi-autos than I have with revolvers. I've shot far more revolvers than semi-autos.

That said, I have semi-autos that have never failed in any way, and I've had revolvers that disappointed me in their performance.

In the end, it's a matte of finding what works for you, proving it's reliability, and learning to shoot it well.

All else is irrelevant.

Daryl
 
Either is a viable option--depends which works for you.
I like both, I own both, I carry both (on a seasonal basis).
Whatever I carry during the day does nightstand duty at night.
Last spring/summer/fall that was a Kahr P45. During the winter it was a 4" S&W M625 in .45LC. Beginning this spring it has been a 4" Kimber 1911.
 
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