The search for a home defense firearm…

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drumfreak1987

Inactive
Hey everyone, name's Matt, 25, Houston, TX. Some relivant information about me: I'm long-time history fan (WWII specifically) enjoy reading/talking about, and watching shows/documentaries about historical events, strategy, and weaponry. Bought a Mosin-Nagant not too long ago and love it! It's a 1940 Izhevsk, and I will never part with her! I saw the markings and got really excited… almost forgot to examine it! I cocked the bolt a few times, smooth as glass, the bayonet fits great, and the cleaning rod and rear sight are both anchored sturdily. I'm closing in on the fine adjustments, as I've never had a gun of my own to maintain and tune up, but have good help. I've casually shot 30-06's, AR-15's, 12g's, .22 long rifles and tactical carbines on a few occasions; and .45, .357, .22, and 9mm pistols once up to this point… those days are coming to a swift end, because i'm getting serious about this culture! But I digress...

I'd like to get a firearm for home defense, conceal and carry ability is a plus. I've been researching and inquiring, but feel i'm getting more indecisive! I live in an apartment right now, moving into my first house in February… Some say that the shotgun or judge is the best way to go… but an equal amount say shotguns are not good for home defense (opening doors, turning corners, needing two hands to shoot when you're trying to dial 911), and that .410 defense loads and buck shots don't have much stopping power, and slugs are a bad idea for the lack of spread… Others say go revolver, just point and shoot…no clips get accidentally ejected (really?), no cocking, no safety to remember to push in a panic… i know jack with maintaining a semi, but i've been told that today's semi autos are just as reliable as revolvers and are easier to maintain than ever, even for someone like me… and at that moment was recommended to go with a glock 17 (which felt nice in my hand, really nice), and to use frangible ammo. Nonetheless, I will work to be aware what lies beyond the target. I don't want to stir up and mud slinging, but I just feel stuck in the doldrums! Any insight you can provide would be great regarding the pros and cons to your preferred weapons platforms and systems… thanks!
 
Welcome to TFL, Matt!

If you're looking for something to both carry and defend your home with, you'll want a handgun. You can always pick up a shotgun later if you change your mind. In picking a handgun, take your time. Try shooting several different pistols and revolvers. You may find that you prefer one over the other. Once you've got that narrowed down, try a few more. If you prefer a semi-auto, 9mm is by far the least expensive ammunition (you'll want to practice a lot). You'll find one or more models that you really like, so don't make it harder than it is. Again, take your time. Learn how a lot of different guns work and shoot them. Sooner or later you'll either decide on a specific model that you want, or you'll find one of the models that you like available at a reasonable price. The next thing you know, you'll be a handgun owner.

Frangible rounds are probably not a good idea. They tend not to penetrate well. There is a lot of discussion around here about this, but the bottom line (to me of course) is that any round that delivers proper performance for self defense will also be capable of penetrating drywall. So learn to shoot.

Which brings us to training. Take a basic pistol course. Not to be rude, but any of your buddies can teach you to shoot poorly. Any decent instructor can teach you to shoot well. This is not golf, and there are no prizes - well there are some, but most of them you don't want. So again, take a course.

Regarding shotguns, "lack of spread" does not apply much inside a home - at those distances a load of buckshot hasn't had a chance to spread out much yet. And contrary to what you've been told, buckshot, even 410, has tremendous "stopping power". Someone will be along soon to explain how "stopping power" is a misnomer. ;) I have no problem with the idea of a shotgun or even a rifle for home defense, as long as you know how to use them. There are pluses and minuses to every platform.

Revolvers are easier to learn to use, but semi-autos generally hold more rounds. Pick the one you like better and don't worry about it.


Hope that helps, Flops.
 
Any quality 9mm handgun will be a good start. AR style carbines and shotguns have their place, but inside a home their longer length can be a negative.

I like a glock 19 with night sights (which would be high on my list or requirements regardless of the gun you pick).
 
Find yourself a nice gun that strikes your fancy from a well-known, reputable company with a reasonable track record of quality. There are tons of reasonable choices. Your dilemma is partially due to those choices. Like, there's so many.... What if I get the wrong one? Well, it's pretty hard to do, really getting the wrong one.

Beyond that, well, somebody has an opinion for everything. Shotguns, handguns, revolvers, slugs, frangible ammo (No!), 45, 9mm, 357....

Blah, blah , blah. Every bodies got an opinion and you know what they say about opinions. (And mine's no better)

The gun in your hand is better than the one you didn't buy because you couldn't decide.

Rent a few at a range, if you can. They'll help you form your OWN opinions. If you can't rent...

Buy one, put a bunch of rounds down range and you'll realize what you like and don't like and you'll have a better idea, based on YOUR opinions, what you really want.... If it isn't what you start out with.
 
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Take a basic handgun course. They often give you the opportunity to try out several different guns.

Rent handguns at the range.

Borrow handguns from friends.

Eventually you'll find a gun that works.

This web site is full of good advice.
http://www.corneredcat.com/Contents/

imho the shotgun is the best choice for home defense. They also are the best value in the used gun world. Lots of used sub-200 dollar shotguns out there that work good as new.
 
Having researched the HD question until I was so full of info that I forgot what I had read and seen I decided on a Sig P220 (45acp). Now, with that said I will tell you that video after video demonstrating depth of penetration and the resulting cavity including layers of cloth/denim convinced me that any of the popular rounds including 9mm, 357mag, 40 and 45 loaded with commercial JHP rounds and sold by the manufacturers for personal/home defense are more than sufficient for stopping and killing an attacker.

You will obviously go through much of what I and others have done in researching that question and come to some decision which for reasons of your own justify whatever you select.

Oh, yes....I also purchased a Remington 870 Tactical Express and equipped it with a collapsible stock.
 
Lots of ground covered in your post.

If "conceal and carry ability is a plus," a shotgun is out, and a Judge should be low on your list, since it is quite large and heavy. Although some prefer a shotgun for home defense, handguns are more maneuverable. A valid point was made earlier that in most homes and even more apartments, the spread of a shotgun is not very impressive.

Lots of folks are fans of revolvers, but capacity is limited. Before you conclude that five rounds is enough, remind yourself that it very often takes two or more handgun rounds to stop an attacker, then ask yourself if you are certain that you will get a high percentage of good hits when your target is moving and maybe shooting back, and how sure that you will face only one attacker. That in a nutshell is why pistols are becoming more popular as time goes on.

The folks who told you that modern semis are quite reliable and not terribly difficult to maintain are largely correct. You need decent ammo for pistols to cycle correctly, and you can learn all you need to know for routine maintenance by reading the instruction manuals that come with the pistol. Some are easier than others, but very few are difficult for someone who is capable of comprehending a set of written instructions.

Not all pistols have thumb safeties - Glocks are a prominent example of a pistol that was purposely designed with simplicity of operation in mind. (Entire threads are dedicated to debating whether a thumb safety is good and/or necessary. Better for you to read them than to debate that here. Suffice it to say for our purposes that there are legitimate arguments on both sides, so you have a right to choose for yourself.)

9 mm is an excellent choice for a first pistol, since ammo is cheap, recoil is mild, and it still has solid defensive value. (Caliber debates also go on and on. Get used to it.)

Get training. Handle and shoot a bunch of handguns, then plunk down some money when you fall in love with something. Chances are you won't end up with just one, anyway, so pick one you like and start learning and shooting.
 
A handgun trades power and accuracy for convenience. The big advantage of a handgun is that by virtue of its smaller size, it easier to carry, easier to conceal and can be fired one handed if necessary.

So your first question needs to be, do I need any of those features and how bad do I need them? Because if you aren't going to use any of those advantages, there isn't much sense in surrendering power and accuracy to get them.

If you get a handgun because it is easy to carry and then leave it locked up in a safe in your basement, you might as well have bought the shotgun or rifle which can sit in the basement just as well.

but an equal amount say shotguns are not good for home defense (opening doors, turning corners, needing two hands to shoot when you're trying to dial 911)
Click to expand...

Just real briefly, clearing an indoor structure by yourself against an armed opponent is an incredibly hazardous task. So the first question I'd ask myself in my analysis is when would I be forced to do that? Because I am sure not going to voluntarily do something that dangerous if circumstances give me another option (like forting up in a room and calling 911 from speaker phone).

So is that something you'll need to do? If it is, you need training in addition to whatever firearm you choose.

Having said all that, the first rule of a gunfight is have a gun. If you are going to make use of the convenience of the handgun, then a handgun you have with you is better than a more powerful/more accurate long gun sitting in your basement safe.
 
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Okay, sorry for writing a frickin' dissertation but i had an experience that was nothing short of sublime! I went to a gun range around 30 mins away from home, and they were very friendly… said i didn't want to bug them with noobie questions and i wasn't set on a specific system, but they refused to be deterred by my stupidity… or driven to capitalize upon it-haha! we talked advantages and drawbacks to each platform. they asked if i was interested in renting, which i was. i shot a Ruger SP 101 .357 mag, a Springfield XDM, and a Glock 17 (both 9mm). been a while since i shot a 357. it wasn't bad… but lets just say i better hit the intruder the first time, and i don't have the training to control that kind of kick and to quickly re-acquire my aim in a panic… add that to the lower capacity. i was so-so about it…

when i tried the xdm, it felt more "molded", like a part of my body, which was was kind of calming (relatively speaking), since i was a little anxious due to my lack of experience... very smooth weapon. then came the glock 17. that famous germanic utilitarian craftsmanship had an appeal of "subtle charisma" for lack of a better way to put it! i was holding something great… its simplicity spoke volumes, so effective, yet graceful… i was amazed at the high performance given the limited number of parts, and the fact that it has a globe-trotting military pedigree! so i fed the magazine, loaded it, cocked the slide, and i fired it- "PFFAAAA" (the voice of an angel) and a golden light filled the room! i couldn't wipe the grin off my face!!! i felt like my life went to a whole 'nother level! i had a decent grouping, too! one patron at the range said, "if you buy only one gun in your life, make sure its that one." would i be biting off more than i could chew, though? would it be better to start off with a less militaristic pistol like a sigma 9VE or p95 (which i could buy in a short period… the '17, not so much)? i felt at home with the glock, but should i curb my enthusiasm to "ease into" it? or is it not as complicated as that? thanks for reading… let me know your thoughts
 
Sounds like you may have found a winner. Glock makes a fine handgun. They have a sub compact in 9mm that is great for concealed carry. I don't recall the model number off hand, but someone here will. Be sure to try it out first, since the grip is shorter and will feel different than the bigger Glocks. Or if you can conceal a 17 comfortably, go with that. Try out a bunch of concealed carry holsters - there are a lot of different styles - and find one that you're comfortable with. This can take a little time and patience. Someone mentioned corneredcat.com. That's a great resource for learning about holsters. Yes, the site is mainly aimed at women, but there is a lot of great information there.

I would not let the fact that some armed forces use Glocks bother you. It's just a tool, made of metal and polymer - nothing more, nothing less. The company that makes my shotgun has had plenty of military contracts, but I shoot clays with mine. It doesn't know the difference.
 
I would advise you not to buy something you like less to save money. You will wind up taking a loss on selling the one you aren't satisfied with and then buying the one you really wanted all along.

FYI, the Glock models in 9 mm are 17 for the full sized with 17-round mags standard, 19 for the "Compact" which carries 15 rounds in a grip that is still large for your whole hand, and 26 for the "Subcompact" which holds 10 rounds in a grip that only allows the shooter to get 2 fingers on the grip, with the pinky curled beneath it. (That last one doesn't sound good until you try it. It really shoots very well and is, naturally enough, the easiest to conceal.)

I personally like Glocks, but I like other pistols as well. If you keep trying out other pistols while you are saving money, one of two things will happen: Either you will find something else that you like even better, or you will be more sure than ever that the Glock is what you want.
 
Glock makes a fine gun. Being "militaristic" is irrelevant. if it fits your needs and you like it, so be it.

I would advise shooting a Smith and Wesson M&P, if you can, and then buy whichever you prefer.

My carry gun is a Glock 33 in 357sig. If I had tried an M&P before I bought the Glock, my carry gun would be an M&P. Sadly, there are no rental ranges around here.
 
When it comes to home defends, the more rounds you can carry the better!!! Revolvers are great but don't hold enough ammo, shotguns are the same. I use a Glock22 .40 s&w, the round is affordable and has decent knock down power as well as a minimum of 10 rounds. You always want to consider what is behind your target and any firearm with real hot loads probably isn't the best choice
 
Welcome to TFL, Matt! I suggest that you stick with what works for you, and if the Glock is your cup of tea [and from what you said, it obviously is], I say: Gitcha one!
 
I am with Single Six on this one Matt, if you are comfortable with the firearm from shot one then there is no reason to 'ease into it' since you are already set to go from there. Those that ease into it are those who cannot handle a larger caliber right off the bat. Just learn all you can about the gun and how it operates. While I'm personally a 1911 man myself, glock is second to none as well and is a fine firearm. Good luck Matt.

-Wittel
 
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