What is a good handgun for self/home defense?
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JB1842
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Go ahead and take offense. I only work in the community and I am a veteran, too. There are way too many stupid cops out there than I am comfortable with. For every great cop or military personnel out there, there is an equal amount who shouldn't be.
And both will work just fine at the 35yards from anywhere in my house to the property line. I dont anticipate an attack by bosnian snipers, I anticipate some druggie looking for a TV to carry away.
JB1842
En-Route
I agree. But for a pistol shooting 10 yards and closer, the accuaracy of the gun itself isn't going to be the difference between life or death. I've seen to many people get lazy, slap the trigger or forget basic fundamentals, and throw shots that completley missed the paper.
Fearless Tower
Touchdown! Greaser!
Does it need to be a 9mm?
Having carried them at work, I am partial to Sigs, but if I were buying a personal weapon I would choose the Sig .40 over the 9mm.
LeeDeep
Pre-Flight
I've got the same one. The extended magazine makes a world of difference. Though I practice with and without. I keep the extended mag when it's at the house, and use the shorter one for hiking.
He should probably shoot both in the same size frame to see whether he is fine with the .40.
At this time it is a lot easier to find .40 practice ammo than 9mm.
Btw. for use around the house a 9mm AR can come in handy. Very little recoil, 'quiet' as firearms go and adds about 250fps with most 9mm loads. And, 20-32 rounds per mag, if thats not enough for plan A, you need to practice more
simtech
En-Route
Home defense..I just picked up the mossberg 500 Tactical shot gun. I just got that this week. Prior too I had my S&W 1911 at my bedside. I also recently just bought the S&W M&P Shield. Its 9mm or .40. I chose the 9mm and I use that as my carry gun and bedside now.
But a fullsize 1911 is hard to conceal during the summer. That is why I got the shield. So shield summer, 1911 winter, shotgun house. The handgun will fight my way to the shotgun
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Ghery
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Ghery Pettit
Earlier it was suggested to you someplace that has a number of different pistols to see what fits you best. Good suggestion.
My son has a Ruger LCP. He's fine with it, I hate it. Too darned small in my hand and I can barely pull the trigger. Nasty little thing when it goes bang, too. And that's just a .380 ACP.
My .380 is a Bersa Thunder 380 CC. PPK knockoff out of Argentina. Works fine, fits in my pocket with a Remora holster. Is it a target pistol? With what it calls sights? No way, but at short range it's fine. And the double/single action is nice. 8 rounds in a single stack magazine.
.380 not enough for you? I've also got a Kahr CW40. Similar in size, fits in my pocket in a Remora hoster, but it is a .40 S&W. Hits harder. But, it is strictly a striker fired double action. Heavier trigger than the Bersa. Only holds 6 rounds in a small single stack magazine.
If I don't care about it fitting in my pocket, my 1911 in .45 ACP is great. As the poster above said, "Why shoot twice?"
It all boils down to your preferences. And until you try a few, you really won't know that your preference might be. As a friend says, "It depends".
Go have some fun on the range.
My son has a Ruger LCP. He's fine with it, I hate it. Too darned small in my hand and I can barely pull the trigger. Nasty little thing when it goes bang, too. And that's just a .380 ACP.
My .380 is a Bersa Thunder 380 CC. PPK knockoff out of Argentina. Works fine, fits in my pocket with a Remora holster. Is it a target pistol? With what it calls sights? No way, but at short range it's fine. And the double/single action is nice. 8 rounds in a single stack magazine.
.380 not enough for you? I've also got a Kahr CW40. Similar in size, fits in my pocket in a Remora hoster, but it is a .40 S&W. Hits harder. But, it is strictly a striker fired double action. Heavier trigger than the Bersa. Only holds 6 rounds in a small single stack magazine.
If I don't care about it fitting in my pocket, my 1911 in .45 ACP is great. As the poster above said, "Why shoot twice?"
It all boils down to your preferences. And until you try a few, you really won't know that your preference might be. As a friend says, "It depends".
Go have some fun on the range.
comanchepilot
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comanchepilot
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My .45ACP with subsonic wad cutters sits loaded and ready to fire in a biometric safe keyed to my and my wife's thumb print - takes us 3 seconds to open it.
out of bed, drawer open - into hand and ready to fire in 5 seconds.
out of bed, drawer open - into hand and ready to fire in 5 seconds.
B350ATP
Pre-takeoff checklist
ClimbnSink
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Greg
Just get a small yippee dog, bad guys will go somewhere else.
timwinters
Ejection Handle Pulled
So, serious question. The OP mentioned "honeymoon" and that may mean rugrats (curtain climbers, yard apes) running around the house in the near future.
How does one keep a handgun adequately "safed" from kids but yet accessible enough to get to and loaded before an intruder is on top of you?
The NRA was all over the Sandy Hook mother for not keeping her guns locked up where her son couldn't get to them. My immediate reaction then was "so, how does she keep them locked up and still have them available for personal protection? I don't know how one can play both sides of that coin."
So, serious question. How does someone walk that tight rope?
In my case there are no rugrats allowed on our second floor, period...exclamation point. There's a loaded shotgun on one side of the bed and a loaded pistol on the other. Neither is "safed" in any way with the exception of the safety being on.
How does one keep a handgun adequately "safed" from kids but yet accessible enough to get to and loaded before an intruder is on top of you?
The NRA was all over the Sandy Hook mother for not keeping her guns locked up where her son couldn't get to them. My immediate reaction then was "so, how does she keep them locked up and still have them available for personal protection? I don't know how one can play both sides of that coin."
So, serious question. How does someone walk that tight rope?
In my case there are no rugrats allowed on our second floor, period...exclamation point. There's a loaded shotgun on one side of the bed and a loaded pistol on the other. Neither is "safed" in any way with the exception of the safety being on.
Ghery
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A serious question and one to which there is no one pat answer. In my case, when grandchildren (beyond infants who can't move around on their own) are around there will be no unsecured firearms in the house. Everything will be in the safe. I know the combination, my wife has probably forgotten the combination and my son knows the combination. I know this is a contradiction to the idea of having one available for self defense, but that's a risk we'll take to avoid accidents. Kids are curious and I don't want that curiosity to cause a tragedy in our house. Oh, and when they are old enough they'll get a trip or two to the range for a proper introduction to what guns are and why they are not toys. Our kids were around them from about day 1 and they learned early.
What works for you may be different, but it is something to think about in advance.
jaybee
Cleared for Takeoff
Recently explored this same question. Like here, got tons of advice from fellow veterans, etc, etc. I came to one conclusion.
Glock.
As my friend who is a Police Officer and Army Cav Scout said - "I've literally put tens of thousands of rounds down range, I'm a pretty good shooter and every once in a while, even with all the practice I've done, muscle memory and all - every once in a while I forget to click off the safety... and you don't want to forget that in a home defense situation."
So yea, Glock - no safety to think about if it truly is a self defense situation.
Other than that I also like the "Judge" put a .410 round in the first chamber to blind the attacker and follow on with a .45 in the second chamber after you fully awake to your bearings.
Glock.
As my friend who is a Police Officer and Army Cav Scout said - "I've literally put tens of thousands of rounds down range, I'm a pretty good shooter and every once in a while, even with all the practice I've done, muscle memory and all - every once in a while I forget to click off the safety... and you don't want to forget that in a home defense situation."
So yea, Glock - no safety to think about if it truly is a self defense situation.
Other than that I also like the "Judge" put a .410 round in the first chamber to blind the attacker and follow on with a .45 in the second chamber after you fully awake to your bearings.
Theboys
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I have 5. From 380 to 45 cal. Small frame to large. My carry choice is dictated by what I'm wearing and where I'm going to be carrying it. Prefer med frame 9mm in small of back holster.
Morgan3820
Ejection Handle Pulled
So, why are there no Nobel Prizes for Law Enforcement/Security?
People become cops because they are;
1. Bullies
2. like the idea of shooting people
3. Can't think of anything better to do with their lives.
4. Have inferiority complexes
5. Were not loved by their Mother
The concept of 'Protect and Serve' is gone. They are now an armed revenue service. I would discourage my daughter from getting involved with a LEO.
I Guess you are even more offended now
Morgan3820
Ejection Handle Pulled
Copied from an adjacent thread.
The incident began on June 10 at 6:16am when numerous armed SWAT team members, accompanied by a helicopter overhead, arrived in an armored vehicle at the couple’s address before smashing in the door and deafening their pet cat with flash bang smoke grenades.
“They busted in like I was a terrorist or something,” Edwards told the Tea Party News Network, adding, “[An officer] demanded that I drop the towel I was covering my naked body with before snatching it off me physically and throwing me to the ground.”
Having been previously employed by the federal agency herself, Edwards noted that some of the men were DHS agents, although when quizzed as to who they were and why they were conducting the raid, the men only responded by saying that they were “police,” while calling Edwards “stupid” and “retarded” for asking the question.
“While I lay naked, I was cuffed so tightly I could not feel my hands. For no reason, at gunpoint,” Edwards said. “[Agents] refused to cover me, no matter how many times I asked.”
After trashing her home for two hours, Edwards said the SWAT team eventually handed her a warrant signed by Jonathan Goodman, a federal magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, which authorized the agents to search for computers and electronics, although Edwards claims police seemed uninterested in the couple’s electronics and did not seize any items despite raising the suspicion of child pornography.
After trashing her home for two hours, Edwards said the SWAT team eventually handed her a warrant signed by Jonathan Goodman, a federal magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, which authorized the agents to search for computers and electronics, although Edwards claims police seemed uninterested in the couple’s electronics and did not seize any items despite raising the suspicion of child pornography.
99% give the other 1% a bad name.
No one likes cops.
KSCessnaDriver
Pattern Altitude
A carry gun and a home defense gun are generally going to be total opposites of each other. Home defense, I'd use a 12GA pump shotgun loaded with 00 Buck, brand of your choice on the gun, or if the misses wants to be able to use it easier, nothing inherently wrong with a 20GA. Or a AR-15/AK-47 variant of some sort. My personal home defense setup right now is a AR-15 pistol (with a Sig SB-15 brace, making it into a non-NFA SBR).
For CCW, when I was in AZ, I carried my Taurus PT92 in the winter and would have probably carried my Ruger LCP in the summer. Also have a Canik55 TP9 that's a great 9mm, full size combat 9. Great little gun, just over 300 bucks, Walther P99 based.
For CCW, when I was in AZ, I carried my Taurus PT92 in the winter and would have probably carried my Ruger LCP in the summer. Also have a Canik55 TP9 that's a great 9mm, full size combat 9. Great little gun, just over 300 bucks, Walther P99 based.
ajstoner21
Cleared for Takeoff
Hey,
Thanks for all the great input. Only reason for 9mm is that it seemed like a common size and seemed generally cheap ammo wise. Probably small enough my wife wouldn't have too much trouble with it too.
As far as handguns, I've only shot my grandpa's .44 revolver as a kid. Helluva kick as a kid.
No kids yet but probably in another year or two.
Thanks for all the great input. Only reason for 9mm is that it seemed like a common size and seemed generally cheap ammo wise. Probably small enough my wife wouldn't have too much trouble with it too.
As far as handguns, I've only shot my grandpa's .44 revolver as a kid. Helluva kick as a kid.
No kids yet but probably in another year or two.
paflyer
Final Approach
valittu
Pre-takeoff checklist
If the only way you're protecting your homestead is with a firearm, you're inviting unnecessary confrontation and violence. While open carry in public places serves as a definite deterrent, having a gun in the home does nothing to lessen the chance of a confrontation with a bad guy. Having a firearm in the home shouldn't be considered as anything more than a last line of defense for "personal protection". Lights, a big dog, alarm systems or any combination of the three are a much better deterrent against a confrontation, which is probably the greater goal. Besides, grabbing a pistol from a side table in the dark is not as easy as it may seem. You can't train nerves. Add adrenaline to that equation and the outcome could be regrettable.
As to the OP's original question, I carry a Bersa Thunder .380, but the Springfield Armory XD is a sweet little 9mm.
Smaller is harder to shoot. If she is on board with this and the firearm is supposed to work for both of you, take her along when you go to try out different handguns. Some of the double-stack designs are rather bulky and dont work well for women with small hands (both the circumference and 'trigger to backstrap reach' play into this).
Some handguns come in single stack versions (e.g. M&P Shield, XDS), some of the modern polymer guns also offer replaceable backstrap pieces that allow you to adjust the reach to something that works for both of you. For the most part, the handguns that are in use with police departments are unisex and work for both.
I would stay away from trying to get something that does everything. If the budget has to be stretched, Glocks, Sigs and M&Ps are often availabe as law-enforcement trade-ins at a reasonable price. At times, those trade-ins have seen very little use or were never issued (because the new police chief didn't like the old chiefs decision or got a good kickback for switching over from one brand to the other). If you can find a good trade-in for the home-gun, start your training with that and by the time you are comfortable enough to carry, get whatever compact gun feels comfortable to you.
Zeldman
Touchdown! Greaser!
KAL-TEC PMR 30.
30 round clip of 22 magnum. 30 rounds times 10 magazines equals 300 rounds ready to go. I'm not afraid of gangs...
But a little above your price range right now.
For carrying I enjoy my Ruger LC9 in 9 mm. Fits right in my pocket and comes out easy. The 9 mm doesn't have as much recoil as the 380. I agree with others here. Try as many types as possible and get something that fits your hand with a recoil that you are comfortable with.
Something to think about.... the decision to shoot is an easy one. Having to live with yourself afterwards can be hard. That is why I now have a big dog. As soon as anyone (including me) hits the front or back porch steps she lets out a single heart stopping, pants soiling WOOF.!!
30 round clip of 22 magnum. 30 rounds times 10 magazines equals 300 rounds ready to go. I'm not afraid of gangs...
But a little above your price range right now.
For carrying I enjoy my Ruger LC9 in 9 mm. Fits right in my pocket and comes out easy. The 9 mm doesn't have as much recoil as the 380. I agree with others here. Try as many types as possible and get something that fits your hand with a recoil that you are comfortable with.
Something to think about.... the decision to shoot is an easy one. Having to live with yourself afterwards can be hard. That is why I now have a big dog. As soon as anyone (including me) hits the front or back porch steps she lets out a single heart stopping, pants soiling WOOF.!!
KSCessnaDriver
Pattern Altitude
And you also get Kel-Tec's sterling reputation for quality production (sarcasm). I would never recommend a Kel-Tec to a first time gun owner, they simply don't produce quality product to count on with your life, until you've tested the crap out of the specific firearm. You are the QC department for Kel-Tec
B350ATP
Pre-takeoff checklist
Dav8or
Final Approach
To the OP-
I'm late to the thread, so I didn't read what others have had to say, but I will share this-
The one and only time I used a gun to save myself from bodily harm, it was an Iver Johnson TP-22. It is a knock off copy of the Walther PPK, but in .22LR. It's pretty much the exact opposite of what most people would usually recommend, but you know what? It did the job. The mere sight of the gun made my attacker throw his knife away and leave. No shots were fired, but I was prepared to. True story from the streets of Oakland.
Why did I pick such a puny, cheap gun?
Hope I added something, otherwise, ignore and carry on. Good luck on your search!
I'm late to the thread, so I didn't read what others have had to say, but I will share this-
The one and only time I used a gun to save myself from bodily harm, it was an Iver Johnson TP-22. It is a knock off copy of the Walther PPK, but in .22LR. It's pretty much the exact opposite of what most people would usually recommend, but you know what? It did the job. The mere sight of the gun made my attacker throw his knife away and leave. No shots were fired, but I was prepared to. True story from the streets of Oakland.
Why did I pick such a puny, cheap gun?
- I already owned it.
- I was in college and I couldn't afford to buy something special for the task.
- It was highly concealable. Concealed carry has never been legal in California since I don't know when.
- It wasn't worth much. If I got stopped and it was confiscated, I wouldn't be out much other than jail time, or court fees.
- ANY gun is better than no gun.
- Concealment is paramount. Don't be talked into big calibers for "stopping power" and hi cap mags for imaginary Hollywood shoot outs with bad guys. .32, .380, 9mm is all you need. Single stack is all you need. For the sake of concealment, I would choose an auto loader over a revolver. Many years ago, I read stats that said that more people died from .22LR than any other round. If struck by a bullet, any bullet, nearly all criminals will flee rather then continue the attack. You don't need a hand cannon/machine gun.
- Be prepared to give up your gun forever to law enforcement. It will also take some wear and tear from daily carry, so nickle plated, pearl handle show pieces need not apply. Don't spend too much, or get to attached.
- Be prepared to pull the trigger if you pull it out, BUT don't panic. Let it play a little if you feel safe enough. Chances are the sight of the gun will end it there unless they are already threatening you with a gun. We all want to see criminals dead, but trust me, you don't want to go through the actual killing of another if you don't have to.
Hope I added something, otherwise, ignore and carry on. Good luck on your search!
nddons
Touchdown! Greaser!
Like you, I carry a Glock 27 in .40, and the nice part is I can use a Glock 22 (15 rounds) or Lock 23 (13 rounds) magazines in the subcompact 27. I carry it with the standard 9 round mag, but carry a G23 magazine as a spare.
OP, you can do the same thing with the subcompact 9mm Glock 26, and use mags from the G17 or G19. Very convenient and flexible.
KSCessnaDriver
Pattern Altitude
While I don't own a Glock, I do like that about the Glock line. I keep seeing police trade-in Glocks in 40 and just can't bring myself to buy one. I don't need a 40 and all said and done by the time I'd buy the trade-in and a replacement 9mm barrel, I could have just bought a new 17/19
nddons
Touchdown! Greaser!
Hickok45 has a lot of great videos. Here's one: http://youtu.be/hdyq1p7UVAw
Try not to drool over his personal shooting range.
jtheune
Ejection Handle Pulled
Go down to your local Cabelas/Scheels/Gander Mountain or whatever you have and make the guy standing behind the counter take out every gun they have until you find one that feels right
Don't know about other states but don't bother in Maryland. I went down to the local Bass Pro shop to get something else and while I was there wandered over to the handgun section. I started looking at the guns and got into a discussion with the salesperson. I explained that due to the large size of my hand I was concerned about the fit of some of the smaller guns and asked if I could hold them to try them on for size. He asked if I had already gotten all the paperwork and licenses completed and paid for for buying a gun in Maryland as their management had decided that the new guns laws required that the paperwork be completed before a gun could be transferred and they had decided that taking a unloaded gun out of a display case was "transferring".
KSCessnaDriver
Pattern Altitude
Go down to your local Cabelas/Scheels/Gander Mountain or whatever you have and make the guy standing behind the counter take out every gun they have until you find one that feels right
I would tend to avoid those places. They seem to always be more expensive than anywhere else, even your local gun shop. Online buying is usually cheapest, but it seems like the big box stores have the highest prices consistently on firearms.
That's really the best way to handle it with kids around. Either the gun is on your person, or locked up. The odds of a kid getting hold of it and killing another kid or themselves is much higher than that of a home invasion during the visit.
The poster who relies on 'No kids upstairs' is relying on kids going against everything in their nature. I like this method as it promotes Natural Selection and population control prior to breeding.
So, as we see, it is a complicated issue with more than one good answer.
timwinters
Ejection Handle Pulled
That was me. Kids are in my house exactly once each year; on Halloween. We live in a very rural area and down a 1/2 mile private lane so we typically see one or two couples out with their kids.
They always come in for a brief visit and I tell the parents that there are loaded guns up in our MBR so kids aren't allowed upstairs and also that there's bric-a-brac all over downstairs so keep the kids under control and close by. Hell, if our three large dogs can romp around the house without damaging anything then surely you can keep your kids from doing so.
With that said, yeah, I know, it's a lot to expect of today's parents to actually make their kinds mind and behave for ten to fifteen minutes.
His management is ill informed.
Are you locking them in a safe when you leave the house ?
Not so much an issue of child safety, more one of not arming your opponent if you happen to return during a burglary.