Best Handgun for Home Defense.

[.357 magnum]

OK opinion time. What do you personally consider the best handgun for home defense. [caliber, mag capacity, ammo type, even gun brand] For all of those who want to reply that a long gun of some type is best-forget it!-we already know that This is strictly a handgun question. I have narrowed mine down to a SA-XD .45 Tactical [5 inch barrel] with 230gr Federal hydra-shoks and 13 in the Mag and 1 in the Chamber This has done my nightstand duty for quite some time. My reasons being the caliber and Mag capacity. I also trust the XD to be reliable. I do have a back up gun, but that can be a later thread.

Thank you in advance for your replies.

The Best to All!

Frank

 

[BamBam-31]

I'd say your XD's a great choice!

 

[Kacerdias]

The best would be any full size, high capacity, large caliber pistol that goes bang when you pull the trigger and hits where you aimed it. The rest is just details.

That said, I've got a CZ75B in .40 S&W that fits that purpose.

 

[Lonestar49]

...

Daytime, outside, yard work, it's my Sig P232 SL 380

Daytime inside the house, it's my Colt Defender 45

Nighttime TV DVD 5.1 Concert time or TV room.. either Colt Defender, or Px4 40cal, depending which gun has office duty and other has TV/Stereo room duty.

Nighttime, (bed watch) it's my Sig P229 CT 9mm (Crimson Trace Grips)


But you'd never convince our German Shepherd, he's not the 24/7 HD front-line defence.. lol


LS

 

[.357 magnum]

Lonestar49

Boy can I identify with that! My German Shepherd thinks she is in charge of home defense period! That dog could hear a pin drop a block away! My Lab on the other hand would assist the intruder if they had treats. [Bless em both!] Dogs are wonderful companions and GS dogs are great alert dogs.

Take Care-The Best to You and Yours!

Frank

 

[skarpenz]

Bedroom: Colt King Cobra .357 on my side of the bed, Taurus PT140 on the wife's side. We also have a loaded Remington 870 Express under the bed.

Kitchen/Living Room: Ruger SP101 .357, Sig P228 9mm

Spare Bedroom: Ruger Redhawk .44 mag

I don't usually carry a weapon on my persons, but the Sig is my weapon of choice on the go.

EDIT

I also have 2 dachshunds who think they weigh 100lbs and aren't scared of anything, haha.

 

[CWL]

Whatever pistol one can reach in time to stop a BG.

There is no such thing as "Best gun or Best Bullet". To qualify in giving this opinion, one must have been in multiple -although identical 'good shoots' while carrying different guns and ammunition. You can't have best without comparison.

While I do keep a loaded .45 in the bedroom, I plan on reaching for the 12ga.

 

[Lonestar49]

357 magnum, here's my problem

...

I actually overtrained him, and I can't seem to make him understand..


LS

 

[O.S.O.K.]

good choice

my personal primary house gun is a standard 4" 45 ACP XD with a Glock tac light. The "backup" is a standard 9mm XD with a Glock tac light.

The 45 is a good choice in my book as the shooting will take place inside - in a small confined area. I want to a) put the bad guy down quick and b) not suffer too much from the round's concussion. It's going to "sting" your ears regardless but not like a .357 Mag.

 

[Ford]

I finally settled on a Kimber TLE/RL with a M6 attached to it. Has been by the bed for about 3 years now and I dont see it going anywhere.
I dont know If I got lucky or what but this thing is darn near as accurate of a shooter as my old IDPA pistols.

 

[PhillyGlocker]

Glock 19 with 33rnd mag

 

[RustyHammer]

The one you can shoot the best!

Personally, I have several ... but my Colt 1911 is probably my "favorite" home defense handgun. (But handguns are not necessarily my first choice .. )

 

[JackCrow]

There is no "best".

What I use, Taurus 605 or S&W M19

 

[longeyes]

My usual front line (handguns): Glock 30, Colt Sistema, Ruger SP101 (with .38spls).

 

[Deer Hunter]

I've got a 12 pound poodle that alerts me, in a big way, if someone she doesn't know steps 50 yards from my house. Best damned alert system I've ever seen.

Beyond that, anything that throws lead will do.

 

[daysleeprx]

The one you can shoot the best!

Amen!

 

[brashboy]

My Yorkie is the best burglar alarm. I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I no longer keep a handgun on the nightstand for home defense; I worry about it punching through to another room where the kids are. I can't be worried about that while dealing with an intruder. I use a Rem 870 16-ga. sawed off, with #6, should go to even smaller pellets but they are hard to find in 16. Less dangerous to the family, more dangerous to an intruder.

Plus, it makes a most impressive noise when racked.

My friend keeps a .357 in 2" S&W on the nightstand. He actually shot at an intruder (or thought he had an intruder, I'm not really sure; LE found no evidence anyone had broken in and apparently were a little sarcastic), didn't hit anybody but he said the flash blindness was terrible, couldn't see anything for a short while. His ears rang for a couple of days.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

The OP's screen name says it all right there. 357 magnum is where its at, just aim the revolver and pull the trigger, the ultimate in simplicity. If you ever need more than 6 rounds, then you've got a serious problem.

 

[skarpenz]

That stays on my computer desk at all times for home defense purposes. I love my revolvers.

 

[Geronimo45]

K-frame .357 Magnum with CT lasergrips. Six rounds, no problem with contact shots.

A Five-Seven with a suppressor, combo light/laser.

PLR-16 with a red dot, or light, or laser. Suppressor's a big bonus.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

H&K USPC in .45 ACP. Dependability defined.

 

[hamourkiller]

What ever pistol I have to hand when the need arises!

The following is the thinking in my home defense hand guns.

# 1 in home defense guns is AVAILABILITY
# 2 is RELIABILITY
# 3 is LETHALITY
# 4 is CONTROLLABILITY

The classical home defense pistol is an available bed side gun. Revolver for reliability and 4 to 6" bbl .357 for leathality & controllability.

I personaly can handle a 41 or 44 mag revolver quite well but my wife and children find the .357 more controllable.

Semi autos loose out on reliability more than lethality. A bed side gun must go off every time the trigger is pulled under pressure. Semi autos have to many ways to jam so normaly I stick with a quality revolver. The only time I changed this was when the children came and I was worried about the rug rats getting to my revolver by the bed. They could not rack back the 1911 so that was by the bed until I got them trained up and both are quite deadly with fire arms now (12 and 14 yrs old)

Whatever gun you choose for your home, practice by all who could use it should be mandatory. Home defense is a family responsibility and should be aproached in that manner.

Take care all.

 

[abarth]

I will take an mini uzi, mac 10, or even a reliable KG-9.

 

[baz]

Well, a handgun is just to fight your way back to a real weapon, right? I have a 12 gauge loaded with 00 for serious HD work, but like most of us, would likely turn to a handgun first, as I keep the shotgun locked up. I wear a Taurus 605 (357 snubbie) for a CCW, and that is apt to be wherever I left it when I took it off (unless the grandkids are in the house, then it is locked up). A 6" Taurus Tracker in 357 is in the nightstand, and not far away in a closet safe -- unlocked when I'm home and if there are not kids in the house -- is a PT24/7 in 9mm with a laser on the rail. Any of these would do the job, if called upon.

 

[Breakdaddy]

Don't know about the best, but my personal choice for bedside gun and primary CCW is my XD40 topped off with 13 rounds of Cor Bon DPX.