Handguns for Home Defense

[Alte Schule]

I am also a big fan of the Beretta 950 .25. When I was a young married college student forty five years ago going to school on the GI Bill it was all I could afford. Still have it. Nowadays, although I have several options, I keep a Ruger in .327 Federal Mag on my night stand and the wife a Bersa Thunder .380. on hers. Pump shotgun in the corner. Still throw that Beretta in my pants pocket occasionally.

 

[everydefense]

Have you considered the idea that so many die because the round does not stop them so people keep shooting and eventually they bleed out on their feet?

Not to mention raw numbers may simply reflect a large population of shooters using them due to low cost/concealability, and tells you nothing about the efficiency (percent effectiveness of stopping the threat).

 

[Kleanbore]

However, a Ruger .22LR (or any other well made, reliable auto) can put 8-9 rounds into a target in less than four seconds.

That is about the rapidity with which a practiced defender can shoot a 9MM.

And in most cases they can easily be put into the head of a silhouette target, even rapidly.

I would not base defensive effectiveness against a violent attacker on the ability to shoot a silhouette target.

I've noted them and how many times they've resulted in the deaths of the assailants. It was only when I began noting the numbers of successful shootings and deaths caused by these smaller rounds that I began questioning the advice given by pundits to avoid them.

The ability of an implement to kill and its effectiveness in serious defense can be very two different things.

And I'd certainly have nothing against using a .22LR Ruger pistol...

You are among a distinct minority, and I think, quite uninformed.

'd feel very confident with a .22LR pistol, but no, I can't recommend the .32ACP.

Why? At one time, the .32 ACP was widely favored as a police pistol in much of the world, as was the somewhat less effective .32 S&W Long here. But except for use an assassin's weapon, or as back-up in the days of the cap and ball revolvers, .22 rimfire pistols have never been responsibly recommenced for anything other than recreation and snakes. Even most experienced small game hunters select larger handguns.

 

[whatnickname]

My grandfather relied for years on a Smith and Wesson Regulation Police revolver chambered for the .32 Long cartridge. He did not believe it very effective, on the basis of the worrisome experience of the law enforcement officer who had owned it before.

But it was what he had. It sat on his nightstand for as long as I could remember.

I ended up with it. It was what I had.

Later, I acquired a more effective handgun. It too stayed in the bedroom. Concealed carry was not permitted then, and it never really occurred to me that a handgun kept in the bedroom might very well not be available to me timely should the need arise. But that's another issue.

Many people put their faith in handguns that they know to be marginal, because they have to. Many others rely on handguns that they do not know to question.

We all take what we can get. Given the choice, I will not keep at the bedside (1) any derringer; (2) any pistol chambered in .25 ACP. .22 short, or .32 short; or (3) any handgun with very high sound pressure or great penetration, such as a .500 S&W. A 22 LR would not be on my list, but if it were all I had, it would have to do.

A .32 Long or .38 S&W would not make the short list, either.

Someone in another thread keeps a five shot .410 revolver with three inch chambers. That would work for me, it it were what I had, but it would not be my first choice . A five shot .44 Special with a three inch barrel from the same maker would would be preferable for me.. Actually, a six shot Smith and Wesson .44 would rank above that.

Today, my home defense handgun is my carry gun. It stays with me, under my control, all the time, and I do not have to put in on or take it off whenever I come and go.

That keeps me from seeking a good S&W .44 Special Model 24 for defensive purposes, but I sure would like to have one.

Like your grandfather the only handgun my grandfather was a 3" nickel plated Smith & Wesson 4th change model hand ejector in .32 S&W Long. He lived in the North Western part of South Carolina his entire life. He found the gun in a creek during the prohibition era. Considering that the moonshine trade was a way of life back then there is no telling how that handgun got there or what it may have been used for. Be that as it may it was all he had and he was good with it. I've seen him hit rabbits with it on a dead run. He was a simple country boy. He owned that handgun, a 16 gauge Ithaca model 37 and a Winchester model 90 .22. Guns to him were simply tools like a hammer or a saw and he took good care of them but he used them. I own that handgun now and it's seen much better days. I own more handguns in more calibers today than I'm going to share on this post. The bottom line for me is simply this: use the handgun that you shoot the best. Shot placement is much more important than power. I promise you that my granddad could have ruined someone's whole day with that .32.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

I don't rely on a sidearm as my primary home defense weapon. Very recently I moved for work and found that in this area I could find nothing or rent except apartments. Hopefully it will be temporary, between 6 months and a year tops, but it has changed my HD choice. I used to keep my AR15 sitting handy to repel boarders but now I'm going with my Mossberg 500 loaded with No.4 Buck (Federal with the Flite-Control wads). My most likely lanes of fire are pretty clear but erring on the side of safety and minimizing overpenetration I will grab the shottie before the 5.56.

That said, I still keep the same sidearm by my bed...namely an HK USPf9 set up with an Inforce APL light. It's loaded with 147gr Federal HST. This has been my old standby for a long time. It's extremely reliable and rugged and easy to shoot well. Capacity is 15 in the mag. While I don't believe that handguns can match long guns as fighting tools better the gun at arms length when you hear breaking glass vs the one you need to go fetch.

 

[Klint Beastwood]

I can't wait for the day if modern firearms like AR's and modern handguns get taken away from American citizens. Give me some late 1800 antiques and watch me go to work. I'll get a few colt SAA., and some sweet musket with a .58 miniball. Then a carronade on top of the staircase facing my front door on my second phase line.
The home defense scenario would probably go like this.... a group of guys are hiding in the bushes while one (the distraction) places a rubber band on the door handle so when I unlock it can be forced opened. I have my SAA and he forces open the door and the four start trying to flood the door. I shoot the first guy in the chest while missing the missing the others. They trip over the body, as he falls into me and i begin to rush to get up to run towards the stairs, intruder two pops a round and hits me in the shoulder, and i turn around and put a nice .45 colt in him the other guy is trying to get to cover as he still hasnt gotten past the door yet. I make it to the top to the second phase line and launch off my cannon of grape shot destroying my walls and door frame...peppering intruder 3 and pretty sure the neighbors house across the street.
I retreat to my third phase line, the upstairs loft and grab the musket, and as he approaches upstairs I launch off a .58 grain miniball at off hitting him in lower thoracic area, through my wall in into the other neighbors window as the old lady making a midnight snack. Then the gun grabbers with start freaking out over antiques being to deadly, and i forgot the rest of my point....
long story short. Do what makes you happy.

 

[everydefense]

I can't wait for the day if modern firearms like AR's and modern handguns get taken away from American citizens.

I get your point, but there may have been a more palatable approach to have a reason for using your "1800 antiques" for defense...

 

[Kleanbore]

I can't wait for the day if modern firearms like AR's and modern handguns get taken away from American citizens. Give me some late 1800 antiques and watch me go to work. I'll get a few colt SAA., and some sweet musket with a .58 miniball. Then a carronade on top of the staircase facing my front door on my second phase line.
The home defense scenario would probably go like this.... a group of guys are hiding in the bushes while one (the distraction) places a rubber band on the door handle so when I unlock it can be forced opened. I have my SAA and he forces open the door and the four start trying to flood the door. I shoot the first guy in the chest while missing the missing the others. They trip over the body, as he falls into me and i begin to rush to get up to run towards the stairs, intruder two pops a round and hits me in the shoulder, and i turn around and put a nice .45 colt in him the other guy is trying to get to cover as he still hasnt gotten past the door yet. I make it to the top to the second phase line and launch off my cannon of grape shot destroying my walls and door frame...peppering intruder 3 and pretty sure the neighbors house across the street.
I retreat to my third phase line, the upstairs loft and grab the musket, and as he approaches upstairs I launch off a .58 grain miniball at off hitting him in lower thoracic area, through my wall in into the other neighbors window as the old lady making a midnight snack. Then the gun grabbers with start freaking out over antiques being to deadly, and i forgot the rest of my point....
long story short. Do what makes you happy.

Sounds as Fantasyland and Frontierland have merged.

 

[Klint Beastwood]

I'll spell it out.
So the run on joke story's point is that it doesnt matter what gun you have, nothing is going to replace the operators ability to be an apex predator. About 100% of you arent nearly as trained as you might think to be, and 12% of the training maybe all the ever needs to be used.
Everyone runs around talking about .22s and 9mm vs .45s and .223 vs a shotgun (in indulge in banter as well)...more likely the point of failure is going to be yourself.

 

[Rexster]

I'll spell it out.
So the run on joke story's point is that it doesnt matter what gun you have, nothing is going to replace the operators ability to be an apex predator. About 100% of you arent nearly as trained as you might think to be, and 12% of the training maybe all the ever needs to be used.
Everyone runs around talking about .22s and 9mm vs .45s and .223 vs a shotgun (in indulge in banter as well)...more likely the point of failure is going to be yourself.

Well, maybe so, but perhaps this belongs in the "apex operator" part of the forum?

 

[Klint Beastwood]

Well, maybe so, but perhaps this belongs in the "apex operator" part of the forum?

OAF #mynation

 

[Warp]

I have a home defense pistol and right now for the proverbial bump or crash in the night, it might be what I would go for, as I have much greater pistol familiarity right now than any other firearm type (a full size 9x19 with attached weapon light). I need to get some refreshment with the suppressed AR, which is also available, and objectively superior

However, a Ruger .22LR (or any other well made, reliable auto) can put 8-9 rounds into a target in less than four seconds.

I can put 10 rounds of 9x19 into a target (8.5x11" paper, 7 yards) in 4 seconds with a reload after the first 5 rounds, using a sub compact Glock 26. And I'm not even good and only shot a handful of times all year so far.

.22lr is not a self defense cartridge unless you are physically incapable of handling a centerfire due to injury or extreme frailty (some elderly seem obvious candidates)

 

[shepsan]

My opinion is to simply choose the handgun one shoots the best at short distances. a .50 does no damage to an attacker if it misses the attacker. On the other hand, a smaller caliber hitting a vital organ is lethal.

A revolver is the easiest to keep by the bedside. My first one used this way was a S&W 686-4. I changed to a Ruger GP-100 3" for a number of years and now keep a Shied 9 semiautomatic at bedside. I do so because these days I handle it better than any other revolver or pistol.

 

[RPZ]

I'll spell it out.
So the run on joke story's point is that it doesnt matter what gun you have, nothing is going to replace the operators ability to be an apex predator. About 100% of you arent nearly as trained as you might think to be, and 12% of the training maybe all the ever needs to be used.
Everyone runs around talking about .22s and 9mm vs .45s and .223 vs a shotgun (in indulge in banter as well)...more likely the point of failure is going to be yourself.

Reminds me of the movie The Osterman Weekend. CIA hitmen moving in on the house at night with their laser sighted MAC 10s when one of them takes an arrow through the neck courtesy of Rutger Hauer's wife. One of them then voices into his mic, deadpan - casually, ".. There's someone out here.. with a bow.."

And RE: .22s

Really, a confident shooter can empty a 10 shot mag COM in far less than 4 seconds. Probably half that or less. This is really significant for the more feeble or elderly of weak physical abilities. Never the less, 10 shots of .22 solids COM has the tissue destruction of at least a similar load of buck shot. My dad taught me to pistol shoot with a Ruger MKI. He could keep a mag full on a drawn face target from the hip at a few yards.

 

[Rexster]

OAF #mynation

I guess that has something to do with that thing called "social media?"

 

[Klint Beastwood]

I guess that has something to do with that thing called "social media?"

eh if you dont get it, then you dont get it.

 

[Danoobie]

I can't wait for the day if modern firearms like AR's and modern handguns get taken away from American citizens.

Had you considered that if they can get ARs and modern handguns confiscated, they probably won't stop at just that?

For me, 45ACP is the way to go for HD. A reliable double stack, like a FNX-45.

 

[Klint Beastwood]

Had you considered that if they can get ARs and modern handguns confiscated, they probably won't stop at just that?

For me, 45ACP is the way to go for HD. A reliable double stack, like a FNX-45.

well duh.did you read it was a joke story a few post down. I'm stationed in cali. I see the suffering.
Agreed? (i dont know if that was to me or in general) but I only own .45 for defensive pistols...my women only owns .45 for everything...I've seen her trip out on gun salesman for convincing her to use a .380 cause she's a lady.

 

[Ironicaintit]

For me, 45ACP is the way to go for HD. A reliable double stack, like a FNX-45.

Totally. An FNP is stored bedside. Subsonic, low pressure, big holes... 45acp is the indoor defenders friend.

 

[amprecon]

I have only three handguns, all are Glock 17's. Simplicity of use, standardization of use, standardization of ammo and magazines, familiarity feel and constant sight picture. When you pick up a handgun for defense, you will be picking up a Glock 17 and only a Glock 17. You will be familiar with it and only it and you will know how it shoots and that it will shoot and if it doesn't, you will know exactly what to do to make it shoot again.

In high stress situations I don't want my non-gun enthusiast family members trying to figure out which gun they grabbed and how to use it or which magazine or bullets to use. K.I.S.S.

The best handgun to have for defensive use is one you are familiar with and shoot well with, confidence in your weapon is important, especially when under duress.

But I have plans for another handgun in the near future, and that will one day be a Glock 40 in 10mm.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Did anyone mention a short barrel shotgun loaded with #4 Buckshot yet? That's what is beside my bed.

 

[stonebuster]

I choose a 9mm S&W shield fully loaded / chambered in my bed stand and a GP-100 357mag loaded with 38 specials very well hidden but easy accessed by me downstairs. No kids in the house so I'm not having to access a safe/gun box in the middle of the night. The guns are locked up every morning. I have and will always have a large dog(Rotti/shepard) that always lets me know if someone or something is at or near the house. IMO the best alarm I can have while at home. I try to not leave anything such as gun magazines, ammo, cleaning supplies ect in plain sight to tip someone off they're guns in the house should they get in when I'm not home. I've recently gotten my wife into shooting a 22LR at the range and hope she will progress to shooting larger calibers in time. If not , it's certainly better than nothing. I don't have an NRA sticker on my vehicle advertising I may be carrying or possess guns. I don't spend much time worrying about a break in, but try to take reasonable measures.

 

[everydefense]

I only own .45 for defensive pistols...my women only owns .45 for everything...I've seen her trip out on gun salesman for convincing her to use a .380 cause she's a lady.

As well she should.

 

[Kevinq6]

No one in a home invasion who has their tactical 12ga or AR15 is going to wish they had a .32 ACP handgun. If you can only have one gun and want a handgun for flexibility, I'm not against that though.

That said many grannies do scare away armed robbers with revolvers.

 

[Kleanbore]

Subsonic, low pressure, big holes... 45acp is the indoor defenders friend.

Lower sound pressure is a definite plus.