Handguns for Home Defense

[Deanimator]

No non-NFA long gun is an appropriate self-defense tool INSIDE my home. I wouldn't even get out of my bedroom doorway without bumping it into something, nevermind the narrow hallways.

My primary self-defense gun is whatever handgun I carried last, these days usually a 3 1/2" M1911 in .45acp loaded with 200gr. Speer or Hornady JHPs.

I don't own or carry for self-defense any handgun below .38 Special. I was at one time considering a Walther PPK (NOT PPK/S) to supplant the S&W Model 36 I was carrying at the time, but when "Aloha Snackbar!" got to be a thing, I temporarily went back to my Glock 19, then the 3 1/2" Citadel M1911.

 

[MTMilitiaman]

I have a pistol on me at all times. I don't do three of em, but hey, I don't judge. Three would be confusing for me--I'd spend more time deciding which gun to draw than actually drawing and shooting! When I am out at the grandparent's property in the back-forty, I will strap the OKC 9.5" bladed Spearpoint Bowie on the right hip with the G20 on the left. I am right handed but left eye dominant, so I shoot left handed. This is one of the cases where this works as an advantage because it means I don't have to strap a pistol and large fixed bladed knife on the same side and because I can theoretically wield both of them effectively at once if the situation dictates.



And I just want to say I am glad I am not the only one that takes self preservation seriously. There are some very bad houses to break into on this forum!

 

[If1HitU]

I own many handguns, I could use for home defense protection.Glock, S&W,Taurus,Ruger, Charter Arms,to name a few in many calibers.

 

[Panzerschwein]

I use a Beretta 92a1 for HD work, along with a Mossberg Shockwave. Trust me, the Shockwave is not too long to use for the job!

 

[Loyalist Dave]

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.

Actually I GOT such a revolver for my Grandfather, and he had it for years before he passed, and then it came back to me. I still have it. WHY would I give him such a revolver in 1995 when so much better choices were there?

Well he had a .22 and a .22 magnum, but he wanted more for home defense. He was living alone as grandma was in a home for "memory care". We tried a .38 Special, but that was too much for his hands. Years of hard labor building Cobra attack helicopters meant he had nasty arthritis, and he was getting frail. The recoil from a small .38 Special revolver hurt his hands, and a heavier revolver was just that, very heavy for him. So at this one LGS, there was a S&W Hand Ejector model in .32 long, and they let him try it. He liked it, he could shoot well with it, and so I bought it for him.

Now why not a five shot, medium weight S&W .38 special snub nosed 5-shot, using .38 Short ammo? It would have been slightly better, since factory ammo comes in a heavier bullet than the .32 Long Colt, and the MV is the same as the .32 Long Colt cartridge, and that was suggested to him..., he wanted the lighter, 6-shot revolver.

So bottom line, a marginal cartridge for sure, but he was very accurate with it, and he felt confident with it, and for me bottom line was he have something with a heavier slug than his .22's. (yes I think his .22 WMR was pretty potent but he didn't think so) I think it's better to have something that one can shoot accurate for multiple shots, than to have something that delivers a much better hit, but you can't count on being able to hit after the first shot due to one's infirmity, no?

LD

 

[Deanimator]

Now why not a five shot, medium weight S&W .38 special snub nosed 5-shot, using .38 Short ammo? It would have been slightly better, since factory ammo comes in a heavier bullet than the .32 Long Colt, and the MV is the same as the .32 Long Colt cartridge, and that was suggested to him..., he wanted the lighter, 6-shot revolver.

What do you mean by ".38 Short ammo"? .38 Long Colt? .38 Special for short barreled revolvers?

I would have recommended an alloy 2-3" K frame S&W loaded with factory target wadcutters. That gives you:

• relatively light, yet controllable gun
• six shots
  
• far more effective ammunition which cuts a clean hole, promoting blood loss

 

[Loyalist Dave]

There is an old load, called the .38 short. https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/remington-lead-rn-target-pistol-revolver-ammo?g=29188 125 grains, 725 fps, lead round nosed.

LD

 

[Sauer Grapes]

I've always kept my carry gun handy for everything. If it's good enough for carry, it's good enough for HD. Mainly because it has night sights. Otherwise any number of handguns would do the job.

 

[rskent]

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.

There is something to be said for your concept. Keep it simple.

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

I don’t get it, if you want to carry a 44, carry a 44.

 

[Kleanbore]

I don’t get it, if you want to carry a 44, carry a 44.

I don't want to carry one. The capacity is less than I would like, and a Model 24 is too bulky for me to carry.

 

[PabloJ]

I don't want to carry one. The capacity is less than I would like, and a Model 24 is too bulky for me to carry.

Another disadvantage of most revolvers is no provision for mounting combat flashlight. There are few exceptions like S&W R8 or certain models of Korth-Nighthawk. I wish my G26 would have rail to mount light because with 33 round magazine it makes a wonderful HD gun. I don't need 33 rounds but it's nice to be able to have one hand on grip and one lower on magazine to steady the weapon. Being plastic covered loaded 33 round magazine also makes wonderful little battle club.

 

[Warp]

Another disadvantage of most revolvers is no provision for mounting combat flashlight. There are few exceptions like S&W R8 or certain models of Korth-Nighthawk. I wish my G26 would have rail to mount light because with 33 round magazine it makes a wonderful HD gun. I don't need 33 rounds but it's nice to be able to have one hand on grip and one lower on magazine to steady the weapon. Being plastic covered loaded 33 round magazine also makes wonderful little battle club.

Have you received any professional instruction in gripping/firing a pistol?

 

[PabloJ]

Have you received any professional instruction in gripping/firing a pistol?

Yes, I received training at CCW class. I do better by placing my left hand on long body of 33 cartridge magazine.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Have you received any professional instruction in gripping/firing a pistol?

Negative Ghost Rider

 

[JR24]

My carry gun is always on me or in reach and serves as an HD gun. Depending on what I'm training with it's either a duty 9mm (Sig 229, Glock 17) or a .45 1911.

Doors are locked, motion lights and two loud aggressive dogs are my firstline deterrants. Anyone braving the dogs is certainly up to no good.

No long guns for primary defense as gathering my son would be my primary concern and I'd need an extra hand for that

 

[Kame B.]

They are getting 20 of them if someone kicks down my door.

 

[wildcatter109]

I think a bad guy would have a real problem if him and his buddies invite themselves in here uninvited, first the kids are raised and gone today, I don't rely on my German Shorthair, and since interior walls can be replaced,, under the pillow is the DW V-BOB Valor, loaded with Ranger T 230's 8+1, if I don't have time to get to a better resource?


But if I hear em coming and can reach under the bed, then I plan to get serious,,, 15 rounds of 00 and #4 Buck altered every other round, makes fer excellent bad guy medicine, and a comfortable nights rest!

 

[Sig Bill]

Man, you are serious.

 

[Shae1324]

This isnt to anyone on this thread, but i wish youtube didnt have so many rules. In the topics of self defense, I wish people could better prepare themselves and actually see people get shot and how not like the movies it is. Gunshot wounds inflicted are really an unpredictable outcome. You can pop a dude once, and he just drops cold, or you can empty 6 rounds semi center mass and the enemy still be in the fight. Even if he's dead on his feet, like a deer running after sending that round off when hunting, 15-20 seconds is a long time, and a lot can happen against an armed opponent.
As for calibers most effective, there is never a solid definitive answer, hense all the constant debate. One thing that is not usually dismissed though, bigger is definitely not worst.

Combat experience here...Im in agreement with you. Once saw a guy pumped full of .45 ( maybe 8 to 10) and he kept coming like a boxer, never even staggered on his feet, then on the flip side, I saw a guy knocked out by a 5.56 fired through a car door, barely punched him, didn't even fully penetrate. Everything is relative. Quantity sometimes wins over quality, bigger is better, and two is one and one is none.