Having seen and read dozens if not more of these articles I'll throw in my 2 cents.
The best home defense firearm that you can choose is the one (or more) that you are best with. One that will offer a high enough grade in the areas of, readiness, stealth, accessibility, maneuverability, reliability, target acquisition, stopping power and accuracy.
Working off the last of the list I personally rule out shotguns. When I had no better choice I used them as a nighttime bedside weapon but given what I feel as the better choice now (handguns) I use them. Was never really comfortable with a shotgun given the fairly indiscriminate way that shot can be patterned. Not that I as a normal resident would ever face the situation of a loved one close to a bad guy but it wasn't for me.
Going for the maneuverability portion a rifle was also something that I used but was never quite comfortable with. Would never fire from the hip so having it at shoulder height and aimed always seemed to be difficult maneuvering corners in a house. Tended to focus more on the firearm than what was going on around me. I have never had the close quarter combat training that our military goes through so therefore never wanted to have to deal with the aftermath of a poorly placed shot although I have used them in the past.
Now as far as handguns and calibers. I choose ones that meet the stopping power and accuracy mode given most situations. I have teenagers and don't want to imprint them with the memories of "Daddy was always packing" so I tend to have an LCP in the pocket around the house at night. It works for me. Small accessible and fairly accurate at what I would want it for given most situations that I can forsee as even remotely possible. When I go to bed at night then I will pull out a .40, .357sig or .45 all that have lights and laser sights. As I got older and my sight got worse I embraced the new technology. They in my mind meet the readiness, stealth, accessibility, maneuverability stopping power, accuracy and target acquisition demands that I put on what I would rely on.
Pistols vs Revolvers as if I didn't throw enough out there already to be picked on. For myself I can say that I am good with a pistol. I practice the "tap rack bang" I can take down every pistol I own and reassemble blind folded even given the firearm blinded just by feel. I clean,inspect with a magnifying glass and oil often. For the wife (like we can really get them to do what we want) I would want her to take her .38 snubby to bed. She insists on the 9 with the CT laser. WOW do I wince every time she has a slip of the hand or covers the ejection port in practicing the tap rack bang. BUT I love the fact that she is good with taking it out at night and locking it up in the morning. Mounted with a serpa level 2 on the bed rail she is good to go.
Just as an afterthought, NO the teens do not know the combo for the safes. |
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