Likely, the most popular answer given when asked "why did you buy a gun?", is "for home defense". The obvious follow-up is what is the best firearm for home defense? Notice that I did not automatically rattle off several shotgun manufacturers and models. I will say that there are many different perspectives. I come from a law enforcement background and I prefer a pistol as my go-to home defense weapon, however, someone from the military may prefer a rifle as their go-to home defense weapon. A firearms technology professional may prefer a different firearm than a firearms enthusiast. The difference is comfort and training. I do not believe that practice makes perfect. I do, however, believe that perfect practice makes perfect. By saying that, I mean that you should be familiar with your home defense weapon inside and out. You should practice often to create muscle memory and improve accuracy. Muscle memory will help tremendously in a high-stress situation. The last thing that you want to do is fumble with your firearm or forget something as simple as taking off the safety when you have to make a shot. Since I am amongst friends, I feel comfortable in telling you that your first shot in a home defense situation is going to be an " oh sh%# shot ". That includes even the best-trained professionals out there. When in uniform and holstering or carrying a firearm, you are acting in a professional capacity in which you usually have at least a little bit of information about what you are getting ready to incur. However, in a home defense type situation, all is unknown. Even my heart rate would probably increase, no shame in it, just a part of our natural chemistry.

CHOOSING A HOME DEFENSE FIREARM

As you read on further in this article, I am going to recommend a few firearms that I would choose for home defense. But, before I do that, I want to give you a few things to think about when you make the selection that is best for you. For this part of the article, let's refer to facts and not opinions. 2.5 million burglaries occur each year, 66% of those are home break-ins. That means that a burglary occurs every 13 seconds in the United States. Per FBI statistics, 65% of those burglaries occur between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. 65% of burglary perpetrators know their victims, and the average home break-in lasts between 8 and 10 minutes. The majority of home break-ins occur in the summer. Most home break-ins that require lethal force occur in close quarters. So what does all of that translate too, and what does it have to do with choosing the best home defense firearm?  

SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT

Home defense is the epitome of why the universal firearms safety rules apply, especially the rules that state know your target, your line of fire, and what lies beyond your target. We have all read newspaper articles or saw a news story of where a homeowner misidentified their target, took the shot, only to find out it was a family member when the lights were turned on. For the homeowner and usually the firearm owner, I cannot stress enough to practice with your home defense firearm. Practice with your designated home defense firearm as well as your selected home defense ammunition so that there are not any surprises should the need arise for you to defend your family and home. If you have read any of my articles on home defense over penetration, you know how I feel about that oxymoron. Knowing your safety rules is key....know what lies beyond your target...  

A FEW TACTICAL THOUGHTS

I love accessories as much as anyone, however, I do not have a tactical flashlight mounted to my home defense firearm. There are a few reasons to support this train of thought, in my opinion. First is the element of concealment. With home break-ins, we have statistically established that most of them occur during the day when it is less likely that the home is occupied. In that scenario, you wouldn't need a tactical flashlight, it would just be something else to fidget with. You know what they say about more working parts, it's more that could go wrong. In the event that a home break-in occurs at night, a tactical flashlight mounted to your firearm could give away your position. If the suspect is armed, guess who has the advantage there? A little off of the subject, but I do recommend tactical flashlights, only held in your weak hand above and away from your body, that way if the suspect is going to take a shot, it will be where they perceive that your body is and not where your body mass actually is. But, if you feel that a mounted tactical flashlight keeps you safe and assures your shot, by all means, throw some light on the intruder. Classic has some really cool flashlights
!
. If I could choose only one accessory for my firearm, it would be a red dot laser
. That's my opinion and it may not be the one accessory that you would choose, but they are definitely worth checking out.
Another thing about accessories on a home defense firearm is distraction. I would never own a pistol without night sights, whether factory-installed tritium or accessory red dots. Honestly, in a high stress, home defense situation, you could either forget, not care, not have time, or not be able to line up your sights in every situation. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't have them, it just means that there is a chance that you will not use them. Many folks use their home defense firearm as their everyday carry or their range gun, and for that you may want accessories. Lighten the weight of your home defense firearm. For the most part, homeowners shoot 2-4 shots at intruders before striking them or getting them to leave the premises. If you need a 30 round magazine for home defense, you probably have bigger issues than a singular perpetrator. The long-standing accepted and social norm of a home defense firearm is the shotgun. In my opinion, a shotgun is not necessarily the best selection for a home defense weapon. It is not a bad selection, but it is not at the top of my list. My opinion doesn't matter though, as you have to select a firearm that you are comfortable with, because a home break-in will be a high-stress situation. Think about it, long guns, shotguns or rifles, will be carried in a ready low or ready high position when a threat is perceived. Regardless, your long gun will be first to round a corner or enter a room unless you have been trained differently. This gives the perpetrator a chance to grab your long gun from you or identify your position. I can sum all of the above information into three words, "keep it simple". So there you have it, my two cents on home defense firearms. In my opinion, home defense firearms favorites may differ from the commonly accepted theories, but it works for me and I am confident in my selection of a home defense firearm and you should be too. In keeping with my belief that less is more as far as home defense firearms, I am going to suggest a few firearms for you to take a look at. Don't get me wrong, accessories are great! And nothing strikes fear like a red dot dancing around your body from an unknown position, but reliability has to be the most important thing to consider, not only in your firearm, but also in yourself. Confidence in yourself is just as important as your firearms reliability.  
  • Not so much the manufacturer but the caliber. For me, it's 40 S&W or .45 Auto, all day, every day. Albeit the .40 and .45 are slower rounds, they can pretty much guarantee a drop with the proper shot placement. Did you know that in tribal warfare, warriors were given cocaine so that the adrenaline would keep them going after being shot? They would go until they bled out without regard for pain and without being scared. Unfortunately, in modern-day times, where drugs are often affiliated with home break-ins, a smaller caliber is not what I would personally choose for home defense. Caliber aside, you should still select a reliable firearm and maintain that firearm to assure flawless operability. My choices in a .45 ACP pistol are:
 
  • Sig Sauer P320, Full size .45 ACP, with 10 round magazines



Sig Sauer P320

  • Smith & Wesson M&P in .45 ACP DAO with night sights



Smith & Wesson M&P 45

If you are looking for less recoil and a faster load, check out .380 ACP or the always popular 9mm Luger caliber.  
  • Bersa Thunder .380 ACP, all models



Bersa Thunder

  • Beretta APX 9mm with 17 round magazines

https://www.classicfirearms.com/beretta-jaxf921-apx-9mm-sf-425-17rd/

Beretta APX

If you are looking for a fast round with plenty of punch, check out a .357 SIG caliber pistol. The best of both worlds.  
  • Glock G32 Gen4 Double .357 SIG



Glock G32 Double .357 Sig

  And since we established reliability and performance are so important when selecting your home defense weapons, I would be doing a disservice to you not to mention the always faithful revolver.  
  • Taurus 605 .357 Magnum



Taurus 605 357 Revolver

 
  • Colt Detective .38 Special



Colt Detective 38 SPL Revolver

 
  • Ruger Redhawk .357 Magnum



Ruger Redhawk .357 Revolver

  If any of the above firearms are out of stock, or your personal selection is out of stock, sign up for an e-mail and be the first to know when we get your favorite back in stock.   Stay Safe! Shop All Handguns
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