What is a good handgun for home defense? Is a revovler or the kind with a clip better? How is the .357 magnum?
The best gun is the one that works for you…seriously.
Think about the circumstances that it will be used under…most likely at night, woken up from a sound sleep, a little nervous…you get the idea.
If you are completely unfamiliar with guns, go to a dealer that has a range and shoot a few to see which ones you like. An automatic (the ‘one with a clip’) holds more ammo, but has the possibility of jamming. A revolver holds fewer rounds, but is reliable.
You can get big or small versions of each…once again, it’s how the gun feels to YOU that’s important. At the range practice picking the guns up from in front of you and getting a shot off quickly.
Many people can debate the merits of particular weapons for days on end, but what’s REALLY important is whether or not the gun will do the job that you demand of it. And given that the gun will probably only be fired once or twice and spend the rest of it’s time under the bed (or wherever), the largest variable becomes you - the shooter. Go with what feels right for you.
And you didn’t ask, but what I have is a Sig-Sauer P220. It’s a .45 automatic. It’s fairly large, but fits well in my hand. It has no safety (read: no way to screw it up when it counts) and a .45 caliber bullet WILL stop someone. YMMV.
Depends on your experience, I’d say, and who’s going to be using it (just you, you and the wife possibly, whatever). The .357 has good knockdown power, but the penetration may be a problem in a house. I’d get a 9mm automatic (the clip kind) if you’re just starting out.
It doesn’t really matter; just make sure you file the sights off so it doesn’t hurt quite so much when the intruder shoves it up your ass. Same rule applies for bear protection.
What does this mean? It has too much or too little penetration?
Skip the handgun.
Go with an old fashioned, double barreled 12 gauge shotgun.
More intimidating, better bear protection, and does much more damage.
Also, simpler. Which means it’s less likely to break when you really need it.
Just starting out doing what? Killing every uninvited person that enters your house?
I’m glad I live in the UK sometimes. I mean seriously, do you think most people are safe with guns? I dont. If a situation arises, people are gonna panic and that’s when accidents can happen. If you have a gun, accidents can be costly.
Too much, IMHO. You have to remember that if you miss (or even if you hit), the bullet’ll be going through drywall and such, which won’t slow it down much. The .357 will also have more recoil than a 9mm would. But I’d say go to a range with some rentals and see what suits you.
The Griffin-He asked for advice. If he wanted preaching about the evils of guns, I’m sure he would have asked for it.
I didnt offer any advice, I voiced my opinion, and since this forum is called…
;j
A .357 is fine, but all you need is a .38 revolver.
Just make sure you dont get a semi-automatic handgun. You dont want you or your wife trying to remember how to get all the safeties off, or having it jam , or trying to remember if a bullet was in the chamber or not the last time you handled it, or not feeding bullets without jamming, or having it not feed any bullets because you havent used it for so long that the magazine springs are worn out from being loaded for so long, or because you cant get the safety off because it rusted shut and the gun wont fire at all, etc.
A revovler is quite simple, and it will shoot after years and years, decades, of being stored, just grab it and pull the trigger.
Its a good thing you live in Scotland. I cant speak for those people, maybe you people are not safe people, and you are careless, and subject to panic any time danger threatens.
As far as we Americans, we have tens of millions of Americans with guns, and more than 99% of them are safe, never paniced, never had an accident, and can be trusted with guns.
The fact that gun accidents are so rare compared to the hundreds of millioins of guns, speak for themselves.
We have many notable and famous people, like Eleanor Roosevelt, Nancy Reagan, John Kennedy, etc who owned and kept guns close by at home for self defense, or actually carried guns for self defense like Mrs Roosevelt, and they never had an accident.
If you think your people in the UK, the Scots and the English, are not safe with guns, than that is your opinion, you know them better than I do, but I think the original poster was refering to Americans keeping guns at home for self defense.
[bite tongue]
Must… not… respond… to… ** The Griffin’s**… post….
[/bite tongue]
O.K., there, I feel better.
Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor is right on the money. Why use a handgun for home defense? In my opinion, a handgun is the worse tool for that job. (The only use for a handgun is a defensive tool to have on your body when you’re traveling on foot or in a vehicle.) Instead, get a shotgun and load it with #00 buckshot. That’s much better…
Hey, i just read about all the shit that happens in the US with guns, that’s were my opnions come from.
;j
I love winding gun people up.
;j
Did I say “worse”? I meant worst. :smack:
a) Griffin, you may be basically right. But, as GMRyujin said, that’s not the point here.
b) Homer, go with Bosda and Crafter_Man. A 12-gauge is more intimidating AND more reliable.
To the OP.
If you want something for home defense, get a shotgun. A hand gun takes much training before one becomes competent with it.
If you are still into handguns, then go with something that you feel comfortable with. If this is your first gun, I would go for a revolver in the 357 or 44 mag area, but as said up above, a 380 or .38 is good too. If you are into automatics, then I would choose something in the 9mm or .40s&w range.
As for the type or pistol round, try Glaser or Magsafe. Bother are designed to frag on impact, so you don’t have to worry too much about having the slug leave your house and go into your neighbor’s
And train with the thing. A gun that you never practice with is about as good as a stick.
Susanann:
Your post seems to imply that HJS will not practice shooting his gun. Should we assume this by default? Because if you’re assumption is correct, then my advice would be for HJS to not have a gun.
The bottom line is this: If you’re going to have a handgun, then you should practice shooting it. If you practice shooting it on a regular basis, then the operation of the controls will be burned into the memory, in which case the safety, springs, etc. shouldn’t be a problem. Just my two cents.
Doesn’t a shotgun “spray” pellets? Wouldn’t I be more likely to hit someone I am not aiming at?
For those of you thinking this guy has no business using a gun for home defense, since he knows nothing about them. Don’t worry I will not be getting a gun soon.