What I came in to say. Large revolvers sound plenty intimidating when they’re cocked; copper-jacketed hollowpoints have plenty of stopping power; and you have more speed and freedom of movement than with a shotgun. Also, who knows how many intruders there are? Fire a blast or two with a shotgun and you’re done. With a six-shot revolver you still have ammo left to deal with other intruders if necessary.
Also they can be kept under the mattress. Far easier and quicker to get to (and less obvious to an intruder) than reaching into a nightstand or trying to drag a shotgun out from under the bed or out of a closet.
A word of caution, never ever cock a revolver. Practice with it double action.
Massad Ayoob
has written a few articles about this, but basically there have been cases that a person has been prosecuted for “accidentally” shooting an attacker that they legally shot in self defense.
The prosecutor in these cases went after the shooter saying it was an accidental shooting because of the lighter trigger pull from the cocked weapon because he knew he couldn’t get a conviction on a deliberate self defense shooting (you can’t accidentally shooot someone in self defense.).
I wish I was making this up.
With a double action there is no doubt what happened.
We’ve done recommendations many times before, so I’m going to skip the generalities and qualifiers and just go to what I want.
I keep a lightly customized Springfield 1911 in my bedroom. I ditched the factory magazine and replaced it with a Pachmayer. My ammunition of choice is a hollowpoint load from Federal. I also keep a very bright LED flashlight nearby.
I have AR-15 variants, AK-variants, shotguns, and other long guns at my disposal, but those things are too clumsy to use indoors.
Without neighbors, my AR-15 ‘room broom’. I’ve got a Bushmaster “AK Shorty” that I feel very comfortable with. I’ve mounted my muzzle light, and if I don’t blind the guy first with it, I can at least make use of it as a poking stick, or swat him in the face with it (thank Army training for these ‘non-lethal’ options). I say without neighbors because any round from these rifles is going to overpenetrate.
But for a sidearm, my wife bought me a lovely Sig Sauer P6 (9mm), which has become my carry weapon of choice.
Tripler
IMHO, it’s all about what you feel comfortable with.
I keep a 12-gauge (w/ 00 buck) at my bedside and a Smith and Wesson 442 (J-frame, 5-shot .38 with Speer Gold-Dots) on my nightstand. My only worry about these firearms for home defense is over-penetration; I live in an apartment complex with thin walls.
Honestly, I think a 5.56/.223 carbine is the ultimate indoor weapon aside from the fact that they’re fricking LOUD without hearing protection. But of course, pretty much any firearm indoors is going to be way too loud anyway. What the 5.56 really has going for it is (comparatively) light bullets and high velocity cartridges. With frangible bullets (or those designed for self-defense, like Hornady TAP FPD) the bullet will break up inside a wall, drastically reducing the chances of hitting an unintended target.
One day, I’ll replace the shotgun next to the bed with an AR. (The 442 gets to stay for the forseeable future, though.)
I’m not trying to sound like a Hornady shill, but they have the home defense ammo I am most familiar with. They talk about 5.56 TAP on the second page of this link. Not that it sounds like you need to worry about over-pentration or anything.
Mossberg .410 - features shortened stock, shorter grip to trigger length, and laser sight (more scare tactic than practical application), more stopping power at close range than a .44 Magnum, but less likely to go through a wall than a heaver gauged shotgun.
Well, at this house, I do since our houses are so close together (sorry, I should have been more clear in my earlier post). I’ve loaded a .40SW with the Glaser Safety Slugs (in my Charles Daly DDA), but I tend to like P6 now 'cause of the sentimental value.
Tripler
But, most of my personal/practical “gun time” has been with an M-16/AR-15.
Well, I have a 20 gauge shotgun and a 357 - my boyfriend nabbed that one for his side of the bed and frankly I’m much more comfortable with the shotgun. I’ve practiced with the handgun, of course, but the shotgun feels more natural to me, and I feel I can handle it better in a stressful situation - it steadies itself more. Of course, it’s also more intimidating, can be used as a bludgeon, etc. (There’s the racking noise, but I assume we’re past that by the OP.) I have no children, although I do have cats, and I live in a detached house.
I think I’d prefer going the pepper spray route – I just don’t like guns. However, if I were able to get out of bed, I’d just show them my naked body, and if they don’t run away from that, they have absolutely no fear and pepper spray wouldn’t really have any effect anyway.
Current Option #1: My Taurus 689 .357 magnum with the 6" barrel and 5 rounds of semi-jacketed hollowpoints. About 6’ from my bed.
Current Option #2: Because I’m currently working armed, my Taurus PT-99 9mm with 15 rounds of semi-jacketed hollowpoints, in my work bag across the room.
Current Option #3&4: Highlander Sword on the desk across the room or the replica Mace in the closet. I can quite literally go medieval on someone’s ass.
I own an 1853 Enfield civil war musket. It is far from ideal for home defense in so many ways (too long to maneuver around in cramped quarters, takes FOREVER to reload, etc), but you have to admit that having someone point a 55 inch long .58 cal. rifle at you has to be at least a little intimidating.
