The handgun I keep loaded in my house, and hope I will never have to use, is a Taurus Model 608 revolver .357 Magnum hollow point rounds loaded in the cylinder. I chose a revolver for the reliability and the .357 Magnum rounds for the stopping power.
My wife keeps a 9mm Smith & Wesson Sigma (SW9VE) for her protection, but I think that an auto will always jam when you need it most. (She uses it a lot at the range.)
What do the Dopers think is a good home defense weapon?
SGT Schwartz
12 guage shot gun.
Backed up by a Louisville Sluger.
I’m kind of worried when you would hit someone with a 12 guage and then feel the need to hit him with a baseball bat. :eek:
SGT Schwartz
Springfield Armory 1911A1, Black Talon Hollowpoints.
If I need to use it, I’m going to mean it. I hope I never do.
My dog.
It depends on how much time I have between “detection of threat” and “engaging targets.”
Hanging from the bedpost on my side of the bed is a Browning Hi-Power loaded with hollow-points. In the bottom drawer of the nightstand is a sequentially-loaded S&W Model 28 (2 .38 wadcutters, 2 .38 +P JHP, 2 158 grain .357 SJHP). The livingroom gun is a .40S&W Firestar loaded with JHP. The revolver behind me at the computer is a Taurus .44 Special loaded with Glasers. These are all within reach of where I am 90% of the time in the house. If I’m in the bathroom, I have to make do with a 9X18mm Makarov loaded with ball ammo. 
Adt
The telephone I suppose. I’d ring the police.
A six-foot oak quarterstaff. I’m much better trained in its use than I am any handgun, and besides, living in a ninth-floor apartment, I’m not sure under what circumstances I’d need to defend the place anyway.
Remote location coupled with a better class of friends. I also have a Marine (and I know how to use him).
One of those really big Maglites.
We have three revolvers (a .357, a .38, and a .32), a 9mm semiautomatic pistol, a shotgun, a .22 rifle, and three large dogs who are extremely friendly with most people, but would probably turn into throat-tearing monsters if anyone tried to harm my husband or me.
A steel whip (a collapsable baton) in the car. Baseball bat in the house. I am thinking about buying that new little Taser.
What new little Taser would that be?
Paul, I was thinking about you the last few minutes. Is your work defense weapon an M16 or M4?
Sgt Schwartz
A deadbolt lock. Been the same all my life. Never had an incident of any kind.
P.S. Is Fort Bragg really that dangerous?
Ah, nevermind. If I can’t have a handgun then I probably can’t have a taser either.
Not really, but I got used to carrying a weapon with me and I feel better knowing that my wife can defend herself when I am not home.
Sgt Schwartz
Um…do you not know what a “weapon” is?
Count me in the shotgun camp.