Advice on self defense weapon

Royalty01

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Hello all,
I’m looking to buy a gun for the house for self defense reasons. I don’t need anything fancy. Just something reliable, easy to use, and preferably economical (although that is not a deciding factor). Any suggestions? Also, any suggestions for Secure storage which can be accessed quickly in case that time comes?
 
I’ll reply before someone on here advises you to get a pump shotgun “and pump it when you hear them in your house and that will scare them away”. I’ve heard it in gun stores, on forums, and gun shows for as long as I can remember. I have to bite my tongue.

For a handgun, it is hard to go wrong with a Glock 17 or 34. It has the option to mount a light and the newer versions allow for the mounting of an RMR. The ability to gain some proficiency with it comes rather quickly, maintenance is simple, and it is not ammo sensitive.
Don’t get wrapped around the axel on 9mm vs .45 vs .40. Rounds into the bad guy are what you are after and he won’t complain if you don’t shoot him with a .45 or .40. Recoil is less in the 9x19, rounds in the platform for size is higher, and until recently was cheaper to get practice ammo.

Will a Sig or HK or S&W (not an economy one) work just as well, absolutely. Just don’t go cheap. I mean you are only betting your life on it at arms distance.

What ever you choose to get, make sure you practice and practice and practice some more. I can promise you won’t gain firearms proficiency during the gunfight. You will only have what brought into it.

Sorry for the long reply, but it’s one of those things I’m pretty big on. Was my dept’s firearms proficiency officer for some years and it is one of those things a get on a soap box and talk too long about sometimes.
 
I use a Glock 33 sub compact in 375 Sig and a snub nose 38 Spec 6 shot S&W as back up..
Make sure it is small and compact but in a powerful caliber if you will be carrying it, big heavy hand guns end up in the safe where they are no use..
 
Springfield XD in 9 mm...reliable, compact if that is important, reasonable pricing. factory defense ammo. Practice ..practice.
 
Many polymer striker fired 9mm pistols to choose from... or hammer fired but they can hang up and also not good for concealment. And don't go cheap! I loved the look and pricing of the Tanfoglio but the reviews were not good.

Practice until you think you don't need to anymore... then practice some more! Not only simple target shooting but also get into tactical range work. It's fun and prepares you more for "real world" adrenalin rush and breathing control etc

Storage? It should be light enough for EDC so should be on your hip. Not sure of what storage options there are available where you are and not sure what level of instant access / safe storage you're after. You can get fingerprint safes that merely require your print to access, those are quick.
 
Hello all,
I’m looking to buy a gun for the house for self defense reasons. I don’t need anything fancy. Just something reliable, easy to use, and preferably economical (although that is not a deciding factor). Any suggestions? Also, any suggestions for Secure storage which can be accessed quickly in case that time comes?
Well a pump shotgun may not be able to scare them away with just the pump sound but it’s a hard hitting option that is easier to aim than a pistol so it is an option to consider.
 
Well a pump shotgun may not be able to scare them away with just the pump sound but it’s a hard hitting option that is easier to aim than a pistol so it is an option to consider.
The cons of a pump action for self defence is that it is not as easy to wield in confined spaces or up close and personal. Storage is an issue and quick access could be a problem..... BUT they do make nice big holes.
 
I'm a believer of the shotgun for home defense. Yeah, the sound of the pump scaring people away is a myth. My home defense shotgun ammo is #4, and you don't have to worry about over penetration, or concerns of where your bullets will go. Specially if you have other family members in other rooms of the house (it's only my wife and I, no kids). For handgun, like others have said, a Glock is hard to beat. My carry pistol is a Glock 19, and for my body size, it is the perfect size to conceal. If you are going to carry it on you, get a good belt & holster. Don't be cheap on this department. Now the bad news, you my friend are behind the power curve, and the issue you may find now is finding ammo to practice with. The prices of 9mm are f*cking ridiculous, and that is if you can find any. Also, the prices of firearms have gone up, but not as bad as the ammo.
 
Pepper spray. You kill someone, you better have some sort of insurance to cover your ass. Remember, you are innocent until you run out of money.
 
Because you are asking, I'm assuming that you are not very familiar with handguns. Go to your favorite gun store where hopefully they know you and allow you to try out a number of different makes and models. Then take a class that will allow you to obtain a CCW / CPL. The Instructor will address your questions and and many more.
 
Pepper spray. You kill someone, you better have some sort of insurance to cover your ass. Remember, you are innocent until you run out of money.
Yea well as they say it’s better to be judged by twelve than carried by six.
 
Pepper spray. You kill someone, you better have some sort of insurance to cover your ass. Remember, you are innocent until you run out of money.
I plan to take Biden's expert advise and shoot them in the leg...!
 
Because you are asking, I'm assuming that you are not very familiar with handguns. Go to your favorite gun store where hopefully they know you and allow you to try out a number of different makes and models. Then take a class that will allow you to obtain a CCW / CPL. The Instructor will address your questions and and many more.
+1
If you have a local range with rentals, better still. Try any you are interested in. I don’t recommend a compact carry gun for home defense, but instead a full size because they are easier to shoot accurately.
As Hogpatrol said, get insurance for if/when you have to use it.
Other alternatives better/safer to stash around the house are pepper spray, wasp spray, baseball bats, even cans of spray paint in the eyes can be a show stopper. Lots of alternatives that are more kid safe if you have kids around.
I personally like Glocks in 9mm...easy to shoot...extremely reliable...easy to reload. And as already mentioned, don’t go for cheap, go for reliability! Your life and those of your family count on it!
 
The cons of a pump action for self defence is that it is not as easy to wield in confined spaces or up close and personal. Storage is an issue and quick access could be a problem..... BUT they do make nice big holes.
Depends on the shotgun/AOW/whatever. A full-sized 18-20" combat shotgun would be difficult, even if you just had a pistol grip on it. But Mossberg and Remington both make a 14"-barreled shorty with a pistol grip. Register it and change the grip for a stock and you have a handy-dandy CQB weapon that's shorter than an M4 carbine; shorty shotguns have been favored for breaching guns for years. Inland Manufacturing has one too, a copy of the Ithaca '37 Stakeout, and there are several companies who either produce or will convert shotguns into SBSs and AOWs for you.
 
You stated that you want a "house" gun and not a carry gun. You also seem unfamiliar with handguns. For your purposes it would be hard to beat a full size revolver like a S&W 686. They are largely "middle of the night" proof and the .357 can also shoot .38 special giving you a lower cost practice load (and +P .38 special also provides an effective lower recoil personal defense load). It is my spouse's bedside handgun and works perfectly in that role. I equipped her revolver with an aftermarket set of grips with a laser.

Any of the handgun suggestions will fit in one of the locked, bedside boxes. Most can be set up with a punch code and some even have a bio-metric fingerprint reader. If the handgun is locked away in a gun safe it is useless to you when things go pump in the night.
 
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Depends on the shotgun/AOW/whatever. A full-sized 18-20" combat shotgun would be difficult, even if you just had a pistol grip on it. But Mossberg and Remington both make a 14"-barreled shorty with a pistol grip. Register it and change the grip for a stock and you have a handy-dandy CQB weapon that's shorter than an M4 carbine; shorty shotguns have been favored for breaching guns for years. Inland Manufacturing has one too, a copy of the Ithaca '37 Stakeout, and there are several companies who either produce or will convert shotguns into SBSs and AOWs for you.
I am pretty sure if you change the stock it is no longer a "pistol" and considered a short barrel shotgun which is a Class 3 weapon. Which is kind of a big no no in the US.
 
I am pretty sure if you change the stock it is no longer a "pistol" and considered a short barrel shotgun which is a Class 3 weapon. Which is kind of a big no no in the US.
Which is why I said "register it".
 
For your purposes it would be hard to beat a full size revolver like a S&W 686. They are largely "middle of the night" proof and the .357 can also shoot .38 special giving you a lower cost practice load (and +P .38 special also provides an effective lower recoil personal defense load)

Well this is exactly what I was going to say.
 

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