What's your top 3 favorite handguns for home defense?

[liv4spd]

Please don't show off your toys from WWII, or those $5000 Korth revolvers. Let's limit the list to things that are still in production and with a price tag of <$1500.

I'll start:
- Sig P226 Legion (DA/SA)
- Walther PDP Pro (striker-fired polymer)
- SW 686 (revolver)

[Hawg]

If I just had to choose a handgun which I wouldn't it would be a 1911. There is no 2nd or 3rd choice.

[liv4spd]

Originally Posted by Hawg

If I just had to choose a handgun which I wouldn't it would be a 1911. There is no 2nd or 3rd choice.

But 1911s only have a magazine capacity of 7 or 10?

[105kw]

You took out any of my favorite home defense guns
4in Model 66, .357
Model 67, .38special
And a 4in Model 28, .357
I'm just not into most modern stuff.
I'm a Smith&Wesson fan.

[DaleA]

But 1911s only have a magazine capacity of 7 or 10?

But Hawg just might have a spare magazine or two...or three...or twenty-seven. (And he might know how to change them pretty quick.)

[44caliberkid]

Number one has been my go to for carry, home defense, all situation handgun since I bought it in 1975, but still in production, Charter Arms Bulldog 44 Special. It has accompanied me from Alaska to southeast Georgia, survived the sell offs of all my guns except two (Browning Auto 5 being the other) for houses, children, remodeling. It is the car gun for every road trip vacation.
Number two is a Smith& Wesson Model 66, 2 1/2 inch 357. It has occupied space between the mattresses on my side of the bed for over 30 years.
Number 3 is a tie. I keep a Smith & Wesson Shield 9mm and a Tanfoglio 380 (Beretta like single action auto) within arms reach from my easy chair where I sit and watch TV and surf on my iPad.

[44caliberkid]

Originally Posted by liv4spd

But 1911s only have a magazine capacity of 7 or 10?

The main reason people like high capacity magazines, based on my observations at the range, is they can’t hit a 2’x3’ sheet of paper at 15 feet.
A 6 shot revolver has been adequate for 99% of defense situations for the last 150 years.

[44 AMP]

Let's limit the list to things that are still in production and with a price tag of <$1500.

That seems pretty arbitrary to me, but using those limits, there are no guns I would choose.

My favorites are the ones I have, and have had for decades, and every one of them is out of production today.

S&W model 28 (out of production)
Colt Cobra (out of production)
Browning BDA 45 (out of production)
Mauser HSc (nazi marked so also WWII toy as well as out of production)

I got the BDA the same year my daughter was born, and other than a small amount of finish wear, its the same as it was when I got it new, and my granddaughter graduated high school last year.....

I don't see any reason to consider replacing it, or the others I use, even the WWII stuff, as it still works just fine.

[mk70ss]

CZ 75

Astra 3 inch .357 Revolver

Beretta 92 F

[jar]

Originally Posted by liv4spd

Please don't show off your toys from WWII, or those $5000 Korth revolvers. Let's limit the list to things that are still in production and with a price tag of <$1500.

I'll start:
- Sig P226 Legion (DA/SA)
- Walther PDP Pro (striker-fired polymer)
- SW 686 (revolver)

Your initial position has absolutely no basis in reality or reason. And the idea that a handgun with a limited magazine capacity is not a valid choice is simply sophomoric.

My home defense gun is what I carried that day. And a pre-WWII gun is as likely to be what I select as anything being made today. In fact it is only very very very occasionally that it will be something still in production rather than something decades old.

Last night and since I'm home today my pistol is a 2+ decade old Sig P220 but Wednesday it was a Colt Police Positive 38 New Police CTG (38S&W); six rounds with three HKS Speedloaders as reloads.

Looking at my currently in production pistols only one has a capacity of over ten rounds and it's a Ruger Security 380. Wait, that doesn't count. My sister borrowed it so it's not available.

Honestly I feel every bit as prepared and protected with a 1911 or Sig P220 or S&W Shield 2.0 45acp as I would with one of my no longer in production higher capacity pistols and with 22lr as with 45acp. Its the Indian not the arrow.

[Loupgarou]

1. Colt 1980 XSE Government Model .45 ACP
2. Glock 30
3. HK P30SK

[PzGren]

Home defense as in inside of a home?

Firing even handguns inside of a house is a noisy experience, a S&W 686 in .357 Magnum - even with a long 6" barrel will probably lead to permanent ear damage and the muzzle flash in darkness will be impressive.

While I always carry a concealed weapon when in public, I trust my Remington 870 12 gauge when I am at home or my AR with a silencer and flashlight on it.

[jetinteriorguy]

I only have one, my S&W M&P. It’s not my only pistol by far but it sits in the drawer next to the bed. I do have a 4” Ruger Security Six in my lunch kit loaded with pretty stout 158gr XTP’s, and a Springfield Hellcat on my belt CC.

[FITASC]

SIG 365
S&W 357 - either a 4" 66 or a 6" 586
HK P7

[Pumpkin]

A 6 or 7 shot 686 is okay but a 7 -10 round 1911 is questioned?

[zeke]

Glock 23, 4 in S&W M29 (180 jhp/1250 fps) and a 5 in 1911. Anymore its usually the G23

[NWPilgrim]

SIG P365 with RMR (daily carry)

Glock 17 gen5 - set up with a light, most accurate Glock I’ve had

Glock G22 gen5 with RMR - about the sweetest shooting gun I own except for my Springfield 1911- which I don’t shoot enough these days

[Nathan]

My bedroom safe will have in it tomorrow’s carry gun plus my night gun.

My night gun: S&W M&P 2.0 5” 40S&W with light or Dan Wesson Specialist Custom 45 auto with light

My carry gun: S&W Shield Plus 9mm with CT Optic, S&W 340, DW Vigil CCO Kahr CW380

My top 3 is somewhere in there. A person doesn’t really need a top 3. I wouldn’t mind gettin to 1 of each, but I cannot imagine selling them all.

[ammo.crafter]

Colt 1911
Browning Hi Power
S&W 57 41 mag

[sevt_chevelle]

Simple the one next to my bed.

CZ P09.
CGW pro package
Milled for RMR
Primary machine threaded barrel
Streamlight Thr1
Rugged obsidian can

[44 AMP]

But 1911s only have a magazine capacity of 7 or 10?

I always get a mental chuckle, then then a sigh, when I hear something like this.... "but it only holds ....."

How many times do you plan to miss???

If magazine capacity is your primary concern, get a Calico, if you can.

The OP stated "home defense" and to me, that means inside my house, or close outside it. SO, carry gun features and concealability are not relevant.

[Hawg]

Originally Posted by liv4spd

But 1911s only have a magazine capacity of 7 or 10?

And your point is?

Anyway like I said a handgun is not my first choice. A short barreled shotgun is. 7 rounds of 12 gauge 00 buck trumps 8 rounds of .45 ACP or 17 rounds of 9mm.

[1972RedNeck]

8 shot 627 Smith is currently on my headboard.

[radom]

Here a CZ-75 in .40 and a rem 870 police with the rifle sights.

[KyJim]

I have a SW Model 65 revolver loaded with .38 spl. +P Golden Sabers in my basement. I usually keep two in my nightstand. It varies depending on what I am carrying, but right now I have a Ruger LCP and a SW Shield.

I also have a 12 gauge and an AR-15 in my bedroom closet. No grandchildren or other children in my house.