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

[FITASC]

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.

Then my Ruger 9mm PCC with 32 round Glock mags comes to the forefront

[PatientWolf]

Originally Posted by liv4spd

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

You asked a question and got an answer. Why are you arguing? I’m guessing you are arguing with someone who has far more experience with firearms.

[PzGren]

To all the top shots here that fantasize about how they can end a gun fight with a couple of well aimed shots, I want to relate a little real life story.

My son has a friend from the police academy who was an army ranger close combat instructor and is a very competent pistol shot, both in accuracy and speed. We went shooting together a few times.

He and his partner happened to get into a gun fight, both were armed with Glocks with Hornady Critical Duty ammo. My son's friend shot the perp in the torso at about 12 yards eight times out of nine rounds that he fired in less than two seconds, his partner fired eight times at 9 yards, hitting eight times, also in about two seconds. It took those rounds for the perp to drop his gun and go down.

From my own experience I can only say that not two gun fights will be the same and I prefer to err on the safe side, that's why I have a fire extinguisher, road flares, and tools in my truck.

[jmstr]

Glock G34, despite the fact I don't like glocks in general. Reason? Reliability, accuracy, nice enough oem trigger, and I won't hate the government too much if it is seized after being used for home defense and I have to surrender THAT pistol. Meh- it was a Glock.

Rossi 951 .38special revolver. Goes bang all the time. Accurate. Smooth trigger. .38special 'fbi special' loads are not going to give me issues with overpenetration through my wall into my neighbors' unit, and my wife or I can fire it. Also, if the revolver is seized, it was a Rossi. yes, my father in laws, but everyone was surprised he had it, so it isn't a legacy thing to my kids.

Ruger P97DC. Accurate, reliable, eats any round and wants more. Only drawback? No light rail. Advantages? Smooth trigger with light pull: DA pull under 8 lbs, SA pull under 4lbs. Oh, and not going to be out a lot of cash or stress if I have to cough it up to the DA , despite it be a legitimate and legal use of force to protect my family.

BTW, I am in california- so how it will play in the eyes of the DA is a real concern here.


There are a lot more precise firearms out there, with better reputations. Yet, these three would save either my or my wifes' life.

[44 AMP]

He and his partner happened to get into a gun fight, both were armed with Glocks with Hornady Critical Duty ammo. My son's friend shot the perp in the torso at about 12 yards eight times out of nine rounds that he fired in less than two seconds, his partner fired eight times at 9 yards, hitting eight times, also in about two seconds. It took those rounds for the perp to drop his gun and go down.

I think you're drawing the wrong conclusion. 16 hits in 2 seconds (or 4 seconds if they weren't both the same 2 seconds?). I wouldn't say it took those rounds to put the perp down, I'd say that was how many were used in the time it took for the perp to go down.

I am reminded of the comedian telling about getting tossed out of a bar. "I don't know how many guys it takes to toss me out of a bar, but they used 6!"

Maybe round #1 did the job and it just took a couple seconds for gravity to do its job, during which time he was hit 15 more times. Maybe it was round #5 or #11, or maybe it was the very last hit. We don't know. And I don't think there is really any way to know. Thinking it took all 16 rounds to put the guy down fits the observed facts, but it is an assumption I don't think ought to be made.

Knew of a guy who had to defend himself twice in SE Asia. Once with a GI 45 and once with a Browning Hi Power. FMJ ammo. Based on his personal experience, he rated them equal, as they performed the same. "I shot the guy twice, and he fell down." is what he said about their performance.

[rc]

A primary home defense gun is not a handgun, it's a shotgun. Even a 20 ga with buck will provide a lot more knock down power than any handgun.

[bluetopper]

I have 3 loaded S&W 38 Specials hidden in easy access places around the house.

[Mike Irwin]

"Please don't show off your toys from WWII..."



For many years one of my primary nightstand guns was a Vis Radom made during... World War II.

Another was a Smith & Wesson Model 1917 made in the late 1930s for Brazil.

Not sure what their age has to do with them.

These days my primary nightstand gun is a Smith & Wesson Model 410 in .40 S&W.

Downstairs in my living room I have a FN High Power in 9mm (another "WW II toy based on design, but manufactured in the 1990s).

[The Verminator]

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)

Glock 19, Glock 30 and Smith three inch Model 60 .38 Special with adjustable sights (pre-lock, of course).

Hard choice.

[tlm225]

Glock 48, Glock 23, S&W Shield Plus.

[Shane Tuttle]

Here are my top 3 using your parameters:

1.
2.
3.