glock 19 for home defense?

Question

i was researching a gun for home defense and came upon a page talking about how glock pistols are so easy to use (automatic safeties). thats not all good if you think about it. what if the gun got into the wrong hands? it would be easy for your own gun to be pointed and shot at you with ease. (robber grabs it befor you) i've heard that some thieves who got hold of someones gun couldnt get a shot off because they didnt know how to work it (safeties, loading..) so it makes glock seem like a bad idea for home defense. can you suggest a better home defense gun to me? what caliber?

Answer 1

I am a retired police officer with over 20 years experience in the New Orleans area. In that time, I have never had a case where the presence of a weapon made any real difference in what took place at your "average" burglary. Meaning a random burglary where an armed homeowner was present in no way influenced the crimes outcome. Yes, I have had homeowners shooting at potential burglars but for the most part, burglars when confronted don't stick around. Of course, there are exceptions.

My point is that for the average homeowner having weapons in the house is merely a "feel" good measure and does not offer any kind of deterrent to a burglar. Residences that are known to have weapons can ultimately become "targets" because the criminal is looking for those weapons. And believe me, burglars have ways of finding out if you have a cache of weapons.


To answer your question, while it is true that Glocks are "good to go" and could be used against you by an attacker, the opposite is also true for other "more complicated" handguns. In stressful situation such as a home invasion, if you are not well trained on the weapon's use, you could very well forget to release the safety yourself and thus become a victim anyway.

It is well documented that in some police shootings, the police officers were killed with their weapons in hand with the safeties still engaged. In fact some departments switched to Glocks for that very reason. If you are concerned about the Glock, you could always leave the first round out of the chamber which would then require you to pull the slide back before firing thus acting as a safety and giving you more time to react if the intruder takes you weapon away.

I think that there are always variables beyond your control and to worry whether or not to keep a Glock or a Berretta (which can be complicated to operate) is a moot point.

Someone else suggested a shotgun. It is the same scenerio. You would have to release the safety before you could "protect" yourself and I have seen countless times in shotgun training. Police officers jump out their units to engage a target and 50% of them will forget to release the safety. I have done it myself. It is a horrible feeling to pull the trigger and have nothing happen. Not to mention embarassing when theirs 20 other policer officers staring at you!

My advise is to reconsider arming yourself, especially if you have a family. There is also a liability issue to consider should you harm someone other than the burglar. Rounds don't stop at you front lawn!
If you must have a weapon take the responsibility to train and become proficient with it's use regardless of the make and model. If you choose the glock, leave the first round out of the chamber but keep the magazine loaded. As far as what caliber, if you goal is to shoot to kill, don't get anything smaller than a .40 cal. If you want to wound and maybe get lucky and kill em go for a 9mm.

That's just my opinion!

Answer 2

The 20 gauge shotgun is one of the best-kept home defense secrets. Its light recoil is less likely to make a petite or inexperienced shooter flinch and miss, but 5/8ths of an ounce of lead per shot will get the job done. The standard 20 gauge buckshot load is #3, which throws 20 .25 caliber lead balls.

The 12 gauge analog would be the "urban load," #4 buckshot, which launches 27 .23 caliber pellets at about the same velocity. Only the coroner is likely to be able to tell the difference.

I'm not the only one who thinks so. John "the Shotgun Wizard" Satterwhite once said, "The 20 gauge gas-operated guns and ideal for most women, since they require no pumping and recoil is modest enough for women to handle. People poohpooh the 20 gauge, but at close range it throws as much lead in one shot as you'll probably need to do the job."

I'm partial to the Remington LT-20 autoloader in-20bore-it weights less than 6 lbs. And handles like M-1 carbine. If anyone using the gun is likely to be 5'6" or shorter, get the Youth Model with short stock: it's no handicap for a taller shooter, but makes all the handicapp for the smaller person.

The auto makes sense for use under stress by anyone who hasn't pumped a slide action thousands of times and learned to do it on "auto pilot," and also works vastly better if one arm is injured.

Answer 3

When you switch on the news and you hear a tale about an innocent family being attacked in their home, do you really feel safe? If this make you think then you must pay an appearance below https://tr.im/ZeJAO , a site that will certainly show you how you can protect you and your household.
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Answer 4

If you use you line of reasoning, all revolvers are out also, because they do not have manual safeties. Let me say this, if you are the type who is so careless as to leave a loaded gun lying around where it might get into the wrong hands, you deserve to get whatever you get. No gun can be made idiot proof, or so safe as to render it ineffective when speed is essential to bring it into action in case of emergency. The Glock semi-auto are as safe as you are going to get. Without a deliberate pull of the trigger all the way to the rear, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIRE THE GLOCK.One other point I want to stress regarding conventional safeties on semi autos. If you are confronted with a situation where you are under high stress, what would happen if you inadvertently forget to undo the safety on your gun? That split second can allow your adversary to pump a few rounds into you. It can happen that quick. There is no time to think. It is a split second life and death decision.

Answer 5

A 12-gauge shotgun shell is recommended for home defense in a 12-gauge. Try a 2 3/4" high brass 9-pellet 00 buckshot shell. Lots of companies make them.

Answer 6

The idea is, that if you are not using it daily and used to it, if you grap it to use, and the safety is on, you don't shoot.

Just 2 or 3 seconds of delay can cause you to be killed.
Remember you can only use a gun against someone if you life is in danger, so they have to already have a weapon or some threat against you..

but in reality, a pistol is only good if you are good with it,
a real home defense weapon is a 12 gague shot gun, pistol grip.

Answer 7

Get a 12 gauge shotgun and load up some 00 buckshot, it's much more effective and second nature than messing around with a semi auto pistol (also won't go through walls too bad.). If you must get a handgun go for something in .45 acp for manstopping power.

Answer 8

Look at the stats about guns in the home being used as "defense".
I trained a police dog named Glock once, a pit bull with the meanest backbite I've felt. Perhaps that's a viable alternative to a gun.

Answer 9

In one word "SHOTGUN" double barrel (short barrels not no 32 incher) Shells stay out of the barrel on the shelf and when needed push the lever sideways,which opens up the barrels for loading, insert shells and pull both triggers aiming/pointing in the general direction(double oo buckshot is best) Guarrenteed to knock them clean out of their shoes and six ft. back. Just remember DO NOT HESITATE TO PULL THE TRIGGERS CAUSE IF YOU DO YOU GIVE THE BAD GUY A CHANCE TO GRAB YOU OR A LOVED ONE. I once knew woman who had an intruder come in and was rifling thru her drawers she pulled her pistol out of the nitestand and fired 6 shots from the head if the bed to the foot of it and missed with all 6 shots. With a short barreled shotgun all you have to do is aim in the general direction

Answer 10

I keep a Bersa .380 in my night stand , and aTaurus 9mm in the gun cabinet.