What would be the best small gun to use for self protection at home?

Question

I was just wondering because I was watching a documentry about people who had shot burglars and murders etc... and it got me thinking what would be the best type of gun to protect yourself with.

Answer 1

For a lady probably a semi-automatic glock 17 or maybe a Semi or Fully automatic P90.cal(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyJEEISVTd4). A P90.cal is a one handed smg with 50 rounds per clip and it has springs inside it so it wont go flying up in the air as soon as you pull the trigger.

Answer 2

The 20 gauge is a much better choice for home defense. A .22 is better than nothing, but if you shoot someone, you want to shoot to kill. The .22 is good for targets, but the problem is that it doesn't have much stopping power and you have to be much more careful with aiming, which is really hard in a hone defense type situation. Load the 20 gauge with #4 or #6 shot, and practice at a range where you can shoot at human-size silhouette targets until you feel comfortable with the shotgun. Two more things. First, in a close quarters situation, an intruder might be able to wrench a pistol out of your hands, which is a lot less likely with a shotgun. Second, a shotgun pointed at an intruder is a lot more intimidating than a pistol which would probably be shaking. And one last comment. I asked a friend once who was a police detective about a gun for home defense, and he was really against handguns because there's always a chance the round might go through a wall and into another room or even another house, causing a lot of collateral damage. He preferred a shotgun, but said that the only downside was that if you fire a shotgun inside your house, be prepared to put a door in where there used to be a wall.

Answer 3

Well, there are a variety of guns that could fit this category, but it comes down to the individual shooter.

A .45 has the best stopping power and will inflict the most damage. However these are larger framed guns and have a lot of kick.

A .40 is a nice alternative, still does significant damage and kicks a little less. Also available in a wide variates of compact models.

A 9mm is not a bad choice, several compact models available.

A .38 is always a good choice.

For women I'd suggest looking a a Sig or a Glock, most women I know and have shot with prefer these two guns.

Ammunition is another important detail. Glasier makes a great anti[personnel round with shot loaded into the hallow point for maximum fragmentation.

However, the best home defense in my opinion is a 12 gage pump action. Why pump? Because there is no other sound like it in the world, you rack that round and people know what it is. Also, you don't have to be real accurate with a shotgun, just point and shoot, the spread of the shot does the rest.

Answer 4

If you have kids around, do NOT get a revolver. (A revolver has no safeties and goes off with just a pull of the trigger. Kids can wrap their hands around the grip and put their thumbs in the trigger hole and shot themselves in the head.) Get a semi-auto and do NOT have a round in the chamber. There are very few kids who can rack a slide on a semi-auto and with no round in the chamber, they can not shot anyone accidentally either.

Then lock the gun up in a gun safe/box that only you and your wife can open. There are a bunch with easy combo locks that can be opened in seconds but will keep the gun secure from kids.

Put a laser sight on the gun. In a totally dark house, you do not have to turn lights on. Just sweep the beam and when it FAILS to reach the end of the hallway or room, you know someone is there and you got them targeted. The beam of light alone is enough to make some people run.

Now, when you say "small gun" please do not equate that with small caliber. You need to use the biggest caliber you can easily handle. Shooting someone with a 22 is probably only going to make them mad. shooting someone with a 454 Casull will probably put you both down on the ground.

I use a Springfield Armory XD 45 Service model with a Laser-Max sight. It is 45 Caliber but you can get the same XD in 9 mm, which is the smallest I would recommend for personal defense. (Use hollow points.) It has a grip safety which requires a good grip and a trigger safety. The gun will not go off unless both are depressed at the same time.

If you are uncomfortable with hand guns, consider a shot gun. The sound of a pump shot gun being racked might just scare off someone too! A 12 guage pump from any of the major manufacturers would meet your needs.

NEVER use a rifle for home defense. It is too long for easy use and you got a very good chance of shooting your neighbor due to the velocity and range of the rifle.

If guns scare you....consider the TASER..... they have some very nice models out there that can stop a horse. (I myself do not trust the things. They can only shoot once or twice and then you are out of "ammo." Give me a handgun with 12+ rounds in the magazine and a spare magazine.)

Answer 5

Spock makes excellent points that you should take seriously. I'll just add a couple of logistical and technical points. I would disregard any handgun smaller than 9mm or .38 Special, because it's your life we're talking about. I wouldn't trust my own to anything less than those. They're both dangerous enough, especially when you use deforming home-defense rounds (frangible, hollowpoints), and those types of bullets tend to stick in interior walls and not go zipping around out the back to strike things you didn't intend to hit. Even if you're in California, the state legal limit of ten rounds per magazine is doable. Hell, if you need more than six rounds of .38 normally found in a revolver to dissuade someone from misadventure, I'd wonder what was going on in your life to merit that kind of attention.
I like revolvers because they're dirt simple, reliable and the grips are great even for small-handed shooters. Taurus and Rossi are South American companies that actually turn out a solid, inexpensive product, and most gunstores sell decent and workable used firearms for very reasonable prices. Don't get a snubby, they look cute but the medium-framed revolvers will be more practical and useful for you, since you're not packing the thing when you go to the store. Practice is key, and the single most important part of this process you've begun. If you're set on a semi-automatic pistol, just as good. 9mm is mild enough to practice with alot, and not too expensive. Do some research, go to a local range and get in some trigger time with several models of whatever, to get a feel for what fits best in your hand, and which gun has controls that are intuitive and sensible to you. Kahr is a reputable American company that makes smallish pistols that shoot serious calibers, and it's often overlooked by many shooters. Their pistols are similar to Glocks, but cheaper and less bulky. Ruger and CZ also make serviceable pistols for not a lot of money, though CZs are heavy. That might not be a bad thing, 'cuz it helps with recoil.
As previously stated, shotguns are also great. If you're smaller-statured, I'd recommend a Mossberg 500 Bantam model, with a shortened stock, in .20 gauge and with the barrel cut back to 18 inches. At the range of a large room (20 feet), .20 gauge still hits like a sledgehammer. If you load the shotgun with something like #4 birdshot, you won't put huge holes all over your walls, or overpenetrate interior walls. You will still scare the bejeezus out of whoever's there, and can spackle the little holes over later. The shorter barrel makes the whole package handier when you pie those corners in your place(peer around corners in sections, while covering those sections with your weapon). The magazine holds 5+1 shells when you remove the little wooden plug, and you can even switch out the short stock for a pistol grip later, if you can get used to the stiffer recoil that brings. Once again, practice is key. Hope this helps.

Answer 6

Best gun in the home would deffinetly be a shotgun as your target will be no more than 10 metres away. With a pistol you require a steady hand good sights and be well trained to use it for example if you get a stoppage. with a shotgun there is alot less chance of a stoppage happening, a few seconds can make all the difference, what if you draw your gun(heaven forbid that you will need to) you get a stoppage then the intruder pulls one he will win. As a female a shotgun may have a bit to much of a kick depending on your size and strength. If you do get a pistol get a small revolver less rounds than an automatic but no chance of stoppages.

Answer 7

I don't know where Jan lives, but here in USA there is a 2nd amendment that allows you to protect yourself; however, he/she is correct about the .38, it's powerful enough to stop an intruder, but unlike a big magnum (like a .44 mag) won't go through a couple of walls and hit your next door neighbor.
A simple revolver is best, they don't jam, always work, no safety, if you're looking for something to use in an emergency it's the best bet. Find something that is comfortable, find a place to practice, remember that when your dealing with self protection at home your longest shot may be 15 feet. You don't need to be a marksman.
Oh, just so you know, if several years from now I am on my death bed (from natural causes) and never used a gun on another person, that will be a happy and proud day.

Oh you asked about small guns, but a shotgun is extremely deadly at close range.

Answer 8

I have found that a sawn-off shotgun is the best weapon for close quarter shooting. Not many people stand up after the trigger has been squeezed.

Especially useful in bank robberies. So I am told anyway.

Only drawback to the sawn-off shotgun is the pellets do tend to hit a lot of the furniture when used indoors. Trick is to defend your house from the front step or porch.

Answer 9

Remington 12 ga pump shotgun w/ birdshot. And learn how to use it. At distances inside a house, birdshot will take out any intruder but not penetrate walls and hurt the kids.

Around town is a different story and there are many different weapons available. Many are good. I would generally recommend a 9mm from a reputable manufacturer. But find the one that you feel most comfortable with. GET INSTRUCTION/LEARN HOW TO USE IT/GET YOUR CARRY PERMIT. You can *generally* trust the guy at the gunstore to guide you towards what you need. He'll show you many models and perhaps let you shoot them.

Look for a store with a wide variety of weapons and an attached range.

Answer 10

While there have been many examples for handguns, I would prefer the following.

1. A dog. For home protection, companionship, play, etc., you can't beat a fido who is a bit protective of his turf. If the dog is not an option.

2. A shotgun. With any of the other handguns listed, the possibility of shooting through a wall and hitting the neighbor (or depending where you live) the apartment next door or above is very likely. If you miss with a shotgun, you blow a hole in the wall. It doesn't go through the wall and down the block.

The key of course is to have the training, and practice on how to handle whatever weapon you choose and then be ready to use it. Nothing worse than pulling out a gun to have the bad guy take it away from you. You have to be in the mental frame that if someone has broken into my house that I will not hesitate to shoot to kill said individual to protect myself and my family.

Answer 11

I would suggest that if your interested you visit your local gun shop...notice I didn't say pawn shop...try holding several different types and see what feels good to you and start there. Aside from that, if your in an apartment or afraid of a bullet traveling through the wall...if God forbid you had to use it...buy some Glaser Safety Slugs. They are pricey but will turn to powder upon hitting a hard surface. They are of course marketed as a defense load.