Best Guns for Home Defense

Many families are more vulnerable to home invasions than they may think. These families may feel like there is no possibility that someone would want to cause them harm or if they do feel like this, they may think that the police will be there to save them. Then there are the families that realize that they may need to protect themselves before the cops can arrive. These people may decide to purchase a firearm in order to protect their home. With all of the options available, it can be difficult deciding which one will do this job the best. In this article I will give my opinion on what firearms I feel are best suited for this job and will stop the invaders before they can cause harm.

Ruger Redhawk chambered in .41 mag with 240 grain hollow points

 If I could only choose one gun for home defense it would be a large caliber double action revolver. The number one reason for this is reliability. Revolvers require little maintenance and unlike semi autos, do not have springs that will wear out when being loaded for prolonged periods of inactivity. There is not the risk of jamming that there is with semi automatics. A revolver can just sit and is ready whenever you need it. Remember, I am not talking about a combat situation, just a home invasion scenario where six powerful shots should suffice.

Revolvers are also much easier to use than semi automatic handguns. They do not have a safety or a slide to deal with and are ready to be fired. You do not want be fumbling around with a safety or having to rack a slide when put in a life or death situation. With a revolver all you need to do is aim and pull the trigger, which could be crucial in a low light or intense situation where nerves will be hard to overcome. The ease of use makes it able to be used by members of the family who are not necessarily familiar with firearms. That being said, make sure to be careful in how you store a double action revolver, because it only takes one pull of the trigger for it to fire.

When choosing a revolver, I would choose one that is chambered for large caliber ammunition. The more stopping power the gun has, the better when defending one's home. You may only get the opportunity to fire once and you want it to count. A revolver, like the one pictured above, is ideal for home defense and is what I personally use. It is a Ruger Redhawk chambered in the somewhat rare .41 magnum. A suitable alternative would be one chambered in .44 magnum, which is much more common than the .41.

Remington 870 Express 12 gauge with 18.5'' barrel and 6 round magazine tube

 A close second to the double action revolver is the pump action shotgun. It is a powerhouse with great stopping power, even when using smaller bird shot, at close range. Shotguns are easier to be accurate with than handguns, because they shoot several lead balls (called shot) that spray out a pattern. When choosing what size shot to use, I would say the bigger the better, because stopping power can be crucial towards survival. A great choice would be 00 or double ought buckshot. There is however a benefit to using smaller shot, like bird shot, because it will not penetrate interior walls as easily as larger buckshot. One must always keep in mind what is on the other side of a wall when defending oneself.

A short barreled  pump shotgun with a magazine extension, like the one pictured above, would be my ideal choice of shotgun for home defense. The extended magazine tube allows for more rounds to be carried in the gun, while the short barrel allows for greater maneuverability in tight quarters such as a home. Although you may not always want the intruder to know that you know they are there, (the element of surprise can give you the advantage) the iconic sound a pump action shotgun makes when chambering a round could make even the most malicious criminal think twice before going any further. This could possibly handle the situation without a shot ever being fired.

The most important thing you can do if you purchase a firearm for home defense, is to take it out and practice with it. Get comfortable with your gun and make it second nature to pick it up, aim and shoot it. This practice can be fun and will give you the confidence you need to use your gun in a critical situation.

My personal choice for home defense