Which handgun for home defense?

[sigpro2340]

.45 FNX-45 Tactical.

[jeager106]

I'll argue one point. That even the .22 & .25 auto are lethal at close range.
I've seen my share of dead people killed with the .22 & .25. I've also seen TWO men shot right through the heart at bad breath distance that didn't even know they'd been shot for a bit.
Saw one .25 auto bullet hit a girl in the blue jeans pants rivet at the pocket.
Bullet pushed rivet into her underwear, didn't penetrate the skin.
Saw a guy shot in the knee cap with a .25 auto and he limped to the E.R.
I'll keep my handguns because they are handy.
At defense ranges, between 3 & 6 feet most anyone that practices some can easily inflict deadly wounds on a gobblin pretty quickly with a handgun.
My bedstand pistol is an H&K USP .45 auto & next to that is an AR & 12 ga. pump.
I live alone in the country, no close nieghbors, am partially crippled and DO answer the door with a handgun (out of sight of course).
Around here if gobblins know you keep guns they will kill you & take the guns.
THEY knock on the door WITH a gun.

[alex78]

RIA 1911 TCM Commander.
Low recoil, 18 shots, blinds the attacker, 2000 ft./ second more devastating than the 45 any ammo. if you miss, the blast will knock him down.

[AustinTX]

The Beretta, and not from just those choices. The 92FS with 18 rounds of 124-grain +P Gold Dots is my nightstand gun.

[NickySantoro]

They're all fine. Put a quality HD round from any of them into the boiler room and it's game over. You win.

[pgdion]

92FS hands down for me, great gun, easy to hit your target, super reliable. I actually keep its slightly shorter sister the 9mm Cougar in my drawer.

[Mastrogiacomo]

Well, as stated, I depend on my Vertec but as of last Friday, I landed a stainless Italian model 92FS....so nothing beats two Berettas......

[jr24]

I picked the Glock, as I don't really like DA/SA and the FNX .45 is a bit big in my hands.

That said, all 4 are perfectly great firearms for the stated purpose.

[JD0x0]

Glock in 10mm would be nice, or you could even get a 9mm Dillon barrel for it and enjoy a 124 grain projectile moving at 1700FPS from a pistol barrel. Might come in handy if the BG happens to be wearing armor or some sort of ballistic vest. It's really not hard to get your hands on a cheap ballistic vest that'll stop projectiles from most common auto pistol cartridges.

[Doc Holliday 1950]

I have to vote for 357/38 spec. I sold my semi's for 3 reasons.
1- Sometimes they jam and I don't care who you are or what you got. It's going to happen.
2- Older I get, the harder to lock and load.
3- Hard of hearing in one ear. No biggi.

[Evil Monkey]

If there is zero reason to own a handgun for home defense, and if maneuverability is no issue, then why do ALL the police have handguns?

Easier going in and out of police cars. Not to mention, a police handgun is in it's most truest sense an emergency weapon.

I don't see SWAT teams rolling in with only handguns.........

[serf 'rett]

9mm - know how to run the DA/SA platform and like more rounds than come in wheelies.

[Panfisher]

I would think any of them would certainly be better than a sharp wit. Whichever one fits you the best, you are the most comfortable with, and shoot the best. And just because it may be able to handle high power loads such as a .357 doesn't mean you have to feed it those heavy loads, I have some 125 gr. HP loaded for my wifes .357 that are at best moderate, my .45's are 230 gr HP's loaded similarly. Much easier to handle while shooting rapidly, and either way if used inside we are all going to have ringing ears at the best anyway. If I make it to my rifle then the loudness will last longer.

[44 AMP]

Not to mention, a police handgun is in it's most truest sense an emergency weapon.

When you are talking personal/home defense, that is true for ALL OF US!!!!

Also police handguns predated police cars by several decades in the US, so ease in getting in and out of police cars, while a benefit, simply isn't the reason they have them.

people make claims about how weak handgun loads are, how they really lack stopping power, and the modern mantra of how revolvers don't hold enough ammo. I have even heard some "educated" people claim how in a gunfight today, a revolver will get you killed, etc,.....

And yet, everybody uses them....

and it shows no signs of stopping, or even slowing down....

[cobra6]

Any hand gun that you are comfortable with is the best rule of thumb, I have the S&W Shield 9mm with Hornady critical defense 115 gr FTX. In winter I use the Kimber Ultra Raptor II with Hornady Custon 45 acp +P 230 gr XTP this round will help with heavy winter clothe

[MarkCO]

FNX .45 would be my choice of those offered. Plenty of everything you want and a wide array of ammo choices from soft to +P. Has a rail for a light, that won't affect function and get beat up too bad.

That said, it would not be my first choice out of any handgun, but I assume it is what you own. However, what I like is not what you like. Pick the one you are the most comfortable with, shoot the best. Then get a case of ammo, maybe an advanced class and practice at least once a month.

The better your home security, the less likelihood you will need to defend with a firearm. However, the better you are with your firearms; shooting, handling and associated tactics, the better prepared you may be if you have to defend.

Who is the absolute best "situational defensive pistol" shooter you know? (Let's not debate, just think of that person). When does that person become sufficiently armed? With a .22LR, .380, 9mm, 5.56, .308? The higher the skill level, the wider the array of available weapons and calibers will be "sufficient" for 95% of the circumstances that the average civilian might be faced with. Choose accordingly.

[Strafer Gott]

I lean to the Beretta, out of that mix. Those FNs' must be the ugagliest things out there.

[iamdb]

18" shotgun would be my first choice. But if I was limited, I'd go with a low pressure round. Despite what some people claim, even with adrenaline, you will notice muzzle blast. I'd take 357 and 10mm off the table for middle of the night hd option. Both are great rounds, but there are better choices for inside and in the dark.

[photofree]

An adult kid of mine had a ND while house sitting for me. Standard .38 HP. From a 6" barrel. Penetrated 2 interior walls entered a third and grazed an iron water pipe. It shattered but still had the power to take out the mirror on the third wall and one small piece of brass was found in the fourth exterior wall.
Know where your loved ones are in your home. Just a .38 somebody will say.

[treg]

I voted Beretta.

Put the leftover $ into practice ammo.

[BurgerBoy]

I would get a Glock 23 and then get a 9mm and 357 barrels for it and you have three guns in one.