HD Gun

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Chaingunner

New member
Hey folks. I'm looking to buy a handgun within the next month or two. I'm looking for suggestions for a home defense weapon, based on the following criteria

price: up to 700 dollars
size: any
caliber: 9mm, .357mag or sig, .40, or .45
type: semiauto or wheelgun
capacity: whatever is currently legal in the Comissaar's People's Republik of our Supreme Overseer, Comrade Stalin...I mean, CA (i think it's currently 10rd mags)
glocks: need not apply (never had a good experience shooting these things)

any input is appreciated.
 
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Love&Hate12

New member
.40 would be good as it's a nice combination of velocity and weight and not too expensive to practice with, 9mm would be the least of course.

The biggest bonus I have had with the .40 is the hotter .40 rounds don't recoil much more than standard target rounds so they are easier to rapid fire, the hotter .45 rounds rated at +p are more powerful than the .40 but they recoil quite a bit, the hottest +p+ 9mm don't recoil much more than .40 target rounds either so it would be a good choice for power and control.

The .357 is the most powerful of them but will kill your ears more than the others will as well.

A Sig or HK in .40 or 9mm is what I say and they can be had for under your maximum price.
 
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flashman70

New member
For home defense I'm kinda of the opinion that a revolver is the way to go. I figure if I'm awakened by something going "bump" in the night, I'll be pretty rattled. A revolver doesn't take any thought. I think a 4" barrel provides enough of a sight picture to be relatively accurate. I'm thinking a S&W 686 or 620. You can use .38 for target practice and load it with .357 for home defense.
 
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Mark54g

New member
a good 4" revolver in .357 would be good, but many would carry .38+P because of noise and flash.
Many are going to recommend a shotgun, not a bad idea, but it is up to you to decide what you want.

Anything in a service calibur would do well for you.

Almost any ruger would be fine. They are large, bulky and reliable. Triggers are not tops, but not near the bottom either. They go bang when you want.

CZ 75 series is another good choice. The P-01 has a rail so you can add a light or laser. You could also go with the larger CZ 97 in .45 if you feel like it.

SIGs might be up there on your price list, but there are Certified Pre-Owned ones you could buy.
P-220 or P-226 would be good, if you don't have to worry about carry

Beretta PX4 Storm (don't know if it has 10rd mags)

Try out a bunch, see what you like.
 
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gak

New member
Ditto on the 4" .357 - very versatile. Also, though not nearly as available, 3" a great compromise and an easier carry while giving up very little ballistically or kick-wise to the 4".

Also, one of the beauties of the .40 S&W (auto) is that in its max form even where higher cap mags are allowed or preban days, the 40 seldom carried much more than 10 anyway even in the larger frames offered by the caliber's gun manufacturers (my Daewoo = 11)...so the "frustration factor" of having a round like the 9mm that can be had elsewhere in 15-17 round mags isn't quite there--you feel like with "only 10" in a full-sized frame, there should at least be the payoff or consolation of higher power. So...others aren't shooting much more than 10 in the 40s even where laws would allow. Yes, some of the newer formats have increased the .40's capacity, but most of the traditional configurations are still in the 10 territory. Like the other poster said, the .40's a good combination of features and virtues. Those'd be my two recommendations.
 
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mikejonestkd

New member
As the previous members stated: a decent .357 4 - 6" double action revolver will do nicely. So will any well made .45 auto, as long as you become trained to using it's controls under stress.

Personally if I was to pick one weapon for home defense it would be a short barrelled remington 870 12 ga, or perhaps a mossberg 500 series. They are WAY more powerful than a handgun and easier to use with similar training.
 
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Twin1911S

Moderator
I'd take a XD-40 or XD-45 in the night if you get woke up and are in the dark and don't want to turn on any lights the xd has a indicator ontop of slide to let you know when a round is chambered. also on the back there is no hammer so when cocked the firing pin indicator sticks out. all of these things are good for being in the dark. It also has a rail to mound laser or flash light so when you get up on the person (if stealthy enough) you can suprise and blind and maybe defuse the situation without having to put anyone to sleep. also its a very attractive gun.
 
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Mikeyboy

New member
Live alone or are you married. Remember your wife might have to use the thing. If your looking strickly for home defense and you have dont want to get too deep into shooting as a hobby. I would go with a .38/357 revolver or a Shotgun (.20 gauge if you got a wife / 12 gauge for more kick). If you like to get into shooting or you already are, get a semi-auto 9mm or .40. Touch and rent some guns and see what you like. Cali stinks for gun laws so high capacity is out. I would go with a mid sized gun and not a big full sized service weapon.
 
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MR.G

New member
Recent local home invasions have been done by groups of three or more. That is why I switched from a seven shot .357 to a 9mm S&W loaded with 16 rounds of Federal HST for HD. The extra rounds might come in handy. Also have a Mossberg 500 with 20" barrel and extended tube ready to go.
 
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Chaingunner

New member
Thanks for the advice, guys. I suppose I'll take another look at those HKs and SiGs. While wheelguns are simpler to operate, the fact that semiautos have higher mag. capacities really draws me to 'em.

I had originally wanted a Beretta (since I use 'em all the time at work and on duty), but the store over here only has one which comes in the factory box with a web belt and accessories that I really don't need (mag pouches, holster, etc etc), for a price of around eight hundred dollars.

Familiarity under stress is something I'm not particularly worried about - one night while sleeping in the armory on my ship I awoke to the sound of someone trying to jimmy the door...and I realized I had a loaded beretta in my hand, safety off and hammer cocked. The guy trying to get in stopped when he heard the slide go forward.

The only reason I'm not looking at a shotty is because they're not quite as maneuverable - my apartment is pretty confined, so that would be quite a disadvantage. CA laws being what they are, I don't expect to be able to get a short barreled shotty any time soon (or ever, really..).

Thanks again folks
 
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SD_Chop

New member
for home defense only....... i would go with the .45auto. Your talking short range, and good stopping power. A 900-1000fps 230grain round is good for that. Who gives a damn about noise, if im protecting myself and my family in MY dweling, i dont care how loud, messy or anything it is. With a XD-45 u get 14rounds of .45 out of a great firearm that will call upon its duties. In my honest opion 9mm is a bullet, and bullets kill, BUT why take just that little chance that a 9mm wont do the job that a .45 would at close range.
 
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cen

New member
noise

+1 SD Chop, I'm amazed that people are concerned about the noise in a self-defense encounter. Deaf or Dead?..........I'll take deaf.
 
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Mark54g

New member
Noise and flash mean more than just an inconvenience. They can take you out of a fight. Tactical advantage is just that. You lose that when your senses are destroyed. You now have a possibly wounded, possibly not assailant in your home. I would want every possible advantage at that point. .357mags are VERY loud, especially indoors. I agree if it were simply a matter of life or hearing, hearing goes. The issue is surviving the encounter.
 
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kymasabe

New member
I have my SIG P226 in 9mm for home defense. Light recoil, fast follow-up shots, extremely accurate. I always have my AK to fall back on too.

Another gun for home defense is the Kel-Tec Sub2000 in 9mm with Glock mags. I had one, very light and small, fun to shoot, had a 33-round Glock mag (I never loaded more than 30 in it) and has filled with Federal Hydra-Shoks.
 
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Chaingunner

New member
I stopped by the gun shop today to do a little prospecting. They don't have a range, so the best I could do was get a feel for several different guns in my hand, and test the trigger pull. I like the trigger pull on the sig 229 (i think that's the one...it's the full size .40 cal offering), and it fits well in my hand. It costs a bit more than I had wanted to pay, but I have a buddy who works in the store who may be able to get me a discount, so I'm not too worried.

I also looked at a mid-size HK. Trigger pull was ok, but I'm not too fond of the mag release. The trigger pull on the smallest HKs they had was ridiculous in the extreme (heaviest trigger pull I've ever felt on any weapon), so small HKs are definitely out.

I forgot to check out the CZs, so I will do so on saturday.
 
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BillCA

New member
For home defense I prefer a revolver as the "first response" gun. As someone else indicated, the manual of arms is very simple - just point & click (okay, bang!). No worries about forgetting to stiffen your wrist or release the safety.

Something like this:
M66Galco01.jpg

S&W Model 66, .357 with 2.5" barrel.

If you prefer self-shuckers, this has proved to be pretty accurate for me:
SpringChampRed1sm.jpg
 
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