House Gun Opinion?

The 1911. I'm just not a revolver guy. Were I a revolver guy, the GP100. Either would serve well if the user did their part.

I'm not a revolver guy, but I'll take a revolver over a 1911. I feel a single-stack full-size pistol wastes real estate. I like detachable magazines, but most often your house gun is going to be grabbed with what is in it, so you're really only talking about one round. The advantage is you don't have to remember if the chamber is loaded or hit the safety, you can just grab it and fire.

Now, if I were not limitted, I would say at the very least a double-stack 1911, if not another double-stack pistol would be better, and for a house gun I'd prefer a long gun. The recent story of a woman shooting a man 5 times in the face with a .38 special has led me to think that maybe 6 isn't enough even for one attacker (and that was with 83% hit rate).

I prefer the 1911 to the revolver. No knock on the revolver (I periodically carry a Model 65 S&W, 3" barrel).

In the dark, a reload is "hands find hands" for the semi-auto, and I need speed loaders for the wheel gun (if you need a reload).

The 1911 is single action all the time. Less trigger pressure.

FWIW, I voted for the GP100. That being said, when I bought a house gun over 30 years ago my only experience with handguns was with the 1911 from the Army so I got one. It still serves as my house gun, but if I were to make a new purchase today it would be a 4" .357.

Both are solid. I'd take the 1911, personally.

Given no other parameters and choices, the revolver is easier to use reliably - point and pull the trigger.

That said, both are good choices but there are better choices. Whatever you choose, practice with it often.

1911. Less risk of over penetration and easier on the ears indoors.

1911 - those few extra rounds plus the ease of reloading might just make the difference.

GP-100, cuz I don't like 1911s .

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

The GP because it's a .357MAG. I've no beef with .45ACP or 1911s; I just prefer the .357MAG as a stopper.

I voted for the GP-100 as well.

I lean towards the revolver for a house gun for the simple fact that you can leave it loaded forever without worrying about spring compression in a magazine. When I pull out my house gun, I want it to go "bang" and not "click" because the mag spring is weak and worn out. Now, I am not an expert on spring compression, but my experience in industrial settings tells me it is possible over time. My house gun is a Ruger Blackhawk in .45LC.

I routinely carry a 1911 as my CPL gun (mainly winter), a Sig P250 Subcompact 9mm in warmer weather, and a Ruger LCP. With my carry guns, however, I don't leave the magazines loaded for more than a week without unloading them and giving them a "break". If this is overkill, and I am being over concerned about this, please advise.

Neither. A handgun is for when you have to have a gun with you as you go about your business -- you compromise on power to get portability and concealability.

You don't have to make that compromise in your home. Get a pump shotgun.

American Finn, what wears out a spring is use - repeated compression and relaxation. A magazine loaded once could sit for decades and work just fine - and there are plenty of magazines that have done just that.

To the original question, I can't vote for one or the other, because both of these weapons are included in our home defense plan. Either is a fine choice.

I'd be fine with either. But, i don't foresee keeping the 1911 cocked and locked, so I give the nod to the Double action revolver over the Single action pistol.

I'm a died in the wool 1911 guy starting in 1962.

But for a house gun you intend to leave laying around loaded.
One you or your wife might have to grab up and use in a moment of panic?
And safely clear after you shot someone with it while waiting for the cops to get there!

You just can't do better then a revolver.

It's either loaded, or it isn't.

You or your wife are very unlikely to have an ND and get yourself shot by a cop while clearing it in a moment of panic.
And forgeting there is still one in the chamber after you drop the mag.

rc

I voted for reliability. In this instance that's the gp.

Depends on who might be called upon to use it, among other things. My house? I was combat-trained in the double-action revolver far more than the semi-automatic, and never in the single-action semi-automatic. The GP-100 wins the assignment.

That's not to say I cannot press a 1911 into service easily; I know I could, though it would be better to be an ambidextrous model as I am left-handed. But, for my wife to also have the firearm as an option, it would have to be the revolver. There is no requirement that, just because the revolver is chambered for the .357Magnum round, it has to be loaded with it. There are more than enough fine performers in .38 Special.

More rounds with the 1911

Wow, tied at 24 to 24 when I voted. I chose the 1911 by the way.

I own both a GP-100 and a Series 70.

And I generally use a S&W 19 as my house gun.

Both are fine HD handguns. If you always carry a 1911 and are used to swiping off the safety without thinking use the 1911 for HD. If not go simple and use a GP100. If awaken in the middle of the night and your fine motor skills are not yet up to speed you don't want to try and operate a 1911 if you're not used to shooting one. In any case, I'm a revolver guy so I would go with the GP100.

Either is a good choice, and I would be perfectly comfortable with either.
That said, I voted for the GP because quite often house guns (I know nothing of the particulars of your situation, so this may or may not apply) must be ready to use by shooters of varrying degrees of familiarity with the weapon. A solid DA revolver is about as forgiving as a firearm can be as for as being able to be effectivly used by a novice.

I own both an I voted for the gp. Reason is reality

I own both, and though neither would be my first choice, I voted for the GP100. The reason is I think my wife likes the simplicity of the revolver. She likes the fact that it is simple. Pull trigger and shoot. she would rather shoot full house 357 loads out of the GP than factory 45 fmj out of the 1911.

Consider who else may need to use it, then choose what you think is best...

LNK