This is a question that has been asked a time or two in the past but I'm interested the the fresh THR opinion. For a home defense handgun (not CCW), would you choose capacity over caliber or vise versa? Just to use Glock as an example, would you take a Glock 17 (9mm) with 17 round capacity or a Glock 21 (45ACP) with a 13 round capacity? How good a compromise would 40 S&W be? Just been thinking and am curious.
Some folks will say that placement trumps power and magazine capacity. To that I say Yes and Not Really. True, Placement trumps power every time, but capacity gives you more chances to get the placement right.
Personally, I want BOTH power and Capacity. I run a standard 15+1 in my G20. I figure that ought to do the trick. If I wanted more capacity there are inexpensive mag extensions that yield a +2 capacity, for a total of 17+1, which is equal to all but the most capacious 9mm's.
For a home defense gun (Read: Nightstand gun), you don't really have to choose between power and capacity. You can have your big bore gun and run an extended mag to get all the capacity you want.
For instance: you could get those G21 mags meant for the Kriss SuperV (aka Vector SMG) that hold 30rds and run one of those in your G21. Or you could run a SuperV pistol...
Or a Draco 7.62x39 with a 75rd drum mag, and a laser, flashlight, bayonet, red-dot sight and an under-mounted shotgun.
But that would just be silly.
For myself, I like something reasonably compact, respectable powerful, reliable and within budget.
Like this: