Is a handgun enough for home defense?

[iyn]

I live in a wooden town house in the city. I've been told a shotgun is better for home defense, but I do not enjoy shooting them and I have a bad back. I enjoy shooting pistols, revolvers especially, but at the range I shoot a 1911 better. Is a handgun enough for home defense?

 

[TexasBill]

Sure! And a 1911 is a dandy choice. Pump shotguns (the ones everybody recommends) are wonderful weapons but they do have their drawbacks and there are a lot of popular myths about them. You do have to aim, they can be difficult to deploy in close quarters, they are noisy (the same "Ka-chunk" that's supposed to scare the bad boys off also reveals your position), they require two hands and a pump shotgun is the only single-action weapon I have ever seen anyone recommend for home defense. Sort of like a bolt-action rifle. You might be able to pump real fast, but I bet I can pull the trigger again faster. In fairness, it must be said a load of 00 buck is among the few projectiles that will generally bring the festivities to a rapid, and favorable, conclusion and the "Ka-chunk" is a real attention-getter in the right circumstances.

 

[chupacabrah]

my shotgun is in the safe, and my handgun is easily accessibe.
Ideally I'd be able to make it to the shotgun, but I don't count on that. in close quarters, I think a handgun is much more maneuverable, free hand, etc.

In my personal situation, I would grab the kids out of there rooms (very young), and get them in mine. I could do this one-handed with a handgun. with shotgun I would be pretty much defenseless.

so yeah, there's pros and cons

 

[smallbore]

My wife & I live in log home in a semi-rural area. Pistols are our primary hd weapons. We have readily available long guns stored in the most defenseable rooms of the house. Potential overpenetration was a factor when selecting hd ammo.

 

[Sauer Grapes]

Handgun is also my choice for home defense. I don't have to worry about little ones in the house so I also keep a SxS loaded in my closet, but it probably isn't what I would grab first.
For stopping power though, a shotgun IMO is superior over any handgun. I can't imagine anybody being able to withstand the blast of a shotgun at close range.

I hope I never have to find out.

 

[omegaflame]

Yes a gun with a caliber more powerful than a 380 is "enough," but a shotgun is better imo.

 

[lima_w]

(the same "Ka-chunk" that's supposed to scare the bad boys off also reveals your position)

I never understood why people try to scare the person away. Sure he may get scared away, but he may also choose a different plan of attack if he's determined.

The only noise my shotgun makes is a quiet "tink" when I disengage the safety

 

[Jason_W]

If you can hit targets with it under stress, it's fine. I'm not going to pretend to be a tactical expert, but logic dictates that a more important factor in a home defense situation than the specifics of your weapon is not waking up to a bad guy already standing over your bed. A HD weapon has to be reliable and of sufficient caliber to stop an attacker, but most internet arguing over technical details is really just hair splitting.

To sum up the opinions of a guy who has no experience in law enforcement, military, or security is to make sure whatever you you have is in reliable working condition and that you're proficient with it. More importantly, have a defense plan and try to make your dwelling such that intruders can't force entry without making a lot of noise.

 

[MikeNice]

A shotgun is good, but like a pistol a lot of it is shot placement.

A high school principal in NC was driving to school one morning. He was on a long empty road when he was ambushed. A truck pulled up beside him and, from less than eight feet, the passenger shot him in the face. He lost about a third of his bottom jaw, both lips, and one pinky. However, he dove more than fifteen miles to get help. Then he was taken to the hospital. They stabilized him and flew him to a trauma center. He is still alive and doing as well as could be expected.

No gun is guaranteed. A pistol will do the job if you train with it and do your part.

Heck there was a guy, near where I live, that killed two intruders with a Ruger 10/22. The third intruder ended up in the hospital for a couple of weeks. The home owner only had nine bullets in the magazine. He had decided to wait untill the next morning to buy ammo.

 

[Blacky]

I recommend 2 guns, first a stainless revolver, 357 mag. You can shoot it with one hand, you can shoot with either hand and it won't jam.

I also keep a pump 12 gauge loaded but not charged with 1 bird shot followed with 00 buck shot.

I have my shotgun on the left side of my bed and my 357 on the right side. I have many other guns I could choose but this formula is what works best for me.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[racine]

The handgun should be the quickest to access. That should allow you to assess your situation and, time allowed, give you safe access to your shotgun. If you have a bad back then a softer shooting semi would be a better option. I personally consider your walls, fellow occupants and neighbors when choosing calibers. For that reason I prefer hollowpoints and birdshot with a 40 or 45 and a 12 ga. respectively. Practice for controlled accuracy and speed. For the shotty, practice with the shot size you're using say 4 or 6 shot at ranges approximating your house and using cover. There also exists low recoil shotgun ammo. Obviously your back determines your range session and consider a small consultation with your orthopod. Good luck.

 

[Deanimator]

You can't generalize across millions of individuals and their homes.

The apartment we lived in in Chicago when I was born would have been a good place for a shotgun or carbine. Hell, it would have been a decent place for a Gew 98 with the bayonet fixed.

In my current home, any non-NFA long gun is a waste of time. I literally can't get anywhere in here without it banging into something. I've got long guns, but outside of a civil unrest situation, they're irrelevant to my circumstances. I always have at least one loaded handgun nearby, usually the one I carried that day.

You've got to look at YOUR specific circumstances and make an intelligent decision based on those circumstances, not dogma coughed up by somebody who's never even seen a picture of your home, nevermind never having actually been there.

 

[Otony]

It is almost impossible for us to suggest what might be best for you, as each home and surrounding area is going to be different. Plus we cannot know exactly how familiar you are with any given firearm.

That being written, a 1911 is of course going to be a fine weapon for home defense. The caveat being the danger to those whom you wish to keep safe. That danger being from misses or misdirected shots.

Virtually any weapon fired in a home can (and will!) result in penetration of sheet-rock, up to and including exiting the house proper. I would be more concerned with bullets piercing my neighbors walls than whether or not I have the "right" gun. We already know you have a fine pistol, more than capable of stopping a miscreant. Since you are not a soldier or policeman with the resulting needs of those occupations, the odds are that having a .45 pistol should prove overwhelmingly sufficient.

My suggestion is to practice, practice, practice with what you own, so as to instill a greater level of confidence with your abilities. Buy a very high quality flashlight, keep it along with a cordless or cell phone handy at all times . Beyond that we are simply discussing "what ifs" and zombie invasion.

 

[Old krow]

Is a handgun enough for home defense?

I wouldn't have a problem with a 1911 provided that it was reliable and I had enough skill with it to use it properly. Most of the more popular calibers in handguns should work fine provided that you do your part. I primarily use a handgun, but I keep a shotgun handy as well. I practice regularly.

The weapon only really has to meet a minimum set of standards, after that skill takes over and puts the final determination on what is "enough" for HD. I suppose that it's up to us as individuals to define the "set of standards" for ourselves, but, most people would agree that .45ACP is sufficient for the task.

 

[RonDeer10mm]

Yes a handgun is better in my opinion because in a home invasion situation if Assailant stands by a corner waiting it will be harder for you to engage him in time because shotguns are longer and in a narrow hallway usually harder to get on target faster than a handgun. Also keeping a few pre loaded magazines is a good idea at least 3 IMO It could be more than just 1 robber.

 

[oldbanjo]

I would rather use my pistols inside but do have Shotguns. If I go outside the Shotgun is my choice. Also I'm in an open area.

 

[lt762x39]

My 2 cents is this having studied some martial arts; specificaly weapons disarmerment tactics the long gun is by far the easiest to take away. Hand guns are much more difficult to get. They make ammo for hand guns that are low penitration (to walls) like the glaser safety slug. Hollow points can clog when going through clothing like jackets. They also make a new slug that has a plastic ball on the end of the bullet the makes sure the hollow point expands fully there by stopping in the perp trying to do you and your family harm. deleted -- <Sam>


The best book I have ever read was by Massod Ayoob ( I am sure I killed his name with poor spelling ) its called" the truth about self defense. He is deleted, expert witness and writes in all the gun mags.

 

[JohnBiltz]

There are very few circumstances with bullets flying where I would not prefer having a long gun to a pistol. More power and greater accuracy make them a better choice. We have pistols because they are easier to carry and conceal than long guns not because they are better. Every pistol is a compromise created to make it smaller and lighter than a long gun. How many times have you heard of soldiers putting down their rifles and drawing a hand gun to enter a building, or a SWAT team doing something similar?

Racking a slide: 99% of anyone breaking into your home wants to get in and get out with your valuables and without engaging in a gunfight and will run when hearing a shotgun rack. This is the absolute best outcome of any home break in. No shots fired, threat removed. If you don't keep a round chambered in your pistol or rifle when you work the action you are giving your position away also. For some reason this never gets mentioned. Personally I don't like leaving long guns around with a round chambered. It doesn't feel safe to me.

I like to have both. I'm not going to answer a door with a shotgun. A bump in the night I'm probably going to take a pistol not a shotgun because its probably not going to be a threat. I hear the metal screaming as the front security door is pried open I'm bringing the shotgun. Clearing rooms is not a real issue for me with my home layout. My shotgun and a bag full of ammo is in my safe place an inside closet.

 

[possum]

if that is all i have then a handgun will have to do. In my home i have a carbine and a shotgun, and they are my first and foremost choices for home defense. I would not feel under armed with only a handgun, or a handgun for HD duties, however i feel much better having a carbine, and or shotgun.

 

[9mmforMe]

My preference would be a semiauto shotgun backed up by a handgun (semiauto 9mm).

As part of home defense, I'd really like to plan out a safe room that has substantial cover made for that reason...perhaps a very heavy duty bookshelf with some relief holes to see/shoot through.

I think the Op's choice of a 1911 sounds like a good one.

 

[wrs840]

I would rather use my pistols inside but do have Shotguns. If I go outside the Shotgun is my choice. Also I'm in an open area.

+1. Have the options. In a "bump in the night" scenario, I'm picking up a 9mm loaded with 18 rds of low-flash hollowpoints if I think a threat may be already in the house. If it's outside on the porch or attempting to breach, 12ga shotgun.

Les

 

[Blacky]

The issue I have with a 1911 or any auto is that if you lose the use of one of your hands, arms or even a finger... exactly how effective are you going to be?

 

[wrs840]

^^^^
If the auto is chambered and off "safety", how is it inferior to a shotgun or revolver in an one-good-hand scenario?

Les

 

[Girodin]

The issue I have with a 1911 or any auto is that if you lose the use of one of your hands, arms or even a finger... exactly how effective are you going to be?

Running a semi-auto handgun one handed is basic handgun 101 stuff. It is also IMHO easier to run one handed than a shotgun. Not being able to is a software issue not a hardware issue.

If the auto is chambered and off "safety", how is it inferior to a shotgun or revolver in an one-good-hand scenario?

Even if its not. Drawing, reloading, clearing malfunctions are all things you should be able to do one handed. Again these are basics.

A handgun you know how to operate and are comfortable with is a better choice than a shotgun you don't know how to run well and are not comfortable with. While a handgun does not offer the sheer power of a shotgun or a rifle it may be a better choice based on other considerations.

Which is a "better" HD gun depends on a number of things:

1. Users skill sets and ability with each one

2. The specific tasks and circumstances that HD involves in a given situation. Each weapon system has its pros and cons and circumstances dictate which is better at a given moment. There simply is no universal best.

There are some very solid shooters who are competent with a number of weapon systems (including handgun and shotgun) that prefer the handgun to a shotgun for HD.

 

[Blacky]

So you can chamber and shoot your auto with your weak hand, without the aid of your other hand as fast as you can with an old school revolver... thats pretty ninja.

I'll keep my revolver on my nightstand and my 1911 in my safe, I'm not as cool as you are.