Safe Luxury - What kind of hand gun would recommend for for home defense?

What kind of hand gun would recommend for for home defense?

My only experience with a weapon is the M16 when I was in the National Guard. Believe it or not, I don't have much experience with hand guns. The contract for my home security service is about to expire and I would feel safer if I had a weapon for protection. I would like a hand gun that's safe and easy to use. The most I would pay is $500. Any recommendations and what should I expect to pay.

Public Comments

You should buy a 12 gauge shotgun for home defense. I say this because a bullet from a pistol can potentually go through your home invader and continue through the wall and keep going. Were as a shotgun, with buckshot is easier to hit your target and the wall will absorb most of the damage so that you don't have to worry about hurting innocent people.
any small handgun that you can keep close by your bed would work, its more the presence of the gun and not the power of the gun. If you want a really good way to ward off invaders, get a medium to large sized dog. Remember, if you have a big a55 gun and you kill someone one shot, you will be still arrested for murder, if you have a small gun, just shoot his leg or something, then its just defense., plus its really hard to steal stuff or hurt a family with a wounded leg. just shoot and get out.
a .45 caliber is the most effective and simple to use.
A handgun is handy indoors and can be conveniently concealed almost anywhere in the home, ready for use. It is the easiest of all guns to retain in a hand to hand struggle. It can be fired from either hand in an emergency situation. (This is especially true of revolvers). Centerfire pistols and revolvers from approximately 9mm/.38 caliber on up, assuming appropriate ammunition is chosen, offer good stopping power for indoor home defense without the extreme risk of over penetration of a deer rifle or shotgun stuffed with slugs. They are much less likely to severely damage the home you are trying to protect than a shotgun. For all of these reasons handguns are the first choice of the majority of experts for home defense. Of the various types of handguns, only revolvers and autoloading pistols should be considered for home defense. Service type handguns are the typical, and best, choices. These usually come with better sights and are easier to shoot accurately than the smaller, lighter handguns designed primarily for concealed carry.
The best home defense firearm is a pump shotgun. Get yourself a Mossberg 500 or a Maverick 88 then replace the barrel with an 18 1/2" (check the legality in your jurisdiction, but they're legal pretty much anywhere). EVERYONE on the planet KNOWS the distinctive racking noise when you chamber a round, the shorter barrel makes it much harder for someone to grab it and disarm you. Lastly, load it with buckshot, less chance of having an over penetration and killing someone in the next room..... If you've made up your mind on a handgun, keep it simple..... .38 snub nosed revolver. Which ever you choose, spend some time at the range wit it until firing it becomes second nature.
I have 2 for home use 1 is a pump 12ga. loaded with #1 buckshot and the other is my .44mag loaded with CCI bird shot! I shot a would be robber with the shot round at about 12 feet and it did not kill him but made him wish God was on his side.I have shot these loads into pieces of drywall and plywood to check ballistic's and find they make for great close range home protection shells. But my 3rd round starts with semi jacketed hollow points if needed! Gun locks and full safety traning when using any firearm in the home please! There used to be a home safety round made for handguns but I have not seen them an the market for a long time. They were a synthetic round but I do not remember the manufacturers name,sorry!
If you don't want to get a shotgun, I'd recommend a revolver along the lines of the Ruger GP100, which you should be able to fit within your budget.
I'd recommend getting a .357 magnum revolver. They are very simple in design, meaning they are simple to use, and are less prone to malfunction. Reliability is the most important part here. You don't want your gun to fail when you need it. A .357 magnum revolver is capable of firing both .357 magnum rounds as well as .38 special rounds. The .357 magnum is considered one of the best home defense rounds. The kick may be excessive to you, and especially to a smaller framed person who may need to shoot it, like say your wife/girlfriend or whoever. The .38 special isn't as powerful but is plenty for home defense. It won't have excessive recoil and will be manageable to shoot. If you ever want to use the more powerful .357 magnum loads you have that option. Or you can load up a few .38s and also some .357s in the gun just incase. Get yourself some jacketed hollow points. They'll expand on impact providing lots of stopping power, and at the same time, won't be as likely to penetrate all the way through and go through walls hitting somebody you don't want to hit. 125 to 158 grain bullets seem to be favorable to most people I know. I'm sure you'll find your favorite. Just remember to take safety classes and have your wife or whoever else might use it take safety classes as well. I'm sure with your background you understand the importance of knowing your firearm. You and whoever might use it will need to fully understand how to use it. Go target shoot a lot and try to keep fresh ammo around (nothing older than about 6 months). Also, be cautious about leaving the gun on a nightstand or wherever if you have curious people around the house, like children. I think you can find a good revolver for around $500 so it shouldn't go over your budget. I know you said you want a handgun, but a pump action shotgun like a Remington 870 is also a great home defense weapon. When you rack the slide it is LOUD and INTIMIDATING. That might be enough to make the instruder leave. 870 Express models rund around $350 or less.
My preference is a Remington 870 12 gauge loaded with OO buck. You can find these on sale at some sporting goods store near deer season (fall) for around the mid 300 dollar range. Mine came as a package with a 28 inch barrel (for bird hunting and sporting clays) and a 20 inch slug barrel for deer hunting, the slug barrel I have keeps all the OO buck on target to 20 yards.
As a novice handgun shooter, you want to keep this simple. The Smith & Wesson Model 10, with the 4 inch heavy barrel, .38 cal. revolver is as simple as it gets. A good used one will only cost you about $250 - $300. This gun has fixed sights and is rugged. Use the 125 gr. jacketed hollow point round, avoid the +P stuff. It won't hurt the gun, but it's more bullet then you need. A more powerful option is a .357 mag. Smith & Wesson most common selections are models like the 19, 66, 586, 686. These all have adjustable sights, get one with a four inch barrel. You can use .38 cal rounds in these guns as well at the .357 mag. rounds (Cann't use .357 in a .38 gun). A good used one of these will run from $350 to $500. Ruger also puts out two decent .357 guns, the old Security Six and the GP100. The GP100 is the better of the two, has adjustable sights, and, again, stick with the four inch barrel. Used Rugers like the GP can be found for about $300 to $400. As a new handgun owner/shooter, stay away from the semi autos until you've gained more training and experience with handguns. Way too easy to load up the auto, set the safety, and then at 2AM, when you hear the strange noises, forget to release the safety before confronting the intruder. Since the trigger stroke on a semi auto is shorter and lighter than on a revolver, accidental discharges are a real possiblilty. The shotgun is a formidable self defense gun but akward to use in the confines of a hallway or bedroom and you generally have to use both hands to use it. Get some handgun training, especially from somebody who can show you how to clear a room/house.
You have got a lot of good answers already. I will put in the order I feel is best. 1= 12 gauge pump 18 ½ barrel either Remington or Mossberg are both outstanding. 2= Ruger GP 100 Revolver 357 Magnum with no less then 4 inch barrel loaded with 38 special ammo to cut down on over penetration, The revolver is the most accurate defensive pistol on the market and the easiest to work in a bad situation. I would advise you stay clear of the semi auto with out some experience under your belt. And a really good quality one can run a bit high in price, and you don’t wont to gamble you life or the life of your loved ones on a poor quality weapon. The two listed are my first line of defense if they make it in that close. The Ruger GP 100 I have is a 6 inch barrel and it is very accurate and easy to get use to. Plus the ammo selection of 357 Magnums and 38 specials is massive. The 12 gauge I have is a Mossberg and the first 2 rounds up is just #6 shot hunting loads for inside the house and he wont know when it hit him that it was not a slug, across a room it wont have the room to spread out after that it is filled with double 00 buck shot. Best of luck. D58
All of the answers you have about guns are good answers regarding guns themselves. The shotgun is the best for firing - you don't have to be accurate, and you don't have to be near the subject. With a handgun, you have to be accurate and close to the subject. Many people, though, think that they are going to "scare off" an intruder if they have a weapon. This is not what a weapon does. You must understand that you have to be prepared to shoot someone, if you have a gun. Really search yourself, and see if you are willing to do that. If you are NOT willing to shoot someone, don't get a gun. A gun can make a situation go from not lethal to lethal very quickly, and if you are not prepared to actually shoot or kill someone, it is quite possible that the gun will be taken from you and used by a perpetrator.
You can get a Glock Model 19 .9mm in that price range. With personal defense ammo or better yet, pre-fragmented ammo, you have a suitable home defense/personal defense handgun. Take the safety course and comply with your State's gun laws. Best. H
For home defense the 12 ga. or 20 ga. shotgun would serve you well. For that matter an AR-15 actually penetrates less than most handgun rounds in building materials and is a viable option. To answer your question about handguns: The simplest option is a good sturdy .357 with a 3-4 inch barrel. The Ruger GP100 and the S&W 65 would be my picks. You can load full power .357 and .38 special. You also get "six for sure" and not have to worry about magazines and the like. I would then purchase a variety of self-defense rounds (Gold dots, Winchester SXT, Remington golden Saber, etc.) and see which you like and which shoots best in your handgun. Personally I carry in my .357, .38 special 158 LHP, the 'FBI load" in my home rig. The .357 mag rounds are only loaded for when I travel, hike, etc. I would also recommend the purchase of a nice quality holster, a couple of speedloaders, and your set. Good luck!
Bound's hubby here: First, I would not cancel your security system service. It is a good deterrent and can be your early warning system. Second, personally, while a 12 guage shotgun can be very intimidating and comforting as a house defence weapon, a good old .38 Special revolver can be very reassuring and effective for defending your home. Personally, I prefer Smith & Wessons and will pay the extra price for a S&W. You should be able to get a very good, used Model 10 Military Police Model Smith for about $300. I believe Smith & Wesson still makes a new Model 10 for about $500. Two points to keep in mind... when using a handgun indoors, at night, the muzzle flash of even a non-magnum round can be blinding and the muzzle blast can be deafening. If at all possible, never ever use magnum shells in your home at night for self-defense because after the first shot you may be hesitant to fire a necessary second shot. Good luck.
When buying a gun for home or personal protection buy the best you can afford. If your life is only worth $300 then buy a $300 gun. Buy the gun you can most afford the quality is in the price.
i would by a S&W .357 Mag with a couple of speed loaders...your probably gonna pay 500 for it
The people that are recommending handguns obviously have not had someone come into their home. The fact is it VERY easy to miss your target with a handgun, especially under these circumstances. This quesion is about safety of you and your home. Your best bet would be a shotgun of some type. As a few people pointed out, it is safer for you and the neighborhood. I think the primary selling point is that it hurts the intruder more. More damage to the one coming to hurt you and your home. Plus, who misses with a shotgun at close range? There have been cases of intruders taking several bullets from handguns and still causing damage and/or getting away. I have never heard of such when a shotgun is used. You literally are putting lots of bullets into their body instead of a single one. Simply put: a shotgun is easier to use, safer to use and more effective for home defense. On another note, kids are less likely to pick up and play with a shotgun should they find it. I think that one is important. I personally would go with a 20 guage pump so that you have three rounds minimum.
For home defense the 12 gauge pump shotgun is the best. I have been told by law enforcement friends that the sound of racking a shell into the gun has scared burglars out of the house. If you have space issues and want only a handgun, either a .357 with a 4 inch barrel or the .45 ACP. I would look at the surplus 1911A1's first, the .45 ACP.
i perfer a short-barrelled 12 ga. but since you want a handgun go with a good quality,reliable .357 mag. revolver. its simple to operate under stressful conditions, such as home break-in, etc., and is reliable, as well as low recoil. can be loaded with .38 cal. 135 grain jacketed hollow points for even lower recoil and maximum effectiveness. ruger gp 100 is a good choice to consider.
Get a lady sized .380. Small, affordable and easy to handle. It's better than having a 9mm at hand because those can get clunky. You would pay anywhere between 250-400 for it.
The above posters are right for the most part. As a matter of fact, you can get a 20 gauge pumpgun and get buckshot for it, so even a 12 gauge is not required. 20 gauge is only 1/3 less powerful than a 12 gauge but has 2/3 less recoil. It is highly efficient. A .357 magnum is a good idea, but you can get a 4" .38spl plain-jane revolver cheaper and .38 with a good hollowpoint is sufficient. A Taurus 7-shot model 82 and a Mossberg 500 20 gauge makes a very good and economical combination. I am a gun nut, so I don't buy guns based on economy alone.
For 500 bucks, find yourself a Glock pistol like a Glock 22 (for home defense, full size is the best way to go). For 300 bucks, you could get a Remington 870 shotgun, which is almost always better for home defense.
I'd go along with two weapons. The shotgun is a great choice, answer the spray and pray gang; but a hand gun is my personal weapon. I shoot a Mossberg 500 "riot" 12ga. with a pistol grip. easy to handle and just have to be close to shoot. My personal weapon is a Rossi 44 S&W special, 4 inch barrell. Hard hitting, yet doesn't kick to bad; and is very intimidating looking down the barrell end. No weapon is going to be effective without plenty of range time. As you know from your guard service, nothing beats lead down range. KNOW your weapon. Good previus post; take a gun course, I take you every couple of years, along with freqent trips to the range. Good Shooting.
Id get a Mossberg mariner 590 it's not a pistol like u stated that u want but it is a 12 gauge pump action shotgun that holds 9 shots in the tube and is hard to miss with .... comes in a reg model and a shorter mod with a pistol grip ...... o it's stainless to. runs from low to mid 400 range ....... but if u realy want a pistol get a reliable one maybe a springfield xd. 45. or S&W chief special in 38. ....... 45. is best if u can handle the recoil for stoping some one hey the springfield also comes in 40. and 9mm.
Hand guns are good for close combat. shop around a little and see whats out there. you should be able to find a good used hand gun for that price. You also might think about getting a shot gun instead. either one will protect you and your home. suro
If the truth be known the best defensive firearm made is a short barreled 12 guage pump shotgun.