Am finishing up a third level armed citizen class this week. Second level and higher, we add long guns to the handguns. My own view is that if I can only have one firearm for home defense, I want it to be a handgun for reasons of versatility, but if possible I’d rather have one handgun and one long gun readily available to each person in the household who’s likely to be using deadly force to protect self and family.

I teach the handgun as “infantry,” the long gun as “artillery.” If I have to go mobile, I want a hand free to work communications, illumination, doorknobs, etc. If I have to scoop a little kid and carry same to a safer position, a handgun will be more workable. Same if I have to answer an insistent 3 AM pounding at the door…which might just be a cop, who won’t take it well if I open the door holding a 12-gauge or a .223 rifle. But if the whole family is barricaded in the safe room and criminals are kicking down the door, it’s probably shooting time, and a .223 class autoloading rifle or a fast-firing shotgun gives way more power and hit potential on multiple targets in unforgiving circumstances.

For a very long time, the shotgun has been the traditional choice of long gun for defense inside the house. In recent years, though, .223 rifles such as the AR15 have become hugely popular for this function. In this week’s class, two thirds of the students are using shotguns, and one third, autoloading rifles.

Symposium time: readers, what are your choices of home defense firearms? Handgun, or long gun, or both? And if there’s a long gun in the defense plan, did you choose shotgun, rifle, or both?

And – most important, and most interesting – why did you choose as you did?

1 COMMENT

  1. I am a 5’6″ 64 year old woman and I have 2 youth model 20 gauge shotguns which fit me to a tee. One is loaded light and the other is loaded heavy…for self defense. I love my 20’s-I am a dead shot with both and they are deadly for defense-if my 9mm Ruger SR9C fails to do the job. The times demand that EVERY woman be prepared , sir.

  2. GLOCK 17 for me to check out the things that go thump in the night with a G19 for the little lady and a 12 ga shotgun remaining in the bedroom as 00 artillery.

  3. I have a G19 with light on the nightstand, and a 5.45 AK-74 in my closet. My daughter’s room is across the hall from my room, so the plan for a “bump in the night” is grab the glock, scoop my kid, and bring her into my room, where I trade the handgun for the rifle and hunker down. Wife grabs her pistol and phones the police while I get the kid.

    My bedroom has its own door to the outside as well, so we can evacuate the house if need be.

    I chose the AK because I get 30 mild armor piercing rounds in a dead nuts reliable rifle with virtually no recoil. I live in a depression so not worried about overpenetration. Equipped with a red dot and weapon light, I think it’s about as good as a HD gun gets.

  4. Go to firearm is a Colt M1911. It’s always available, either on my person or in a quick access “GunVault”. An M1 Carbine is locked in my gun safe but ready to go in a more extended emergency situation. Handy for in house movement. Good firepower, as well as stopping power with 110 grain soft points.

  5. …G17 because of capacity and mobility. Love Corbon DPS for 9mm performance. Same rationale behind the G19 that fits my wife’s hand better. 870 stays behind because it’s heavy. Works well from a rest on the bed that provides concealment and some cover. Note: I was once instructed–and I abide by the instruction–that the shotgun should have no sling when used for home defense. Too easy to grab…

    Thanks for all you do Mas!

  7. GLOCK 23, Colt AR-15 NATO 5.56 Ammo, & Mossberg 500 shotgun /w 00 Buck is close by at all times. Others are available as needed.

    GLOCK 23 – holds more ammo and is more controllable than a 45ACP while it has more impact than a 9MM and nearly the stopping power of the 45ACP.

    Colt AR-15 – large capacity magazine, easy to load, easy to shoot, accurate at distance.

    Mossberg 12 Ga. 18-1/2″ barrel Pump – Less likely to jam or misfeed than an auto,

    At 3AM I’ll have the GLOCK tucked away and the Mossberg in my hands as it would have less damaging affects to my neighbors home.

    If there were a Mob after my supplies, the AR-15 would be my choice.

  8. Both handgun and long gun are available. The long gun is a 12 gauge riot gun, no choke, loaded with fast-spreading buckshot. (Not buffered, not plated, no shot cup.)

    Why? Best hit probability I can get. If I ever need this gun I am likely to be a bit nervous and not on my best game as a marksman. The light may be bad too. (I have a flashlight mounted on the gun, but can think of some scenarios where turning it on would be a bad idea.) All in all I think the shotgun gives me the best chance of connecting when it counts.

  9. Springfield XD-s .45 ACP or J Frame S&W .38+P for carry and at home. Add 12 gauge Benelli semi-auto while at home. I practice with pistol 75 – 100 rounds/week and the shotgun 6 or so times each year. Why? Because I value my family’s life and freedom above anything else.

  10. I prefer my AK as a home defense gun, the rounds have a bit more punch at close range than an AR and the gun is 100% reliable with nice big controls that are easy to operate in low light.

    It is funny, there is often a discussion on gun boards about what kind of shotgun round is best for home defense. To which I usually reply “It does not matter”. But that is because in my case, if I have to get my shotgun out, that means my 9mm pistol and my AK are both empty. And really, if we are in a situation where 17rds of 9mm and 30rds of 7.62×39 wont solve the problem, then the shotgun is not going to do much good.

  11. I have a Glock 21 with night sights and a light as a bedside handgun, and in a bedroom gun safe that’s open at night, I have a .300 AAC AR-15 SBR with a suppressor and a light. The handgun is just to get me to the gun safe.

  12. I keep a loaded Glock 26 with a 17 round magazine next to me in my nightstand drawer. Next to my nightstand stands a Maverick 88 12 gauge (loaded of course). I only took an interest in guns back in December of 2012. I immediately started a couple classes and studying all about concealed carry. I my wife and eldest son joined a shooting range. My wife and I obtained our weapons carry license here in Georgia. My wife and I also joined the ACLDN. I’m thoroughly enjoying my new hobby and lifestyle. I’m all about protecting my love ones and exercising our 2nd Amendment rights.

  14. Mas,

    I rely on one of a few handguns for immediate emergency use for the same reasons you mentioned and interestingly enough had the situation of a local officer ringing the doorbell at 2:00 am to tell me my garage door was open. My Glock 22 didn’t alarm him as he never saw it although I’m sure he would have reacted differently to my Mossberg 590 had I answered the door with it instead.

    For barricade defense I have immediate access to the shotgun with eight rounds of buckshot in the tube and five slugs in a side saddle while my wife has access to a Ruger GP100 with several speedloaders and can also use the shotgun or one of my other handguns if necessary.

    I also have rapid but not immediate access to appropriate auto loading rifles in 5.56 and 7.62 with plenty of loaded magazines, but these are intended for circumstances where there is more advanced warning AND where their long range capability is needed. However, you raise a good point about having one long gun available for each adult and I might rethink my barricade plan and add another gun to the mix. Perhaps a 5.56 for the better half would be a good idea.

  15. I took your proarms podcast on home defense shotguns to heart and got a 20 gauge 870 to supplement a 9mm handgun.

  16. I like the K.I.S.S. method. [ keep it simple stupid ]

    Were both [ wife and I ] over 70 years old and both have carry permits here in Fl,
    We both like the Berssa Thunder plus model .380s and both feel comfortable with them and practice enough to be automatic in their use.
    As a long gun , I use what I started out with at 9 years old , a Winchester model 12 pump in the 12 gauge modified barrel.
    The wife is more comfortable with her 10/22 .
    Personally , I find the AR 15 and like rifles too costly to purchase and practice with .

  17. My first choice would definitely be a handgun (9mm minimum) with a long gun as a secondary, depending on the situation. My personal preference would be an M4 AR15, as it is a better size for indoors. This choice is strictly based on my military experience, as room clearing with an M4 in CQB has become second nature after serving 13 years and 3 combat tours with the Marines as a Navy Corpsman. I feel a shotgun would be a better choice if there is a possibility of a less experienced person having to hold a position in a safe room, as accuracy is less of an issue.

  18. I live in a house with my wife and three children. We have multiple handguns.Two shotguns and and two rifles. We primarily look at handguns being our “go to” self defense weapons at least until we can get to our less accessible shotguns. We really do not think of our rifles as a viable home defense weapon unless its an anarchy type of situation with mobs looting.
    7 handguns in 9mm to 45 acp
    12 ga & 410 shotguns
    1 AK & 1 AR

  19. A most definite both. A few years ago we experienced an attempted hot burglary at our home. The perp was detected by an alert dog and a teen daughter who happened to come downstairs for a bathroom trip at 3:00 am. The wife made sure all the kids were accounted for while I engaged the drunken idiot in a little conversation outside. All was reported secure so I merely suggested he leave, pronto. He had no idea I was armed until the last few seconds. There was no brandishing or direct threats to his person, but when I stepped out from the doorway with “Shot Breath Sally” beside me he got the point and split. During the following week the boys and I role played. One of us would start inside, beside a door or window. At the go we counted seconds to run to various other spots in the house. I timed fetching a longarm from the bedroom. I lost the race every time. I now carry concealed everywhere but the shower. It’s just become second nature, safe and comfortable and no real burden at all. Try that with a long gun. The defensive shotgun or rifle is still quite available if needed and the sidearm evens the odds on short notice.

  20. As a former student of yours, I’m a firm believer in your practice of using a handgun when mobility is necessary & a long gun when in a barricade situation. It really makes sense to think of the long gun as artillery.

    My primary home defense firearm is a Glock M-27 with Trijicon night sights & Crimson Trace laser grips, which is also my primary concealed carry handgun. I wear this in a belt holster almost all of the time, even when at home, for compactness & rapid accessibility. That way, I do not have to put it on when I go out or take it off when I return home & it is immediately available to me no matter where I am in the event of a home invasion or an attack outdoors. When I’m in bed, it rests on a nightstand within easy reach in case of an emergency. I do have a number of other larger, more powerful, higher capacity, loaded handguns available to me if time permits me to access them & I would probably reach for a Glock M-20 10mm or a Glock M-21 45ACP if given the chance. I also subscribe to the idea of using the M-27 to fight my way to a more powerful weapon. For handgun ammunition, I prefer Cor-Bon, Speer Gold Dot, & Federal Hydra-shok hollowpoints.

    For a long gun my first choice is still a 12 gauge Benelli M1 Super 90 semi-auto shotgun. In my opinion, there is nothing commonly available to civilians that is more devastating for use against an unarmored assailant than a 12 gauge shotgun at close range, such as at room-length distances, whether you are using buckshot or slugs. Even bird shot can be effective at those distances. I prefer to use 00 buckshot or #1 buckshot for home defense, but I also have #4 buck & a variety of birdshot available to me. I live alone, so I don’t worry about over penetration as much as I would if I had other people living with me. I do have other tactical shotguns available to me, including pumps like the Remington 870 & the Mossberg 590, but I prefer the speed, the balance & the complete reliability of the Benelli to them all.

    I also have a Colt M4 carbine with an Aimpoint Micro sight at my disposal, which I never seriously considered for home defense until relatively recently. I do believe that its compactness, light weight, low recoil, rate of fire, & large magazine capacity make it a highly effective weapon for self-protection. In addition, .223/5.56mm ammo can be very effective against body armor & at longer distances, such as in rural areas, while (surprisingly) tests have shown it to be less of a threat to penetrate through walls than many handgun calibers. Now I am keeping it accessible to me as a self-defense/home protection option.

    The only reservation I have about using an AR for home defense is the stigma attached to it by the anti-gun media. Although it is becoming much more acceptable now as a “modern sporting rifle,” I do think that, if you live in a liberal part of the country, it could increase your likelihood of being indicted or convicted for what might otherwise be seen as a justifiable act of self-defense. I’m sure that with a good lawyer & an expert witness like Mas, it would be easy to defend your choice of weaponry to a jury, but it would be better to not have to do that.

    What are your current thoughts about that, Mas? I remember that several years ago you discussed the possibility that certain types of guns could prejudice a prosecutor or an uninformed jury against a defendant. Do you think that is still a potential problem? By way of comparison, shotguns have almost always, to my knowledge, been regarded as acceptable firearms for home protection (even Joe Biden recommends them) & they offer the advantage of being able to explain that you only shot the assailant once to stop his attack (it just happened to be with a piece of “artillery”).

  21. My wife and I live in an apartment complex, where the possibility of shots passing through walls is a significant risk (as opposed to living in a single family dwelling).

    Primarily for that reason, our HD weapons are handguns (S&W M/P 9mm Compacts) and a 20 gauge semiauto (a Remington 1187 Sportsman’s Compact customized for HD). The 9mms are our daily carry pistols, always at hand, while the 20 gauge is the bedroom gun, right next to the old cellphone we leave plugged in as the emergency phone.

    Ammo for the pistols in the home is Glaser Safety Slugs (we carry 124gr Federal Hydrashoks outside the home, and swap mags when we get home). The 20 gauge is loaded with #3 buckshot (Remington Express 2 3/4″ loads). We patterned the shotgun at the range, using targets set up at the same distance as we measured to our front door from the bedroom. The loads we use performed extremely well, and the shotgun is kept ‘cruiser ready’ with the chamber empty and one round less than max in the magazine (6 in the mag). It has 4 more in a sidesaddle carrier, for a total of 10 rounds ready ammo.

    My wife and I are both very comfortable with the AR platform (we are Army veterans) but we feel that the shotgun is the better choice for our particular dwelling. Not only is there a higher risk of over penetration with the rifle, there is the negative reaction associated with them (thanks to the media) should our neighbors happen to see us carrying one in/out from a day at the range. There is also the matter of economics – even with the modifications we did to the shotgun, the total cost for the weapon and ammo was far lower than a typical semiauto rifle. We can afford to go to the range more often, and I can reload ‘range ammo’ cheaper for the 20 gauge, than we could if we were using 5.56/.223 rifles. Finally, with a minimum of effort, I can convert my HD shotgun back to a legal hunting weapon for deer/turkey/small game, which is darn handy here in Georgia.

    For the record, I am 5’10” and 225 pounds, my wife is 5’5″ and 110 pounds. While I have used a 12 gauge most of my life, the 20 gauge was a better choice for HD because it fit my wife comfortably. It is much easier for me to use the small/handy 20 gauge than it is for her to try and handle a big/heavy 12 gauge sized to me. The compact 1187 had the right LOP for her, and was controllable rapid fire, where the 12 gauge was not.

  22. I use a KelTec KSG for HD with a Streamlight TLR-1s and a Vortex SPARC red dot. I can use it one handed while keeping it shouldered to open doors etc. My phone can call with voice commands so I only need be able to hold it, not manipulate buttons.

  23. I follow the principle using of using a hand gun to get to the long rifle. So I keep a 9mm PX4 close by in the night stand with a Mossberg 500 safely stored in the same room. I use the 12 ga pump for two main reasons. First, it’s my main hunting gun so I am familiar with it since I use it on a regular basis. The second reason is ammo selection. There’s bird shot for close in where over penetration is a major concern, buck shot, and slugs. I think these options should cover almost any home defense scenario.

  24. Sigs, Glocks and Snubby Smiths distributed tactically throughout the home due to ease of concealment and personal access, and probably would be considered primary choice because of this. However, there are a Mossberg 930 MPX and a Remington 870 Door Buster also tactically positioned, but not as available due to size.

    If the threat would allow, either shotgun would be my primary choice due to the ability to dispatch problems in a single shot vs the two or three that a pistol may require.

    A rifle of any calibre would be my last choice due to over penetration of structures and possibility of claiming innocents.

  25. My wife will grab the kids and the Glock 17 (equipped with laser, light, and +30 round mag). I will grab the AR 15 pistol with laser and light.

  26. Well let’s see, while contracting i’ve brought different types of firearms with me, at a time. Right now, I’ve got a G30, and recently purchased M-9 tucked away under my pillow.

    As for the different locations I’ve worked, I’ve brought with me an 870 shotgun, along with, perhaps a 1911, or a Browning Hi-Power in 9mm.

    I feel a shotgun, is legally less hassle. Along with either a G30 or a 1911 with low capacity magazines, to be a benefit. Some places may frown, on high capacity magazines.

    While at home, I’ll keep an 870 with a surefire light system. Along with a handgun.

  27. Sigh. I forgot the “why” behind my choices.

    The Glock 21: .45, 14rounds. Lot of stopping power and no external safeties to try to fiddle with when coming out of a deep sleep. The light is for positive target ID to make sure that I don’t shoot someone I’d rather not shoot, even though that chance is remote as I live alone.

    The .300 AAC AR: More firepower. Short so it’s something that I can maneuver through a house to an optimum safe area or advance with if circumstances require. Suppressor so I don’t go deaf and to kill the muzzle flash and preserve my night vision. Light on the gun for the same reason as above.

    Also in my gun safe, which stays locked while I’m gone and open while I’m home–a spare tactical vest with soft armor inserts and a flashlight in one pocket and a spare “911-only” cellphone in the other. Also spare mags for both of the above in the vest and a first aid kit.

  28. My carry gun is always either on me or in the quick-access nightstand safe.
    I am pretty new to gun ownership, so I don’t have a good long gun or a vest handy.
    My wife’s AR is handy though…iron sights…she loves it.
    I collect the kid, she stays safe.

  29. Ar15 Pistol, 7.5″ overall length is 24″. 30 plus rounds, rail for laser and light.
    (5.56×45 or .223) Hunting ammo for home defense FMJ for practice.

  30. 9mm pistol (me) and .38 Special revolver (her) in the nightstands are what we go for first. 9mm carbine and 12g a pump in the cabinet as backup. We now have my MiL living with use and neither she or my wife will shoot the 12, so I’ll likely replace it with a 20ga semi-auto in the next year.

  31. I use a Glock 19 (my carry gun, but in the house I use an extended mag) with tritium sights and an attached light. If I do get chased back into the room of my place farthest from the door, I have an AR-15 with a few loaded mags sitting there for backup though. That works well for me.

  32. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on “over penetration.” I’ve been reading more and more lately that it’s not quite as clear cut as one would think – specifically that pistol calibers and defensive shotgun loads have the potential to be far more devastating on the other side of walls than smaller caliber rifle rounds (.223/5.56 specifically).

    Thoughts?

  33. Great conversation! As Active Duty Military we are transferred every couple of years. We often times do not get a great choice in housing due to the station. Growing up in Alaska an AR or shotgun with slugs would always be available, due to the type of perp (bear or thug). Living in various cities with other people living extremely close (townhomes are often times the only choice in housing, especially when you are forced to live in GOVT quarters) I have to consider where all of my shots are going. I have to consider the family with kids living next door. I have chosen my carry weapon with hollow points as first priority to grab with a riot shotgun loaded with buck as secondary.

  35. I live in a small house, possible shooting angles are short, nothing inside exceeds 10 yards. I go with the handgun/shotgun approach. Shotgun at hand is remington 870 20ga youth model. Everyone in the house can handle the size and recoil. That is backed up with a Mossberg 500 in 12ga, my hunting gun with short barrel installed. Both guns are wildly reliable, comfortable and easy to use. Handguns are various, all adults have the one they prefer close to hand.

  36. Bedside ia a Colt Trooper loaded with Federal Hydra-Shok, extra speedloader with the same load, flashlight, and cell phone. Less than one step away is a Mossberg 500 loaded with 00 buck.
    Strategically located throughout the rest of the house are GP100, Hi-Power, Model 60 J-frame, 1911, and Ithaca Model 37 pump. No children live here, so strategic placement isn’t as problematic as it would be with kids around.
    I work from home, so whenever I’m not sleeping (or showering!) I’m carrying concealed. Since I live in Illinois, carrying outside the home is limited to a knive.
    Also have rifles available, but I don’t see them being used to defend my home outside of mob/riot type actions. While I suppose that that’s possible, it’s not too likely.
    If a rifle was needed, I would go to my Mini 14 even though I also own an AR.
    Sorry, AR fanboys, the Mini 14 is just plain more reliable. The closest rifle range available to me is over 60 miles away, so my rifles don’t get run very often. I don’t have the time or inclination to clean and lube the AR often enough to live up to the AR fanatic mantra: “ARs are reliable… IF you (fill in the blank). Even bone dry, my Mini 14 runs and runs and runs.

  37. Mossberg 500C 20ga 18″ with Remington #3 buck for the bedroom. GP100 3″ with Speer 125 gr .38+P for the wife. Glock 19 with Speer 124 gr +p for me.

  38. L-frame with +P .38’s and a 12 ga. Mossberg M500 on my side, K-frame with same ammo and a 20 ga. Youth Model M500 on my better half’s side. J-frame in the pocket most of the time, same ammo. All ammo gets burned up on Dec. 31 and July 4. Long guns are loaded with #4 Buckshot.

  39. For I chose my old Ithaca Model 37 Deer Slayer 12 Gauge. 20 Inch Barrel Factory Iron Sights, Cylinder Bore Barrel. Handles very well- I shoot it well, Accurate with Slugs, very good with Buckshot and it fits all 3 adult males in the House, plus it fits my Fiancee. Holds 5 rounds total.

  40. I choose all of the above. 😉

    One of my Glocks will ride on my side during waking hours, and the G19 with a Crimson Trace LightGuard gets tapped for nightstand duty at bedtime.

    Given my druthers, I’ll keep my Marlin 1894CS in .357 Magnum handy as home defense artillery – while 9+1 rounds of .357 may not quite stack up against 5+ rounds of 12 ga. or 20 ga., or 30 rounds of .223 or 7.62, a .357 rifle is NOT INEFFECTIVE against human attackers within the boundaries of my home and the lines-of-sight that I have there. Ballistic performance is somewhere between .30 Carbine and .30-30 WCF, I don’t need to worry about separate magazines, the rifle runs ambidexterously, and it has the innocuous “cowboy gun” appearance that is somewhat less intimidating to juries.

    Having said that, I could obviously use some more training time on Denny’s Remington 870…

  41. I have a Glock 19 with night sights, white light/laser in a Gunvault and an AK74 with night sights, red dot and white light in a quick access rifle safe backed up with a cell phone for calling the police. I have an alarm system and good dog as my 1st alerts and motion activated, battery powered lights in key areas. We’ve practiced the “fetch kids and retreat to safe room” procedure.

    The firearm choice reasoning: 1st grab/go gun is 9mm for ease of shooting, capacity and comparative lethality (gunshot wound comparisons: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXwPtP-KDNk). The AK74 for the ‘retreated into safe room’ artillery is loaded with 15 rounds Hornady V-Max followed by 15 rounds millsurp 5.45×39. I also have ear protection in the safe room for the family.

  42. Hand Gun. I have the long guns locked in the safe along with my other firearms and keep my carry gun with me at all times. The grand kids are just to little to have a gun of any sort hidden away, and I have complete control over my carry gun.

  43. 1st option is handgun; Ruger SP101 or NEF .22. Both are accessible and usable by my wife; .410 is in reach for her just in case. Mossberg 12ga with sling plus fore & aft pistol grips if things escalate; wife is also capable of using this. AR is locked but also accessible, but that is a complete SHTF option, and I really don’t like the thought of using iron radiators under windows as shields!
    As far as other long guns, my Marlin .22 (Model 25 bolt action; a classic!) is my wife’s favorite so if she’s got my back with that I’m happy.

    Only one person thus far mentioned over-penetration; this is a serious concern in our apartment building, though being on a corner less so. Still, it’s a concern if a hallway confrontation should occur.

    Slight tangent…one of my bros used to be sent to places where he wasn’t (if you get me) and he instilled in me some good knife training and the need for having a blade in every room. I agree that not having to get that close is best, but sometimes there’s no choice. When it comes to defending your home and family, all bets are off.

  44. Both.

    My carry pistol (and a light) is by the bedside when it’s time to get some sleep. It’s the offensive choice because, as mentioned by others, a long gun can be a social and functional liability when moving around the house and checking doors.

    An AR is under the bed for defensive use. While I have a lot of time on an 870 my wife hasn’t run one enough to be confident with it. The AR is easier to run in confined spaces like our bedroom layout, holds more, does better against body armor, and has lower recoil. I’m not concerned about over penetration because of our house construction. I am concerned about center fire noise, but not enough more over a scatter gun. (My state doesn’t allow suppressors, not to mention dealing with NFA hassles.)

  45. Handgun;– smith j frame; I have several other choices available, but this is the weapon I carry all the time since retirement. I carry it daily and practice a minimum of twice a week with it ( have my own range ). Familiarity and practice brings with it speed and accuracy, you have to no more think about what to do with this weapon than you would have to think before you use a fork to eat. I am proficient with most weapons but don’t practice as often with them and wouldn’t stake my or my family’s lives on a weapon that is bigger, badder, carries more ammo, etc., but less comfortable with. Multiple big holes in walls don’t stop a threat.
    Semi long-gun:– due to a shoulder injury that refuses to heal properly, I settled on a Rem. 870 12ga. in a cruiser configuration w+2 mag extender, combat light and #4 buck. Very manageable in confined spaces. Again practice, practice, and more practice. Center-mass hits have become second nature on my steel IDPA targets at 10 yards ( close to max range inside my home ) while moving and making use of cover. Good choice for everyone? No, but fits my needs considering my physical limitations.
    bottom line;– In my humble opinion, caliber and capacity are mute points w/o proficiency and accuracy, neither are obtained by reading the latest gun publication, but with many hours and bullets sent down range. Physical limitations must be not only considered, but tested in real world scenarios. Early in my career, a young officer who worked my sector was shot and killed at point blank range with a .22 rifle while the suspect stood over him. The officer was trying to clear a stove-pipe jam on the brand new Colt 1911 .45 acp he had bought the day before to replace the .38 Smith the department furnished him. Bad choice of weapon? No, a bad day to learn how to use it.

  46. As I’ve gotten older,(60) I find myself turning back to wheel guns. Normally have either an S&W 1917 or a Taurus 4″ .357 within reach, or the wife’s m-49 in a pocket around the yard. A M-1927 Argentine 1911 or a 1st gen Glock 17 are available, backed by my son’s AK-47 and my 18 1/2″ Mossberg 500 w/lite & butt-cuff, cruiser ready. If I have time and need the reach, a K-98k Israeli .308 and strippers are in the gun cabinet. Living in the People’s Dem. Rep. of Md, CCW is not an option…..legally. No money to upgrade, but I think we’ve covered the bases fairly well.

  47. As retired Army I struggled with this question for a long time but after significant consideration I settled on: Semi auto handgun in a proper caliber with XS sights for immediate access with proper light and cell phone (less than 5 sec). Next closest weapon – 15 seconds away – pump 12 GA, extended mag. Next weapon (30 seconds away), AK 47. Why not AR? Couldn’t afford it at the time and prefer 7.62×39. Very rare that I am not arms-reach from a handgun or shotgun.

  49. Mas,
    I like to have options, my carry guns would be my G17 loaded with Hornady’s Critical Defense load and a Smith & Wesson .38spl Bodyguard w/laser sight. I also have a stock Ruger 1911 full size .45ACP in the nightstand. My Mossberg 500 I keep with the 18″ barrel and pistol grip configuration loaded with 00. That one stays up in the closet. My son is thirteen and has a .410 and a .30-.30 he keeps in his room that could possibly be used for defese but I hope it would never come to that!

  50. We’ve been on the receiving end of a death threat from a felon. Now have a 12 ga pump with light and slug/OO alternating leaning against the wall by the headboard. A G38 with light ON the night stand. Carry a Colt 1911. Four other loaded handguns in the house–no kids around. Two “vicious” Golden Retreivers in the bedroom.

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