What are the best tools for defending your castle?
Home defense is one of the primary reasons people own firearms. Why wouldn’t they? Firearms are the most capable defensive option commonly available for the average man and women. For home defense, the argument falls to three types of weapons: shotguns, rifles, and, of course, handguns. Today we are going to look at why a home defense handgun is a worthwhile and viable option.
Are Long Guns Better
Long guns are often more powerful, are easier to control, and deliver a more damaging payload. They do everything better than a handgun when viewed in a vacuum. If I knew a fight was coming to my house, I wouldn’t have a home defense handgun. I’d have an AR slung with a plate carrier and a battle belt shoved to the gills with reloads. So does this end the article? Is the home defense handgun a worthless idea?
Home Defense Handgun Superiority
No, a handgun can be the best option when we view a firearm’s practical use. The biggest reason a home defense handgun makes sense is that you can carry it with you all day long. Once I wake up and strap my handgun on, I’m not taking it off. I do advocate home carry because the bad guys aren’t scheduling their home invasion.
Imagining the bad guys come at night is downright silly. Home invaders can come at any time, and it’s unlikely you are carrying a slung rifle or shotgun around the home. A gun on your hip allows you to react as fast as humanely possible against bad guys kicking down your door. A bedside rifle or shotgun is great, but are you sure you can reach that gun when someone is kicking the door down in front of you?
Having a home defense handgun holstered on your belt gives you the ability to defend yourself immediately. You can defend yourself with a handgun until you reach your long gun if necessary.
Beyond immediate accessibility, a handgun offers you superior one-handed control. Shooting a long gun with a single hand is possible, but it’s much easier to use and control a handgun with a single hand. Navigating your home, securing children, locking doors, and calling the police will force you to wield your weapon one-handed.
The compact nature of a home defense handgun allows you to practice close retention techniques. Your handgun is only as long as your arms allow it to be. You can come around corners and open doors with the handgun at the ready, and not in an unwieldy way.
Heck, if you are on a tight budget, I’d suggest a Glock 19 sized handgun. This allows you to have a gun for both concealed carry and home defense.
What Handgun Though?
The handgun you are willing to carry is the best option. That being said, bigger can often be better for defensive purposes. Subcompact pistols like the Ruger LCP is a tough gun to shoot with limited capacity. It’s one of the easiest to carry guns, but hardest to shoot due to its size. As guns get larger they get easier to handle and to shoot accurately. Bigger guns often hold more ammo than smaller guns as well and more ammo equals more defensive capacity.
Firearms like the SIGP365 offer a ton of versatility. A 10 round flush fitting magazine makes it easy to conceal and a 15 round extended magazine extends the grip and capacity for easier shooting and more defensive capacity. The Glock 19 famously serves well for both concealed carry and home defense use.
The Best Option Doesn’t Exist
Home defense handguns are great, but rifles and long guns have significant advantages, as we stated above. Ultimately there is no best option, but a handgun offers you a compact easy-to-carry option that’s ready as soon as bad things start kicking off.
A home defense handgun is only as good as your ability to carry it. A comfortable holster ensures the weapon is never a pest and always at the ready. If the home defense handgun is your jam, make sure you grab a good holster. Like one of these many different options.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine gunner who served with 2nd Bn 2nd Marines for 5 years. He deployed in 2009 to Afghanistan and again in 2011 with the 22nd MEU(SOC) during a record-setting 11 months at sea. Travis has trained with the Romanian Army, the Spanish Marines, the Emirate Marines, and the Afghan National Army.
He serves as an NRA certified pistol instructor and pursues a variety of firearms-based hobbies.
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