If you’re looking for a gun for home defense, a handgun can be a great purchase. They are compact, easy to store and easy to conceal. Not only that, but handguns are considerably cheaper than rifle alternatives and their ammo is as well. But the best part is, they can still pack a big punch and help you defend yourself and your home. Here are our top 5 in no particular order!
Glock 19 Gen 4
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Ok I did say no particular order but I am biased here. The Glock 19 Gen 4 is in my opinion, the greatest handgun ever made. I carry one myself and love it. Glock is known for it’s reliability and the Glock 19 itself is built well. It has a great size to it, with a capacity for 16 rounds (with one in the chamber). There are no unnecessary external controls to the Glock which makes it nice and easy to stripe down. It shoots accurately out of the box and there is a huge aftermarket community should you decide to upgrade yours.
Sig Sauer MK25 P226
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The main choice of many law enforcement agencies and even military units, the Sig Sauer MK25 P226 is a great handgun. It is of course made in Germany by Sig Sauer and has a black hard-anodized aluminum frame with ergonomic grips. This is an extremely tough gun (even the Navy SEALS carry it!) that is still easy enough to strip down and clean. The only downfall is that there is no safety, and the gun is designed to be carried with a round loaded in the chamber with the hammer de-cocked so it can be fired quickly which can lead to accidents.
CZ P-10 S
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One of two CZ’s to make it to this list, the P-10 S is a fantastic 9mm pistol. It is actually one the most accurate handguns I’ve ever shot and it’s easier to shoot than your average 9mm (which should already be easy enough!). The P-10 S is an easy shooter because it has the softest recoil on the market which also helps with accuracy. It stores 12 rounds in the mag and 1 round in the chamber so there is enough ammo to get you through a sticky situation. Like all CZ products it is reliable, and easy enough to tear down if needed.
Beretta M9
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The Beretta M9 was developed after extensive research done in part with several military and police organizations with the goal to create a handgun for them. Like the Sig Sauer MK25 P226 and Glock 19 Gen4, it has become the choice of many military and police organizations with the US Marine Corps making it their choice of handgun. It is a reliable gun that is easy to maintain and clean (one might say too easy to disassemble). They are built well and feel sturdy. It is a heavier gun, with a heavy trigger pull that wants you to be committed to each round, but with some training it could be a great gun for you.
CZ 75 SP-01 Tactical
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If you can find one, the CZ 75 SP-01 Tactical might even be better than the CZ-10 S on this list.. depending of course what you are looking for. CZ built this gun specifically for military use, and it is deployed by several militaries across the world. It has some of the best ergonomics of a handgun and is very accurate. The only downside is that the gun weighs as much as the Beretta M9, which is heavy, and is tough to find on the market.