When it comes to home defense, choosing the right handgun is crucial. A handgun is an effective tool for protecting yourself and your family, but only if you have the right one. In a high-stress situation, the last thing you want to worry about is whether or not your firearm will function properly. That’s why it’s important to do your research and choose a handgun that meets your needs.
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!
Table of Contents
- Criteria for Selection
- How to choose the right handgun for you
- Glock 19 Gen 4
- Sig Sauer MK25 P226
- CZ P-10 S
- Beretta M9
- CZ 75 SP-01 Tactical
Criteria for Selection
When it comes to choosing a handgun for home defense, there are several criteria to consider. It’s important to choose a handgun that is easy to use, has stopping power, has a sufficient capacity, is reliable, and fits within your budget. Let’s take a closer look at these criteria.
Ease of use
Firstly, ease of use is essential when it comes to a home defense handgun. You want to choose a handgun that is simple to operate, easy to handle, and feels comfortable in your hand. You’ll want to practice shooting with it regularly to build muscle memory, and choosing a handgun that feels natural to you will help with this.
Stopping power
Stopping power is the next important factor to consider. You want a handgun that has enough power to stop an intruder in their tracks. A larger caliber handgun will generally have more stopping power, but this can come at the cost of recoil, making it more difficult to control.
Capacity
Capacity is also important, as you want to have enough rounds in your firearm to deal with any threat that may arise. A higher capacity handgun can give you peace of mind, but it can also increase the weight and size of the gun.
Reliability
Reliability is crucial when it comes to a home defense handgun. You need a firearm that is dependable and functions correctly every time. You don’t want to be caught in a situation where your gun fails to fire or malfunctions in any way.
Cost
Finally, cost is also an important factor to consider. You’ll want to choose a handgun that fits within your budget while also meeting your needs. You don’t want to spend too little and end up with a low-quality firearm, but you also don’t want to overspend on features that you may not need.
When you consider all of these factors, you’ll be well on your way to choosing the best handgun for your home defense needs.
How to choose the right handgun for you
Choosing the right handgun for your home defense needs is a personal decision that requires careful consideration. In this section, we’ll provide you with some tips to help you make the best decision for your situation.
Consider your skill level and experience
Firstly, consider your skill level and experience when choosing a handgun. If you’re new to firearms, you’ll want to choose a handgun that is easy to use and comfortable to handle. You may also want to consider taking a training course to improve your skills and confidence.
Think about your home defense needs
Secondly, think about your home defense needs. Do you live in a high-crime area or have had previous security concerns? You’ll want to choose a handgun that has the stopping power and capacity to handle any potential threats. If you have children in the home, you may also want to consider a handgun with additional safety features.
Test and handle different handguns before making a decision
Finally, it’s important to test and handle different handguns before making a final decision. You can visit a local gun store or shooting range to test out different models to see how they feel in your hand and how easy they are to use. This can help you narrow down your options and choose the right handgun for your needs.
In summary, choosing the right handgun for your home defense needs requires careful consideration of your skill level, your home defense needs, and hands-on experience with different handguns.
Glock 19 Gen 4
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
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
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
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
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.
Ben