What sort of handgun should I use for home protection?

[wvboy]

Thanks, man. My wife wants me to pick the matching .38 revolver like hers ( but definitely not with a pink handle like hers <45>) but I'm leaning toward one of the Glocks that my father in law has for me to choose from. But, of course, I could decide that I like the feel of the revolver better. we shall see.
I've never been any sort of a gun enthusiast before but now that I'm obligated to my father in law to choose one & learn how to use it, I'm intrigued. Not enough to want to cc though. Which apparently I can do in Arizona. I'll let my wife carry her gun in her bag like she used to though & I'll handle the unarmed threats. Which, in Sedona, might be an overly enthusiastic hippy trying to sell us crystals or patchouli. LOL.
Seriously though, maybe down the line, I might decide to cc but I doubt if it will be anytime soon. I like the idea of my wife armed though.

Has your wife thought of carrying in a holster? Carrying in a purse probably isn't the best thing to do. For example, if her purse gets snatched then she is now unarmed with someone running off with her gun. Plus, if your wife is like mine then her purse is an absolute mess and she'll have to dig it out from underneath the tissues, wipes, gum wrappers, etc.

You can't really go wrong with a Glock 19 or a revolver. The Glock will give you more ammunition, but some people like the feel of revolvers. It's really a personal preference. Personally, I would go with the semi-auto of your choice because I know I like having more than 6 rounds to work with in the event my nerves get the best of me in a shooting and my accuracy goes out the window.

 

[sweetviolenturg]

Has your wife thought of carrying in a holster? Carrying in a purse probably isn't the best thing to do. For example, if her purse gets snatched then she is now unarmed with someone running off with her gun. Plus, if your wife is like mine then her purse is an absolute mess and she'll have to dig it out from underneath the tissues, wipes, gum wrappers, etc.

You can't really go wrong with a Glock 19 or a revolver. The Glock will give you more ammunition, but some people like the feel of revolvers. It's really a personal preference. Personally, I would go with the semi-auto of your choice because I know I like having more than 6 rounds to work with in the event my nerves get the best of me in a shooting and my accuracy goes out the window.

That's a no go on the holster. I just asked her & she's all about packing heat in her handbag because it's what she's always done. Besides, I could be wrong, but I think that while cc is legal for all non-felons in Arizona folks actually need a permit for open carry.

The more I research & the more I hear from experienced, educated guys like you, the more I'm leaning toward a Glock. Thanks for your input & suggestions.
Peace, man.

 

[wvboy]

That's a no go on the holster. I just asked her & she's all about packing heat in her handbag because it's what she's always done. Besides, I could be wrong, but I think that while cc is legal for all non-felons in Arizona folks actually need a permit for open carry.

The more I research & the more I hear from experienced, educated guys like you, the more I'm leaning toward a Glock. Thanks for your input & suggestions.
Peace, man.

If she is set of carrying in a bag then try and get her a bag with a dedicated gun pouch. They have a built in retention pouch so the gun doesn't shift around and she'll always know where it is at in the bag. You don't have to open carry with a holster. You can pull your shirt over the gun and conceal carry. Arizona allows everyone allowed to carry a gun to conceal carry without a permit. You only need a permit if you plan on crossing state lines into a state with reciprocity with Arizona's gun carrying laws. For example, I can conceal carry in my state without a permit, but if I drive into Virginia I would not be allowed to legally carry a gun if I didn't have my ccw permit. Also, even though I have a ccw permit I still can't carry in Maryland, for example, so it is wise to be cognizant on what state accepts your states ccw permit.

Just to be clear, there are lots of semi-auto pistols that are not Glocks. Before purchasing a gun, I would highly recommend going to a gun store or a gun range that would allow you to rent a number of guns and shoot them. That way you can get an idea of what you like and what you don't like. Some people don't like the grip angle of Glocks, and if you want an external safety (an actual lever that you have to move) then Glock is ruled out because they don't offer that feature. Then you can get into what size of pistol you want because every gun maker has multiple sizes of pistols. Some are sized to fit in a pocket while others are have large grips and long slides. There really is a gun for every flavor of user.

 

[sweetviolenturg]

If she is set of carrying in a bag then try and get her a bag with a dedicated gun pouch. They have a built in retention pouch so the gun doesn't shift around and she'll always know where it is at in the bag. You don't have to open carry with a holster. You can pull your shirt over the gun and conceal carry. Arizona allows everyone allowed to carry a gun to conceal carry without a permit. You only need a permit if you plan on crossing state lines into a state with reciprocity with Arizona's gun carrying laws. For example, I can conceal carry in my state without a permit, but if I drive into Virginia I would not be allowed to legally carry a gun if I didn't have my ccw permit. Also, even though I have a ccw permit I still can't carry in Maryland, for example, so it is wise to be cognizant on what state accepts your states ccw permit.

Just to be clear, there are lots of semi-auto pistols that are not Glocks. Before purchasing a gun, I would highly recommend going to a gun store or a gun range that would allow you to rent a number of guns and shoot them. That way you can get an idea of what you like and what you don't like. Some people don't like the grip angle of Glocks, and if you want an external safety (an actual lever that you have to move) then Glock is ruled out because they don't offer that feature. Then you can get into what size of pistol you want because every gun maker has multiple sizes of pistols. Some are sized to fit in a pocket while others are have large grips and long slides. There really is a gun for every flavor of user.

Apparently, she's way ahead of us when it comes to her gun carrying handbags. I asked her about that just now & she told me that she has three favorites that have little pouches inside for her .38. A Kate Spade, a Chanel & a Dior. LOL.

Regarding my choice of guns, my father in law is actually going to give me a choice between a .38, a Sig Sauer of some sort, a Glock & a "Baby" Glock. I think he has a couple of others as well but I think they're monsters like .44 or .45s. Then, there's his Desert Eagle but that's not among the ones that I'm choosing from. LOL.

 

[Protectandserve]

I'd say your best bet is to fire the guns and then begin to decide. There's a big difference between a revolver and a semi-auto. You'll surely have a personal preference.

As for reliability, either a Sig or a Glock should be just fine. Any marginal increase in the likelihood of failure is (in my opinion) overcome by the large increase in capacity. With a self-defense situation, if you're gonna be pulling the trigger, you'll want to be able to get lots of rounds off in a hurry. If you watch surveillance videos you'll see there's not a lot of "one shot, one kill" situations. Rounds miss and aren't necessarily going to incapacitate someone even when they hit.

Damn man, straight up stole my advice and post...

TS, what this fine gentleman said ...

 

[Judoka1532]

I bought a Smith and Wesson 40 a couple of months ago. It's a medium size hand gun. Not too big, not too small. It's fairly heavy. But it's a strong reliable gun and I feel safe with it.

I'm not a gun expert. I own 2 others (remington 1187 an winchester 270) and yea I think you should just take some of the peoples advice on here and see if you can shoot some for practice to see what you like best.

 

[Chesten_Hesten]

Cz p10.

It's cheap yo.



https://www.gunbuyer.com/cz-p-10-compact-9mm-4-02-barrel-15-1-91520.html

@Cubo de Sangre

 

[jericksen5]

Cz p10.

It's cheap yo.



https://www.gunbuyer.com/cz-p-10-compact-9mm-4-02-barrel-15-1-91520.html

@Cubo de Sangre

Love my P10c.
But sounds like his father in law has some glocks to give him. Free Glock 19 > Buying a P10c

 

[Stoic1]

Use your pistol to fight to your rifle.

 

[Mike Hagger]

Glock and real training. I cannot emphasize real range time, purposely driven, with scoreable targets. Putting a 1000 rds downrange may cost a bit but it's worth it. Ballistics, grains ECT, nothing beats shot placement.

I also wouldn't hesitate to recommend another 357 SW either. Train with 38spec. Revolvers require even less care, and are more reliable with larger bullets.

At the end of the day though all the main manufacturers make decent guns, it's what you train with and like that matters. You may not like glock because you prefer an external saftey. For example, or they're just not comfortable, its completely as they say shooter preference. If you're able to go sample a few.

 

[Te Huna Matata]

My sole contribution is that if you go with a semi (which I would), go with a 9mm. The difference in power between a 9mm and bigger cartridges is pretty negligible. However, with a 9mm, you will see double stacked mags being a lot more common. Having the ability to fire out 15-17 rounds of 9mm is much more beneficial than 7-8 of a .45 ACP. And lastly, the price is right. It's the most common caliber so ammo is plentiful and inexpensive. You can get 50 rounds of range ammo for no more than $10-11 and 25 rounds of hollow point defensive ammo for ~$23.

For hollow points, go with Hornady Critical Defense. Nothing else can match that round.

 

[jericksen5]

My sole contribution is that if you go with a semi (which I would), go with a 9mm. The difference in power between a 9mm and bigger cartridges is pretty negligible. However, with a 9mm, you will see double stacked mags being a lot more common. Having the ability to fire out 15-17 rounds of 9mm is much more beneficial than 7-8 of a .45 ACP.

. I’ll agree based on ammo costs. Whether it’s more “beneficial” is very debatable. Theres a reason why other handgun rounds are still popular.

For hollow points, go with Hornady Critical Defense. Nothing else can match that round.

While Hornady Critical Defense is very decent ammo, this is just wrong. There’s quite a bit of others available that are as good or “better”. In 9mm, I’d say most prefer a heavier round than the 115 available in Critical Defense.

 

[PlayswellwithLawnDarts]

Sig Sauer P226 chambered in 9mm
CorBon Pow’Rball 125gr +P
17+1 magazine

Practice as much as you can afford to

 

[RightToBareKnuckles]

I am wondering if I should get a shotgun for dealing with the sort of critters that live in & around the desert though. Something to use to scare off things like coyotes, mountain lions, etc should they come around our yard sniffing after our two housecats. I don't know if handguns can or should be used in situations like those. What do you think?

a shotgun by the bed could be worth considering. easy to use and load, and sound of racking one could scare off intruders (assuming you don't mind losing element of surprise). my father in law gave me a double barrel, and i keep it by my bed. wish he had bought me the house instead!

 

[sweetviolenturg]

a shotgun by the bed could be worth considering. easy to use and load, and sound of racking one could scare off intruders (assuming you don't mind losing element of surprise). my father in law gave me a double barrel, and i keep it by my bed. wish he had bought me the house instead!

For now, we're just relying on my wife's .38. Until my father in law takes me out to shoot with the .38 & the "Baby" Glock that he has set aside for me I'm content to let her handle the armed home security. I haven't seen her shoot yet but her dad says she's a crack shot.
I'll be shooting soon enough though & although I like the way that the .38 feels in my hand I like the way that the "Baby" Glock does even more. I handed the regular Glock too but I didn't like the feel of it. So, the "Baby" Glock is what I'm leaning toward. Of course, I won't know for sure until I've actually shot them.
As for the shotgun, that's a nice gift too though. Not quite a house but it's much better than nothing. LOL.
Peace, bro.

 

[astrozician]

Thanks, man. My wife wants me to pick the matching .38 revolver like hers ( but definitely not with a pink handle like hers <45>) but I'm leaning toward one of the Glocks.

My first handgun was a Glock 35. You can't go wrong with a reputable brand. Shoots .40's and you can shot 9mm and .357sig with a barrel swap (and magazine for 9). There's been a lot of votes for Glocks, and for a good reason.

If your wife wants you to have a .38.... well, you can always get a .357 magnum and load it with .38s. I can recommend Ruger and S&W revolvers; personally I decided on a Ruger SP101. I love revolvers, but the truth is I'm more accurate with my other pistols.

In short, just get your hands on as many as you can. Look, feel, shoot, pick the one you shoot best. Stick with a reputable brand, and train with it.

 

[RightToBareKnuckles]

the only other thing i thought of is that i've heard some people say 9mm almost "shoots too fast" and goes through people, and doesn't necessarily stop them, whereas a slower, heavier round would. i'm sure your father in law or others on this forum can explain that. i shoot my friends handguns like three times a year, but don't own

 

[sweetviolenturg]

My first handgun was a Glock 35. You can't go wrong with a reputable brand. Shoots .40's and you can shot 9mm and .357sig with a barrel swap (and magazine for 9). There's been a lot of votes for Glocks, and for a good reason.

If your wife wants you to have a .38.... well, you can always get a .357 magnum and load it with .38s. I can recommend Ruger and S&W revolvers; personally I decided on a Ruger SP101. I love revolvers, but the truth is I'm more accurate with my other pistols.

In short, just get your hands on as many as you can. Look, feel, shoot, pick the one you shoot best. Stick with a reputable brand, and train with it.

Will do, bro. And, thanks for your input. I appreciate it.
As I said, I'm really leaning toward the Glock 26. But, I liked S & W .38 a lot too.

 

[sweetviolenturg]

the only other thing i thought of is that i've heard some people say 9mm almost "shoots too fast" and goes through people, and doesn't necessarily stop them, whereas a slower, heavier round would. i'm sure your father in law or others on this forum can explain that. i shoot my friends handguns like three times a year, but don't own

Thanks, again. Something to consider for sure.

 

[SandisLL]

As for the shotgun,

For rural property I think are valuable; in european countries where allowed, owners prefer cartridges for wild pigs hunting, usually 12 gouge with conteinerised " pellets " also for self defense purposes.

"shoots too fast" and goes through people

If law allow use expansive HP for 357 not FMJ.
9*19 mm Luger with FMJ , especially if +P cartridge, really might go trough people. From close range even 9*18 Mac might do it.

The better holes are created by 45.ACP, 44 Mag, 40. Auto, 40 S&W , of course depends of bullet type etc.
I maybe opted old colt with 45.ACP and expansive bullet. Usable for beating too, low recoil, big hole if I lived in U.S