There is a lot that goes into the decision to purchase a firearm for personal defense. I am asked almost every day what the best firearm is for personal defense. There is no cookie-cutter answer to that question. There are a few questions that you must answer before deciding on a gun. For the purposes of this article, we are going to talk about handguns. We can talk shotguns at a later time. The questions that you need to answer are: Is the gun for home defense/range use, concealed carry, or both? Do you have a preference between revolvers and Semi-autos? Do you have a caliber preference? What (if any) guns have you fired in the past that you liked?
Let’s look at the questions as a sequence and attempt to bring some clarity. Question one: Is the gun for home defense/range use, concealed carry, or both? Why is this important? Deciding on this question will help to decide on the size of the gun you end up with. A home defense/range gun that will not be carried is not limited by size as much as a carry gun would be. Depending on the climate and time of year, you may have a harder time concealing a large frame gun. One you decide on the general size of gun, you then need to make the decision between a revolver and a semi-auto. Both options have benefits and detractors. Generally speaking revolvers hold less ammunition than a semi auto, typically limited to 5 or 6 rounds. This may be a downside to a person looking to have maximum ammunition on hand. On the plus side, revolvers tend to be more reliable and less prone to jamming. Additionally, they have the advantage of cycling to a fresh round in a fail-to-fire situation where the trigger has been pulled but the round has not gone off. This could make a world of difference in a self defense situation. Moving on to Semi-autos. One major advantage of a semi auto is ammunition capacity.
Several manufactures make reasonably sized handguns that hold 17 to 19 rounds of 9mm in the magazine. In a self defense situation when your nerves are high and the adrenalin is flowing, your accuracy tends to diminish. I recently heard a well respected firearms instructor say that the average person is half as accurate in a defensive shoot as compared to on the range. Having more rounds means less reloading, that can make a huge difference if there is more than one threat. If you are unsure which option is right for you, find a range that offers rentals and try a few different guns and find what works best for you.
Moving on to caliber. This is a much debated topic in gun shops and on ranges. In any given shop you will have several opinions. In my experience it not uncommon for people working in gun shops to push their favorite caliber on a person and try to convince the customer that they will be doing themselves a disservice if they choose otherwise. It is better to choose what will work best for you, not the “gun guy”. For the purposes of this article, I will keep it basic. It is usually advisable that for a primary personal defense semi-auto that you use a .380 ACP or larger round due to stopping power. The smaller calibers will be less effective against a threat. Not to say that a caliber such as .25ACP is a bad option, simply that it may be less effective against a threat than a larger caliber. In regards to revolvers, typical defense revolvers are chambered in .38 special and .357 magnum. Your choice of caliber will be effected by experience, age (older individuals may require a smaller caliber due to physical challenges that arise with age), physical size, disability, or other individual situations. Remember to go with a caliber that is right for you, not what is right for the sales person. Again, you may have to fire several different calibers to help you decision as to which caliber is right for you.
As stated a few times during this article, you may have to fire a few a few different guns to make your decision. Plan on taking some time to make the decision. All too often rushed decision tends to be a regretted decision. Ask questions of the sales person, selling guns is what they do and they will have valuable advice. Ask friends or family members that have firearms what they prefer and why. Asking why they prefer certain guns will provide some interesting insight. Also, remember that in a household where more than one person may use the firearm, it will be beneficial to have both people go to the shop to decide together. It is not uncommon for a married couple to have very different gun preferences. Talk about the decision together and figure out what is important for both of you. Spend time on manufacture’s websites and make notes of what features you like and questions you may need clarified by the gun shop staff.
Finally, make sure you know what is required in your area to purchase a firearm. Each state has their own laws regarding requirements to purchase. If you are not sure, call your local firearms dealer and ask, they will know what you need.
Good read. Looking forward to more.