Home Defense

by **Torgo** » Wed Apr 14, 2010 1:15 am

I am new to the forum, and am seeking some advice on finding a suitable home defense weapon. Obviously most guns will suit for home defense, but I am looking for a subcompact that both myself and my wife will be able to fire. My primary concern is if I am not home, she will be able to handle the weapon on her own. She has limited firing expericence, and I only have knowledge of full size .45 firing. Any advice would be helpful, I have done a little research and am looking at a springfield or a SW, any opinions on these brands, or should I look smaller like a .22 for her.

by **whitehood** » Wed Apr 14, 2010 8:23 am

Ditch the subcompact nonsense. They're for deep concealed carry. Get a Glock 19. If you wife can't handle a 9mm she shouldn't be handling a pistol in the first place. As an all round pistol it's superb. Accurate, very reliable, high capacity and with a good price. It's also easy to use. Two caveats. One is you need a holster to keep it safe. Secondly it's not a weapon you want unsecured around kids.

by **GOANRA** » Wed Apr 14, 2010 1:36 pm

For home defense, I'd stay with 9mm/38 spec minimum caliber and would recommend a revolver for your inexperienced wife. No need to try teaching her how to clear 'stove pipes', 'ftf rounds', etc.

Not too long ago, my wife had never fired a sidearm. I taught her with a 22 at the range & she loved it. She saw the "Range Guns" & learned she could try-'em-out, before I suggested it.

She liked the 4 in revolvers with 38 spec.

In a panic situation, she would NEVER remember to use a safety.

She has XS hands and tiny wrists and is quite delicate, but [with practice] was shooting [a few unpleasant] .357 Mags from a 2in revolver accurately. That revolver was on her nightstand every night & in the kitchen cupboard every day.

A 38spcl JHP would be adequate to take the sass out of a home invader/rapist, etc.

I learned as an LEO, that the sound of a shot sends the bad guy(s) on their way. Keeping the sidearm within reach, especially during daylight, is the hard part.

The S&W and Taurus models come with 2 keys that will allow the rev to be locked when children are around. So you won't need a gun safe or have to be constantly unloading/loading your sidearm.

I got a Taurus Model 85, Titanium, rubber grips, +P rated, for $282. NIB and my wife likes to shoot it on occassion [knowing its a business only gun] so she still practices, alot, with 'her' 22 pistol at the range.

Also, my 12 yr old daughters were shooting 38s when they were 12 years old with no problem.

Such is my experience over the past 40 years... hope it helps some.

by **Torgo** » Wed Apr 14, 2010 8:08 pm

Thank you all for the adivce. The .22 advice is something we did try recently at the range, and as you had said Goanra, she loved it. The revolver was small enough for her to handle with no problems, and was easy enough for her to load with no sweat. I didnt think of the 38 idea, I will be at the range with her this weekend to try that. Sound advice to keep at hand day and night as well. Thank you all for the input.

by **whitehood** » Wed Apr 14, 2010 8:17 pm

A revolver is a good idea but and I mean a big but is some of the malfunctions coming to light on the revolvers with locking systems. To me it's just something that else that can go wrong and does. The Ruger GP100 in 357 mag with 38 special +Ps may be the way to go. I won't buy a weapon with a trigger lock system. If you want safety put the thing in a small gun safe and chain it some where. But there is another way, a pistol with a magazine disconnect. The Ruger SR9 gives you the same simplicity of the Glock but with the mag disconnect. Separate the mag from the pistol and it won't go boom.

by **GOANRA** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 12:48 pm

It is strange how many keep their weapon on the nightstand in case a cat-burglar breaks in ... like Hollywood.

In the Detroit area, I got most my violent calls [where good citizens were involved] between Noon-10pm.

A fairly common scenario is a BG breaks into your home thinking no one is home ... and there he is with a crowbar in his hands, looking at YOU.

Businesses usually got most of the night activity.

Can't figure the rapists, home-invaders, psychos, etc., though.

Keeping children safe; with a weapon & from a weapon is a real balancing act.

Thesedays are huge police layoffs. Like the Judge in Ohio stated recently, "Carry a gun."

by **whitehood** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 5:03 pm

You're dead on. Criminals work a regular day and daytime, early evening is prime time. Home invaders know that most people keep their weapons in a nightstand or other similiar place and that it will be hard to get to if they get in fast. Same thing with burglars, especially if they decide to stay and play with any females they may find.

by **agonist** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 8:48 am

Your average B&E burglar is not looking to meet up with any resistance. In many cases they'll run off if met with anyone at home. IMO any break in that occurs while someone is at home is a violent act and wouldn't be occurring if the offender was not intending bodily harm, at least that's the way I'll treat it.

A popular time for home invasion is also in the morning. I always make the point of visibly locking the door behind me when I leave my wife and daughter to go to work in the morning. The hope is a deadbolted door will make a lot of noise and take a little extra time to defeat in the hopes that she can reach the accessible 12ga at the ready.

by **g4l** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 9:25 am

goanra mentioned how many of us probably keep a pistol on, or in a nightstand. I usually have a 1911 on a nightstand, and have wondered if there were a better position to keep it.

I would like to hear opinions on the ideal place for a pistol while sleeping.

by **whitehood** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 10:43 am

agonist, what you say about many burglars is true, however burglary has been divided into different categories through a number of systems, most often five. Opportunity type burglars are often young and know that that the B&E part of the crime is considered an inchoate crime in many jurisdictions or an incomplete crime. Many liberal jurists question whether a crime has been committed at all so that's why a lot of them walk or walk with a slap. The key point is opportunity. Looking at the UCR you're seeing an alarming increase in rapes in association with B&E with an without rapes. They're young, violent and many times armed and becoming more commonly multiple. They'll take whatever opportunity presents itself. You won't see this with a smash and grab guy. They know the system will tend to protect them if something goes wrong and there is a defense by saying I tried to stop my buddies.