Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Protection handgun - ideas?

I also have already stated my preference for the simple double action revolver, but would like to comment on the shotgun advocates. Nothing wrong with a shotgun. Very effective weapon, but keep in mind that few ever get much trigger time with a shotgun, unless you're involved in skeet, trap, or sporting clays. Few spend much time with a shotgun shooting at targets combat style. That's easy and cheap to do with a .38.

Im what i would consider well compitent with most any fire arm and own everything but a semi auto rifle. That being said i keep a 200 dollar 12 guage pump beside my bed, a 45xd with laser by the bed room door, and a 300 RUM and cordless 2 million candle power spotlight by the front door. Call me paraniod but i think this is a good start to use in progression.................I just thought. What if they use it in backwards progression on me? Oh well, maybe time to reassess this situation. Ill lock up everything except the shotgun and load the rounds in progression, if they beat me to death with the spotlight i guess I had it coming.

Simple is best and there's nothing more simple than a .38 snubbie.

On my side of the bed......a G23. On her side......a S&W 642, .38 Spl. The 642 (as is the blued verson....442) is a Centennial, which means it has no visible hammer, it is enclosed and the entire gun has no "edges" to hang up on anything.

I load her 642 with 135gr. GD's for a bit less recoil over the heavier weights and she shoots it well and often. Easily concealed, handles easily, fits small hands, ultra lightweight and packs enough punch to do the job.

For all the ladies in the house, if shotguns are being considered, I have a Youth model 870 Express 20 gauge which both of the ladies can handle with ease. It's handy, lightweight and sports a shorter barrel which aids in the "gettin' around" dept.

Good luck on your decision......

I have no problems with a snubby revolver. My home gun is a 15 shot Steyr M9A1 with laser in a small electronic safe on my bed.

I disagree with all the training stuff. The facts don't support it, including John Lott's estimate that handguns are used successfully in defense of life and property over 2-million times per year. We don't see failed home defense reports on TV, much to the chagrin of the liberals, if the homeowner is armed we only see successful ones.

Does training improve your odds? Maybe, if you train enough to advance your baseline - the line you will revert to under extreme stress.

It's important to me to establish a plan for dealing with a home invasion. The plan around the JOG household is the usual early warning stuff (alarms, lights, dog) and culminates in taking a defensive position and letting the bad guy choose to leave or walk into a reaaally bad spot. In your case three women and one handgun can make things complicated so a plan is all the more important.

Handgun-wise, my blanket recommendation for home defense is the Springfield XDM in 9mm, 4-1/2 inch barrel, 19+1, with night sights. The XDM has plenty of everything and is a very easy handgun to operate.

Been saying the same thing for years.