TOP 5 HANDGUNS FOR HOME DEFENSE

If you are new to guns and have decided pistols are the best option for your home defense needs, you’ve come to the right place! Today we’re going to touch on the five best home defense pistols, entirely in my opinion. The answer is a Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 with a Surefire weapon light and some extra mags for anyone who doesn’t want to enjoy my casual yet snarky writing style. Oh, and a good hollow point. But slow down and give me some time to explain myself. There are four really good, and hopefully somewhat unique, choices that should fill loads of roles and give you good jumping-off points to dig further for your specific needs. Before we jump straight to the guns themselves, I want to touch on the most crucial accessory for a home defense gun of any nature, a flashlight. LET THERE BE LIGHT Before you can go taming the wild beasts that dare enter your humble abode, you need to tame the night. The fire was one of the most important discoveries of humanity; It cooked our meat, kept our k9 companions warm on cold nights and us, and most importantly, allowed us to see in the dark. A weapon light is no less critical to a home defense gun than a burning stick was to our past selves. You may hear from time to time that “you can’t shoot what you can’t see,” and in part, that’s correct; however, I think it’s better said that “you shouldn’t shoot at what you can’t see.” Remember, one of the firearms fundamentals is to know your target and what’s beyond it. Was that bump you just heard a masked robber ready to snatch your clock radio, or was it your dog heading downstairs to have a midnight snack? A weapon light on your pistol is a must. Regarding brands, go for something reputable. Two brands come to mind, Surefire and Streamlight. Yes, there are some nice, really expensive lights out there and some really cheap ones; however, I usually try to stick with one of these two. Surefire lights are known to run to hell and back and keep working. Streamlight lights are also known for going to hell and back but for half the price. Surefire is sleek and sexy, while Streamlight gives off a dad-bod vibe. Either will more than likely serve you well. Whatever brand you choose, please put it on your gun and take it to the range to make sure it holds up; Oh, and test it once a month to make sure the batteries aren’t dead. GUNS, GUNS, GUNS! Now for what you’ve all been waiting for, my top 5 choices for home defense pistols. We’re going from 5 to 1. #5 - SMITH & WESSON M&P R8 Coming in at number 5, we have a revolver, the Smith & Wesson R8 or TRR8. The M&P R8 is a gun that has been on my drool list for a while now. I wouldn’t consider it the most optimal handgun for home defense, but it’s extremely capable and fills in nicely for someone who would prefer a revolver over a semi-auto. The R8 is an eight-shot .357 magnum revolver with an optional top and bottom rail. It’s a hefty animal coming in at around 36 ounces, which is excellent when looking to tame a powerful magnum cartridge. The rail segments allow you to run a red dot, light, or both, making this a “modern” revolver. There’s a massive plus to the cartridge as well. FBI stats show that .357 mag has the most one-shot stops when dealing with two-legged aggressors. Overall, I would have no issue leaving one of these on my nightstand in case of a night-time break-in. #4 - FN FNX-45 TACTICAL For number 4, I have a great modern suggestion for the .45 AARP folks out there. The FNX-45 Tactical, again, is red dot ready and packs an excellent 15 round .45 magazine. If you have to have a .45, this FN is the right choice. I like the tactical version over the standard because it includes a threaded barrel and RMR cut slide. It has a Picatinny rail on the bottom, ready for whatever light you choose, like any nice modern gun. If you like throwing hollow point bowling balls at people, this is the right choice for you. Get your paperwork started on a nice .45 can; there is no need to damage that hearing further. #3- CZ-75 SP-01 At number 3, we have the CZ-75 SP-01. This is for the hipster home defense crowd. If you curl your mustache at the tips and prefer Starbucks over Dunkin’, this might be the right choice. The newer versions of the CZ-75 come with Picatinny rails and threaded barrels, which, as you may be able to tell, is a must for home defense. The 75 is pretty heavy, coming in at 42 ounces; however, you won’t be carrying it around in a hip holster, so that won’t matter too much. Weighty guns make for less recoil and better follow-up shots. It packs 19 rounds of 9mm, which is fantastic; Lots of rounds for lots of intruders. There are also many aftermarket parts for 75s, including the all-important night sights. The double-action/single-action trigger is the only downside for these guns; however, that’s more of a training issue than a real detriment. #2 - GLOCK 17 OR 19 Glock Glock Glock. You all knew we would get here eventually. Yes, the venerable Glock 17 or Glock 19 are my number 2 choices, and I include both here because I’m writing the article, and I make the rules! No, these are not my number one choice, and that’s because of my experience with the number one on the list; We’ll get there. The Glock pistols work. They run and run and run and get beaten up, and run some more. Tons of aftermarket accessories allow for red dots and nicer night sights. They are always reasonably priced, as are their magazines which means you can buy cheap and stack deep. If you are looking to tacticool it out, you absolutely can; a $500 Glock can quickly turn in a $2000 Glock if you let the credit card run free. If you have large hands, get a Glock 17 Gen5 and if you have smaller hands, go with a Glock 19 Gen5. Put a light on it and put it on the nightstand. When it’s time to put to work, it won’t fail you. #1- SMITH & WESSON M&P 2.0 What can I say? The M&P 2.0 fits my hand like a glove and shoots true for me. I’ve yet to put it in anyone’s hands who can’t get on target and make consistent hits within their first couple of rounds. It has a complete steel subframe embedded in the plastic, making it more rigid and slightly heavier. The slight increase in weight plus moving up to the 5” slide makes it an absolute pleasure to shoot overall. The circumference of the grip is also a little smaller than a Glock which makes it way more comfortable for smaller hands like mine. I had one come in as a T&E and immediately knew I was going to buy it out and not send it back, and to this day, that 5” pistol has not failed me. The two-part trigger is my only complaint; luckily, that can be remedied for about $35 with a polymer Apex trigger shoe. The gun can have a thumb safety if that’s your cup of tea, or it can be removed for the high-speed, low drag types. Standard 17 round mags for the duty size gun give you plenty of firepower for whatever you may be up against. Smith & Wesson M&P’s have been in police hands for years now and, to my best research, have served dutifully with few issues. Overall, one of my favorite semi-auto pistols in my safe. You will not be disappointed if you pick up one of these. Let me know down in the comments what you think the best home defense pistol is. Do you prefer the .45 ACP over a 9mm, or are you one of the .40 short and weak weirdos? I’ll do my best to come back periodically and reply to comments.