Consider this list of best home defense guns to ward off intruders while waiting for the authorities to arrive.
RELATED: Your Home Invasion Defense Plan | Gun Carrier
Best Home Defense Guns to Help You Stand Your Ground
Reliable Home Defense Guns
As the popular saying goes, when seconds count, the police are just minutes away. While one can rely on the professionals to serve and defend, home protection is still something people should take into consideration.
Here is the list of the best home defense guns you can rely on, in no particular order.
1. An AR-15 Style Rifle
Most people opt for a carbine to best handle home defense scenarios. An AR-15 style rifle is the best carbine rifle for home defense as it offers 30 rounds of ammo, which is enough to slow down or threaten a small group.
Carbines are also short, can be maneuvered easily, and have the ability to fire quickly and accurately. The AR-15 battle rifle and FN 15-1776 carbine are great picks.
2. A Tavor X95
The Tavor is a great choice even if it is not as budget-friendly as the others on this list. The Tavor X95 is also shorter compared to the other rifle varieties.
However, what they lack in stature, they make up for in their versatility – the manufacturer had limited the felt-recoil and designed it short enough for anyone to use it in tight spaces. The large capacity magazines in both handgun and rifle calibers make it a powerful home defense gun.
3. A Mossberg 500
A home defense shotgun decent enough is quite hard to find. The Mossberg 500, however, can satisfy your need for one, as it is quite a versatile gun capable of a spread (the pellets).
You only need to point the barrel in the direction of the intruder to shoot where it hurts.
It's a common misconception that you don't have to aim at the bad guys. In truth, you still need to aim to the best of your ability.
The spread of the pellets isn't that great, especially if you're choked with a specific type of ammo. I think I'll write about this in a near future article, so stay tuned for that.
The downside to this home defense shotgun is the amount of felt recoil. If you have no experience with a Mossberg 500 or are not prepared to use one, you could get hurt trying to defend yourself.
Check out our Mossberg 500 Tactical here.
RELATED: Home Defense Shotgun vs. Home Defense Handgun
4. A Pistol Caliber Rifle Like a CX-4 Storm or AKX-9
A pistol caliber rifle or a carbine produces the least amount of recoil among the home self defense guns in this list. This is because the more guns backed up by your body (until it sits on your shoulder like a shotgun), the more guns absorb.
Moreover, the rifle's increased accuracy and velocity of the projectile, as compared to that of a regular handgun, will make you choose the former. Go for frangible rounds that break apart when it hit something to reduce bullet over-penetration.
5. Rifle Caliber Pistol SBR (or AR-15)
If you prefer carbine among the best guns for home defense, you may want to consider SBR as they can be much smaller. The bullet point is for a rifle-caliber pistol with a butt-stock to get accurate, potent shots for home defense.
What is a Carbine? Carbines are a type of rifle that has a shorter barrel length typically less than 20 inches.
You can learn more about this rifle caliber pistol as your SBR model.
Anything can be turned into a customizable SBR, which will include a handgun with a butt-stock just like an Uzi. On the other hand, you can't just go and turn a pistol into a home defense rifle as you may get involved with the feds.
The feds will know the moment you apply for your stamp.
6. A Handgun
We've spoken about how good it is to have a concealed weapon in great detail in a previous article. The small revolver is usually a Charter Arms .38 or a Springfield XD.
This is small enough to also function as an everyday item in your holster or bag.
Home Defense Gun Ownership
The most important aspect is you need to be familiar with your home defense gun of choice. Some people opt out of a home defense shotgun as it can cause shoulder injury.
Moreover, it is also important to train at home with it as much as you do at a local range. Just because you put in shooting practice for a couple of times each year does not mean you are ready to handle your firearm in a home-defense scenario.
Check out this video by Warrior Poet Society about John Lovell as he breaks down the best home defense guns in the market today:
Home invasion and other home defense scenarios can happen to anyone. Arming your home with the best home defense guns offers peace of mind, especially in this day and age. On the other hand, it is important to seek out the best ones that suit your needs.
What do you think are the best home defense guns you already have? Let us know in the comments section below!
UP NEXT:
- Home Defense Shotgun | Realities And Myths
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on May 28, 2018, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
Beowulf .50 cal.
I agree that you need to be able to defend yourself but I always think “What do you need to do to carry your gun everyday at every minute?” Answer? You need to have a gun you can and will carry that is as easy to carry as a large key ring! What is that? Look into the North American line of mini .22 and .22 magnum pistols. They are single action, stainless steel, 5 shot and you can get a folding grip that will make the gun safer and has a grip large enough for a large man. .22 rounds don’t carry the power and glamour of a .45 however you won’t carry a .45 everywhere and everyday. When you need a gun you might have seconds (If lucky) so you have to have it and it be in your pocket easy to reach. It also needs to be easy to operate. Here is how to operate the North American .22 with a folding grip. Reach into your pocket and open the grip (You can do this while removing it from your pocket) start bringing the gun on target and while doing this pull back the hammer, aim………..fire. Safety? The fold up grip (1) and the hammer in a down position in a grove inbetween the chambers on the cylinder. The grip covers the trigger and with the hammer down in one of the groves the gun is very safe. Single action so there is no way that gun can fire if that is the way you carry the weapon. No one knows you are carrying and it is not a big lump in your pocket. It is a gun you will carry.
A lot of people will laugh at your choice but they forget one thing, more assassinations are committed by .22 and .25 handguns, they are a lot quieter and do a surprising amount of damage. They thought my choice of EDC (.22 5 shot North American) was useless, but NO ONE ever took me up on trying to prove me wrong by being shot with it.
I carry a Kimber compact stainless .45 and I keep a Winchester Defender 12 ga. as a house gun.
Coming into my home uninvited, and you will be talking to Mr. Mossberg 590A1. Believe me, he will get the point across.
556 surpressed SBR