Top 5 Home Defense Handguns Under $400

Budget plays a huge factor in choosing home defense handguns. You need not blow wads of cash to be well-armed for self-defense. Yes, you heard me right. Handgun.

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5 Excellent Home Defense Handguns You Need For Protection

Why a Handgun?

Because it is convenient to use and you can conceal it hassle-free. Simple as that.

Ok, where were we? Oh yeah, budget. As mentioned earlier, it is an important consideration. In these trying times, you could not afford to spend a lot on guns. But it doesn’t mean that you have to settle for a lemon.

Not all cheap handguns suck quality-wise. So, relax, sip your favorite brew, and read on as we guide you in finding the best home defense handgun for your budget.

The retail price of a brand-new handgun is around $600. Depending on the manufacturer, the cost could be a lot higher. This is before we factor in essential accessories. These accessories include ammunition, holster, and spare magazines. A pistol ranging under the $400 price margin is reasonable.

It’s a steal. It is if the quality is good to excellent. The prospect of finding non-used sidearms hovering on this piece range is possible. Yes, cheap does not always translate to second-hand. And affordable does not always translate to run-of-the-mill. Home defense handgun under $400? Right, on!

1. Smith & Wesson SD9VE

Let’s kick off the program with the trusty old Smith & Wesson brand. The Smith & Wesson SD9VE came out in 2012. Its predecessor is the S&W Sigma. The Sigma went into infamy in 1994. Production came to a grinding halt after a legal skirmish with the Glock company.

Like the discontinued Sigma, SD9VE is also a mid-size pistol with a polymer frame. It has been in the gun market for quite some time now. Why is this pistol recommended? Easy. It is lightweight, high capacity, and easy on the budget.

It also packs superb features like a loaded-chamber indicator and a three-dot sighting system. Its grip texture makes it very comfortable to use. It has a .40-caliber chambering. This provides more stopping power.

A nice trade-off for the usual two-round magazine capacity. This home defense handgun 7.2 inches long. Its barrel length is 4 inches. When unloaded, it only weighs around 22 ounces. The manufacturer’s suggested price is $389. But you can get it for less from legit dealers.

2. Ruger Security 9

This home defense handgun invaded the market in 2018. Like the Smith & Wesson SD9VE, the Ruger Security 9 also has a polymer frame. A compact sidearm, the Security 9 competes with the Glock 19 performance-wise.

Price-wise, it leaves the latter in the dust. The Security 9 is yours for $379 or even less. It all depends on where you buy it. “Okay, we get it. It’s cheap. But how about quality?” Good question.

This home defense handgun is a beast when it comes to performance and quality. Don’t get fooled by its polymer frame.

Built with an internal hammer, this single-action handgun is easy to use. Because it does away with the striker, its slide is convenient to rack. This means that if your grip is not that strong, you could still use it with ease.

Loading is shooting is a walk in the park. The Security 9 is actually Ruger LCP Mark 2. The latter is a popular subcompact sidearm.

Its other awesome features are an accessory rail and frame-mounted manual safety mechanism. It is 7.24 inches long with a barrel length of 3.42 inches. When unloaded it weighs 3.42 ounces. It has a 10-round magazine plus one in its chamber.

3. Smith & Wesson Model 442

Here’s another one from Smith & Wesson. It is a revolver. Now, what makes a lot of gun users choose a revolver over semi-automatics? Simple. A revolver is a no-frills weapon. All you need is to lock and load. Put it on a holster and you’re good to go.

This is good for old-school users who hate dealing with magazines. Speaking of the old school, the chambering of a .38 special goes as far back as the late 1800s.

The antique .38 though has now benefitted from advancement in technology. The Smith & Wesson Model 442 is a killer home defense handgun.

The J-frame .38 Special pistol has a five-shot cylinder. A snub-nose revolver, Model 442 is a backup weapon by design. It is compact and made of scandium alloy.

This lightweight yet sturdy material has similar properties to titanium. It is 6.33 inches in length. The barrel is 6.3 inches long. It weighs 15 ounces! The MSRP is $477 but some online retailers sell it for under $400.

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4. Hi-Point C9

The adage: “never judge a book by its cover” applies to the Hi-Point C9. It may not much to look at but who cares? What it lacks in face value, it makes up for in alluring features. And yes, also the price. The Hi-Point C9 has a +P ammo rating. This means that it is a straight blowback handgun.

Being a +P-rated handgun is an advantage. A lot of 9mm ammos are +P. Gun snobs deride the C9 because of its frame. But this derision came from misinformation. The C9’s frame is of polymer and its slide material is a zinc-aluminum alloy called Zamak. But it has a steel barrel, chamber, and pressure-bearing parts.

A heavy handgun for its size, the C9’s weight has an advantage. Its added weight helps stabilize felt recoil. This is true especially when you are using +P ammunition. Its spare magazines come cheap, so you don’t have to worry about its minimal eight-round capacity. Its chambering is 9x19mm Parabellum.

It is 6.75 inches long with a barrel length of 3.5 inches. It retails for $199. Now that’s cheap for a good home defense handgun!

5. Jimenez JA-Nine 9mm Luger

Last on our list is the Jimenez JA-Nine 9mm Luger. What about this one? Well, first this home defense handgun is 100% made in the U.S. It’s a product of the state of Nevada. They call it one of the survivors from the 80s Saturday night specials.

Its frame is of superior quality alloy. The rest of its parts are steel. How about the reliability factor? It would be good to know that it stands upon this particular aspect. Yes, the Jimenez JA-Nine is a very defendable weapon in its price range.

Its stopping power is astounding. A Jimenez JA-Nine includes two twelve-round magazines which are great. It is no doubt a sterling pistol for gun users with a limited budget.

Every sale of Jimenez JA-Nine 9mm Luger comes with a lifetime warranty. And for the kicker, the Jimenez JA-Nine’s MSRP is a cool $150. That’s pretty neat.

Used Firearms as Option

If a home defense handgun that is under $400 still does not work for you, then go second hand. Yes sir. It is possible to get top-quality handguns from the second-hand market. This is where you will find much-coveted discontinued models.

Police trade-ins are also a good source for used handguns. Firearms coming from this source may look worse for wear but still very functional. Looks can be deceiving.

Going past the cosmetic flaws, the handguns are still of high quality. It is still capable of providing adequate stopping power when needed. Used handguns can be a good thing provided you do some research first.

Research is the key

You heard me right. Research is the key. Whether you are looking for home defense handguns under $400 or used ones, do some digging first. Give yourself enough time to gather and process necessary information. It would also be bad if you try a handgun first before spending your hard-earned buck.

Research, inspect, and try it! It is the way to go. A good seller will understand it. Another thing to remember is, always buy your guns from reputable dealers. A legitimate seller will let you touch, use, and inspect his wares. It applies to every type of seller. If the seller says no, you can always say pass. Look for a better dealer who will offer you the best deal.

It is important to buy used firearms from reputable sellers. If the store clerk or owner does not let you touch it or inspect it before buying it, pass on it and try a different store. Scoring a used home defense handgun also exposes you to potential risks. Scammers abound particularly online.

Make sure you go through proper networks to avoid this. Talk to trustworthy people who are in the know. When searching on the Internet, always look for identity verification. This will help in identifying reputable websites.

Check out this awesome video featuring Top 5 Home Defense Handguns Under $400:

As a parting shot –no pun intended, a used handgun is better than having no handgun at all.

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What other features are you looking for in a home defense handguns under $400? Show us what you got. Leave a comment below. 

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