There is, in fact, a larger discussion focused on home defense, that doesn't even involve guns at all -and that is to say, things we can do to make our house/apartment/home less of a "soft target" for criminals, and things we can do to make unlawful entry into our homes difficult for those who'd attempt it. This would involve fortifying the strike plates of our doors, outdoor lighting, and a host of other things we can do to make our homes less appealing or attractive to those who case neighborhoods and look for easy targets. Guns, in general, are the final and last resort involved in any considerations for home defense, as most of the considerations and planning/steps revolve around everything else about the home itself, and what we can and should do to best-protect it from even getting invaded or broken into. A future write up will cover the bulk of home defense, in terms of making our homes less of a target for criminals, and "harder" targets, but this note will just be about the guns.
In the past year, we've seen instances of civil unrest. We've seen entire cities brought to their knees under riots and violence, and recently due to extreme weather, we've seen Texas and other states dealing with desperate conditions. On top of all this, we have a lot of people who've been out of work, light on cash, and struggling to make all the bills and put food on the table. In times like these, we see incredible acts of human kindness and charity, but we also see desperation and violence. There are many Americans who ordinarily wouldn't commit any crimes, but when faced with the prospect of not paying bills and their families going without food, their desperation causes them to consider doing things they otherwise wouldn't have thought of doing. Of course, the criminal element always exists and hasn't gone anywhere, but I have noticed a lot of people buying guns for the first time and seeking training. The prospect of being without electricity, heat, and water with the added concern of desperate people and criminals trying to acquire what they can has led many people to look towards firearms to defend themselves and their families in their homes.
Of course we all remember everybody rushing to buy toilet paper, and we remember concerningly looking at the empty shelves in the grocery store, perhaps encouraging us to buy additional food and other items that we weren't planning on getting. It seems that many people started stocking up on essential items and food, but then started to wonder how they could protect their supplies and their families. Many people started to realize an eternal truth; that there's no sense in buying all these supplies and all this food if you have no way of ensuring it will remain yours. So, we've seen many first-time gun buyers flocking to the gun shop to purchase something to defend their homes and family. This is mainly geared towards those newer to guns, or possibly considering buying a gun. For those unfamiliar with guns in general, or lack experience with many types and kinds of guns, they may get advice from a buddy or family member who does own guns, and sometimes that advice may be outstanding, and sometimes it's downright awful. Of course, what type or kind of gun is best is a hard question to answer, dependent on many individual factors, circumstances, and needs. My work here aims to help you understand the different types of firearms you could outfit yourself with for the purpose of home defense, and go over the pros and cons of each, so that you may understand more and make a better-informed decision for yourself and your situation.
Generally speaking, there are many types of individual guns from the various manufacturers and models of guns, but what we care about most here will be the general classifications or types of guns that'd be useful for home defense. We're going to focus on these classifications of guns:
1) The shotgun
2) The pistol
3) The carbine
4) The SBR or braced pistol
We will then talk about various accessories or attachments we might want to consider adding to the gun or guns we eventually pick, that would make them more useful in a home defense role.
Relevant Terms
It might be necessary to define some basic terms that you'll see, for those who aren't familiar with what they mean. You might choose to skip this for now, and go back to reference it when you see a term you might not know.
- Pump action = a gun that requires you, after shooting one shot, to manually pump the gun's action to the rear to expel the fired shell, then the user must rack the pump forward to chamber and load the next round to be fired.
- Break-open = a gun that requires you to unlock and "break open" the action to eject or remove the spent shells, then manually drop new shells into the barrels, and snap the gun back together for additional shots. Generally found mostly with shotguns, specifically older designs/antiques, or modern sporting or hunting shotguns. The classic "double-barreled" shotgun is a prime example.
- Bolt action = a gun that requires the user to manually unlock and pull back on the bolt to expel the spent shell or casing, then push forward and lock the bolt forward to feed and chamber the next round. Usually found on hunting rifles or precision rifles, but is also found on some older shotguns.
- Semi-auto = semi-automatic operation. The gun will automatically actuate and load the next live round, ready for your next trigger pull, but the gun can only fire one shot per one trigger pull. The most common type of firearm used in America today.
- Full auto / Fully automatic = referring to a firearm that is capable of producing two or more shots fired with a single trigger pull, where the gun will continue to fire automatically so long as the shooter keeps the trigger held back, or the gun runs out of ammunition. Not able to be manufactured or sold on the public market since 1986, yet the legal existing full auto firearms at that time were grandfathered in, so a private citizen can own them but the paperwork, tax stamp, and costs are extremely prohibitive for most private citizens. For these pre 1986, legal machine guns, we refer to them as "transferable full-autos," because they may still be lawfully bought and sold as they were grandfathered in at that time. But again, that requires additional paperwork, months of waiting, and incredible expense.
- "Assault Rifle"/"Assault Weapon" = a term that appears nowhere in any training circulars, manufacturer documentation, military lexicon, or technical armorer manuals. A term that was applied to certain military-style, semi-automatic only firearms. Basically we attached a verb to a noun and ran with it, somewhere in the late 1980s. Although not an official term within the industry, the military, the gunsmithing profession, or any part of my training as a military and then later civilian armorer and gunsmith, people seem to use it for rifles or firearms that are actually legal, semi-auto only firearms. Due to how long this term has been around, it has actually gotten traction within the gun community for describing, specifically, select-fire weapons chambered in intermediate rifle calibers, and not semi-auto only firearms that cannot fire in a burst or full-auto capability.
- A select-fire weapon = an actual military-issue weapon, or pre 1986 transferable full-auto firearm that has the ability to be used in a semi-auto only mode of operation, AND through flipping the selector switch, can also operate in a burst or full-auto capability. An example would be a military M4A1 Carbine, which can be set to semi-automatic only, yet if the user needs it, they can flip the selector to "AUTO" and the gun will now shoot in a full-auto mode of operation.
- Pistol = typically refers to a semi-auto handgun, the most common and widely-used type of handgun today.
- Revolver = still a handgun, but this design utilizes a fixed barrel with a revolving cylinder, typically holding 5 to 8 shots. They come from the Western Era of American history, and used to be standard issue for law enforcement for quite some time. Today, they're usually recreation guns, small concealed carry guns, or big-bore hunting handguns.
- Stabilizing brace = an accessory that exists to help support the shooter in firing a larger pistol one-handed, as per the law's definition of what a handgun is (something meant to be fired one-handed). There is no maximum restriction on how long a pistol's barrel can be, or how heavy a pistol is, so for bigger and heavier pistols, the stabilizing brace is a legal accessory that helps someone properly shoot their pistol per the law's definition of what a pistol is. As per ATF's determination, the approved stabilizing braces on the market are not legally defined or regarded by the ATF to be actual stocks.
The Shotgun
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| A Remington 870 Tactical in 12 Gauge. |
The shotgun is typically the knee-jerk recommendation that I hear most often, or I encounter new gun buyers who come in looking for a shotgun because that's what somebody recommended they buy. We do have some significant advantages we can get from a shotgun, but we also have some severe disadvantages we need to take into consideration about this type of firearm. Generally, a shotgun (through ammo selection) can fire multiple projectiles with each shot, typically in the form of birdshot for hunting or sport, and buckshot for defense. When used with birdshot or buckshot, we end up getting a "spread" of impacts on a target rather than an individual bullet or single projectile that we'd get from a rifle or pistol. We could also buy and use slugs in the shotgun, which now only shoots a singular projectile, which have a time and place for other applications.
Shotguns are most typically found in the pump-action variety, where we must actuate the pump on the gun to cycle another shell for the next shot, but you can also buy them in the semi-auto variety, which automatically load the next shell for the next shot. Older shotguns, or shotguns specifically made for sporting may be break-open in design, meaning we have one or multiple barrels we must manually load the shells into, then we must break the gun open and remove or eject the spent shells before we can load more shells in.
Advantages
-versatility of many purposes we can use it for
-low cost (for pump-action and some other options)
-most powerful gun we could buy (depending on ammunition selection and range)
-ammunition is cheap and plentiful (under normal circumstances)
-usually legal even in the most-restrictive "ban states"
A shotgun is one of the most versatile guns you could own, because it can shoot a wide range of ammunition types for a wide range of uses. It's popular as a "prepper" choice, because with the same gun, we could feasibly hunt birds using birdshot to put food on the table, while we could also use buckshot to defend the home, while also being able to use slugs to take bigger game to either provide for bear/animal defense or put food on the table. We can even get flare shells to use for signaling rescue aircraft, depending on what our needs are, and there are other types of "exotic" shells we could buy depending on our needs. If you could only have one gun, and you needed to do all of these things, or at least try to cover as many bases as possible with just one firearm, the shotgun would be a great choice because while it may not excel in most individual uses, it can still accomplish the job provided we use the correct ammunition for the right applications. Barrel length, features on the gun, and ammunition choices available to us make the shotgun a jack of all trades, while it doesn't particularly excel in any singular use. A shotgun is the only gun you'd ever want to use for aerial targets (clay targets or hunting birds), but without a longer sporting/hunting barrel, that task becomes harder with shorter home defense barrels. A defensive shotgun (like pictured above) could feasibly tackle many tasks, but not completely excel in any one task or purpose.
Most people are recommended a pump-action shotgun, and if we're staying with that criteria, they tend to be very affordable. We could outfit ourselves with an entry-level pump-action shotgun while staying in the $200-$300 range, and some semi-auto defensive shotguns can be had in the $450-$600 range, depending on what we're willing to spend and what we need.
In terms of the "power" of the gun, we're mainly talking about what's called terminal ballistics -which is essentially the question of "how effective is this gun/ammunition combo on a target?" The FBI has, for decades, studied many different types and kinds of guns and ammunition using a standardized system that involves the use of calibrated ballistic gelatin, which roughly mimics human tissue. It's not perfect, but using this system, we at least have a standardized criteria for testing and at least an understanding of how a certain gun, caliber, or ammunition choices perform compared to others. Given the right ammunition choices, and right range or distance, the shotgun excels in this category. In other words, if you could only have one shot from one gun to save your life in a home defense situation, the shotgun (with the right ammunition selection) will produce the most effective results. Assuming effective shot placement and correct ammunition selection were utilized, and at close range, the shotgun is a devastating firearm choice -it provides us with the exact, or closest circumstance we can get to eliminating the threat with just one shot.
The last major advantage we get with the shotgun may not be up to you, depending on what state you live in, but even in the most restrictive states, shotguns are legal. You may have wanted to look into getting a modern semi-auto pistol, or an AR15 for example, but in your state you may only be able to legally buy a shotgun. For those who still want to be able to legally defend themselves and their family, yet can't get more-effective options, the shotgun is typically the long-standing available option. Even in these restrictive states, we usually see little to no regulations on shotguns, which makes it a viable choice if other options are legally not available to you.
While these advantages are great, we must also consider the disadvantages we also take on from selecting this type of firearm for home defense.
Disadvantages
-heavy recoil
-mandatory two-handed weapon (for pump-actions and most other types)
-short-stroking and reliability concerns
-reloads are slow and require enhanced practice
-very range-limited
-buckshot/birdshot patterns do not open up very large at home defense ranges
-over penetration concerns
-typically big and heavy, with a longer length of pull
Shotguns are known for generally having a heavy felt recoil, especially when used with ammunition types we'd want to use for home defense (chiefly buckshot). This presents a problem for those smaller or lighter in stature, and does produce concerns with regard to repeat shots, or follow-up shots. We can try to mitigate this factor by buying and using "reduced recoil" loads/ammunition, but then we also give up terminal ballistics performance, and through semi-auto shotguns, we might probably threaten the reliability of the gun. Most semi-auto shotguns utilize a gas system or design that requires the use of heavier-charged ammunition to reliably cycle and function, which most reduced recoil loads don't achieve for reliable function.
The shotgun, at least in it's most affordable and common form (pump-action), is a mandatory two-handed weapon. To wield it, to load it, and to cycle it, we need two hands actively grasping the gun. This can present a problem because we have a gun that has a dexterity requirement, and we need arms long enough to reach the pump and effectively actuate it. If we're concerned about opening doors, grabbing or pulling loved ones, or pushing away an attacker -or basically manipulating anything in our environment with a free hand, we can't effectively do it with most shotguns. A semi-auto or multiple-barreled shotgun can be used with just one hand/arm on the gun, but with the heavy recoil we definitely want two hands on the gun whenever possible.
For pump-action shotguns, we also have the concern of what's known as "short-stroking" the gun. If we don't actuate the pump rearward enough, we don't eject the spent shell completely. If we don't thrust the pump forward enough, we risk not fully chambering the next shell. For semi-auto shotguns, we must test a wide variety of shells to find the right ammunition choice that the gun seems to like feeding and cycling. Semi-auto shotguns have a wide range of gas systems and designs, and we must ensure we've tested and picked out the right type or kind of shells that the gun seems to function the best with, and depending on the powder charge in the shells to the angle and type of crimping the shells have, semi-auto shotguns may not always be 100% reliable with just any ammunition. This is a bigger consideration these days, as we're not really in a position to buy 10 different boxes of buckshot and test them all -due to the ammo shortage, we usually just have to buy what we can find, and you may only find shotgun shells that may or may not fully run in your semi-auto shotgun.
Reloading a shotgun is a task that has a lot of "moving pieces" involved. Unlike a semi-auto pistol or rifle where we can use magazines to quickly reload the gun, we're largely forced with loading one shell at a time into a tubular magazine. This is a process that takes time and a great deal of practice and concurrent training to stay good with, but even professionals may drop shells or take a larger amount of time accomplishing. Some shotguns do have magazines, but those magazines are often large and heavy, and still some level of practice and training should be done to ensure effective reloads. For break-open type shotguns, we will have to reload after one or two shots, and that reload process also takes time and requires lots of practice. In reality, the hope is that a home-defense encounter that requires you to defend your life with a firearm is over in several shots. We don't anticipate having a full-on firefight or gun battle in our homes, but we have seen circumstances of multiple attackers making entry into a home -whatever gun we use, we want to care about reloads, and certainly we want to practice and train with reloading our guns, and in this respect, the shotgun is generally the most challenging.
Even though this is geared towards home defense and closer distances, we do want to think about all disadvantages of each main type of gun we could buy for home defense, and for the shotgun we have challenges with range/distance. Again, being used in a home defense role, we aren't concerned with distances beyond the confines of our house, but shotguns get less effective and less accurate at a rapid rate as we increase the distance from us and the target. Just something to consider if we're wanting to use a shotgun for any of the other purposes previously mentioned.
With the shotgun, we also have a lot of myths and lore surrounding it. In many ways, it's one of the most American guns you could own, as it has it's place in our history and in our movies. Perhaps the biggest myth we deal with constantly is the idea that "all you have to do is just point the gun in the general direction of the 'bad guy,' and you'll pepper the whole area and you're bound to hit him." This is problematic for two main reasons, firstly this simply just isn't true, but perhaps even more alarming is the idea that we don't care where our bullets or projectiles are going. We are legally and morally accountable for every bullet or projectile that leaves our gun, and who it hits and what it does. We must concern ourselves with proper aim, shot placement, and knowing where our bullets are going, and worrying about where they may go should they over-penetrate through the intended target, or we completely miss. With buckshot, our pattern of projectiles does open up to produce a "spread" of impacts, but that requires distance. At closer home defense ranges, it surprises people at how little that pattern opens up when they actually shoot their shotguns and test this at close distances. We must always think of the shotgun, with regard to home defense, as if we're shooting a slug, or just one projectile -a buckshot pattern will open up, but not very large at these closer distances.
This brings us to the next disadvantage: concerns about what is known as over-penetration. Using buckshot, the most common home defense load in a shotgun, we do have to worry about not only the target, but what is beyond that target. Should we miss, we have a small spread of projectiles that will bust through walls, studs, and objects before finally coming to a stop. Now, we must always worry about this with any firearm, and in fact "knowing your target and what is beyond" is one of the most basic firearm safety rules, but with a shotgun (depending on load) this concern becomes more enhanced.
The last major disadvantage to consider is the fact that most shotguns tend to be longer, bigger, and heavier than the other choices we'll soon discuss. Given the recoil we're going to get, we don't really want a shotgun that's lightweight or small, but also it tends to be a fact of life with how a shotgun works and how most common shotgun designs are; the shotgun is usually just big and heavy. This of course matters when thinking about lighter-framed, smaller individuals who may need to grab the shotgun and use it, but also we must think about tight corners, small hallways, and confined spaces.
Conclusions
The shotgun is probably the most versatile firearm we could get, if we could only have just one firearm and yet we wanted to cover as many bases as possible with just that one gun. It can be used with a wide variety of ammunition types, making it able to be used for a number of wide-ranging purposes. It is a gun that does come with some severe downsides that we must understand, and it perhaps requires the most training to get effective and stay good with. It's generally not going to be the best choice for those with limited dexterity and those with recoil sensitivity.
The Pistol
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| A 9mm Glock, model 34, outfitted with a red dot optic and weapon light. This would generally be too big and heavy for most for the purpose of concealed carry, yet this would be a fantastic choice for home defense or as a duty sidearm. |
The pistol is also a common recommendation most people get told to go look for, and can be had in a multitude of different calibers, barrel lengths, and sizes. Pistols definitely have their advantages and disadvantages, but they are great in terms of being able to be hidden in a nightstand drawer, or locked in a readily-accessible small pistol safe. There are many different types and kinds of pistols, but we have some very capable and reliable designs available to us today to choose from. From an older design, such as a revolver, to a modern semi-auto design, we have useful abilities we can get from buying a pistol.
Advantages
-convenient to have handy or nearby
-can reasonably be carried or kept on your body
-can also be used for concealed carry outside the home
-can still be used relatively effectively with just one hand
-lightweight and portable for confined spaces
Pistols have a distinct advantage in terms of being smaller and lighter in weight, making them easy to keep in a drawer or keep nearby on a corner table while watching TV late at night, or relaxing in the home. While a rifle or shotgun would require some kind of gun safe or gun locker to safety keep secured in the home, you could have a small pistol safe in a drawer or next to the bed if we want to keep a loaded gun handy, yet want to keep things safe and secure with children in the house. They even make wall clocks and other "hide in plain sight" solutions for keeping a handgun nearby, yet safely hidden for those who want or need it.
Pistols are also the only type of gun we could reasonably carry or have on our person in our home. Some people practice "house carry," where they might have a small pocket pistol in its holster that they keep on them all day, and the pistol is the only type of firearm we could have on our person or in a pocket and go about our day without even thinking about it. They're also useful for if we have someone knocking on our door at a random time of night, and we want to see outside our windows or slip something in the bath robe to check something out. Also, if we go check the mail or do chores outside or around the house, a pistol is the only type of firearm we could really have on our person in case of a rabid dog or something arises.
A pistol is also versatile in that, if we can only afford one gun, or we're only going to get and have one gun for a while, the pistol should be a top consideration because it's useful outside the home as well. Should we get a concealed carry permit, and want to be able to protect ourselves even outside the home and as we go about our day to day lives, the pistol is the only firearm we could use to achieve that in terms of physically having a gun on our person throughout the day. If I could only buy one gun, but it had to be able to do home defense and still allow me to protect myself outside the home and going about my normal days, it would of course be a pistol.
In terms of being used in the home, the pistol (with lots of training and practice), can still be effectively used with just one hand. This is important when we consider opening doors, grabbing loved ones, pushing off an attacker and creating distance, or otherwise manipulating anything in our environment if needed. With practice, out of any other type of firearm to consider, you stand great chances and have just about the best ability to still effectively use a pistol with one hand, if that's all you have in the situation.
The pistol is also very useful for confined spaces and tight corners, as we don't have a long barrel or a stock, and we don't have to hold it with two hands and shoulder it. It's very useful for this role for these reasons, not to mention we can compress it back, tuck it rearward, and maneuver the gun in ways we just can't do with a long gun.
The pistol does have some serious advantages that we really only get with this type of firearm, but we also have to consider the downsides that come with pistols in general.
Disadvantages
-hardest type of gun to become skilled with
-requires probably the most training to stay good with
-pistol calibers are generally the weakest in terms of terminal ballistics
-range-limited
-slide can be difficult to rack/operate for some
-recoil can be a factor for some
Pistols, in my experience, tend to be the hardest guns to get good with. I've noticed an eternal truth over the years with new people on the range; get them shooting well with a pistol, they can transition to a rifle easily. Start them off with a rifle, and they're basically close to square one when you get them on a pistol. With a rifle, shotgun, or other firearm we can cradle up, shoulder, and use two hands with, we might not have the best trigger press, the best grip, or otherwise we might not have all the fundamentals of marksmanship down, yet we still can stand a good chance of getting effective results, especially at closer ranges. With a pistol, it's just you and your two hands, pushing the gun out -no shoulder to cradle up with, your two hands aren't separated far apart for better stability. Also, the front and rear sight are very close together on a pistol, creating a very short sight radius. Compared to a rifle, where the front and rear sights are much further apart, we end up with a situation where the slightest problems with sight alignment and sight picture are a bigger deal on pistols, where it may not be as much of a problem on a rifle. A red dot optic on a pistol drastically helps, with practice, but we still have other problems that show up, even with experienced shooters, such as "flinching," which always has to be worked on repeatedly.
That leads into the next downside -not only did it take more time and practice to get good with a pistol, but it's not like riding a bicycle, these skills diminish over time and with a pistol, I believe it also requires the most concurrent and routine practice to stay good with them. With pistols, given the lack of stability, short sight radiuses, having to take all the recoil in with your hands (no shoulder to help), and everything else involved, it's definitely what I consider to be one of the most-challenging disciplines to master and stay good with in the firearms world. Any lack of the fundamentals, or any problems or shortcomings we have, and they show up fully on display with a pistol -there's little to no wiggle room with poor trigger presses, sight picture, and other things that matter. Placing accurate shots, and eventually building up your speed to do it faster are all things that take time to get good with, and require the most skillset maintenance to retain.
Obviously we've all seen how law enforcement officers carry a department-issued pistol all day. But in recent decades, we've also seen the addition of an AR15 in the patrol car riding along with them. The pistol is convenient, and really the only choice if we want a gun physically on our person all day, in our case as a concealed firearm, but in their case its openly carried. To have something ready to go and on your person all day, it's the only choice, but you'll notice that when there's time and when the possibility exists, officers will grab their AR15 (or possibly a shotgun) out of the car whenever they have the option or time to do so. The main reason for this is now we have something that increases our hit probability, but also we just amped up to a rifle cartridge, as opposed to having less of a hit probability with a sidearm and having to use its weaker pistol ammunition. Pistols have shorter barrels, which reduces the velocity (and therefore terminal ballistics) of the actual bullets being fired. Pistol cartridges have minimal power/charge in them, and they're being used out of shorter barrels -all of this leads to the fact that on the food chain of ammunition and firearms, pistols and pistol cartridges tend to be the weakest in terms of terminal ballistics. This is why and how you hear stories of people getting shot almost a dozen times with a pistol, yet just driving themselves to the hospital. It's not uncommon for people to be hit multiple times with pistol rounds, even defensive jacketed hollow point ammunition, yet completely survive the encounter. Now, shot placement is, in my opinion, the most important factor no matter what gun or caliber we're using, but still the fact remains that a pistol cartridge by and large will not have the effectiveness of a rifle cartridge or buckshot (at close range). Some pistol cartridges, fired out of certain barrel lengths, can still produce much more effectiveness than we might see from standard 9mm pistol cartridges, and examples would include the .357 Magnum cartridge, or the .44 Magnum cartridge. But generally, most people aren't going to buy or especially carry those older, bigger, and heavier revolvers, and when we're talking terminal ballistics, pistols by and large are much weaker than rifle or shotgun cartridges.
We are, of course, talking about home defense in this write up, which mainly deals with close range situations. It's still worth mentioning that pistols generally have a very short range of effectiveness, from both what you're able to hit, and assuming you make hits at distance, we've already lost a lot of velocity and effectiveness. Some target shooters and competitive marksmen will shoot pistols out to even 100 yards or further, but mainly this is for fun, having the pistol "benched" or steadied on a sand bag while the shooter is taking their time and seated. Some experts can shoot very far targets while standing, with general consistency, but again that requires a lot of practice, all the time. The bottom line is that pistols, in practical use, are very close-range weapons, and we must take that into consideration, even though we're mainly talking about close-range use for the purpose of this work.
One of the more common challenges I see, especially if we're dealing with strength issues or arthritis in the hands, is the inability or difficulty for some when trying to "rack the slide." For your most-common pistols, the semi-automatic design, we have the upper half (the slide) that we must rack all the way to the rear and allow it to return forward. We must be able to do this to initially load the gun, unload the gun, or deal with any possible malfunctions or jams that could occur (no matter how well-made a gun is, it's a mechanical object, and things can fail). Depending on the gun design, the recoil spring may be more slack or may be quite stiff, and I have seen some people have challenges with being able to rack the slide on modern, semi-auto pistols depending on their abilities, technique used, and particular gun in question. This is definitely something you want to test and check on any possible pistol purchase, to ensure you can rack the slide and properly make that happen.
Because we're not shouldering a pistol, and the gun is going off in our hands, we are essentially taking all that recoil into our hands and wrists. Caliber choice and gun design will mostly be the main factors affecting how much or little felt recoil you'll experience on a given gun. I mainly recommend most people to get a 9mm pistol, the most common chambering for modern semi-auto pistols, but sometimes we may have to look into something with a lighter recoil impulse, such as .380 ACP/Auto or even .22 LR if needed. Again, the priority on any gun should be effective shot placement and being able to safely and competently run the gun, and even if we have to downgrade to an even weaker caliber, it's still preferred over getting something very powerful, yet the shooter can't effectively handle the recoil or shoot the gun.
Conclusions
The pistol has certain advantages that we just can't get from any other type of firearm -it's concealable, convenient to keep handy or carried on your person, and the most portable type of gun we could use to maneuver around in tight spaces. But it is a challenging craft to get good with, requires the most practice to stay competent with, and we will generally be working with weaker ammunition that produces less-effective terminal ballistics compared to other gun and caliber choices.
The Carbine
An AR15 outfitted with a red dot optic.
A carbine is essentially a shorter version of a full-length rifle, at least from a rough definition standpoint. Instead of a longer, full-power rifle (something like we might use to hunt deer or elk), we're chiefly looking into something that's handy, lightweight, semi-automatic, taking an intermediate rifle cartridge, such as the 5.56mm cartridge. I do prefer and recommend the AR15 as the top choice for a multitude of reasons, but some other types or kinds of carbines or lightweight rifles would also apply.
An example of two things, firstly we see a traditional rifle up top, which we're not considering for home defense. Heavy, long, bolt-action, and not suited for closer range. Below is a modernized AK-type rifle, which would qualify in this category as part of this discussion. 
They're not ideal, but it might be all that you have, or depending on state laws, it might be some of the few options available to you, but here we have a US M1 Carbine and a SKS. Not as capable or ideal as an AR15 or other modern options, but these would still fit into this category.
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| I have a serious dislike for the Ruger Mini 14 / Mini 30 pattern of rifles, and especially the bigger brother it was designed after, but in keeping with the theme of still getting something in restrictive states, you might also have this as an option. Not ideal either, yet depending on your state laws, it might be one of the few options you could equip yourself with, and some upgrades can be done in the attempt of making them more useful, as we see in the example on the bottom of the photo. |
The general idea is a carbine that is lightweight, semi-automatic, accepts 25-30 round magazines, and is chambered in an intermediate rifle cartridge. I do recommend an AR15, as I find it the ideal choice, but other designs or types can be used to fill this role. A modernized AK type rifle, and even older military surplus rifle designs such as the M1 Carbine or SKS could work in restrictive states, along with the Ruger Mini 14 or Mini 30 if that's all we can legally do.
In terms of calibers, I would recommend an AR15 and I'd recommend it chambered in its most common offering, the 5.56mm NATO cartridge (also shoots .223 Remington ammunition, at least almost all modern AR15 offerings do). Another suitable cartridge for an AR15 would be the .300 AAC Blackout cartridge, but I will save that for the next category of firearm we'll be going over. If it's an AK or SKS, we're chiefly looking at 7.62mm x 39, which is the most-common chambering for AK type rifles and the standard chambering for the SKS rifle. You could also go with an AK74 type rifle, which is chambered in the 5.45mm x 39 cartridge, although I would avoid doing so simply because the rifles, magazines, and ammunition are not as common in the United States. The M1 Carbine takes its own caliber, the .30 Carbine, which is not as common and not as effective in terms of terminal ballistics and range, but if it's all you got or can get your hands on, then we'll take it. The .30 Carbine is not an intermediate rifle cartridge, it's essentially an elongated pistol cartridge, but the rifle and its cartridge does do well for recoil-sensitive shooters.
I'm offering these alternative choices because I understand not all of us are made of money, and not all of us live in free states where we could buy an AR15, but if possible, I do recommend the AR15. It's been in use with our military since the 1960s with no end in sight, and its become the absolute most-common rifle in America, with many millions sold and currently owned. It's lightweight, light on recoil, it has an adjustable stock, allowing big or small shooters to get the proper length of pull, and it's extremely modular in terms of upgrading to optics, weapon-mounted lights, and other enhancements that make the rifle more useful. It's the chosen rifle and platform for many people, from law enforcement, to our military, competitive shooters, hunters, and general recreation or defense for civilians. There is a reason it's been in use for so long, and with time, the design has only gotten better and the modular capability of the design have allowed it to fully keep up with modern optics, lasers, lights, and other add-ons that make the gun able to be outfitted and configured for any purpose. Just about anything you'd use a gun for, you'll find AR15s there, and in great number. Outside of competitive clay target shooting or bird hunting (shotgun-only disciplines), the AR15 is the chosen rifle for just about any task or purpose.
But again, I understand it may not be a choice all of us can tap into, from budget to state laws, which is why I've offered other recommendations for those who need it. Although not ideal, the other recommendations on the list could still get the job done if it has to come to that.
Advantages
-intermediate rifle cartridges are far more effective over pistol cartridges
-these rifles generally have light recoil
-options exist for changing grips, adding attachments, and modifying
-generally we're looking at 25 to 30 round magazines as the standard-capacity
-excellent for close to medium range
-ability to be used for a wide range of purposes, not just home defense
-easier for beginners to learn how to use effectively
-reloads are generally fast and easy
-their defensive use goes beyond just the home (riots, natural disasters, civil unrest)
-Legally considered rifles (no braces or ATF determinations to worry about)
Due to Federal Law (the 1934 National Firearms Act), a rifle with a stock must have a barrel no shorter than 16 inches (this will become more important in the last section). While they may not be as long, big, and heavy as traditional hunting or long-range precision rifles (22"-24" barrels are normal there), the carbine is legally defined as a rifle. This is important when we go over pistol braces, but for now the importance is in the barrel length. With 16" or greater barrels, combined with these intermediate rifle calibers, we end up with very effective terminal ballistics (as always, dependent on shot placement, range, and ammunition selection). With this much barrel length, we get higher velocities, which far outclass the terminal ballistics and capabilities we get with pistol cartridges. Provided the right ammunition selection, shot placement, and range, nothing will outperform what the shotgun can bring to bear, but with the carbine we get far less recoil for easier and quicker follow-up shots, and we get its semi-automatic operation with 30 rounds available. Everything in the gun world is a trade off, but by ditching the pistol and shotgun and moving straight into a carbine, we've gained some serious advantages.
Carbines generally have light recoil, allowing the user to do rapid yet accurate shots. This is important when it comes to effectiveness if it had to be used for lawful self defense, but also this feature allows for a full day of training without bruising your shoulder or tiring out. Essentially, you don't need to be super tall, heavy, or strong to effectively utilize the carbine. This is perhaps one of the big reasons I've observed over the years that the AR15 is generally the top chosen gun purchase for women, after they've tried everything else, most of them end up purchasing an AR15.
The AR15 will be the most modular of the choices presented earlier, being essentially a "big Lego set," it allows the user to outfit the gun with red dot sights, weapon-mounted lights, forward grips, slings, different stock or grip options, etc. This is important because as the task and purpose of the gun might change, or we want to customize the rifle for an individual user, we can get all of this done through universal mounting hardware and without gunsmithing. The end-user can easily add or subtract anything on the rifle without expensive tools or shop equipment, which makes the rifle very useful for just about any user or any purpose. Some of the other choices presented earlier may not be as easy to modify or customize, but it still can be done if needed, yet gunsmithing or serious tools and equipment may be required.
The standard capacity of an AR15 is 30 rounds, but magazines can be had in lesser or larger capacities. The M1 Carbine standard capacity is 15 rounds, but larger capacity magazines can be purchased, while the Mini 14 is generally 25 rounds, but again larger capacity magazines can be bought. With a standard capacity of 30 rounds, we have a rifle that is very useful for home defense, especially a multiple-attacker scenario, where 2, 3, 4, or even more intruders are making entry.
The carbine is definitely up to the task of home defensive ranges, but your standard 16" barreled AR15 can push out to 400 yards and beyond, depending on shooter skill level and ammunition selection. While we're staying focused on home defense, it is an advantage to have something that you could use for longer ranges.
Due to the modular design of the AR15, and it's medium to longer range capabilities, we can reequip or modify the rifle to have different barrel lengths, calibers, and optics. The possibilities are truly endless in terms of what we can do with the same AR15 lower receiver group. One minute it can be in a home defense configuration, and we could swap out the upper receiver group to immediately make it more useful for hunting or long range. We can just as easily change calibers as well, making it more useful for larger game. The AR15 is also very popular with "preppers" because it's an endlessly useful rifle that can be instantly reconfigured to handle so many different tasks.
An AR15 is generally conducive to teaching newer shooters how to use it. There are some items that take explaining, practice, and repetitions, but generally within an hour or less, I can teach someone how to effectively run the gun safely and effectively on the range. Additional training is required for having someone master the rifle, but in terms of basic use and effectiveness, it doesn't take long, and the ergonomics are some of the finest among most any other gun designs. The location of the safety, the magazine release, bolt catch, and other operational features on the gun are conveniently located and easy for both right and left-handed shooters to use.
Reloads on an AR15 will take some practice, but with basic familiarization, they become fast and easy. The other choices listed previously may have an easier or more difficult reload process, but the AR15 does not require serious dexterity or strength to reload quickly and easily.
The AR15 is my top recommendation if possible, but generally the carbine is valuable for not just home defense. In times of civil unrest, natural disasters, or other temporary yet extended times without rule of law or emergency services, the AR15 or capable carbine is extremely useful. If we have gangs of looters roving the streets at night, or bands of criminals victimizing people in your neighborhood, you have a firearm that will provide you the best chances of preventing the encounter, or surviving the encounter should the need arise. For better and worse, the AR15 and rifles like it have a universally-recognized look and appearance. We've seen many instances throughout the years when just the presence of a citizen with an AR15 or similar rifle have dissuaded criminals or rioters from wanting to attack, and instead keep searching for "softer targets." I remember growing up in the LA area as a kid, this concept was in full force in the Koreatown district of Los Angeles. We would later see similar methods of successful deterrence in the later '94 Northridge Earthquake, and eventually in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Late April of 1992, in the wake of the LA Riots caused by the Rodney King verdict, the city was on fire. While the looters and rioters advanced on Koreatown, 1st and 2nd generation Korean business owners went to the rooftops with weapons to protect their businesses, livelihood, and everything they worked for. Their businesses remained free from the looters and the torch.
We're about to get into our final classification of guns we could go with for home defense, where we will discuss the use of stabilizing pistol braces, which are completely lawful... but for now. We could all wake up tomorrow and see an ATF determination letter that would completely reverse their opinion on pistol stabilizing braces, even though they've been legal for almost a decade at this point, with millions of braces owned and in use today. By going with an AR15 rifle, or other similar carbine, we have a very black and white codified set of statute in which, provided we have at least a 16" barrel, we don't have to worry about becoming criminals overnight due to a change in opinion from the ATF. That in itself is probably the best advantage, given that you submit to a background check, fill out the paperwork, and lawfully buy a gun with a receipt, invoice, and record of sale, and you don't have to worry about that gun becoming a felony possession next week on the whims of the ATF's Technology Branch. The ATF did announce an interest in changing their determination on pistol braces several months ago, but was met with an extreme amount of public opinion to the point that they completely backed down, at least for now. When we sell an AR15 rifle to a law abiding citizen, and they pass the background check, legally purchase their property, and go home with that gun, we at least know they won't get the rug pulled out from under them through the ATF changing their mind, and these law abiding citizens becoming felons overnight.
Despite these extremely valuable advantages an AR15 or other capable carbine provide, we do have to address some disadvantages we must concern ourselves with.
Disadvantages
-not as maneuverable or convenient for confined spaces
-legally may not be able to purchase, depending on state law, class, and race
-a Federal assault weapons ban could endanger your right to legally own one
-it might still be too heavy or long for those with dexterity/strength challenges
We can strategically build an AR15 to be as lightweight as possible, and doing this would give us something that weighs within the 7 lb range, but it's still going to be longer and more difficult to work with in confined spaces compared to a pistol. Still, with the shortest of legal AR15 rifles you could buy or build, this issue can be worked with and trained for, but it'll never be as convenient or as easy as just slipping a pistol in your pocket, or working with a pistol in confined spaces.
I offered up some alternative ideas to fill the role of an AR15 in the "carbine" category for this reason, because the truth is that not every American is able to purchase, possess, or own one depending on their state laws. Some states allow for the ownership of these rifles, with cosmetic changes, while other states such as California continue to play "whack a mole" and continue to make it an expensive process for regular, middle class Americans to own one. Often times, the continual addition of fees, licenses, mandated training hours, and other expensive hoops to jump through only seem to really affect the middle and lower class, who may not be able to take off work or afford all of these collective permits, taxes, or fees. This also disproportionately seems to affect minorities and impoverished communities, but if you know America's history with gun control, this unfortunately is right in line with the whole purpose to begin with -starting with Jim Crow, moving forward into the 1968 Gun Control Act, to further restricting gun rights once the Black Panthers and other minority groups got involved in exercising their 2nd Amendment rights. I find it disgusting, yet ironic, that the people who seem to advocate for more gun control are also the very people claiming to care about the lower and middle classes, minorities, and impoverished Americans. This is why knowing our history is important, yet back to the topic at hand -it can be challenging to tap into these most-effective guns, depending on the state you live in, most especially if you're poor or a minority. But of course, that's by design, and gun control in our country has always been this way. I hope someday we can rid ourselves of this, and I hope that all Americans have access their individual liberties and rights, no matter their economic status and/or race and ethnicity. Gun control, at least in our country, came about when the "wrong" people started trying to get guns. The racist origins of American Gun Control haven't changed course much when we especially look at the restrictive states, that make gun ownership an expensive and elite process only the wealthy or better-off can afford to tap into. These days, gun control has shifted into an emotional plea to think of the children, and guilt or emotionally move people into supporting the restriction of firearms for everyday Americans, and while that smokescreen does carry many people with in, the end result hasn't changed: the more we make gun ownership an exclusive "pay to play" privilege, the more we keep poor Americans from being able to protect their families. Your access to American civil liberties and your individual rights should not be dependent on your paycheck or class, race, or status. We've seen many lower-class Americans and minorities coming in to buy their first gun, and I just hope we don't let them down like we have the same Americans before them. With the prospect of new calls for gun control, and the political ability to get it done, I'm not as hopeful we can avoid the scourge of our racist gun control. I hate it.
At the time of writing this, we're currently watching Bill HR 127 move through the floor of Congress in the House of Representatives. There is no certain future on knowing if an eventual Federal assault weapons ban will pass, but the bottom line is this: just because you passed the background check, filled out the paperwork, paid for the rifle, and bought it completely legally does not mean they won't try and ban you owning it in the potentially near future. If you made the wise choice of buying an AR15 or something like it, it's in your best interest to pay attention to future legislation, as you might find yourself facing felony possession charges should you not pay additional money to register it, give it up, or destroy it should any of this pass. And if you think this sounds like scare tactics, I'd urge you to read through HR 127, or at least look at summary analysis of the bill. Pay specific attention to the felony charges, prison time, and fines you will be subjected to, should it pass and you aren't aware of what you're required to do. If you're a new gun owner, let me be the first to welcome to the shit show. You may not think you're a criminal, but they'd certainly love to change that if given the opportunity.
Usually I see this with elderly gun buyers, or those with physical disabilities or mobility challenges who still may not find a carbine the most effective or useful choice. For those people, I would recommend our last category of useful guns for home defense.
The AR15, or a similar carbine offers advantages no other type of firearm can -chiefly as an ideal personal defense weapon, specifically if we're unfortunate enough to be facing a team of criminals or multiple attackers in the home, or if we're in the midst of riots, civil unrest, or a natural disaster where gangs of looters or criminals will join forces to victimize or destroy. We do face disadvantages though, in the form of still having a longer gun in confined spaces, and despite obeying the law and wanting to continue to do everything legally, you might be buying a gun that faces an uncertain legal future.
The SBR or Braced Pistol
For the final classification of firearm, I'm actually grouping two different types of firearms into one final category. There are differences, usually in design and definitely legal status, but they basically accomplish a similar end result: a very compact firearm, that's more effective than simply just a pistol, yet not as long or heavy as a carbine. Although I recommend and prefer SBRs and braced pistols that are chambered in intermediate rifle cartridges, there are pistol caliber SBRs and braced pistols that are popular as well.
For starters, we have the SBR, which refers to a short-barreled rifle. If we're going to have a rifle, it needs to have a barrel of 16" or longer to stay legal as a regular firearm, legal for purchase and possession. If we want a rifle with a barrel shorter than 16" then we must submit an ATF form 1 or 4, pay for a $200 tax stamp, and then once the stamp comes back from the ATF approved, we may then purchase the required parts and manufacture a SBR. In doing this, we essentially asked permission to purchase or make a SBR, we paid $200 for a tax stamp, and upon approval, that firearm is now registered under the National Firearms Act with the ATF, making it now a "NFA Item." We may not cross state lines with this SBR without asking permission from the ATF to do so. They must know the address at which it is to be stored, and they must be notified before you move, as to the new address you're requesting to move it to. You must submit your fingerprints, personal information, photograph, and your local Chief Law Enforcement Officer (CLEO) must sign off on your tax stamp application before it can even be considered by the ATF. We may be the only one in possession of it, or with access to it. If we get bored of it and wish to sell it, the buyer must also submit an ATF form, pay the $200 tax stamp fee, and then the transfer may happen once the buyer's tax stamp is approved. Essentially, with a registered SBR, we have a controlled NFA item, which is registered with the federal government, and we have restrictions on transporting it, among other things.
Getting back to the actual firearm itself, we essentially have a carbine, yet it's more compact and easier to use in confined spaces. It weighs less, is easier to wield, yet is still chambered in an intermediate rifle caliber. As an example, it might look something like this:
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| Essentially, we have a standard AR15, except with a 10.5" barrel, meaning we have taken a deficit on velocity, range, and terminal ballistics effectiveness. This short of a barrel on an AR15 in its most common caliber (5.56mm) means we also take on enhanced wear, extra noise/blast, and some other disadvantages. |
We can also purchase or produce an SBR that is chambered in a pistol caliber, although I generally don't recommend it. If we're taking on essentially the same size and weight, we might as well do it with an intermediate rifle cartridge as opposed to a weaker/limited-range pistol caliber. Prior to 2020 going into full swing, and prior to the current ammo shortage, some people did go this route because pistol ammunition was cheaper than 5.56mm or other intermediate rifle cartridge ammunition, although with the current inflated prices and equal scarcity in finding either type of ammo right now, that sole advantage has really lost traction.
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| The H&K SP5 in a legal, SBR configuration. Their civilian-legal, semi-automatic only version of their famed MP5, select-fire sub machinegun. This firearm design was designed from the ground-up to have a shorter barrel, such as this, meaning we won't experience the enhanced wear we get from doing a SBR on an AR15 design, yet due to the cartridge, we have significant challenges with range and terminal ballistics compared to a SBR in an intermediate rifle cartridge. |
Now, instead of going through the registered SBR route, in which we must pay $200 and apply for a tax stamp, we can choose to obtain a braced pistol. This would be a pistol, that is equipped with a legal stabilizing brace. As previously discussed, the law and the ATF have no maximum barrel lengths or weights for pistols, and if we are to shoot our larger-barreled and heavier pistols with one hand, as the law defines a pistol, then we may outfit the pistol with a brace to help support and stabilize our arm while shooting. An approved stabilizing brace is NOT a rifle stock, as per the law and ATF determination, and the firearm is legally defined as a pistol rather than a SBR, meaning it does not require a $200 tax stamp and application process, it isn't registered with the federal government, and does not have the constraints an NFA item has. A braced pistol might look something like this:
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| Here we have an AR15 pistol, which also has a 10.5" barrel, and it's equipped with a stabilizing pistol brace, which is NOT a stock, therefore this firearm is legally defined by the law and the ATF as a pistol, not requiring the $200 tax stamp and NFA registration process. |
We can also legally attach a stabilizing brace to a pistol caliber firearm, which would look something like this:
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| Here we also have the H&K SP5, again their civilian-legal, semi-auto only version of their famed MP5 sub machinegun. In this case, we have a side-folding stabilizing brace, and again this is legally defined per the law and ATF determination to be a pistol. Again, no $200 tax stamp or NFA registered is required. |
For those confused, you may notice a Velcro strap on the pistol braces, which we don't see on the actual rifle stocks. A stabilizing pistol brace is designed to shoot your longer barreled, and heavier pistol with one hand, as the law defines a pistol, just like this:
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| The stabilizing pistol brace was created to help wounded warriors and those with physical disabilities shoot their longer-barreled and heavier pistols with one hand, as the law defines a pistol. |
At one time, through the erratic and ever-changing determination of the ATF, they did claim that if you were to misuse the stabilizing brace, by making contact with your shoulder to shoot it, as you would utilize a rifle stock, then it would constitute you "remanufacturing" the pistol into an unlawful, unregistered SBR. The ATF was then hit hard by the American Disabilities Association, among other public backlash, and was forced to concede that misusing the product by making sporadic or spontaneous contact with your shoulder did not constitute you illegally manufacturing an unregistered SBR. So, as it stands now, you may outfit your pistol with a stabilizing brace, and it may make sporadic or spontaneous contact with your shoulder, and you are not manufacturing an unlawful SBR, or in possession of an illegal SBR for simply having the stabilizing brace equipped on the pistol.
Advantages
-we mostly have all the same advantages we had from having a carbine
-the pistol or registered SBR is lighter and easier to use in confined spaces
-we have the stability and hit probability of a rifle, yet not the full weight
-SBRs/braced pistols are easier to use for those with strength/dexterity challenges
When going with a registered SBR, or braced pistol, we still retain most of the advantages we had with the carbine, especially if we avoid a traditional pistol caliber and keep with an intermediate rifle cartridge. We can then start to look into calibers, such as .300 AAC Blackout, which was designed specifically for shorter barrels, and is very conducive to being suppressed, if we choose to acquire a silencer (also a $200 tax stamp and registered NFA item).
A registered SBR or braced pistol is lighter, shorter in overall length, and easier to use in confined spaces. While the carbine is fantastic, if we want a compact package that we could use for home defense, the SBR or braced pistol is a top recommendation.
Given that we can shoulder the SBR or braced pistol, use two hands on the gun, and cradle it up in our shoulder to better assist in aim and handling recoil, we increase hit probability and the chances of producing more-accurate shot placement than we'd get with a pistol, or a longer and heavier rifle.
For those who may not be able to physically wield and effectively use a carbine, yet want something more effective than a traditional handgun, the SBR or braced pistol tends to be something they gravitate towards to find the perfect middle ground of features, capabilities, and still have something they can effectively use to defend their lives and families.
Disadvantages
-when chambered in intermediate rifle calibers, we experience enhanced wear
-felt recoil and noise/blast is more than typical carbines
-we have less range and less effective terminal ballistics than a carbine
-SBRs require a $200 tax stamp and registration with the federal government
-braced pistols are entirely dependent on the ever-changing opinions of the ATF
When we opt to go with a SBR or braced pistol in 5.56mm especially, we encounter enhanced wear on the gas rings, bolt cam, and other internal parts. Sparing the detailed technical explanation as to why that is, we just have to know that a shorter-barreled 5.56mm AR15 (usually in the 10.5" to 12.5" range) will encounter more wear, and will require parts replacement and possible repairs at a much faster rate than we'd expect from a carbine. We can mitigate this by looking into calibers such as the .300 AAC Blackout, which was made for shorter barrels, but if we're sticking with the standard 5.56mm cartridge for an AR15 SBR or braced pistol, we must understand that we will experience faster wear on the parts.
Something like a 9mm SBR or pistol, or an AR15 SBR or pistol already doesn't have a ton of recoil to deal with, but when we go shorter (and therefore lighter) we do take on a little bit more of a recoil impulse. Again, not a drastic or debilitating increase in recoil, but if we shot an AR15 carbine in comparison with an AR15 SBR or braced pistol, we would definitely notice a slight increase in felt recoil and muzzle rise. We can mitigate this with the selection of different muzzle devices, but in the end it's a minor disadvantage. We will also experience a much loader report due to the fact that so much powder is burning outside the barrel rather than having more barrel length and time to fully burn off. It's common to mitigate this with the use of a silencer, and on a shorter SBR or braced pistol, we end up with a similar overall length as a carbine, yet we can have a silencer which helps reduce the noise and "blast" factor.
When we go with a shorter barrel, for any type of firearm or caliber, we generally give up velocity. The reason for this is that the longer the barrel, the more time the powder has to fully burn, and this also give more time for the expanding gases to continue to accelerate and push the bullet even faster. When we give up velocity, we also give up the gun's range and also reduce its effectiveness in terms of terminal ballistics. We can mitigate this by being very careful about ammunition selection, and only choosing to pick defensive rounds that tend to perform well, even out of shorter barrels. If it's a 9mm or traditional pistol caliber SBR or braced pistol, then we might actually end up with a longer barrel than is usual for a traditional handgun, so the benefits only increase on the already weaker cartridge.
If we choose to go the SBR route, we must pay the $200 tax stamp fee to the ATF, we must get fingerprinted and go through the application, paperwork, and registration process, and we must wait for the tax stamp to come back approved before we may finally purchase a prebuilt SBR, or before we may purchase the parts and then begin building the SBR. As mentioned, this means we now have a registered NFA item with the federal government, which comes with additional restrictions and on transporting it, storing it, and eventually trying to pass it down the family line when we pass away or simply wish to sell it to a potential buyer. Another challenge with this route is that some states do not allow their citizens to own, possess, or buy NFA items in general, so applying for a tax stamp to own or manufacture a SBR or any other NFA item may not actually be something we can feasibly do in our state.
If we choose (or are forced) to go the braced pistol route, we do so knowing that we could go to sleep one night completely in compliance with the law, only to wake up the next morning to discover that the ATF completely changed its determination on stabilizing braces, and we're now in felony possession of what they suddenly decided to go back and determine is now an unregistered and unlawful SBR. At one time, only Congress was the component of our government that was supposed to have the Constitutional authority to make the laws, and write them to determine was is and is not unlawful. Unfortunately, the ATF has the power to imprison you, impose fines, and confiscate your once lawfully-purchased and previously completely legal property, and they can do it whenever they please, and whenever they decide to backtrack on their own arbitrary decisions. This comes with the territory when deciding (or having to resort to) going the braced pistol route.
In the meantime, the astute observer may realize that there's effectively no practical difference between a SBR and a braced pistol, and they may see a stabilizing pistol brace as a "loophole" or "workaround" from having to otherwise acquire a registered SBR, and my answer to those observations is that if you don't like the law, then change it. Vote for representatives that vow to change it. But, whether we're happy or sad about it, this is the law, and this is (currently) lawful activity and lawfully-configured firearms. Otherwise, I have to ask why we're even having this conversation about lawful activities and laws that upset you. Change the law if you don't like it, otherwise why are we even wasting our time about this?
"Must Have" Features of any Home Defense Gun
No matter which type of firearm we decided to buy, or maybe we utilize a combination of two or more of these categories of firearms, there are some essential things I think every home defense gun must have or must be.
1) It must be a firearm you're familiar, confident, and effective with. Loading it, unloading it, clearing any jams or malfunctions should they arise, and effectively placing shots and shooting it -these are all things we must be able to do without difficulty or confusion.
2) We must also consider who else in the household might need to use the gun. For example, if a husband and wife are seeking a home defense gun (which is very common these days), I suggest that they find a gun that both of them are comfortable, competent, and effective with.
3) Any and every gun I'd possibly use for home defense, or that is part of my active home defense system has at a minimum a weapon light mounted to the gun. I also keep handheld flashlights around the house and next to the bed with the guns. We always want to certifiably know exactly what or who is in front of our gun before we pull the trigger on it. We cannot always be sure we'll have running electricity, especially in times of natural disasters. We want ways to illuminate a potential threat, or illuminate hallways or down the stairs. Sometimes we may simply want to investigate what's going on, and it may not be the time yet to physically point our gun at something just to illuminate it, which is where the handheld flashlights come in. Having illumination sources on and off the gun, and having them handy are strenuously encouraged.
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| A Glock 19X with a weapon light installed, and a Glock 43X with a weapon light also installed, both utilized for home defense. |
3) I recommend and prefer red dot sights for everything, as it makes target acquisition faster, and as opposed to having to find, located, and orient front and rear sights, then line it up properly on the target, we can just use a quality red dot optic which is mostly a simple equation of putting the dot on the target.
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| Here we see a braced pistol, equipped with a weapon-mounted light, red dot optic, and sling. |
4) For rifles, SBRs, braced pistols, and shotguns, I recommend a quality sling. Perhaps we have a house fire and we need to quickly escape the house. Maybe, in this kind of circumstance, we don't need to defend ourselves, we need to escape, but depending on the situation after we escape, we may need a firearm (especially in times of civil unrest). We can sling the long gun with both hands and arms still available to carry or drag loved ones out, grab other supplies, or anything else we may need, then once we're safely outside, you still have a firearm on your body should defense now become a need.
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| Here we have an AK-pattern rifle, falling into the carbine category, also with a weapon-mounted light, red dot optic, and sling. |
5) For shotguns, I do recommend installing a quality side saddle on the side of the gun. With the gun loaded, combined with a loaded side saddle, we instantly amped up how many total shells we have available, and a side saddle (with practice) can help make shotgun reloads faster.
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| A side saddle, mounted to the side of the gun, allowing for faster reloads and the carriage of more shells on the gun with ease and convenience. |
6) Lastly, I recommend professional training and instruction for whichever gun or guns you ultimately select or rely upon for home defense. You could have the best guns in the world, but without competent and professional training, they're next to useless. I would also combine this with constant training on your own time. Even though the ammunition shortage is reducing how much we can practice and continue to train, I encourage you to keep your skills sharp, and there are a host of things we can do without ammunition or having to go to the range to keep our skills sharp, which can be a subject of another write up.
In the end, I appreciate your time in reading all of this, and I hope it's been helpful. I look forward to any comments or questions you may have, and stay safe out there.
