Best gun for home defense and a beginner shooter

[helpmetohelpyou]

What would it be?

[grahamhgreen]

1. AK

J/K

[helpmetohelpyou]

2. AK47 ?

Are you sure?

[grahamhgreen]

3. J/K = Just Kidding!!!

Personally, I think Fox brand pepper spray is a far smarter move!

[helpmetohelpyou]

4. I have that already

[appal_jack]

6. In all honesty, some Kalashnikov permutations could be worth considering.

When you say "AK-47" I assume that you mean a semi-automatic clone of the AKM, which shoots a 7.62x39 round. These rounds will punch through multiple walls and car bodies, and are therefore not favored as a home defense round due to the excessive penetration and consequent danger to innocent bystanders. I would not pick up a 7.62x39 AK in self defense until well after the S had already HTF in a big way.

But there are other semi-auto AK variants tht you might consider for home defense. Arsenal of Bulgaria, the Polish Archer, and Zastava of the former Yugoslavia all make AK variants in the 5.56 Nato / .223 caliber that are currently being imported into the US. This round, especially in lighter weights such as 55 grain bullets, carries a lower risk of over-penetration. Both the Bulgarian and Yugo guns are available in a "pistol" configuration (essentially a short-barreled AK without its rifle stock) and the companies importing the Polish Archer are talking about bringing in a pistol configuration as well.

AK's also are available in shotgun form. The best of these imho is the VEPR 12. Unfortunately, both the VEPR and the Saiga shotguns are no longer importable due to recent sanctions against Russia. I have also heard of a Chinese copy of these Russian designs which I think is still being imported as the Catamount Fury in 12 gauge.

Both the 5.56 and shotgun configurations retain the AK's essential simplicity, which allowed it to be fielded and maintained effectively by illiterate peasants, initially in Russia, and across the globe ever since. So an AK variant could be a worthwhile consideration for a neophyte American as well.

But whether you choose an AK, a revolver, or some modern semi-auto pistol, it's still important to learn the firearm, the basic rules of firearm safety, and to target-practice as much as you can.



-app

[helpmetohelpyou]

10. Thanks that's a lot of good information

[appal_jack]

12. In general, better choices than AK's of any type are listed in this thread.

A Yugo M85 pistol in 5.56 would be the most affordable of the models I mentioned above, and even that is around twice the price of the Hi Point Carbine mentioned by oneshooter. The Arsenals and Archers are mostly over $1000.

Also, safe storage should be part of your considerations, especially if children or acquaintances are ever in your house. You will want a quick-access but secure safe. I favor the Fort Knox brand with a mechanical push-button lock. No batteries to die, no electronics to fail. Models big enough for a carbine or AK pistol will be bulkier and more expensive than a simple night stand pistol safe.

I just wanted to speak up for the Kalashnikov's reliability and ease of maintenance. It's not just the butt of jokes for excessive firepower.

-app

[sir pball]

5. CX4 Storm in .45ACP

Absolutely tame to shoot on the range, and quite a compact yet accurate HD rifle, especially with a light and hlosight.

[ManiacJoe]

7. Depends on what "home defense" means to you.

Are you looking for something to hunker down with in a single room?
Do you need to do some room clearing while gathering the kids?

[helpmetohelpyou]

9. No room clearing just something to have in my home other than pepper spray

No kids in the home just me and the dogs

[oneshooter]

8. HI-Point carbines are afordable, accurate, easy to use.........

and carry a Lifetime warranty.

Got one for my Loving Wife as her house gun and she loves it. Get the 9mm version and fill the 10rd mag with +P JHP. Low recoil and easy to use.


http://www.hi-pointfirearms.com/Hi-Point-carbines/9MM_carbine.html

[JoeyT]

11. For actually defending yourself in your home?

Since you're not going to need to conceal it, and you don't want something that's going to pass through multiple walls and blow a hole in the neighbors, I'm going to suggest a 12 gauge loaded with #2 buckshot.

[helpmetohelpyou]

13. Paid for a 20 gauge shotgun today

I bought it at a gun shop this morning .
I have to wait for all the paper work to go through but it's mine now.
It's called a Mossberg 500 and it came with two barrels
I'm not really sure I need two barrels but that's how the gun shop sold it to me.

After I pick it up I'll schedule a session at a gun range with a person to show me the proper
way to load and shoot it.

I got this feeling when I go back to the gun shop to pick it up they are going to be trying to
sell me more stuff.

[ManiacJoe]

14. Before you go shooting,

take the time to learn to disassemble and clean the gun. It is much easier to learn when the gun is clean.

[meathead]

15. Excellent choice!

Easy to manage and still powerful. The two barrels make the gun quite flexible. The short one is for home defense. The long one is for birds, small game and clay targets. It takes only seconds to switch them out. The only other practical gun I'd recommend for a new owner is a 3-5" double-action revolver in .38spc / .357

Congrats and be safe!

[ileus]

16. Well with the longer barrel you can now hunt small game.

The two barrel mossys are really a great choice for a versatile HD/ Hunting firearm.

[helpmetohelpyou]

17. I just have to attend a safe hunter course first

I have been thinking of deer hunting to supplement my dogs food

and also my own

[Eleanors38]

18. You must live where a shotgun is required

for deer-hunting. Used to be .20 ga was not recommended for this purpose, but modern loads and slug design make the twenty a favorite for women, so I'm told. In the house, a .357 revolver is by the bed at night; locked in a box when out. It has point & pull simplicity.

[jaystuw]

19. Ruger .22 revolver

Any gun is better than no gun in a defensive situation. Go with what you are comfortable with. For me, it would be a .22 Ruger double action revolver. Yeah, not powerful enough. But fast, simple, easy to manage and reliable. Its always better to hit the bad guy with one or more .22's than to miss completely with a very loud, hard recoiling 357 revolver, or not get off a shot at all with a temperamental automatic. Jay

[ManiacJoe]

20. Kind of an out-dated response.

It kind of suggests that you are of senior citizen age without much experience with modern self defense handguns. There was a time when what you say would have been somewhat accurate, but we are long past those days.

[Paladin]

21. Not a very helpful critique, on your part.

But then, I'm getting to be a senior citizen, so what the fuck do I know?

[ManiacJoe]

23. What part left you confused?

Firearms technology has come a long way since the 1970s and early 1980s.

[jaystuw]

24. timeless problems

Haha. Yes Joe, I am without a doubt old, as you noted and I sometimes (thankfully) forget. When I was a younger guy in the infantry, m16's with three pronged flash suppressors were common, we lugged around m60 machine guns and rode in m113 APC's. Jeez, 40 years ago. Time does fly.

Anyway, getting back to handguns. Todays automatic pistols are modern day marvels to be sure. But, they were brought very close to their relative potential half a century ago. Strip away the advances in weight reduction, some questionable safety features and they are not far removed from an earlier generation of autos.

All auto pistols, young or old, share the same stuff that might get a novice in trouble. They are only as reliable as the magazine that feeds it, bent feed lips or beat up mag might hang up the pistol. As will bullet shape, overall cartridge condition or a bad primer. Lots of things will stop or slow down a automatic. Heck, Just remembering how to charge the pistol and navigate the safety devices in a stress situation can be a challenge for a less experienced shooter.

A double action revolver, on the other hand is simple and direct. One just points and starts pulling the trigger.

[Paladin]

25. I for one appreciate your clear-eyed observations on this matter.

I don't believe you're in need of any advice or critiques from the rest of us; sounds like you've made a thoughtful and informed decision for yourself. I hope you never have to use a firearm in a defensive way.