There are four types of weapons that I consider desirable for personal and home defense. Of course, these tools are subject to local laws and statutes and Federal BATF control. Check with your local attorney general or local policed jurisdiction to learn what is allowed and how to qualify.
I teach the prerequisite handgun safety class in my resident state for applying for a handgun carry permit. Most states who have provisions to do this, are very similar to provisions in my state, but their may be subtle variances.
Essentially, you can’t be a felon, illegal alien, or have been dishonorable discharged from the US Armed Services to start with. Nor can you have been adjudicated as mentally defective or have ever been involuntarily committed.
You then must have four hours of classroom instruction which covers specific material regarding the safe handling of handguns, cleaning and care, legalities as to when and where you can use deadly force. I personally also teach alternative defense methods and awareness, similar to the material presented in this blog.
You must also have four hours of trained and state-certified live shooting instruction. You are tested and must pass both parts of this pre-application for a handgun carry permit.
There are at least four generally accepted handgun safety rules. These are cardinal, and must never be broken—if one is to be safe while handling firearms. They are as follows:
1) Treat all guns as if they are always loaded.
2) Never point or aim a guns muzzle (end of barrel), at anything or anyone, which you are not prepared to destroy.
3) Never shoot at a target that one has not yet fully identified. And be aware of what is between you and the intended target and what is surrounding and beyond.
4) Never place your finger on the trigger on your firearm until you are ready to fire.
There are many more rules of good gun-handling, but these four will make you safe if followed strictly. Disobey them and someone is likely to be harmed or killed—including yourself.
Choosing Your Weapon
Here are several factors, which I personally require of my students when choosing a handgun for self defense.
1) You must not use anything less than 9mm or 38 special in power. Usually semi-automatics are 9mm, and revolvers are 38 special. Even with these restrictions, these calibers are minimal. The larger the better, providing that you can control your weapon comfortably.
2) At a formal shooting range, begin with 9mm (or 38 Special) and work your way up. That is, try a larger caliber such as 40 cal or 357 magnum, and then to 10 mm or 41 magnum, then try a 45 cal semi-automatic or a 44 magnum, etc. I stop at 45 ACP for semi-autos and 44 magnum for revolvers, although if you are stout you can go higher. In my opinion the 45 ACP for automatics is the most desirable if you can control it and shoot it where you want it to hit. The same is true for a 44 magnum in the case of a large revolver.
Another point to be made in this vein is that the smaller the calibre, the more rounds available to shoot generally speaking. Conversely, with semi-automatics, the larger the calibre, the fewer the rounds available. Most revolvers are six or five shots. For safety purpose it is wise to keep the chamber under the revolving cylinder empty, which further diminishes the on-board cartridge capacity of a revolver. Extra magazines or speed-load moon-clips can quickly add to the capacity of either.
3) In general, revolvers are easier to shoot reliably, than are semi-autos. Revolvers are more forgiving when it comes to abuse or failure to clean. If you own a gun, you must clean it each time you go to the range or fire it elsewhere. However, semi-automatics leave little tolerance for failing to do this. If you are inclined to be lazy, neglectful, or sloppy, you probably shouldn’t even own a gun —but if you insist—don’t place your life in the hands of a dirty semi-automatic. Additionally, with more moving parts, a semi-automatic is inherently less reliable. If you are committed to learning the techniques, to keep your piece clean, and to recover from these reliability issues—then a semi-automatic would be a good choice.
4) Also one must consider the circumstances under which one will be carrying, such as clothing worn and places available on your person to conceal your weapon and still be able to produce and fire it quickly. The cooler it is, the more clothing you can reasonably wear to cover hour weapon. Purses, specially designed false-books, carry vests, and other ingenious methods can be used to carry as well. All of these factors determine the size and calibre of the weapon you carry.
For example, I prefer a military-style 1911A semi-automatic in 45 ACP. However it is a rather large gun. Unless I am wearing a sports-coat or carry vest or long style shirt, I cannot carry this pistol during the summer. Instead I carry a slightly smaller Browning H-Power 9mm or a ultra-light hammerless 5–shot Smith and Wesson or Taurus 38 special. I usually carry extra mags or moon-clips as well.
5) Cost is a factor. One can purchase a reliable carry weapon for around $200, but these choice, while barely sufficient, are not my preference. For four hundred dollars you can expect to purchase what I would consider a decent piece, but it may be used. For $500 or $600, you can buy a very desirable gun. There are many brands of guns. The ones I personally prefer are Kimber, Glock, Beretta, H&K, Sig Sauer, Para Ordinance, Smith & Wesson, Browning, Ruger, Khar, Walther, the newer Sporingfield, Colt, and Taurus models. EAA Witness in 40 calibre is an especially good buy in my opininion. These are actually made by an Italian compay named Tanfaglio. There are others. If you know little about guns, get someone who does to help you in choosing one.
6) If possible, arrange to actually fire a model and calibre of each of the types you consider. Many ranges rent guns to use for this purpose.
7) It is good to get some professional training regarding how to shoot. Reading can also supplement this. There are many different stances and ways to hold guns in order to fire accurately. Most platforms involve the use of two hands, but you should also learn to shoot single-handedly with either hand. With proper instruction, you can be firing more accurately than the bar required of most law officers.
8) You must practice until muscle-memory can instinctively produce your weapon without conscious thought. You must overcome the ingrained tendency to preserve life, and condition yourself to actually take a life in an attempt to prevent harm to you or your family. Using human image targets aid in this process.
9) Once you become a gun-toting citizen, you will have a feeling of power, which you must manage. You must resist the urge to boast about carrying a gun. You must be fully aware that if you ever use deadly force, your life will change dramatically. It is a tough balancing act, which can only be gained by experience, conscious processing of real-life scenarios, study, practice, and training.
The nest topic I will over is the use of back-up guns and knives, and then we will address the types of weapons preferred for Home Invasion protection.
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