Choosing a Handgun for Home Defense - Part 4 - Handgun Capacity

Handgun Capacity

The fourth part of this series relates to handgun capacity. Just as the other three parts are crucially important to selecting a handgun for home defense, capacity is equally as important and is affected by all of the other three choices.

For instance, most revolvers can only load 5 rounds in the cylinder. Whereas, semi-automatic pistols hold much more on average. A typical double-stacked magazine 9MM semi-automatic pistol will hold at least 15 rounds. Even a single-stacked magazine such as on a 1911, holds 8 rounds of .45ACP.


Multiple Assailants

If you have been reading the news lately, I suspect that you may have seen the flash mob attacks going on all over the country (such as in Chicago, IL, Philadelphia, PA, Wisconsin, and even in Dallas, TX) and as well as multiple-assailant home invasions (such as near Tampa, FL and Anderson, SC). Capacity could mean the difference between living and dying in some scenarios. Each individual person reacts differently to being shot, so while 1 round may stop some, 5 rounds or more may not stop someone else. Shot placement, training, and target practice become critical here. When in these dangerous scenarios, your adrenaline is rushing and you have a tendency to miss (especially if you do not train under these circumstances).


Revolvers - Limited Capacity

Revolvers are good options, they are chambered in some of the most powerful rounds known when it comes to handguns. However, the design of the revolver limits your capacity, as well as your reload speed. They typically hold 5 rounds, some more, some less.



Semi-Automatics

Semi-automatic pistols are great options. They are chambered in some fairly powerful rounds, and they have a great deal of capacity. A typical double-stacked magazine 9MM semi-automatic pistol will hold at least 15 rounds. And even a single-stacked magazine such as on a 1911, holds 8 rounds of .45ACP.

For example, the Smith & Wesson M&P full-size 9MM semi-auto pistol holds 17 rounds:

BudsGunShop.com - Smith & Wesson M&P 9MM Full-Size Semi-Auto Pistol

Whereas, the Springfield Armory XDm holds a remarkable 19 rounds in 9MM:

BudsGunShop.com - Springfield Armory XDm 9MM Full-Size Semi-Auto Pistol

And even the Springfield Armory XDm in .40S&W holds a surprising 16 rounds:

 

BudsGunShop.com - Springfield Armory XDm .40S&W Full-Size Semi-Auto Pistol

Gun Size

Capacity has a great deal to-do with gun size. Such as, a smaller grip frame can't hold as many rounds as a full size grip frame.

For instance, the Glock 17 holds 17 rounds of 9MM in a full size grip frame:

 BudsGunShop.com - Glock 17 9MM Full-Size Semi-Auto Pistol

Whereas, the Glock 26 holds 10 rounds of 9MM in a subcompact grip frame:

BudsGunShop.com - Glock 26 9MM Sub-Compact Semi-Auto Pistol

Part 5 coming soon, which will discuss ammunition. As always, the link will be posted at the end of this post once finished.

Affordable Handguns for Home Defense

I want to present you with your options for a semi-automatic pistol for home defense if money is tight.

These are all quality pistols from reputable companies (some more than others).

Top 5 Picks: 

Springfield Armory XD

 BudsGunShop.com - Springfield Armory XD 9MM Semi-Auto Pistol - $430

Ruger P95

BudsGunShop.com - Ruger P95 9MM Semi-Auto Pistol - $300

Stoeger Cougar

 BudsGunShop.com - Stoeger Cougar 9MM Two-Tone Semi-Auto Pistol - $408

Ruger SR9/40

 BudsGunShop.com - Ruger SR40 .40S&W Semi-Auto Pistol - $398

Rock Island Armory GI Military-Spec 1911

BudsGunShop.com - Rock Island Armory GI Mil-Spec 1911 .45ACP Semi-Auto Pistol - $380

Under $300
Ruger P95 - $300
Smith & Wesson SW9VE/SW40VE - $299

Under $350
Taurus 24/7 (Standard, OSS, & Generation 2) - $329

Under $400
Taurus PT Series - $352
Stoeger Cougar - $360
Smith & Wesson SD9/SD40 - $367
Sig Sauer P250 Compact - $369
Rock Island Armory GI Mil-Spec 1911 - $380
Bersa Thunder 9/40 - $382
Ruger SR9/40 - $398
Sig Sauer SP2022 - $399
EAA Witness - $400

Under $450
Taurus M92 - $404
Bersa American Classic 1911 - $417
Springfield Armory XD - $430
CZ P07- $439
Ruger P345 - $440

Choosing a Handgun for Home Defense - Part 3 - Handgun Caliber

Handgun Caliber

The third part of this series relates to handgun calibers. There are 5 most common/popular handgun calibers. While there are many others, it's usually a good idea to stick with the most common/popular. The reason being they are usually much easier to find in stock, and are more affordable. Affordability may be crucial for you depending on your income, and also if you are a new shooter (you will need to practice more).

Let me start by saying that you cannot go wrong with any of these calibers. They are all solid-performing calibers with years of history (some more than others). No caliber is best and no caliber is a one-stop shot purely because of it's size and/or power. I am not a believer in "stopping power" when it comes to caliber. The cause for stopping an attacker is either severe pain and/or incapacitation. The best (only) way to cause severe pain and/or incapacitation, is with proper shot placement. I don't buy into the decades-old FBI study anymore, as there is much better ammunition technology and much more is understood about proper shot placement.

Common Semi-Automatic Pistol Calibers

9MM

Pros:

• Most affordable
• Most available
• Smallest of the three, allowing for higher capacity in your handgun
• Handguns in this caliber are typically more affordable than a .45ACP version of the same handgun

Cons:

• Smallest of the three, possibly not causing as much pain as the bullet will not expand (and therefore will cause less damage) as large as the other two

.40S&W

Pros:

• Fairly affordable
• Fairly available
• Middle-sized of the three, allowing for a compromise between the most capacity (9mm) and the least capacity (.45ACP)
• Handguns in this caliber are typically more affordable than a .45ACP version of the same handgun

Cons:

• Middle-sized of the three, possibly not causing as much pain as the bullet will not expand (and therefore will cause less damage) as large as the .45ACP
• More expensive than 9MM

.45ACP

Pros:

• Fairly available
• Largest of the three, possibly causing the most pain compared to the other two as the bullet will expands more (and therefore may cause more damage)

Cons:

• Least affordable
• Largest of the three, allowing for less capacity in your handgun
• Handguns in this caliber are less affordable than the same handgun in one of the other two calibers

Common Revolver Calibers

.38 (S&W) Special

Pros:

• More available
• More affordable
• Revolvers in this caliber are more affordable than the same revolver in a .357 magnum version

Cons:

• Not as powerful (and therefore may cause less damage)

.357 (S&W) Magnum

 Pros:

• Fairly available
• More powerful (and therefore may cause more damage)

Cons:

• Not as affordable
• More recoil
• Less affordable than the same revolver in a .38 special version
• Will penetrate/over-penetrate more than a .38 special

Please stay tuned for part 4 of our series, which will be discussing handgun capacity. Once it is posted, we will link to it here.

Choosing a Handgun for Home Defense - Part 2 - Handgun Size

Handgun Size

There are three basic sizes to handguns, though they generally cover a broad range (specifically the full size/large and sub-compact/small). The most important consideration when choosing a handgun size, is determining what fits your hand. Looking at pictures on the internet is simply not enough to choose. You need to visit a gun store in person and hold the different handgun sizes in your hands to truly see and feel the difference(s).

Concealment and carry are another consideration when choosing a handgun size. If you plan to carry the pistol in or around your home, the size will matter. Generally, the larger the pistol, the more heavier it will be. Without a good gun belt and holster (sometimes even with) you could get fatigued and/or develop a pain from carrying around too large of a handgun for your weight/height/stature/tolerance. Concealment is another consideration if you are planning on carrying it on your person while outside of your home. Perhaps you don't want the neighbors or any passers-by to see your handgun? Handgun size will definitely be a factor in that. Please see our other post concerning choosing a handgun for carry for more detailed information in this circumstance.

Recoil is another consideration. All things the same, the larger the handgun, the less it will recoil. The larger the size, the more the recoil is able to be absorbed by the handgun. Weight also plays a role in both recoil, carry, and handgun size. All things the same, the heavier the handgun, the less it will recoil. The extra weight is able to absorb more of the recoil.

Magazine capacity is yet another consideration. Generally, the larger the pistol, the more rounds it can hold. The smaller the pistol, the less rounds it can hold.

You have to take all of these issues into consideration and determine what the best compromise is for you. And don't fool yourself, you will compromise about something when choosing your handgun.

Full-Size/Large

Full-size pistols are the largest size handguns made. They can range from the decently sized:

 

BudsGunShop.com - Smith & Wesson M&P .45ACP Semi-Automatic Pistol

To the slightly larger:

BudsGunShop.com - FN Herstal FNP .45ACP Semi-Automatic Pistol

To the very large:

BudsGunShop.com - Magnum Research Desert Eagle .50AE Semi-Automatic Pistol

To the massive:

BudsGunShop.com - Smith & Wesson 500 .500 Magnum 8 3/8" Double Action Revolver

Compact/Medium Size

This size is the best of both world's, not too big to conceal and/or carry, not too small to be cumbersome to shoot. This size range is much less defined and definitely has a smaller amount of handguns to choose from than the other two. They can range from the:

 

BudsGunShop.com - Glock 19 9MM Semi-Automatic Pistol 

To the slightly shorter barreled:

BudsGunShop.com - Springfield Armory XDm 3.8" 9MM Semi-Automatic Pistol

To the even shorter barreled, but similarly sized to the Glock 19:

BudsGunShop.com - Heckler & Koch USP Compact .40S&W Semi-Automatic Pistol

To the tank of a revolver known as a:

BudsGunShop.com - Ruger SP101 2" .357 Magnum Double Action Revolver

Sub-Compact/Small Size

The sub-compact handgun size is the most easy to conceal and/or carry. There is quite a bit variation in this size range as well, from the:

BudsGunShop.com - Glock 26 9MM Semi-Automatic Pistol

To the slightly smaller and thinner:

BudsGunShop.com - Ruger LC9 9MM Semi-Automatic Pistol

To the pocket revolver (for some at least):

BudsGunShop.com - Smith & Wesson 638 .38 Special Double Action-Only Revolver

To the pocket semi-automatic pistol:

BudsGunShop.com - Ruger LCP .380ACP Semi-Automatic Pistol

Click this link to continue to Part 3 of our Choosing a Handgun for Home Defense blog post series.

Choosing a Handgun for Home Defense - Part 1 - Handgun Type

There are few weapons as capable of defending your home as a handgun, they are compact and lightweight, making them a good option for discreet, or even non-discreet, carry and storage around the home. This is part 1 of our 5 part series. The goal of this series will not be to tell you which handgun to choose, but to present you with options that will assist you in choosing the right handgun for you. There are four basic very important options that you need to decide on when choosing a handgun for home defense. They are:

• Type
• Size
• Caliber
• Capacity

To begin with, let's discuss the handgun type and hopefully that will help you begin to narrow down your search.

Handgun Type

There are two most common types of handguns (excluding muzzle-loaders, double barrel, single-shot, etc.):

Semi-Automatic

Semi-Automatic Pistols (and all semi-automatic firearms period) fire one bullet per trigger pull. So to shoot 5 bullets, you have to pull the trigger and release it 5 times. While the other handgun types are also of the semi-automatic type, 'Semi-Automatic Pistols' generally move to the next bullet using the energy from the previously fired bullet. In most, the previously-fired bullet's energy pushes the slide back, the extractor releases the bullet casing, and the next bullet in the magazine is pushed up and into the barrel for firing. Pretty simple, and amazingly quick. Most typically use a magazine to hold the bullets, inserted into the grip.

Pros:

• Generally have a higher capacity of bullets than the other handgun types (modern full-size 9MM Luger pistols contain around 15 rounds or more, compared to the 5 rounds of most revolvers)
• Controls are not too difficult to learn and operate
• Most modern semi-automatics have rails underneath the slide/frame to allow mounting of lasers/lights

Cons:

• Might be more difficult for those with disabilities (specifically arm/hand disabilities) to operate (even using proper technique)
• Possibility of jamming/failing (from Failure to Eject (FTE) to Failure to Feed (FTF) to a complete magazine failure)
• Less reliable (to not fail) than revolvers

Revolver

Revolvers also fire one bullet per trigger pull. They basically consist of a cylinder that contains the bullets to be fired, and a barrel. There are single action and double action revolvers. Single action require you to 'cock' the hammer before being able to fire. Double action does not require you to cock the hammer, simply pulling the longer trigger pull will both cock the hammer and fire the revolver. With each cocking turns the revolver's cylinder to the next bullet.

Pros:

• Very reliable design (if bullet fails to fire, you pull the trigger again and can fire another bullet)
• Typically uses more powerful bullets compared to a similar size (diameter) bullet for semi-automatics
• Simpler to operate than semi-automatics

Cons:

• More limited ammunition capacity (many only hold 5 rounds, which you may or may not be comfortable with)
• Thickness
• Most do not have a rail underneath the barrel for mounting lasers/lights

Handgun Material

The two most-commonly used materials (with both types of handguns) are polymer and metal for the frames.

Polymer is a high-strength nylon-based plastic. It is resistant to extreme temperature changes, isn't metal therefore cannot rust/corrode, lightweight, and resistant to shock. It does not absorb recoil as well as metal.

The first successfully marketed version of the polymer handgun:

Your other option is metal, typically stainless steel. Stainless steel does not stain, corrode, or rust as easily as plain ole' steel, but isn't rust proof. It is metal so therefore it has a little heft to it. Metal absorbs recoil better than polymer.

The Browning Hi-Power, a classic steel 9MM:

Click this link to continue to Part 2 of our Choosing a Handgun for Home Defense blog post series.