I remember reading a his articles a long while back. It's a shame that he was taken by an auto accident. =(

Choosing the handgun and accessories is the easy part. Learning to use it effectively and safely is the single most important step in being a handgun owner. Handguns are harder to master than either rifles or shotguns, and it requires practice and more practice. I think you are very wise to let your brother help you with that phase.

For CQB at home or as a Bug Out weapon as you designed this post to discuss, a handgun would not be the first choice for me. A better option might be a 12ga with a short barrel for the home and longer barrel for Bugging Out or in my thoughts hunting. The boom alone is crowd control, especially in a house. There is more functionality with optional barrels and rounds to cover both your requests.

For a handgun, any weapon, obviously first know what you can buy in your area, know the laws, definitely be schooled and don't skimp on the accessories.

Don't be led by other peoples like or prejudices. Handle a lot of pistols in every shape and caliber. Go to a range and shot as many as you can. Some people love Glock, others hate the feeling and the safety. Some people love/hate 9mm, others think .45 are over rated. Some will feel to top heavy, others perfect in your hand but not so much on your hip.

For a first time hand gun, a Ruger GP100 has been mentioned. Owned one, loved it. Great revolver in .357 caliber.

A lot of what you will should consider in home defense is directly related not so much to the caliber you use but the clarity of your voice and action. If you can, first call 911. Then let the vandal know the house is occupied, your armed and police are in route. Remember what they are wearing and look like for description to the police.

Ahh yes, forewarn your opposition by telling them "I have a gun".

A bad guy knows he's bad. He knows breaking in your door is against the law. Bad things happen in the breaking and entering trade. Getting shot from ambush by a homeowner's 12 gauge shotgun is one of those bad things. I see no compelling reason to give any advantage to a bad guy by telling him where I am or that I'm armed. That will become very clear shortly after the door fails.

True Russ, you don't want to give to much away, but you also want to present the right posture, that of a determined defense. A commanding voice and the racking of a slide is a tremendous deterrent.

dweste in the beginning of the post wanted info on a handgun for home defense, which most of us agree is not the best option. A 12ga is by far the wiser choice. But assuming that dweste has not had any physical or mental training in home defense or CQB, then calling 911 and telling the burglar that they need to leave is not out of the box of normal.

The reality is victims of home break ins, (aside from most people who read these forums), will be scared out of their minds if they hear a break in of their house and not going to lie in ambush quietly waiting for someone to come into their sight alignment to blast them away. I think most of us would prefer to walk in the room, say Hasta la vista and pull the trigger.

But the normal civilian is most likely going to unconsciously turn on a light, make a noise walking across a room or arguing with their family that someone is in the house, grab their defense weapon, rack that slide back hard or pump that foregrip with authority and defend their home.

Burglars will know rather quickly if someone is home or not, telling them you're armed is one more defense measure. Burglars are usually but not always looking for easy opportunities, not confrontation.

If were talking a rapist or abductor caught in the act...well I think we all know we'd shot first, comment second.

Off subject but, to validate I think what Russ is saying is true, Joe Horn thankfully wasn't charged for defending his neighbors house.

I read an interview of several burglars that were in jail serving time that they would rather face a cop then a homeowner with a gun. They know a cop has a whole set of conditions he has to meet before he can draw and fire his gun. A homeowner is not restricted nearly as much. Homeowners are more likely (at least in the criminals mind) to shoot the criminal then a cop.

So I disagree that it’s a bad idea to let the bad guy know you have a gun and offer up proof by working the action of a shotgun. If it can defuse the situation and get him to stop and run, you are better off.

I have never shot anyone with a firearm, I have no question I could if my life was in danger. But at the same time if I can convince the bad guy to run off and then let the cops deal with finding him it’s better then shooting him.


I don’t see letting him know that I’m aware he’s in my home, and I know it and have a gun and I called the cops as a bad thing to do. No normal person wants to kill another, even if it’s a criminal.

If I recall correctly, burglaries in Kennewick, GA (did I spell that correctly?) dropped like a rock when they passed a law requiring every household to have a gun...

My parents go to Florida every winter since 1991, my dad remembers when Florida passed a concealed carry law for Florida residents. The crime against Florida residents went down. But it went up against vacationing people. This was downplayed in the media according to what my dad told me, they didn’t want this info harming the flow of tourist dollars.

Yeah, if I recall correctly, driving a car with rental plates was assured a robbery/jacking/whatever...

Sure he was charged, with homicide.