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My 6 Favorite Home Defense Firearms
No one firearm is best for home defense above all others. While some will be greatly agreed upon as strong contenders, there are many factors to consider when deciding which one(s) would be best for YOUR home.
When something goes bump in the night, and your adrenaline is pumping like never before, you’ll have to rely on your training and muscle memory. That’s why training is just as important as having the gun itself. Simply owning a gun will not protect your home.
Before you can train, though, you need a gun; that’s why we’re here today to help you understand what type is best for you and suggest a few of our favorites.
Factors to Consider
You may have other personal factors to account for, but here are a few key ones that everyone should consider.
Home Layout and Location
This is arguably the most important thing to understand when planning your home defense strategy. If you live alone on a farm where the closest neighbor is miles away, you don’t have to worry about this much, but for most people, this is crucial.
Understanding what is on the other side of what you’re shooting at is paramount. Bullets don’t magically stop at the first thing they hit, especially not if you miss your target and thin drywall is the first thing your bullet encounters. Common house siding isn’t going to stop it, either. So if you’re in an apartment or townhouse where you share a wall, overpenetration is going to be a massive concern.
Even in a single-family home, you’ll need to know exactly where your family members may be and where the neighbor’s houses are in relation to each room of your house. In short, you must be mindful of what or who can be hit if your bullet misses its target or goes right through “it.”
Caliber and Capacity
You don’t want to take on three heavily armed intruders with a seven-round revolver chambered in .22 LR. However, you also don’t want to start blasting .308 rounds toward the apartment next door. There are plenty of capable calibers; just choose wisely.
When it comes to capacity, the more, the merrier, as long as you remain highly mobile. A 50-round drum adds a decent amount of weight and can be bulky, but more power to you if it works for you! It’s much better to have more than you need instead of less.
Family Members
If you go down or need a family member to come to your aid, you’ll want a firearm that they can shoot accurately and efficiently as well. A 12-gauge shotgun packs some serious recoil, so if your significant other is five feet tall and barely weighs 120 pounds soaking wet, it may be difficult for them to handle.
Consider anyone with access to that firearm to ensure they can use it easily and safely.
Firearms
Glock 19 Gen5 MOS
There is a reason that Glock tops most lists such as this one. Its pistols are reliable, accurate, and affordable. The Glock 19, more specifically, is the most popular, and for good reason. It can fill virtually any role, from concealed carry to home defense. Why?
The Glock 19 is equipped to handle almost anything.
It offers a 15+1 standard capacity and can also accept a wide variety of higher-capacity magazines. It also has an accessory rail for lights and an optic-ready slide for your favorite red dot.
They are compact enough to fit in a nightstand safe, light enough for anyone to wield, and very easy to use. There isn’t much more you can ask for in a home defense gun.
Mossberg 590S Optic-Ready
Gone are the days of complaining about a shotgun’s capacity. The relatively new Mossberg 590S accepts 1.75-inch, 2.75-inch, and 3-inch shells without the need for an adaptor. This means that depending on which shells you choose, you can have up to a 9+1 capacity!
The Magpul furniture adds a tactical touch. Source
Featuring an ambidextrous top-mounted safety and the ability to mount a red dot, it opens up its usefulness to a wide range of individuals. Lastly, there are plenty of aftermarket accessories, like the Magpul furniture seen above, that can allow you to make it even more comfortable and versatile.
Aero Precision M4E1
It’s hard to argue with an AR-15 for home defense. With 30 rounds of 5.56 at your disposal and enough room to mount any accessories you can imagine, you can create a highly personalized setup that fits your needs perfectly.
All of the attachments you’d need to protect your home. Source
With a shorter barrel model, you’ll be able to maneuver around corners easily, but you’ll still have the range needed for any defensive situation. If you have a decent amount of land or a very large home, an AR-15 is a great option.
Training is very important, as with any gun, but you’ll definitely want to practice clearing rooms and aiming in very close quarters.
Sig Sauer MPX K
The Sig MPX K is one of those firearms that seems to have been made specifically for home defense. It’s compact, boasts a high capacity, and is extremely modular.
You’ll have just as much, if not more, ammo than with your standard AR-15 magazine. Source
The standard 35-round magazine gives your AR-15s a run for their money. Since it features a handguard with M-LOK slots and a Picatinny rail up top, you can use many of the same accessories as you would with an AR-15.
If you happen to also have a 9mm handgun as part of your home protection plan, being able to share ammo between the two is a huge plus.
Springfield Armory Echelon
Springfield’s Echelon provides many of the same advantages as the Glock 19, such as an accessory rail and optics-ready slide, but it offers a 20+1 capacity. The slide, though, is also flared and has a forward trench, making it extremely easy to rack and press check.
Trijicon and Streamlight make great additions to any home defense setup.
The Echelon also offers ambidextrous controls, a Central Operating Group that can be moved between grip modules, and night sights. All of this together allows the Echelon to deliver an insanely high bang for your buck.
Daniel Defense DDM4 PDW
This one will require some additional paperwork, but it is worth it.
Meet the DDM4 PDW Short Barrel Rifle chambered in .300 BLK. If this one doesn’t check most, if not all, of your boxes, I don’t know what will.
Now, this is a great example of a home defense build. Source
Even with a suppressor mounted, it is highly maneuverable and perfect for turning tight corners and clearing rooms. You have just enough space to mount your lights, lasers, and optics without any added “wasted weight.”
Durability and reliability will never be a concern, as the receivers are machined from 7075-T6 aluminum, the cold hammer forged CMV barrel is HP/MPI tested, and the chrome-lined BCG is MP tested.
It may be on the pricey side when all is said and done, but can you really ever spend too much on your safety?
Conclusion
From pistols to rifles to shotguns, there are thousands of suitable firearms for home defense.
Since you’ll be staking your life on it, do not rush your decision or skimp on the components. Consider everything from your home layout to what attachments you’ll want to mount so you can choose the best firearm for you.
As always, stay safe, train hard, and have fun.
