Best Type of Gun for Home Defense

Finding the best gun for home defense is essential. With all that’s happening at home in the US and around the world nowadays, it’s always best to prepare before a threat occurs.

Depending on your budget, situation, and what you’re comfortable with — the right gun for you might not be the right gun for me. That’s okay!

From revolvers to ARs, we’ve got a list of the best home defense guns and we’re going to tell you the pros and cons of each.

Coming up…

Why Get a Weapon for Home Defense?

Our home defense requirements vary depending on where we live and the dangers we face. Yet, we all need to think about how we can secure our homes if the worst happens.

Any home security plan’s primary purpose is to keep all residents safe. A suitable weapon can be a deterrent as well as allow you to control the situation while you wait for the police.

Any gun is better than no gun at all, but that doesn’t mean all guns are equally good. Fortunately, there are good options whether you are a fan of shotguns, pistols, or rifles.

Which Type of Gun to Use for Home Defense?

The three most common types of guns for home defense are handguns, shotguns, and rifles. Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of each. We’ll also cover why they’re the best weapon for a self-defensive situation.

Many of you will know all of this and can go straight to Choosing the Best Gun for Home Defense.

Handgun

A handgun is one of the most common selections for good home defense weapons. Within that, you have revolvers or semi-auto pistols to choose from.

A pistol is a handgun that has one chamber built into the gun barrel. A pistol has the advantages of being compact, easy to handle, and firing with one hand. The disadvantages are that it can only load a limited number of bullets compared to rifles. It also has a lower power output than long guns. The following are some examples of pistol’s common firing mechanisms:

Shotgun

A shotgun has long been considered one of the gold standards for home defense, and for very good reason. Not only are they (normally) the cheapest option, they offer a wide range of choices as well.

Shotguns take a variety of ammunition. The drawbacks are mainly the limited amount of ammo loaded at any one time, and they are challenging to use in tight and compact locations.

You also need both hands to operate one properly, ammo choice is critical or else you’ll face drastic overpenetration.

Types of Shotgun Ammo

Shotgun Action

Many types of action used for shotguns are similar to those used for rifles. This includes actions such as pump-action, semi-automatic action, and bolt action. A gun’s action is the mechanism that allows it to fire. Here are the most common types:

Rifle

Rifles come in a variety of sizes and forms. One of the most well-known rifles is the AR-15. This rifle is lightweight, has little recoil, and has high-capacity magazines.

Rifles offer a lot when it comes to home defense. They are easy to use, accurate, hold a lot of rounds per magazine, and are easy to equip with lights, slings, and sights.

For home defense, we strongly recommend either 5.56 NATO or 300 Blackout (7.62×39 Soviet can be a good alternative to 300 BLK). These are standard cartridges that are plentiful, easy to get, come in lots of options, and are fairly cheap making training more accessible.

While we recommend the AR-15 as our top pick, almost any rifle in the above calibers will work as well.

Types of Rifles

Choosing the Best Gun for Home Defense

Take caution when choosing a gun for home defense.

Everything comes with trade-offs and compromises. There is no perfect answer for everyone, but there are some options that are much better balanced than others.

Here are the factors to consider for choosing a gun if you’re a beginner:

Other Considerations

Must-Have Accessories

Weapon Mounted Light: It’s highly unlikely that you’ll face intruders during the daytime, if you’re going to be the victim of a home-related crime it’s almost always at night. Having a strong source of light can be the difference between life and death, not just for you but also for your family.

The ability to positively ID what you’re shooting at is critical. Maybe you’ll have time to hit the lights, maybe you won’t. Do you want to take to fumble with a switch while drawing down on someone?

Personally, I strongly question any defensive firearm that doesn’t have a light on it. If you agree, you should keep that in mind when choosing a home defense gun. Not everything can mount a light.

Sling: This is clearly only a concern if you’re using a rifle or shotgun, but either way a sling is a good idea. Retaining your weapon is important and the ability to use your hands is really underrated. Most rifles and shotguns can mount a sling in some fashion.

Location

Maybe you live alone in the middle of nowhere and you’re not worried about the fact that .308 Win goes through 10+ layers of drywall. But if you’re like most of us and you have family, pets, and neighbors just a wall or two away from you — you might want to consider something that won’t go zipping through the home.

If you’re in a smaller home or apartment, a long gun might be awkward to navigate with. Likewise, if you have long hallways a pistol might not offer the stability you want for some of those longer shots.

Selecting a Caliber

I cannot stress enough that as long as you’re using a minimum viable cartridge with a good bullet design, the caliber you choose really doesn’t matter as much as most people try to tell you it does.

Instead of getting lost in the weeds here, I’m just going to give you my firm recommendations.

Pistols should be 9mm.

Revolvers should be .38 Spl, .357 Mag, or 9mm.

Rifles should be 5.56 NATO or 300 BLK/7.62×39 Soviet.

Shotguns should be 20ga or 12ga.

These are not the only viable options, .45 ACP, .380 ACP, .410 shotguns, 5.45 rifles, and many, many more can also get the job done. But those are all more esoteric options that will not improve your odds of survival.

Budget

On the super cheap you should expect to spend at least $250 on a home defense weapon that you can trust your life to. On the high end, the sky is the limit.

More isn’t always better. You should also consider training, ammo, and range time as part of your total cost.

You will be far better off with a $300 gun, $200 of hands-on training, and $1,000 worth of training ammo than you will be with a $1,200 gun, $200 training class, and $100 practice ammo.

As a complete package, I think you should assume $500 as the rock bottom bare minimum. Roughly $250-300 for the weapon and the rest in ammo. Hands-on training is always better, but there is a wide range of great firearms classes that are on YouTube these days and will give you a crash course in the basics.

If you can afford it, I would strongly recommend a budget of at least $500 for training and ammo.

Home Defense – the Law

The varies state-by-state and you need to look at your state to know your own laws. There are a couple of big things that you should know though.

Castle Doctrine: This is fundamentally the legal right to defend your home with lethal force and generally gives the homeowner/legal resident the benefit of the doubt by granting them an automatic legal assumption that they were in grave danger.

However, the exact flavor of your castle doctrine may be very different. Most states have some kind of castle law, but only about half of the states have strong ones. And even many of those states don’t actually have a law — just a common-law understanding or jury instructions that follow it.

Stand Your Ground: This is kind of like Castle Doctrine, but it applies everywhere you are as long as you’re legally allowed to be there. There is a lot more nuance to Stand Your Ground, but that’s a general idea.

Again, it depends a lot on where you live. 38 states recognize Stand Your Ground, 30 via law, and 8 by way of case law or jury instructions. The other 12 impose a Duty To Retreat.

Duty To Retreat: It sounds exactly like what it is, if you have the ability to get away then you have the legal requirement to do so. If you fail to avail yourself of that and instead use deadly force, you’ll likely face murder charges of some kind.

While thankfully this is not the norm in America, if you’re in a Duty To Retreat state you should be hyper-aware of that fact and take care to not run afoul of it.

Bit worried by all of this? Read more about Concealed Carry Insurance and how the organizations offering these can help you if you ever have to fire your gun in self-defense.

Best Home Defense Gun

Mossberg 500

My top selection for the best shotgun for home defense is the Mossberg 500. The Mossberg 500 is a tough, American-made shotgun.

It is utilized by military and law enforcement agencies all over the world and has proven to be among the most adaptable and reliable shotgun platforms on the market. 

Moreover, this pump-action shotgun is reasonably priced. In addition, it hits hard and is ideal for home defense.

The Model 500 is simple to operate and maintain. Thus, it’s a good idea to keep one at home for self-defense. Depending on the magazine capacity, all Model 500s have changeable barrels. You can locate the Mossberg 500’s safety on the receiver’s rear top.

This is a great spot for safety when using a standard shotgun stock. It’s easy to reach with your thumb. The Mossberg 500’s optional pistol grip is another remarkable feature. It allows you to operate the weapon more comfortably. 

Finally, it is a great price. MSRP is around $500 and the street price is almost always much less. While it isn’t the cheapest shotgun I would still trust, it is massively better in every possible way than anything cheaper. Hands down one of the best gun for home defense

Specs

Action	Pump action
Caliber	12 or 20 gauge, .410 bore
Barrel Length	14-30 inches
Feed System	2+1 to 8+1 rounds; internal tube magazine
Effective Firing Range	130 feet (40 m)

Beretta 1301 Tactical 

The Beretta 1301 Tactical is a semi-automatic shotgun with a gas-operated action. This gun is suitable for tactical, self-defense, and law enforcement applications.

It possesses all the qualities that a modern tactical shotgun should have. It’s ultra-reliable and simple to use.

The 1301 Tactical has plenty of features. It has a larger charging handle, textured bolt release, and a reversible safety button. Thus, you can hold up and operate the controls securely and safely.

Additionally, the 1301 Tactical has a durable, protected ghost-ring mechanism. Plus, an adaptable front sight, allowing the user to change it to any situation.

In shooting, the 1301 Tactical’s integrated BLINK enables the shotgun to cycle 36 percent faster than any other shotgun. This gun will never let you down when you need it the most in a defensive situation.

Although this shotgun is another good option for a self-defense weapon, it also comes at a premium price.

You can get the Beretta 1301 Comp for around $1,230 on sale, which is nearly $100 less than the MSRP. Almost all types cost more than a thousand dollars. Now, you don’t need a high-priced shotgun to defend yourself. But if your budget is up for it, this is a good alternative for you.

Specs

Action	Semi-automatic
Caliber	12 gauge
Barrel Length	18.5 inches (47 cm)
Feed System	6+1 round capacity
Receiver	Aluminum

Maverick 88 

The Maverick 88 is my top pick for the best budget shotgun for home defense. This pump-action shotgun is basically a carbon copy of the Mossburg 500, but with some corners cut and cheaper materials used.

The Maverick 88 is easy to use, operates well, and is a blast to fire! You’ll get a ribbed textured pump for a comfortable and stable grip. In addition, everything stays clean and tidy thanks to the dual extractors.

If you’re into customization, the Maverick is difficult to disassemble. You will need the use of tools. The Maverick’s trigger is a smooth-faced steel bow trigger that is a tad hefty but not too bad. The bolt safety is immediately in front. It’s encased in a standard polymer casing with a rounded trigger guard. 

The Maverick 88 is super affordable as you can only get it for less than $300. Out of the box, you’ll get a versatile and all-purpose shotgun. Although cheap, there is no compromise in reliability.

If you’re trying to defend your home on a tight budget, this is my top choice. Due to its low cost and high reliability, it has solidly earned itself the title of being one of the best gun for home defense

Specs

Action	Pump action
Caliber	12 or 20 gauge
Barrel Length	22, 26, 28 inches
Feed System	5- or 7-round tube magazine
Receiver	Aluminum

Glock 19

Glock is a well-known reputable pistol manufacturer. Its flagship modes are simple, efficient, and easy to use. The Glock 19 is a durable and sturdy pistol used by law enforcement and the military. As a result, it’s a popular carry gun and my top selection for the best pistol for home defense.

The Glock 19 is the ideal all-around gun. It’s small and concealable, with a 15-round capacity and comfortable grip. The controls are well-designed and positioned, and the size is almost perfect.

In addition, you can feed every sort of ammo fire from it. Moreover, the stability is superb. When shooting strings, controlling the recoil is simple. This handgun is neither too big nor too small for precision.

The Gen 5 is available with a range of backstrap configurations. It also has a variety of alternative components and accessories. However, Glock 19 isn’t an attractively designed pistol due to its polymer frame. Yet, with a few tweaks, it has the potential to be rather great. It has infinite customization and modification options. 

Prices can range a bit due to demand, but generally, the Glock 19 Gen 5 is affordable at around $500. However, adding modifications can balloon the price drastically. My Gen 3 Glock seen above is well over $1,000 with accessories.

Specs

Action	Semi-automatic
Caliber	9mm
Barrel Length	4.02 inches (102 mm)
Feed System	Standard 15+1 magazine
Effective Firing Range	55 yards (50 m)

Smith & Wesson 686

The Smith & Wesson 686 is my pick for the best revolver for home defense, but not as the best gun for home defense. If you’re more comfortable with a revolver, then this is a good option for you. But for everyone else — a good semi-auto pistol is better.

The 686 model is also available in six- and seven-shot cylinders. In addition, Smith & Wesson designed this revolver to withstand heavy use.

Thus, it is a popular choice among police officers and hunters. Revolvers are simpler than semi-automatic handguns. Some say that they are more reliable. This implies that even untrained shooters may use a revolver. As a result, it’s an excellent option for a home defense weapon for the novice.

The company designed the 686 L-Frame to make up for the lack of the smaller K-Frame while keeping the same grip size. It also helps increase the gun’s dimensions. Moreover, this revolver can withstand heavy use with full-power .357 Magnum ammunition. Yet, the downside is that revolvers could only contain seven rounds at a time. So if you ever run out of ammo while in a defensive situation, you’ll need to bring extra ammo or use a speed loader.

Furthermore, the 686 comes with white outline sights that are simple to adjust. This aids precision in low-light circumstances. Moreover, you can always change them if you desire something else.

You may use the 686 to shoot either .357 Magnum or .38 Special bullets. The smaller .38 special rounds have far less recoil than the .357 Magnum and are less expensive, great for training or recoil-sensitive shooters.

Specs

Action	Double-action revolver
Caliber	.38/.357
Barrel Length	2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8.325 inches
Feed System	6-round cylinder

Smith & Wesson M&P 15 Sport II

M&P15 Rifles are both versatile and reliable. M&P15 Rifles are also simple to customize. The Sport II is compatible with the majority of AR-15 aftermarket and upgrades.

You can also add some drop-in improvements, such as vertical grips and rifle optics to the rifle. These rifles are also lightweight and long-lasting.

The magazine slides out effortlessly due to a beveled magazine hole allowing easy insertion. The M&P15 Sport II comes with a dust cover as well as a front assist. The original M&P15 Sport variant lacked both of these features.

Basic polymer design makes up the upgraded GI-style handguard and grip. The rifle also comes with a six-position M4-style telescopic stock. The length of the gun is 35 inches when fully extended and 32 inches when folded. With all these features, my only concern is that if you have limited space, this rifle is a little too lengthy.

The Smith and Wesson M&P Sport II is a high-quality rifle at such a great price. The accuracy, sturdiness, and overall functionality of this weapon continue to amaze consumers. As a result, it’s the greatest home defense rifle available!

Specs

Action	Semi-automatic
Caliber	5.56mm NATO/.223
Barrel Length	16 inches, 1:9-inch twist
Feed System	30+1 rounds

Daniel Defense MK18

The Daniel Defense MK18 is a premium AR-15-style home defense weapon. The MK18 is undeniably a high-end firearm that is well-made. It is worth noting that Daniel Defense pistols are extremely popular among military personnel.

If you ever find yourself in a position where you need to protect your home from intruders, the MK18 is perfect.

Sold with a 10.3″ barrel, this is legally a “pistol” because of the short barrel and pistol brace. However, in practical use, you can consider it like you would a rifle. If you want some more info on why the difference, take a look at our Best AR-15 Pistol article!

For tight spaces and maximum firepower without a huge risk of drastic overpenetration, pistols like the MK18 are ideal.

This isn’t cheap, but it is the best. If you can swing the cost this is my top pick as the best gun for home defense

Specs

Action	Semi-automatic
Caliber	.223, 5.56mm NATO
Barrel Length	10.3 inches (262 mm
Feed System	20- to 30-round magazine
Effective Firing Range	328 yards (300 m)

The Final Word

This brings us to the end of our list of the finest guns for home defense. You have a large selection of weapons from which to choose. Make sure that the handguns, shotguns, or rifles you pick are ideal for your needs.

There are many factors to consider, particularly in a home defense scenario. What matters is that you can keep your household safe with your weapon of choice.

Lastly, I hope this article helped you select your best gun for home defense. As a result, you should then be able to defend your loved ones without the fear of consequences.

To learn more, see our Best Concealed Carry Insurance article.

Related Articles

• 8 Best Home Defense Shotguns in 2021 
• Choosing the best Handgun Safe in 2021 
• Beginner Firearm Safety, From Safe Storage to Safe Shooting