The Best Guns for Home Defense: Pistols, Rifles & Shotguns
By Randy Tucker |
For many people, "home defense" means protecting their home against intruders or thieves. In reality, "home defense" is simply the act of defending your physical property and the people inside of it against external threats. Your "home" could refer to a car or business that you own or even something like a temporary campsite in the wilderness.
The threats to these areas can vary widely. Depending on your location, you may need to defend against burglars, rapists, bears, wolves, or any other potential intruder. The perfect home defense firearm can protect you against all of these threats reliably and effectively.
An ideal home defense gun provides complete peace of mind and can be handled safely without fear of malfunction. Depending on the owner's needs, a home defense firearm can be a handgun, rifle, or shotgun. The best one for you depends on your personal preference, firearms experience, and physical ability to handle the firearm.
In general, one type of firearm isn’t inherently better than another in all situations. Pistols and shotguns are great for close range encounters, like inside your home, but rifles are better at long range encounters, and can be built to also be effective within short ranges.
If you are looking for some great firearm examples for home defense right off the bat, you’re in luck, that is what I’m going to start with, although if you aren’t sure which kind of firearm you want quite yet, I will cover that too. Here are some quick links that you can click to take you where you want to start in this article.
Glock 22: The Standard issue for law-enforcement
The Glock 22 is the standard-issue duty pistol for many law enforcement officers. It is chambered in 40 S&W and has a 15 round magazine capacity. Glock is a fantastic brand, and it is tough to go wrong with one. There are dozens of modifications that can be made on this pistol, and thanks to Glock's popularity, there are thousands of accessories on the market.
The beauty of a Glock is in its simplicity. They are polymer pistols with a very basic slide, and they just work. They are not cheap firearms, and they are not extremely nice, but they are quality. With the addition of a red dot, extended mag, and a flashlight, you can make a Glock 22 an extremely versatile home defense weapon. If you don’t love the polymer handle, you can also add a rubber sleeve, which will make it more comfortable to hold onto.
If you like 40 caliber but think the Glock 22 is too big, the Glock 23 is a smaller 40 caliber classified as a “compact” size, and as a 23 owner myself, I would say it is a great choice for a lot of shooters. The Glock 22 and 23 both have a great trigger, and are very reliable firearms.
Glock 22
| Caliber | 40 S&W |
| Weight | 22.75 oz |
| Capacity | 15 + 1 |
| Length | 8.03" |
| Width | 1.26" |
Sig Sauer P320: A forever popular concealed carry weapon
The Sig Sauer P320 was initially designed to win a military contract, and as a result, Sig produced one of the best pistols on the market. There are many different variations of this pistol, and there is bound to be one that fits your needs. Depending on which one you want, they can cost anywhere from $500 to $1250. These variations have different weights and ammo capacities. The FBI also carries these guns, and they have been in use for many years. As a result of the P320’s success within the government, the XCompact version has become an extremely popular defense pistol for civilians as well.
Ergonomics and performance have become the standard of the P320 XSeries. Now, all of these features are available in a compact size. The P320 XCompact features a completely redesigned modular polymer XSeries grip with a reduced fastback carry cut and a low-profile internal magwell. Combined with the extended beavertail and high undercut trigger guard, the XCompact offers great comfort and concealability with improved recoil control. The XSeries slide also comes equipped with the X-Ray3 day/night sights. All and all, there are a lot of great features that come stock on the P320 XCompact.
Sig Sauer P320 XCarry Legion
| Caliber | 9mm |
| Weight | 40.5 oz |
| Capacity | 17 + 1 |
| Length | 8.1" |
| Width | 1.6" |
Smith & Wesson M&P: A tried & true design
Smith & Wesson makes some of the best firearms on the market. Their reputation is over 100 years old, and they continue to produce great firearms. The M&P M2.0 is no exception and can be found in the holsters of law enforcement officers across the nation.
Designed for personal, sporting, and professional use, the M&P M2.0 delivers an entirely new platform, introducing innovative features in nearly every aspect of the pistol, including trigger, grip, frame, and finish. Highlights of the M&P M2.0 pistol include an extended stainless-steel chassis, and a low barrel bore axis for reduced muzzle rise and faster aim recovery. The M&P M2.0 pistol further improves performance with a fine-tuned, crisper trigger, lighter pull, and a tactile and audible reset.
The M&P platform is also highly modular, allowing for the addition of a flashlight or other picatinny attachment. Some models also come with threaded barrels, and are optic ready if you prefer to use a red dot over the standard iron sights. The grip of this pistol is more comfortable out of the box than most, but you can of course add Talon grips to make it even better.
Smith & Wesson M&P M2.0
| Caliber | 9mm |
| Weight | 25.3 oz |
| Capacity | 17 + 1 |
| Length | 7.9" |
| Width | 1.2" |
While these are a few of our favorites, there are many more pistols to look at. If you are not settled on one of these three, read this article about the best handguns for home defense.
Remington 870: The most reliable firearm ever made
The Remington 870 is arguably the best shotgun ever made. These guns are extremely popular and have been used around the country for just about everything. The 870 has been used in many military and law enforcement applications for decades and is a best seller for hunters.
Its solid, ultra-dependable action makes it America's favorite. If you could throw the lid off every duck blind, stop by every pheasant field and check out every tract of timber where deer and turkey are hunted, you’d probably see more Model 870 Express pumps than any other shotgun. It's been the standard for slide-action performance for more than 60 years.
No matter what kind of shell you use, how many shells you shoot, or how much swamp gunk you get in the end of the barrel (trust me), as long as you pump this shotgun all the way back, and all the way forward, it will be ready to fire again. If you break it down and give it a good cleaning every few years, it will last you even longer!
There are dozens of models available, but this one is geared more toward tactical situations, which means it has an increased capacity compared to its brothers designed for hunting. Although most of the shotgun is left unchanged throughout its variations.
Remington 870
| Gauge | 12 |
| Action | Pump |
| Weight | 7.5 lbs. |
| Capacity | 6 + 1 |
| Length | 38.5" |
Mossberg 500: Popular for every application
Another extremely popular shotgun, the Mossberg 500 has been around for many years. The first gun I ever took duck hunting was a Mossberg 500, and I used it to shoot dozens of ducks over a few years. I can still remember the look on my dads face when I managed to shoot a duck out of the air with it for the first time!
You will find these in plenty of hunting blinds, but Mossburg has also adapted a lot of their shotguns to fall into the tactical category, which makes them an awesome choice for home defense.
These are easy-to-use and very affordable guns that are perfect for home defense. There are multiple versions of this shotgun, and they are all great at home defense, but the Mossberg 500 Tactical is explicitly designed for defense. You can hold additional ammo on the adjustable stock, and the forearm has a strap to make a grip a bit stronger when you’re working the action.
Some shooters may find the pistol grip of the tactical Mossberg 500 easier to use than the normal shotgun grip, and the shotgun overall weighs less than the former 870 by 0.75 pounds! It will not be too hard to get pretty good with this shotgun, and after a few sessions of practice, anyone can learn to use this as an effective home defense weapon.
Mossberg 500
| Gauge | 12 |
| Action | Pump |
| Weight | 6.75 lbs. |
| Capacity | 5 + 1 |
| Length | 38.5" |
Mossberg Maverick 88: An affordable & effective weapon
The Maverick 88 is one of the most affordable shotguns on the market. Coming in at just under $240, this is the shotgun to get if you want to save a few dollars but still want a quality firearm that will perform under pressure. There is nothing special about it, but this basic 12 gauge shotgun will get the job done each and every time, plus it still has a five-shell capacity.
For the shooters that just want a gun incase, this is a great option. The Maverick 88 is also known to make its way into the woods, and is used by plenty of hunters. The design of the Mossberg Maverick 88 is virtually identical to the Mossberg 500, and it actually out competes it in some areas. The Maverick 88 is known to be tough, and can take a few bumps and scrapes. If you want a shotgun that just works when it is supposed to, the Mossberg Maverick 88 is what you want.
Mossberg Maverick 88
| Gauge | 12 |
| Action | Pump |
| Weight | 7 lbs. |
| Capacity | 5 + 1 |
| Length | 48.5" |
These are three of the most common shotguns out there, but they are not the only shotguns on the market. If you want to see a few more, check out this article about the best shotguns for home defense.
Ruger AR-556: Our best selling modern sporting rifle
Our best-selling MSR, this rifle is a quality beginner's model or a good addition to your current AR collection. Most users give it great reviews for the price, and little touches like the Rapid Deploy folding rear sight make it out-of-the-box ready to take to the range or outfit with optics. One very nice feature is the patent-pending Barrel Nut and Delta Ring that allows you to easily remove or install the handguard.
The Ruger AR-556 is built on the AR-15 platform, and fires a 5.56mm NATO. It can also fire the more common .223 Remington. You’ll find that the difference between the two cartridges is the pressure they produce. The 5.56 NATO makes more pressure than .223 Remington, so if you are rated to handle 5.56 NATO, you can also handle .223 Remington, but the other way around will certainly harm your rifle.
The Ruger AR-556 comes with an adjustable stock, and a 30 round magazine by default. Compliant versions can also be purchased for states like California. All and all, a rifle like the AR-556 is great for home defense, as long as you can maneuver it. It will also do great if you have to engage threats farther away, such as outside your home.
Ruger AR-556
| Caliber | 5.56 NATO |
| Weight | 6.5 lbs. |
| Capacity | 30 + 1 |
| Barrel Length | 16.1" |
| Overall Length | 32.25" - 35.5" |
Springfield Armory Saint-Victor 223: An extremely capable firearm
The Springfield Armory Saint Victor 223 Remington is a very nice rifle that just crests the $1,000 mark. This by no means makes it an expensive AR, but I wouldn’t classify it as a beginners rifle either, this is a nice AR. It comes with a great trigger, and plenty of other features that make it one of our best sellers.
It features extra-tough, forged aircraft-grade 7075 T6 aluminum upper and lower receivers joined using the Accu-Tite system and Type III hard coat anodized finish. It utilizes a free-float M-Lok handguard, mid-length ditect impingement gas system paired with a heavy tungsten buffer, the Saint also has an M16 bolt carrier group machined from Carpenter 158 steel, shot peened and magnetic particle inspected.
The 16" Chrome Moly Vanadium barrel is treated with Melonite and has a 1:8" twist rate for complete ammunition flexibility. The optic-ready out of the box, the flat-top receiver is topped with Springfield Armory's low profile flip-up dual aperture rear sight with 1/2 MOA windage adjustment capability, and an A2-style gas block post front sight. The Bravo Mod 2 6-position buttstock is rattle-free with positive cheek weld areas, a rubber butt plate, and one fixed and two QD sling attachment points.
Springfield Armory Saint-Victor 223
| Caliber | 223 Remington |
| Weight | 6.9 lbs. |
| Capacity | 30 + 1 |
| Barrel Length | 16" |
| Overall Length | 35.5" |
Diamondback DB15: Great introduction to quality AR’s
The Diamondback DB15 is a fan favorite at Sportsmans Warehouse. Why? Because this is a quality AR, and it costs just over $500. Many customers recommend this rifle to first-time buyers or someone that is looking for a cheaper AR to be the base of their build. This rifle is also designed for both 5.56 NATO and .223 Remington.
The Diamondback DB15 features multiple Picatinny rails so that you can attach anything you please to this rifle. A foregrip, flashlight, or bipod would be a great addition to any DB15! This rifle also has an adjustable stock which can change the overall length from 32.5 inches to 36.25 inches. It comes with a 30 round magazine by default, and the entire rifle weighs 6.65 pounds. This model comes optics ready, meaning you can equip your sight onto the picatinny rail without having to do any extra work.
Diamondback DB15
| Caliber | 5.56 NATO |
| Weight | 6.65 lbs. |
| Capacity | 30 + 1 |
| Barrel Length | 16" |
| Overall Length | 32.5" - 36.25" |
Using a pistol for home defense
Handguns are generally the most popular choice for home defense solutions. Because of their compact design, handguns are ideal for engaging targets at close distances and in small spaces. With a little practice they are easy to use, and they also hold plenty of ammo for a home defense encounter.
It's easy to think that “smaller is better” for home defense pistols, but that isn’t the case. Smaller is generally better for concealed carry options, that you have to carry on you all day. Although, smaller pistols produce more recoil due to their reduced weight, making them more difficult to use. They also hold less ammunition. So for a home defense pistol, stick to a standard size, or compact size pistol at the minimum.
What to look for in a home defense pistol
It can be tough to sift through thousands of options when you start looking for a home defense pistol. My first bit of advice would be to go with a well-known brand. There are dozens of brands that produce quality pistols, but going with a well-known one means there are many people out there who can help you with any problem you may have. Plus you know that these popular brands have a good product because they have so many happy customers.
Next, you should get a pistol that fits well in your hand. We already discussed that a standard-size pistol is probably your best bet, however, you will need a smaller gun if you have smaller hands. It is more important to be able to grip it correctly than to have more ammo in your mag. Try out a few different sizes at the gun counter, and do not get hung up on a standard-size pistol if you can’t hold it correctly.
You can customize your grips a bit as well. You can change the grips out for many pistols, but you can also add a rubberized sleeve or sticker to your pistol. Talon grips are very popular for just about every style of pistol. So if you don't love the texture of a particular handgun, you can cover it with a much more ergonomic rubberized grip.
Modifying your pistol
Speaking of adding things to a pistol, you may want to get a pistol that you can modify a little. Adding a red dot, or glow in the dark iron sights, to a pistol makes it a lot easier to aim, which will let you better identify a target and be more accurate. You can also get an extended mag for most pistols. Don't go crazy with a massive drum mag, but having a few extra rounds in the mag never hurts.
You can also add a flashlight or laser to the rail included on most standard-size pistols. Flashlights are great in defensive situations. If you can shine it in the target's eyes, you will have a distinct advantage in a dark environment. Not every pistol out there allows for these kinds of modifications, so if there is something you want to add to a pistol, make sure you get a pistol that accommodates it. Glocks are some of the most customizable pistols on the market and are excellent pistols for home defense.
Caliber choice
After deciding on a brand, you need to pick out a caliber. There are a ton of debates around the web on which caliber is the best for XYZ. If you love 9mm, thousands will say it doesn't compare to a 45 ACP. If you love 45 ACP, thousands will say you should have gone with 9mm. 40 Smith & Wesson is another popular cartridge with lovers and haters. The truth is that all of the common pistol calibers are effective for home defense.
9mm and 40 S&W are both pretty standard self-defense rounds, and their cartridges are small enough to allow a good amount of rounds in your magazine. There are differences between the two, but they are both great cartridges. Personally, I conceal carry a 9mm every day and have a 40 caliber by my bed.
Using a shotgun for home defense
Shotguns are also an excellent choice for home defense solutions. They’re easy to use, and unlike handguns or rifles, shotguns do not require precision aiming to stop a threat. A basic shotgun is also affordable, and there is not much of a learning curve if you have never used one before. The most significant benefit to a shotgun is that it shoots more than one projectile.
More than one projectile
Shotguns fire a large number of BBs, not single projectiles. This means they discharge many small pieces of metal, which spread as they fly through the air, creating a large impact area. A shotgun shell consists of a brass casing that holds the primer and gunpowder. The plastic colored piece above the casing is what holds the “shot”, AKA a wad of BBs.
As those BBs travel through the air, they spread out. The spread may not be huge in a tight residential area, but hitting a target with a shotgun is significantly easier than with a single projectile weapon. You may only get a spread three or four inches wide at a short distance, but that area is many times larger than the 0.4 inch area of a 40 S&W.
Shotgun actions
For home defense purposes, many customers look for pump-action shotguns. Pump-action shotguns are easy to fire, simple to maintain, and relatively inexpensive compared to more specialized firearms. Once you fire the shotgun, you pull the forestock toward you, which ejects the spent shell. Then you push the forestock away from you, which pulls the action forward and loads the next shell, making you ready to fire again. This back and forth motion is a “pump”.
There are multiple types of actions, though. One of the oldest and most common styles is the break barrel. These are often referred to as double-barrel shotguns. Typically they have two barrels, which can be side by side or one on top of another. For these, the barrel “breaks” or unhinges downward, and you physically load two new shells into the barrel. These are not the best for home defense due to their low capacity and longer reload time.
Lastly, there are semi-automatic shotguns. These weapons are gas or blowback operated, and that's about all you need to know if you are not a mechanics nerd. They automatically eject and load another shell each time you pull the trigger and require no additional labor from the shooter. These are obviously much faster than a break barrel, but if someone knows how to run their pump-action reasonably well, they can shoot just as fast if not faster than a semi-automatic.
Picking the right ammunition
Just because you get a 12 gauge does not mean you should buy the first box of 12 gauge shells you see. For starters, you want to avoid any type of birdshot. Birdshot is filled with a whole lot of very small BBs and is not effective on large targets that are not at point-blank range. Birdshot is classified as 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 shot and will likely have waterfowl or upland birds on the box.
Instead, you want buckshot. These are bigger BBs, but there are fewer of them. These are extremely effective at putting large targets down and will even go through whatever cover they may be behind. Buckshot is classified as 1, 0, 00, or 000 shot. You normally hear it called 00 buckshot, “double ought buckshot”. 00 Buck is a good middle ground and is commonly found in stores.
Lastly, you may find 1 oz slugs. Slugs are awesome and put out an immense amount of energy. However, slugs are not the best for home defense. With a slug, you take away the benefit of a spread with a lot of BBs. A slug is one large piece of metal that is more like a regular bullet than a shotgun BB.
Some shotguns can also be outfitted with a lot of extra features. The features found on tactical shotguns are optional in home defense situations but can provide peace of mind and a tactical advantage for users.
Using a rifle for home defense
Rifles will produce greater velocity, distance, and accuracy than either a shotgun or a handgun. They are by far the best option to neutralize targets at long distances. Unfortunately, that makes them less practical for close-range situations like those in home defense situations.
Rifles to avoid
One class of rifle you should avoid is hunting rifles. These rifles are often bolt actions and have low capacities. Bolt actions are a bad idea for close-quarter home defense situations. You need to be able to put multiple shots on your target quickly. The rifle's long barrel also limits maneuverability in a compact residential setting. In addition to this issue, over-penetration is a huge danger when using a rifle in a home-defense situation. Rifles are very powerful, and if fired indoors, the round could go through many sheets of drywall and potentially hit an unintended target.
AR-style rifles
Regardless, the AR-style rifle is generally the standard for home defense and sporting applications today. They have standardized builds, which makes AR-style rifles highly modifiable. An AR-15 in .223/5.56mm is very easy to use, has light recoil, and features a magazine that holds 30 rounds. There's a huge range of attachments that can modify a standard AR rifle to fit your exact needs and specifications -- at least, to a point.
Anyone can comfortably use an AR-15, and they give you a massive advantage over a perpetrator. AR-15's have given thousands of law-abiding Americans the advantage they needed to even the playing field and eliminate multiple intruders without the need to reload or advanced knowledge of tactical situations.
Laws around ARs
AR barrel length cannot be re-designed or altered, and the stock cannot be removed. If the barrel is shorter than 16 inches, the AR becomes a short-barreled rifle (SBR), which is legally a different firearm and is subject to extremely strict regulations. If the stock is removed, the gun legally becomes a pistol and is subject again to a different set of regulations.
In 2012, Florida-based accessory manufacturer SB Tactical introduced a stabilizing brace that fits around the forearm. The brace can also be shouldered and was reviewed and approved by federal regulators for both of these uses at the time, but now (August 2023) their legality is tied up in a court battle.
Since this invention, countless variations of that design have been released. These give users the added flexibility and maneuverability that AR enthusiasts have long wanted. With the increased demand for shorter AR-style rifles, gun makers have begun extending their AR selections, including AR pistols equipped with tactical braces.
Picking the right home defense firearm for you
The choice of the best gun for home defense hinges on a delicate balance between personal preferences, training, and the specific layout of one's living space. Pistols, with their compactness and ease of maneuverability, offer an advantage in close-quarters situations, making them a popular choice for those seeking a reliable means of protection within confined spaces. Rifles, on the other hand, provide increased accuracy and stopping power, making them suitable for homeowners who have more open areas to cover and value precision in their defensive strategy. Lastly, shotguns offer a versatile option, capable of delivering a wide spread of projectiles, instilling a sense of intimidation while minimizing the need for pinpoint accuracy.
Ultimately, selecting the best firearm for home defense demands a thorough understanding of individual circumstances, local laws, and the commitment to responsible gun ownership. Make sure to choose a firearm that you are comfortable with, and the most important thing you can do after you purchase a weapon is to go and fire it at the range. Why would you ever trust your life on a weapon that you have not tried out and know is reliable?