Best gun for home defense for a novice shooter?

[TUK]

Out of all of my wepons I think that a shotgun with a pistol grip loaded with buckshot should do the trick.  Put a flashlight on it as well..  

This would mangle someone pretty good, also scaring the crap out of everything else.

[68Hawk]

I haven't had time to go through this whole thread, and this may very well have said before.  If that's the case let me, as a professional firearms instructor, echo the others' good comments:

The best single firearm for home defense is a handgun that the user is comfortable with.  You only need one had minimum to operate it, leaving one hand to control your kids or other people under your protection, operate doors and light switches, or to accomplish any other task that might need to be done.  You also have much more dexterity with a smaller weapon, and don't have as many problems around corners and in confined spaces. 

A handgun should be selected for ergonomics and comfort before anything else.  Don't ignore important aspects like caliber or function, but it should first and foremost be comfortable in the shooters hand.  They will shoot better, and will shoot more when they enjoy shooting it.  It's like a shoe.  Some will fit and some won't.  Don't get shoes that don't fit.  Then think about caliber.  9mm is probably the best choice for a new shooter, and with hollow point ammo will have plenty of stopping power.  Also the dangers of over-penetration and ricochets are greatly reduced.  The myth about 9mm being ineffective comes from FMJ ammo.

If one is not worried about concealability then err on the side of magazine capacity and comfort of grip.  A picatinny rail and a light are highly advisable.  Lasers, however, are overrated, but not without their uses.  When something goes bump in the night, a concerned home-owner has only to secure one object from its place of safe storage, not several.  You can't always get to the light switch in a dark room, and you don't want to have to grope for things in a stressful situation.  Having your light with you will allow you to selectively illuminate a room at will, and will allow you to identify a moving object in the dark that may turn out to be your dog, your kid, your wife, your drunk friend on the couch, or an armed assailant that has broken into your house with malice on the brain.

Anyone with specific questions should feel free to PM me at any time!

[Dago]

Out of all of my wepons I think that a shotgun with a pistol grip loaded with buckshot should do the trick.  Put a flashlight on it as well..  

This would mangle someone pretty good, also scaring the crap out of everything else.

Not a fan of pistol grip shotguns, hard to handle for non-experienced and even some experienced.  Collapsible stock is a better choice in my opinion.

[Serenity]

Not a fan of pistol grip shotguns, hard to handle for non-experienced and even some experienced.  Collapsible stock is a better choice in my opinion.

Agreed. I've got a buddy with a 12ga who occasionally takes the stock off to play around firing from the hip, and I've never been fond of it that way. It's just uncomfortable to shoot pistol grip, not as accurate (Though I could still hit a guy in the hallway, I can't really pick whether I'm blasting kneecaps, torso, or head as well as I could firing from the shoulder), and gives your wrist a thumping you DON'T need when you might end up grappling with a prepared assailant.

[IronDog]

I was a fire arms instructor when I was in law enforcement,but I'm old and the sight isn't what it once was.I have a sawed off 12 gauge double barrel shot gun,loaded with double 00 buckshot.If an intruder gets by that,I have a CZ 75B,that I would be forced to use.I probably could only hit center mass,but in my younger years they would have got a get a head shot.I sleep light,and the chances of getting the first shot on me would be slight.I have a real dislike for any type of criminal,and I would look forward to someone trying to invade my property!
The Dawg

[fbWldcat]

I haven't read all the replies, but if this hasn't been posted yet...

African Walking stick. Quite harmless (If not using the club end) and yet very effective.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPNua_SL_fo

[Jayhawk]

I haven't read all the replies, but if this hasn't been posted yet...

African Walking stick. Quite harmless (If not using the club end) and yet very effective.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPNua_SL_fo

Still requires training to become very effective.  Last thing you want is the guy grabbing this from you, which seems even more likely with that thing.

[fbWldcat]

Oh, I forgot that every person who attacks you to rob you is going to be trained, and can pull the cane out of the air as you swing it at mach speed towards his/her head. It's easy, you swing it at them, it hits them, they don't back down, you hit them more, hit them with the ball end, they're unconcious, you walk away and claim self-defense (you'd win, supposing it was all actually necessary). Simple as that.

But yeah, I could probably knock Santa cold with one of those things, not ever having a moment's experience with a cane or combat stick.

It is simple, Newton's first law, INERTIA. (Also Newton's Third Law could be incorporated, too: Ball hits head, head snaps the opposite direction). 

[Serenity]

Oh, I forgot that every person who attacks you to rob you is going to be trained, and can pull the cane out of the air as you swing it at mach speed towards his/her head. It's easy, you swing it at them, it hits them, they don't back down, you hit them more, hit them with the ball end, they're unconcious, you walk away and claim self-defense (you'd win, supposing it was all actually necessary). Simple as that.

But yeah, I could probably knock Santa cold with one of those things, not ever having a moment's experience with a cane or combat stick.

It is simple, Newton's first law, INERTIA. (Also Newton's Third Law could be incorporated, too: Ball hits head, head snaps the opposite direction). 

They might not be trained, but they may well be bigger than you and have a higher pain tollerance. If that's the case, their adrenaline will likely give them the strength to keep coming after you and grapple for the cane... And that is where training comes in.

[fbWldcat]

Well the pointed end is likely to leave welts, bruises and trauma. The ball end will likely do much worse, especially to the skull. Any self-defense will have drawbacks, you don't get something for nothing.

[Serenity]

Well the pointed end is likely to leave welts, bruises and trauma. The ball end will likely do much worse, especially to the skull. Any self-defense will have drawbacks, you don't get something for nothing.

The problem is, if the guy you're randomly swinging at can take the hits (And that's not as unlikely as it sounds) long enough to rush you, unless you know what you're doing, you're dead.

[Jayhawk]

To believe that you can simply pick up a weapon and all is well in the world is completely absurd and extremely naive.  You've heard never underestimate your opponent, it's extremely true when it comes to self defense.  Imagine that the guy breaking into your house is on PCP, how is that stick going to work out?  You'll hit him across the head and he'll laugh at you before taking it and cracking your skull.  Plan for the worse, expect the unexpected.  You are more than welcome to carry your stick through your house for self defense, but you might find that sometimes fights don't exactly pan out like in the movies, and the good guy isn't always going to win.

[fbWldcat]

True, but honestly, it is the same as a gun; if some guy on drugs rushes you with all intent to kill you and then getting the hell outta dodge, a clip from a 9mm might not make the least bit of difference. It all goes back to picking your poison. Gun: lethal, but not only to the attacker. African Walking stick: non-lethal, and may not be as effective.

And honestly, if you hit anyone in the head with that ball end, it is going to cause some major trauma, brain damage, hemorrhaging, etc. It matters more about how it pans out. Arnold Schwartzenager can't function with a hole in his skull any better than the crack-head down the street with an anger management problem.

[Jayhawk]

Are you telling me that you see no difference in defensive capabilities between a stick and a gun?  There are plenty of horror stories of guys taking multiple bullets and continuing to function fine, it's always a real possibility.  One can never think that they are invincible.  However, IMO, a firearm is going to have a much much higher chance of delivering a incapacitating hit vs. a walking stick.

Yes, hitting someone across the head would probably cause severe damage.  But here's what you should do, find the most narrow hallway in your house, have your friend come around the corner 3 feet in front of you and charge you, in the dark.  See if you can get a full blown swing in and directly hit the moving head before he gets to you.  Once he is within a foot or two, that stick is useless to the untrained.

[fbWldcat]

Are you telling me that you see no difference in defensive capabilities between a stick and a gun?

No, not at all, you misinterpreted what I said.

However, IMO, a firearm is going to have a much much higher chance of delivering a incapacitating hit vs. a walking stick.

Of course, it is a lethal weapon, a walking stick is a non-lethal object of self-defense; which has it's perks, you can't die from being smacked in the thigh a couple times but a bullet to the thigh will cause tearing, possible rupture of the femoral artery, broken bone, etc. A gun can be aimed most anywhere on the body for death to occur (head, chest, arms [arteries/veins], legs [same]. The walking stick pretty much either has to be hit hard enough on the chest to cause an arrhythmia or palpatations, or smacked right on the noggin (prefferably in the temple) for there to be even the chance of a lethal blow (supposing you don't have bleeder's disease or leukemia).

Once again, it goes back to picking your poison. Lethality for effectiveness and a chance of getting severely wounded or even killed, or non-lethality for less effectiveness but less of a chance of dying, youself.

I was simply offering the walking-stick as an alternative to a gun.