Best Gun for Home Defense - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

John Williams · 04-26-2007, 01:02 PM

I have never owned a handgun and I am very interested in getting a XD. I would appreciate any advice on what would be the best handgun for home defense in terms of model, length or size, caliber, etc.

This is my first post here and I am sure glad that I found this website.

mdjamesd · 04-26-2007, 01:04 PM

the XD's are great. For your first handgun, I would stick to a smaller caliber. However, for home defense, you can't beat a shotgun!

bat54r · 04-26-2007, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Williams

I have never owned a handgun and I am very interested in getting a XD. I would appreciate any advice on what would be the best handgun for home defense in terms of model, length or size, caliber, etc.

This is my first post here and I am sure glad that I found this website.

First of all welcome to the site. second of all the best gun for home defense is whatever model, lenght, size, or caliber that you are most comfortable with. Its different for everyone. I have an XD-45 service (4 in bbl) model, thats what i carry and use for home defense, why? because thats the gun I'm comfy with its the cal. I'm comfy with and its the length I'm comfy with. Guns are a very personal thing. Use the advice you get on here (and there is alot of great advice) as a guide line to find what works for you. Hope this helps and once again welcome to the forum

John Williams · 04-26-2007, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bat54r

First of all welcome to the site. second of all the best gun for home defense is whatever model, lenght, size, or caliber that you are most comfortable with. Its different for everyone. I have an XD-45 service (4 in bbl) model, thats what i carry and use for home defense, why? because thats the gun I'm comfy with its the cal. I'm comfy with and its the length I'm comfy with. Guns are a very personal thing. Use the advice you get on here (and there is alot of great advice) as a guide line to find what works for you. Hope this helps and once again welcome to the forum

Thank you for the welcome and for the advice. It's nice to be here.

Someone told me a 45 may have too much kick. Is that something that I could get used to or that I can learn to control?

davedog665 · 04-26-2007, 01:16 PM

Ya def. can't beat a shotgun for HD but as far as a handgun go to a range and rent several and select ur fav. as far as caliber and length same thing go with ur fav.

bat54r · 04-26-2007, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Williams

Thank you for the welcome and for the advice. It's nice to be here.

Someone told me a 45 may have too much kick. Is that something that I could get used to or that I can learn to control?

You just have to go and shoot brother, different models, cals. and lenghts. But IMO an XD-anything will make you very happy. Every different XD I have shot I have liked.

bat54r · 04-26-2007, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davedog665

Ya def. can't beat a shotgun for HD but as far as a handgun go to a range and rent several and select ur fav. as far as caliber and length same thing go with ur fav.

Yea what he said

John Williams · 04-26-2007, 01:36 PM

Thanks to everyone for your advice.

MasLakas · 04-26-2007, 02:27 PM

Welcome to the forum. As was stated, the best home defense firearm is a shotgun. Mine is 12 ga. with No. 4 buckshot.

Go and shoot if you can. Borrow guns, go with friends, go to a range that rents. If you have no handgun experiance, you will find that when you first fire a hand gun, you will not be shooting 2 inch groups at 25 yrds. Handgunning takes lots of practice. If you want to practice alot, get 9mm. Ammo is cheap and you can purchase very good self defense rounds for that purpose. 45 auto is fun to shoot but costs alot more. I have the 45 4 inch XD and love it. It is my first auto loading handgun and after shooting about 250 rnds out of it, I still am not hitting near the bulls eye at 10 yards every time. Pratice, practice, pratice!

Thats my 2 cents.

aeneas26 · 04-26-2007, 02:34 PM

Welcome to the forum. I have a couple of suggestions:

1. I would not be afraid of the kick on a 45. Try it out before you buy one, but typically you can find lots of guns that shoot 45s that are pretty pleasant to shoot.

2. A shotgun is great for HD, but just remember that you need to practice and familiarize yourself with any weapon. Especially one that you might have to use to protect yourself and your family.

3. I think that a revolver is another good option. They are easy to use, reliable and you can get one revolver that shoots both 357 mag and 38. This would allow you to have a more versatile gun to practice with.

Just my two cents, YMMV

04-26-2007, 01:02 PM	#1
John Williams XDTalk Newbie Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 4	Best Gun for Home Defense I have never owned a handgun and I am very interested in getting a XD. I would appreciate any advice on what would be the best handgun for home defense in terms of model, length or size, caliber, etc. This is my first post here and I am sure glad that I found this website.

04-26-2007, 01:16 PM	#5
davedog665 XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Upland, Socal. Posts: 233	Ya def. can't beat a shotgun for HD but as far as a handgun go to a range and rent several and select ur fav. as far as caliber and length same thing go with ur fav. __________________ Xd .45acp Service "Cheyenne" 2100rnds AR 15 "PUPPY"is complete 1200 rnds "A coward dies a thousand deaths; A hero dies but one" William Shakespeare

04-26-2007, 02:27 PM	#9
MasLakas XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Cache Valley, Utah Posts: 2,805	Welcome to the forum. As was stated, the best home defense firearm is a shotgun. Mine is 12 ga. with No. 4 buckshot. Go and shoot if you can. Borrow guns, go with friends, go to a range that rents. If you have no handgun experiance, you will find that when you first fire a hand gun, you will not be shooting 2 inch groups at 25 yrds. Handgunning takes lots of practice. If you want to practice alot, get 9mm. Ammo is cheap and you can purchase very good self defense rounds for that purpose. 45 auto is fun to shoot but costs alot more. I have the 45 4 inch XD and love it. It is my first auto loading handgun and after shooting about 250 rnds out of it, I still am not hitting near the bulls eye at 10 yards every time. Pratice, practice, pratice! Thats my 2 cents. __________________ I speak softly and carry a .45. UtahConcealedCarry.Org

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04-26-2007, 01:04 PM	#2
mdjamesd XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 173	the XD's are great. For your first handgun, I would stick to a smaller caliber. However, for home defense, you can't beat a shotgun!

04-26-2007, 01:36 PM	#8
John Williams XDTalk Newbie Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 4	Thanks to everyone for your advice.

04-26-2007, 02:34 PM	#10
aeneas26 XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 286	Welcome to the forum. I have a couple of suggestions: 1. I would not be afraid of the kick on a 45. Try it out before you buy one, but typically you can find lots of guns that shoot 45s that are pretty pleasant to shoot. 2. A shotgun is great for HD, but just remember that you need to practice and familiarize yourself with any weapon. Especially one that you might have to use to protect yourself and your family. 3. I think that a revolver is another good option. They are easy to use, reliable and you can get one revolver that shoots both 357 mag and 38. This would allow you to have a more versatile gun to practice with. Just my two cents, YMMV