Choosing a Defensive Handgun

By Rob Pincus

Posted: March 23, 2010

Of all the questions I get asked by students in my classes or viewers of my television shows and Personal Firearms Defense videos, the most popular topic is always what guns do I carry or think they should carry. There is rarely an easy answer to the question of which gun any individual should have for personal or home defense. As we develop a comprehensive library of information here at Personal Defense Network, this topic should certainly be examined, because there are some things that everyone choosing a defensive handgun should consider.

All handguns are a compromise. How you choose to compromise is often as much a result of your circumstances as it is your preferences or beliefs. If you live in Alaska, you have more options during most of the year than you do if you live in Miami. If you weigh 160 pounds and work in an office setting, you have fewer options than someone who shops in the big & tall section and works in the outdoors.

The compromises between a modern “Safe-Action” type weapon such as the Glock, a traditional double/single-action semi-auto and the ubiquitous single-action pistols are numerous. I strongly believe that the simplicity of the use and instruction in the modern designs such as the Glock family of pistols, the Springfield XD and the Smith & Wesson M&P offers huge advantages in a combative pistol. Pull the trigger and they go “Bang!”… the same way every time. No de-cocking, no separately operated external safety. Finger off the trigger and you’re in safe mode.

Modern Defensive Handgun Examples

After more than two decades in service in the United States, this type of design has proven itself. Of course, like any design type, there have been poor examples, but there are many more successful ones. The increased safety of the long, heavy, first-shot double-action guns come with little other benefit and the burden of two different trigger pulls and the need to de-cock after firing. The single-action designs offer a much crisper and shorter trigger pull to be weighed against the need to manually operate the safety lever prior to and after shooting.

Regardless of the way the statistics are collected or spun, the area of the body the bullet strikes is infinitely more important than the difference between any major defensive/combative pistol caliber from 9mm to .45 ACP. When students ask me for a caliber recommendation, I simply say that you should carry the largest weapon of the type you prefer and carry it as conveniently as you need to.

Then choose that weapon in the largest caliber you can shoot well. That means if circumstances dictate that you can only carry a small, flat “sub-caliber” semi-auto, you’ll probably choose a .32 over a .25. If you are considering a .380, you can probably find a small 9mm in the same size and weight range. If you like the Glock 19, you might find that you can handle the Glock 23 and trade two rounds of capacity for the extra energy of the .40 S&W round in the same size package. If you prefer single-action automatics, the choices of size and caliber still exist.

Of course, I can’t leave this topic without pointing out that a small-frame .38 Special revolver may be the best bet for your defensive needs and a full-size .357 or .45 revolver the perfect choice for home defense. Lately, I’m much more likely to have a J-frame .38 in a pocket holster than any other defensive weapon. Not as sexy as the semi-auto and certainly not as capable as a combative weapon, but the convenience of carry and reliability of revolvers are hard to beat for low-threat condition defensive tools.

There is something to be said for style choice also. Going armed is usually either a professional or lifestyle choice. In both realms, we must acknowledge the factor of style. An individual’s comfort has a lot to do with their progress in training and their judgment about when to pull the trigger. It may not sound very practical, but I do believe that if you like your gun, you are going to shoot it more often and train more seriously.

When I was issued a double-action only H&K USP, I didn’t train nearly as much with it as I did when my duty gun was a Beretta 92. If anything, I was training and shooting more during the USP era, but I can admit that I was not training with my duty gun as much because I didn’t prefer it. So, as far as style goes, I say that if it doesn’t cause a compromise in reliability, efficiency, weight, comfort, caliber or accuracy, carry the version of the pistol that makes you happy. As long as you can shoot it well, operate it efficiently and carry it conveniently, let your friends snicker at your tiger-striped stainless/blued Browning High Power if they want.

Related Videos

1. Pistol Handling - The Overhand Method

2. Drawing Pistols from Holsters

3. Reloading a Pistol in Critical Incidents