We write more about concealed carry weapons (CCWs) than we do probably any other weapon platform, other than an AR.
Every person has their own preferences, but if I didn’t use a 12-Gauge shotgun as my primary home-defense gun, I’d use a full-size, high-capacity, and lightweight pistol. Whether you’re familiar with a full-size 1911 platform or looking for a lightweight polymer pistol, we got you covered.
We took a poll in the office to discuss which pistols our former Special Forces, Rangers, and Marine vets use as their home defense pistol. This list of 5 pistols represents the best home defense gun, according to Clandestine Media Group and RE Factor Tactical.
What is the Most Effective Weapon For Home Defense?
As a guy with a toddler and a wife at home, nothing is more important to me than holding down the fort to protect my family. When discussing the best o most effective guns, I think it’s all relative to each individual shooter. For example, I will always suggest a 12-ga shotgun with #4 buckshot for my Stoeger M3500. However, many of my friends and co-workers prefer a full-size pistol or AR-15.
I always suggest a shotgun because of its simplicity, practicality, and chance of success under duress. For those who’ve never been in direct combat or had to defend their lives with force, the adrenaline and dopamine coursing through your veins will set off your fight-or-flight mechanism.
There are 2 types of people in these situations: those who “freeze" and lose their ability to think clearly, and those who use the adrenaline to act instinctively. With that in mind, using a shotgun is going to give everyone the best possible chance at hitting their target in a hallway or doorway.
The guys at CMG can train every week with thousands of rounds to maintain proficiency and muscle memory. If you don’t have time to train like our guys do and want to use a pistol over a shotgun, you’ll need a pistol with a high capacity, modular platform for an RDS or light/laser combo, and lightweight trigger pull.
Why Did I Choose The Following 5 Pistols?
Each of these pistols below has proven to be reliable, modular, accurate, and durable. I’m sure there are many criteria you’ll see on what to look for, but those 4 attributes are what I use to buy guns. Reliability in a pistol is the most important feature next to accuracy, but they go hand-in-hand.
With the hundreds of aftermarket companies selling pistol parts and attachments, there’s no reason to buy a pistol without modularity. The coating of the pistol slide and barrel often shows the durability of the pistol, especially with weather resistance and corrosion.
Every pistol on this list has been owned or operated by CMG and recommended by our team of professionals. I will not put a numbered list because any pistol you choose here will be one you’re happy with. We hope you enjoy and remember to share your thoughts in the comments section.
Canik TP9SF
The Canik TP9SF features a new barrel finished with Cerakote-over-Nitride for optimal durability and dependability. The Warren Tactical sights are blacked out and the TP9SF model comes with a white dot front sight. However, you can (should) replace the white dot front sight with a fiber optic front sight for quicker target acquisition. The trigger is really light and nice with a 5-6 lbs. trigger pull and a single-action design that has been coated in nickel for durability and reliability.
The Canik TP9SF is great for home defense because you can carry 18 rounds in this pistol and the longer 7.5" frame absorbs the recoil more than a CCW. Establishing fire superiority is always one of the most important steps in a firefight.
An 18-round magazine with a light single-action trigger will allow you to quickly establish fire superiority versus most pistols people carry. I recommend placing a light or laser on the Picatinny rails underneath the barrel to add to either accuracy or to blind the target with a bright white light.
Specs
Length
7.55"
Barrel Length
4.46"
Width
1.30"
Height
5.70"
Weight
28.4 oz. (1.78 lbs)
Mag Capacity
18+1
Caliber
9mm
Sights
Warren Tactical sights
Safety
Loaded chamber indicator, Striker indicator
MSRP
$449.99
Pros
18-20 rounds capacity is incredible!
A loaded chamber indicator provides a secondary safety mechanism to let you know if you forget to clear your chamber.
The trigger feels like a flat trigger with how quickly it breaks and resets.
Warren Tactical Series has been a favorite of the military, law enforcement, and competitive shooting.
Match-grade barrel with a Carakote finish with the new FDE model. It makes a big difference in the barrel’s life from normal wear and tear and aesthetics.
The magazine catch is ambidextrous to fit on your right or left hip.
The FN 509 is a double-action 9mm pistol with fixed 3-dot luminescent sights and a 17-round magazine. I know I’m highlighting a lot of foreign pistols on this list, but FN is a great company that always makes great guns. One prominent feature of this pistol is how easy the slide is to rack back and chamber a bullet. I wouldn’t
Built with a MIL-STD-1913 accessory mounting rail to add after-market light or laser to the bottom for an increased advantage. The slide stop lever and mag release are both ambidextrous, and the front and back serrations are more rigid and pronounced on the slide.
The FN 509 Tactical is 1 ounce heavier, 0.5" longer, and has a 0.19" increase in height over the FN 509. Despite the advantage of a longer frame, the Tactical model has the same sight radius as the standard FN 509.
The raised sight wings are unique to FN and do a great job of protecting your iron sights from hitting them from the side or from drops. The aggressive grip of the FN 509 Tactical is much better than the Canik, but the price is also $600 more, so it should be a better pistol.
Specs
Length
7.9"
Barrel Length
4.5"
Width
1.35"
Height
5.75"
Weight
27.9 oz (1.74 lbs.)
Mag Capacity
10 or 17/24 Rd.
Caliber
9mm
Sights
Fixed 3-dot luminescent sights (standard)
Fixed 3-dot green tritium night sight available (LE ONLY)
Sight Radius
5.79"
Safety
loaded chamber indicator
Trigger Pull
5.5-7.7 lbs
MSRP
$1,069.00
Pros
Optic-Ready
Picatinny rail for lights & lasers
Threaded barrel for a compensator or silencer attachment
Incredible capacity with an option of a 24-round magazine
Interchangeable backstraps
adjustable trigger pull weight to 5.5 lbs
Suppressor Height Trijicon 3-Dot Green Tritium Night Sights
IWI Masada means Israel Weapon Industries. They make this 9mm from a polymer reinforced with fiberglass to add durability and take some of the weight off. The Masada is a striker-fired pistol that features a low-profile barrel that reduces felt-recoil by lowering the bore axis to be more like a Glock.
The Masada Pistols are specifically for the Israeli military and have gone through very tough testing to be released from their military. One feature I really like is the beavertail grip with the interchangeable backstraps that allow any hand size to get a high grip on the pistol. The high grip helps to control the recoil more than other 9mm pistols for improvements with accuracy.
The Masada also stands out with optics ready frame that has fit the Trijicon RMR, Vortex Venom, Leupold Delta Point Pro, and Sig Romeo1 optics. Combined with a 6 lb crisp trigger pull with a positive reset gives this gun unprecedented accuracy.
The trigger has a built-in safety to prevent accidental discharges by making sure we pull the trigger all the way back. No matter how you look at it, this pistol is affordable, offers outstanding features, and comes with a 17-round capacity.
The Glock 22 is one of the most popular Glock models behind the G17 and G19 9mm pistols. For those who don’t know, the Glock 22 is the most carried LEO pistol in the country with a specific LEO model.
The G22 is a great pistol that has saved many lives, but its recoil is even harsher than the Glock 21 (.45 ACP) and the overall length is not much different (8.07") from the G22. With that being said, of all the pistols on the list, no pistol handles a 22-round magazine better than the Glock 22.
I chose the MOS model because it makes little sense to not make sure your slide is drilled and tapped for an RDS. Even if you’re not wanting to install an RDS immediately, it’s the best way to improve your accuracy and target acquisition speed without being a professional.
With modern ballistics, you don’t need a .40 S&W to get enough stopping power, but anybody telling you there is no difference is not using the right ammo. In the end, if I’m defending my family during a home invasion, I want the most dependable gun I can have. With hundreds of thousands of LEOs and millions of Americans across the country trusting the Glock 22, it’s enough for me to trust it as well.
Specs
Length
7.95"
Barrel Length
4.49"
Width
1.34"
Height
5.51"
Weight
25.82 oz. (1.61 lbs.)
Mag Capacity
15/16/22
Caliber
.40 S&W
Sights
fixed 3-dot
Safety
Safe System
Trigger Pull Weight
5.85 lbs
MSRP
$699.99
Pros
Lightweight (1.61 lbs)
Picatinny Rail System
Readily available
Optic-Ready
A long sight radius of 6.61" provides quick and easy target acquisition, especially at distances over 25-35 yards
Most dependable brand of pistol ever made (IMO)
.40 S&W provides the best stopping power of any pistol on this list
Cons
Not a huge fan of the grip texture
The felt recoil is significantly higher in the Glock 22 than any other pistol on the list
I would have really liked to put the Sig P226 or Glock 17 on the list, but I wanted to give our readers a chance to look at new guns that might be easier to find and more affordable than Sig and Glock. However, I don’t think I can have any list of top pistols and not include the Glock 19 Gen 5 MOS. Simply put, there is no better pistol on the planet for less than $1,000 than the Glock 19. It’s the perfect size for a CCW and home-defense pistol with the match-grade barrel and interchangeable backstraps to accommodate shooters with small or large hands.
Is Glock 19 good for beginners?
The Glock 19 is not only for the Special Operations guys like the Navy SEALs or Army Special Forces soldiers who trust their lives to them. It’s a great pistol for beginners too because of its lightweight trigger pull, optic-ready slide, and controlled recoil versus many other pistols on the list. The ability to load a 33-round magazine with hollow points for your home defense setup provides the fire superiority that’s needed in a gunfight.
Specs
Length
7.28"
Barrel Length
4.02"
Width
1.34"
Height
5.04"
Weight
25.82 oz. (1.61 lbs.)
Mag Capacity
15/17 / 24 / 31 / 33
Caliber
9mm
Sights
Modular Optic System (MOS)
Safety
Glock Safety System
Trigger Pull Weight
5.85 lbs.
MSRP
$699.00
Pros
Lightweight (1.61 lbs)
Picatinny Rail System
Readily available
Optic-Ready
A long sight radius for quick target acquisition
Most dependable brand of pistol ever made (IMO)
Best capacity of any pistol on the list
Most trusted gun worldwide, based on sales
Trusted by our elite warriors, including the Navy SEALS and Army Special Forces (SF)
Cons
My only complaint about the G19 is the creep on the trigger is too much for me. I’d rather have an aftermarket trigger system that has less creep for better-controlled groupings
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