Best Guns For Home Defense

Ask yourself a few questions to determine the best gun for home defense.

Who is going to be using the gun? Is your spouse or significant other going to be using it?

Depending on who could potentially be using the gun and what their comfort level is with firearms will determine the type of gun or guns you choose for your home defense plan.

Key Takeaways

• Mossberg Maverick 88
• Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical
• Glock 17
• Smith & Wesson 686
• Faxon Bantam 9mm PCC
• Andro Industries ACI-15 300 BLACKOUT CQB 8
• ALG Defense El Jefe AR-15

Because there is such a wide range of options, we will cover shotguns, handguns, and rifles and choose a few from each category that we know are reliable and useful for defending your castle.

Best Guns For Home Defense

Mossberg Maverick 88

The Mossberg Maverick 88 Security shotgun is widely recognized as an effective home defense firearm for several reasons. Its reputation is built on reliability, affordability, and versatility, making it a popular choice among homeowners seeking a defensive weapon.

The Maverick 88 is one of the most affordable pump shotguns on the market, making it accessible to most homeowners without sacrificing quality or reliability.

Additionally, the Maverick 88 is known for delivering consistent performance under harsh conditions. See the 500-round burndown that TFB TV did not too long ago; nuff said.

Finally, the Maverick 88 will eat whatever ammunition you feed it. Everything from birdshot and buckshot to slugs. That is in part due to the simple yet robust pump action mechanism designed by Mossberg.

Check out our review for a more detailed look at the Maverick 88.

Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical

The Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical auto-loading shotgun is another excellent choice for home defense. It offers a unique set of features that cater to the needs of homeowners looking for a reliable and effective defensive tool.

Being an auto-loader, you will have faster follow-up shots, which could be all that stands between life and death, depending on the threat. With that comes softer felt recoil compared to the pump-action Maverick 88 since the gas-operated auto-loading systems absorb some of that recoil.

As with the Maverick 88, you’re getting a level of reliability and durability coming from Mossberg.

Aside from that, the Mossberg 940 Tactical’s intuitive design makes it extremely easy to use. Both the tang safety and bolt handle are easily found and manipulated under stress.

Glock 17

Glock is renowned for its reliability and durability. Its guns just work and go bang when you need them to. The Glock 17 is one of its flagship models, and for good reason. It’s been around since 1982, and it’s still dominating the market.

The Glock 17 is designed for simplicity and ease of use, with a consistent trigger pull and no external safety to manipulate. These are important when you’re under the stress of saving your life. The last thing you want is to forget to take a gun off safe and then have to fumble around with it in the heat of the moment. Those precious seconds will get you killed.

The Glock 17 is chambered in 9mm, a caliber that balances stopping power and recoil, making it manageable for shooters of all skill levels. Additionally, 9mm ammunition is widely available and relatively affordable. Couple that with the factory 17-round magazine and you have a formidable home defense handgun.

Check out our Complete Glock 17 Buyers Guide

Smith & Wesson 686

The Smith & Wesson 686 revolver is considered an excellent choice for home defense due to its robust construction, reliability, and ease of use. Designed as a medium-frame revolver with a stainless steel construction, the 686 offers several features that make it suitable for home defense.

The 686’s double-action is highly reliable, offering a smooth trigger pull in both single and double-action. Revolvers are known for their dependability, and the 686 is no exception, with fewer moving parts than semi-automatic pistols, reducing the likelihood of malfunctions.

The heft and design of the 686 help absorb recoil, especially when shooting .38 Special ammunition, making it easier to control and shoot accurately.

The Smith & Wesson 686’s reliability, versatility, ease of use, and control make it a strong contender for home defense. Its robust construction ensures longevity and dependability.

Faxon Bantam 9mm PCC

The AR9, which is a variant of the AR platform chambered in 9mm, is praised for its practicality in home defense scenarios due to its reduced recoil and lower risk of over-penetration, making it safer for indoor use.

A 16″ carbine-length barrel offers ballistic advantages with a 1:10 twist rate ideal for a wide range of ammunition loads. This setup ensures the bullet expends most of its energy efficiently, reducing over-penetration risk.

The AR9 utilizes the same buffer as an AR-15, with a preference for a heavy “Rifle” or H3 buffer for subsonic, suppressed loads. It commonly uses Glock magazines, which are readily available and reliable.

The 16″ Faxon Bantam is known for its quality, affordability, and compatibility with upgrades. It’s equipped with Faxon’s renowned barrels, nitrided PCC BCG, and a free-floated M-LOK handguard, requiring only an optic, light, and sling to complete.

For more information on this, check out our article: Building a 9mm PCC For Home Defense

Andro Industries ACI-15 300 BLACKOUT CQB 8

The Andro Industries 300 Blackout CQB 8 is an AR15 pistol designed for close-quarters combat. It offers high performance in a compact package.

It features an 8″ 4150 CMV Melonite barrel with a 1/7 twist, M4 feed ramps, and a QPQ corrosion-resistant finish, ensuring durability and reliability. The pistol includes an M16 bolt carrier group, a 7″ MLOK handguard for accessory attachment, and an SB Tactical SBA3 adjustable stabilizing brace, enhancing its versatility.

With a semi-automatic action, this firearm collapses to 24″ and extends to 26.5″, weighing 5.2 lbs. This makes it an agile and easy-to-handle option for home defense.

The pistol’s gas system is designed with a .750 low pro gas block and an A2 flash hider, providing a smooth shooting experience with minimal recoil.

Considering its specifications and design, the Andro Industries 300 Blackout CQB 8 is ideal for those needing a powerful yet compact firearm for close-quarters home defense.

ALG Defense El Jefe AR-15

The ALG Defense El Jefe rifle is one of the best choices for home defense AR-15. It combines Mil-Spec reliability with affordability and is ready for use straight out of the box.

It features durable construction with a receiver set made from 7075 aluminum billets, finished with Mil-Spec Type 3 hard-coat anodizing. It has a Warner & Swasey red dot sight for easy target acquisition. The rifle’s handguard, ergonomic stock, and high-quality internal components ensure consistent performance across various types of ammunition.

Adding the ALG Defense Advanced Combat Trigger enhances the shooting experience, providing a smooth, responsive trigger pull crucial for accuracy under pressure.

Overall, El Jefe stands is a great choice for those seeking a dependable, effective, and adaptable AR-15 for home defense. Its quality construction and reliable performance make it a valuable asset for ensuring the security of your home and property.

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