The Best Firearms for Home Defense

The Best Firearms for Home Defense: A Comprehensive Guide for Families

 

Join Andy on The Secure Family Podcast as he breaks down the best firearms for home defense, emphasizing the importance of making informed and safe choices. From shotguns and AR platform rifles to handguns, Andy discusses the pros and cons of each, offering recommendations for parents looking to protect their homes. Tune in for valuable insights on legal considerations, safe storage, and practical tips to ensure your family's safety. Plus, get updates on data privacy protection with DeleteMe and learn about online gaming safety through Andy's ebook, Level Up.

Take control of your data with DeleteMe. Because they sponsor the podcast you can get 20% off a privacy plan from DeleteMe with promo code: DAD. 

Level Up your parenting with my ebook about protecting your kids while gaming online.

Protect your home and your family with Andy's best-selling book, Home Security: The Secure Dad's Guide.

Connect

📧 Subscribe to The Secure Dad newsletter

📸 Follow The Secure Dad on Instagram

📺 Subscribe to The Secure Dad on YouTube

🖥️ Visit The Secure Dad Website

00:00 Welcome to The Secure Family Podcast

00:55 Data Collection Reform Update

01:47 Summer Gaming Guide for Parents

02:32 The Best Gun for Home Defense

06:58 Shotguns for Home Defense

.css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}

Episode Transcript

Andy (00:11):
This is The Secure Family Podcast.
Welcome friend.
I'm Andy, the host, and I'm alsothe founder of The Secure Dad.
This show is all about empowering parentsto protect themselves and their family.
I believe that security is thefoundation of happiness, and I want
your family to be safe and happy.
The information that I shareon this podcast is for general
information purposes only.

(00:33):
My goal is to empower you to make saferdecisions for yourself and your family.
Because our safety is our ownresponsibility Today I want to discuss the
best firearms that we can use to defendour homes in the event of a break-in.
All of that and more coming upon The Secure Family Podcast.

(00:55):
Well, we almost had a big steptowards data collection reform,
but now that's not happening.
The Consumer Financial ProtectionBureau was going to make data brokers
ask our permission before theycollected and sold our personal data.
But now that's not going to happen.
And honestly, that's a shame.

(01:15):
So if you were waiting on legislationto protect your name, address,
and even social security number,you'll have to do it on your own.
And this is where DeleteMestands ready to help.
They'll remove your data fromhundreds of data broker sites
while you move on with your life.
Right now you can get 20%off your DeleteMe Plan.

(01:36):
Just go to JoinDeleteMe.com/Dad anduse the promo code dad at checkout.
That's JoinDeleteMe.com/Dad code Dad.
There is no doubt that your kids are goingto want to play video games this summer.
With school being out, there's alot more time for this and a lot
more time begging for new games.

(01:58):
If you don't know anything aboutonline gaming, don't worry.
I've got you covered.
My ebook Level Up will teach youeverything that you need to know about the
world of online gaming in just 30 minutes.
By the end, you'll have all theinformation that you need to decide if
online gaming is right for your kids.
Get your copy exclusivelyat TheSecureDad.com.

(02:20):
There's a link in theshow notes for you too.
So I want to address the mostcommon question that I get.
And I get this question inperson through email and online.
The most common question I get isthis, "What is the best gun for home

(02:46):
defense?" Now, this is a great questionand I'm happy to share my perspective.
I really appreciate it when peoplewant to ask this question because that
means that they want to know more abouthow to defend themselves and their
families before they just go out andbuy what the salesman tells them to buy.
I think it's a really good sign.
And when somebody wants to know howto protect their family and their

(03:07):
home, I'm always happy to help.
But understand I am not a licensed firearminstructor or expert in this field.
This is just my opinion.
And you may not agree with the informationthat I give here, and that's fine.
What we discuss next comes frommy experience, my conversations
with law enforcement, militarypersonnel, and educated gun

(03:28):
owners who I trust and respect.
If you've been listening to thispodcast, you know that I am all about
a holistic approach to home security.
Meaning that there is no singlesolution that is going to keep our
home safe, including firearm ownership.
There's not one single product thatyou can buy that will instantly make
your home the safest on the block.

(03:49):
It's a combination of things.
It's commitment.
I call this combination the layeredhome defense strategy, and it breaks
down into four parts, which isdiscipline, deter, fortify, and defend.
I go in depth about this in my book,Home Security: The Secure Dad's
Guide, which is available on Amazon.
Now, another question that I get sometimesis if a gun is necessary for home defense.

(04:14):
Does that mean that you must have afirearm in your home to feel safe?
Well, if you're not comfortablearound guns and they make you
nervous, then please don't get one.
There's nothing worse than someone whobuys a gun and they're scared of it.
If you buy a firearm, make sure that youknow how to use it and store it properly.

(04:34):
So let's take a look atour original question.
What's the best firearm for home defense?
To get the best answer tothis question, there are a few
things that we have to consider.
First, let's consider where we live.
The first principle to owning a firearmis to know the gun laws of your state.
You need to know what type of ammunitionthat you can own, and if there is
a restriction on magazine size.

(04:56):
Plus, know what your state'scastle doctrine and stand
your ground laws look like.
Another aspect of where we live inreference to home defense is what
type of home that you have andwhere you can and cannot shoot.
For simplicity's sake, let's say thatyou own a nine millimeter pistol.
That's a very popular choice.
If you are left with no other optionbut to fire around in defense of your

(05:18):
yourself and your family, there's a goodchance that you might miss your target.
You may fire five rounds,two hit, and three miss.
Being under that kind of pressurecan affect your decision making and
abilities of your fine motor skills.
It won't be like shooting papertargets down at the range.
So understand that you'll be undera lot of stress depending on your

(05:40):
ammunition choice and shot placement.
That nine millimeter round is goingto penetrate the drywall vinyl
siding and may leave your homeat potentially a deadly velocity.
If you live in an apartment, you may firea round that penetrates several of your
neighbor's rooms before it actually stops.
So understanding our ammunition,the construction of our home

(06:00):
is extraordinarily vital.
The best thing that you can do toavoid potentially hurting someone
with over penetration is to know thedefensive shooting angles of your home.
For example, never fired towards awall that is part of your safe room.
Your family should be in there.
So there are places in your home thatyou need to scout in advance to make

(06:22):
sure that in the event that you missthe chances of hurting someone who
is innocent are absolutely minimized.
And this is something that you can doduring the day when everything is normal.
Just kind of walk around your house andsay, okay, I can't shoot here, can't
shoot here, but this is a good place.
Once you have those things in mind, it'sgonna make things a whole lot easier
when you're under a lot of stress.

(06:44):
I also suggest that you look at hollowpoint ammunition and defensive rounds.
If they're legal in your state.
This will help you with overpenetration as well, but it's not
a hundred percent foolproof either,so just have that understanding.
All right, so let's go over the threemain types of firearms that are available
to most buyers, and that is shotguns,AR platform rifles, and handguns.

(07:08):
So we'll start with shotguns.
I feel the biggest advantage that ashotgun gives you is stopping power.
You can achieve more stoppingpower in a single shot of 12
gauge shotgun than you can withmultiple rounds of, say, .380 ACP.
If you use something like Birdshot,placement is a bit more forgiving as
the shot will spread over the distance.

(07:28):
This will increase your chances ofhitting the threat and stopping them.
Some people think that it may be hard tomaneuver the long barrel around in your
home, and that is certainly true, so theshotgun isn't as effective, but there's
actually home defense shotgun courses thatyou can take, and I highly suggest that.
The barrels on those home defense modelsare around 18 inches and can hold about

(07:51):
seven rounds, and that's pretty good.
Please understand that there is a minimumbarrel length involved here, and people
will knock on your front door if theyfind out that, uh, you have a shotgun
barrel shorter than what the law allows.
So just use some common sense here.
You might be wondering if it's okayto use your dad's Beretta Silver
Pigeon as a home defense gun.

(08:12):
Now, the Silver Pigeon, which is aphenomenal shotgun by the way, has a
30 inch barrel that's more than a footdifference and barrel length between a
shotgun that is used for competition andone that is designed for home defense.
Plus an over under shotgun like that isonly good to have the maximum of what,
two rounds before you have to reload,so you might wanna rethink that option.

(08:35):
You might wanna consider gettinga youth model 20 gauge shotgun
that is smaller and lighter.
You can maneuver it a little bit easierand the 20 gauge will have less kick
and still have plenty of stopping power.
It's not a bad idea.
I've heard this from otherreliable sources as well.
If you're looking at researching a homedefense shotgun, I'd start with the
Remington Model 870 Home Defense, or theMossberg 510 Youth Mini Super Bantam.

(09:00):
It's an all purpose shotgun.
So now let's talk aboutAR platform rifles.
These are very popular for hunting,competitive shooting, and home defense.
At first glance, the two big advantagesof these is the length of the barrel for
accuracy and also the magazine capacity.
They offer shooters better accuracyover handguns because of the length
of the barrel and the butt stockis anchored to your shoulder.

(09:23):
This gives you better controland a higher round count.
Some can have considerable magazinecapacity of 30 or more rounds.
Another advantage to theseis that they are modular and
they can be easily customized.
You can add rail mounts and equip thingslike tactical lights and even lasers.
I think having a light on ahome defense gun is a must.
You need to be able to identifyan intruder in your home.

(09:47):
And honestly, the possibilitiesare really endless for what you
can do with one of these rifles.
Because of that, I hesitate to eventry to tell you where to start your
research on an AR because there'sjust so many options out there.
You could spend a few hundreddollars or a few thousand dollars.
I do suggest that you consideran AR chambered in .223, or
.556 and you can argue all daylong about which one is best.

(10:11):
But both are great for home defense.
As for manufacturers, you cango with Palmetto State Armory,
Springfield, or Daniel Defense.
Those are three good ones to start with.
So now let's move on to a very popularoption for home defense, the handgun.
Now the handgun breaks downinto two subcategories, which is
semi-auto pistols and revolvers.

(10:32):
No matter which you choose.
Handguns are useful for their smallersize and their maneuverability.
You don't need to be concerned withbarrel length and moving through a home
like you do with a shotgun or an AR.
And most handguns can be operated withone hand, make it easier for you to open
doors and move people outta harm's way.
Also, the small size opens up manyopportunities for safe, quick storage.

(10:55):
Many companies make fast access safesthat could be mounted on bedside tables
or the underside of a bed for quick accessto your handgun when you really need it.
This is a great option for keeping thegun out of your kids' hands, but also
able to get it during an emergency.
With a semi-auto pistol, again, youhave the option for a decent magazine
size, depending on your caliber.

(11:17):
Another advantage tothe pistol is a mount.
If your pistol is large enough, it mayhave an accessory rail where you can add
a light or a laser, or a combo of both.
And also depending on the model, you canupgrade the standard sites to night sites.
This will assist you in shot placement inthe dark and in high stress situations.
If you want a handgun that is easy touse and own, then consider a revolver.

(11:39):
What makes revolvers so easyis the minimal moving parts
compared to a semi-auto pistol.
Revolvers have a central cylinder thatrotates with each trigger pull, and
there's not much of an opportunity fora malfunction, which is really good.
Revolvers come in all sorts ofcalibers and have great stopping power.
However, the disadvantage to these isthe set number of rounds and reloading is

(12:01):
gonna take longer than a semi-auto pistol.
And a disadvantage ofall handguns is the size.
The smaller the gun, theharder the recoil is to manage.
To start your research on a pistol,I would look at the Glock 19.
It has been the most popular gunin America for what seems like
forever, and you can find lotsof accessories to go with them.

(12:22):
For a revolver, consider investigatingthe Smith and Wesson 462.
And as an alternative, look atthe Taurus Judge that can shoot
a .45 and a .410 shot shell.
It is massive though,but it's a great gun.
Lastly, I wanna mention that no matterwhat type of firearm you choose for home
defense, you have to store it safely.

(12:44):
Make sure any gun you own islocked away so that children
cannot get to it and potentiallyhurt themselves or someone else.
And it goes for teenagers as well.
Also make sure that they're storedsecurely so that if your home is
burglarized while you're out, a safemight prevent the bad guys from walking
out with your guns to hurt somebody else.
So to answer our initial question,the best firearm for home defense

(13:10):
is the one that you have researched,trained with, and can store safely.
This goes back to there's nosingle product that is going to
instantly make your home safer.
You can't go out and buy a Mossberg 500and believe that your family is now 100%
safe at home because you bought one thing.
I get that way of thinking.

(13:30):
I really do.
Security really begins with your mindsetand a willingness to do what is necessary
to keep yourself and your family safe.
In the end, I think people ask what'sthe best firearm for home defense?
Because they don't know the real question,which is, what do I really need to
consider before I make a very personalfirearm purchase for home defense?

(13:54):
I hope what I said has been useful to you.
If you're looking for a firearm forhome defense, I have named a few
models for you to start your research.
I hope they work out for you.
And if you already have a homedefense gun, then I hope that
what I said has affirmed the gooddecision that you've already made.
As always, I encourage you togo get hands-on training with

(14:14):
whatever firearms you own.
You will learn a lotand have a lot of fun.
Well, that concludes this episodeof The Secure Family Podcast.
Thank you, friend for listening.
Take back your privacy and personaldata with help from DeleteMe.
Get 20% off a privacy plan whenusing the code Dad at checkout.

(14:35):
DeleteMe is the official dataremoval service of The Secure Dad.
Learn everything that you needto know as a parent about online
gaming in just 30 minutes.
My ebook Level Up is readyto download right now.
Check out the link inthe podcast show notes.
I am Andy Murphy reminding you thatour safety is our own responsibility.