Those who know me know I’m an avid firearms enthusiast and an advocate of our 2nd amendment rights. I’m also a strong advocate of firearms for home defense, and I truly believe if more people used firearms for home defense there’d be a lot less crime. I have no facts to back this up, just my personal opinion. Having said, I’m listing my top home defense firearms.
1. Remington 870 
I don’t care what anyone tells you, nothing on earth beats a shotgun loaded with 00 buckshot for home defense. NOTHING. And when it comes to shotguns, nothing beats the tried-and-true 870 from Remington, specifically the Remington 870 Tactical. To be clear, I may be biased because I own one, but I don’t care. : ) The 870 is used by hundreds of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and by all five branches of our Armed Forces (we used them in the Coast Guard). They’re bulletproof, well built, and will shoot every time you pull the trigger.
Another reason for the 870’s popularity is the abundance of accessories, including lights, sights, and lasers. Having said that, there’s only one accessory I deem 100% necessary and that’s a light. Lights not only help you blind a potential intruder, but it also helps to identify a target and actually make sure it’s a target. And when buying a light, you need to make sure it’s quality. In my humble opinion, there’s nothing better than an integrated forend and light from SureFire.
2. Mossberg 500
As with the 870, the Mossberg 500 is used by hundreds of law enforcement agencies all of the country and is a fantastic value. If you check on Mossberg’s website you’ll see it’s available in dozens of different configurations, including pistol grips, full stocks, black, cam0, marine aluminum…the list goes on. Although I don’t think the build quality is quite as good as the 870, it’s still a tremendously reliable shotgun and will last for years. In fact, I own a Mossberg 500 as my deer gun, so that should account for something.
3. Glock 17 9MM
The Glock 17 currently commands an astounding 65% of the market share for handguns for U.S. law enforcement agencies. If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for me. The Glock 17 is reliable as hell, accurate, lightweight, and easy to shoot. A lot of people knock the 9MM for not having enough stopping power, but I disagree. It’s much easier to shoot than the bigger calibers and holds 17 rounds. Again, I own one of these. 🙂
4. Kimber Custom II 1911
To me, 1911s are the ultimate American handgun, and the Kimber Custom II is one of the most beautiful. The 1911 is a single-action, semi-automatic pistol designed by John Browning, and from 1911 to 1985 was the standard sidearm for the U.S. Military until it was replaced by the M9 Beretta. Being it’s a .45 caliber instead of a 9MM, it has a bit more recoil, but it’s still a smooth shooter and is quite popular with competition shooters as well. As of right now I don’t own a 1911, but it’s next on my list.
5. Smith & Wesson M&P15
Using AR-15s for home defense has been debated for a long time. Those who are against it say there’s too much chance for over penetration. That the .223 round doesn’t have the knock-down power. Meh, I think it depends. Is there too much chance for over penetration? Yes, absolutely. It’s a centerfire rifle and is made to hit targets up to 600 yards. It’s not something I would use for home defense in an apartment or even an urban setting. Does it have the knock-down power? If you use the right round, yes. I’d highly recommend sticking with no smaller than a 60 grain bullet (something from Hornaday’s TAP FPD line).
I like the AR-15 for home defense because it has little to no recoil and you can hold 30 rounds in one magazine. 🙂 I don’t care what size round I’m using, if I shoot you 30 times, it’s gonna hurt.
I’m sticking with the M&P15 because I own one and I know how it shoots. Yes, there are more expensive AR-15s out there, but I think the M&P15 gives great bang-for-the-buck. I’ve shot all sorts of loads through this with not one failure. That includes everything from 55-75 grain, full metal jacket, hollow point, soft point…you name it. Not ONE failure.
So there you have it. My list of my favorite home defense firearms. I’m sure everyone’s list will be different, but that’s the joy of the firearms community. I wouldn’t expect anything less. If you’d like, please vote and let me know your favorite.
Hammerhead Armament 