What would you recommend for home protection 12 ga. or 9mm.?

komodo

I teach self defense and gun safety. First, I commend you on recognizing that you cannot (and should not) rely on police to protect you. That is not their job, and it wouldn't matter if they had a 1 minute or 1 hour response time to your house. If someone is attacking you with the intent to harm or kill you, it takes very little time, and you are usually the only one who can do anything to prevent it.

But to answer your question, I'd get both and keep the 9mm on you. If you can get to the 12g in an emergency, that is going to be the better tool. But if you can't, the 9mm will beat fingernails and teeth, or whatever else you have available.

The answer to your question is subjective and will ultimately come down to your own personal preferences regarding carrying a weapon for defense. If you can only have one of them and you are willing to carry, go with the handgun. If you don't want to carry, then go with the 12g. Another thing to recognize is that a gun is not the best choice for all people; only you can decide if it is the right choice for you and your home.

To be effective for self defense, a gun must be loaded and readily accessible at all times. However, loaded guns should not just be left around where someone might pick them up. They need to be in your immediate control, or in a safe. But that just creates another issue: A gun kept in your combination-locked safe in the back room or closet, unloaded, etc., is going to be useless when someone has just broken into your home and is rushing you. You simply won't have time to retrieve the gun unless you are very, very lucky.

Some people say, "well, then I won't keep it in a safe, or I'll just use a trigger lock." A trigger lock also makes self defense use almost impossible, and either approach leaves the weapon in the open and an easy steal for a burglar. Trust me, you do not want someone to steal your gun and then use it in a crime.

The general rule is that you need to be able to ready a self defense weapon within five seconds to even have a chance. One or two is the ideal. To achieve this, the gun needs to be within reach pretty much all the time. This means in a holster on your hip during the day, or maybe in a quick-opening gun safe by your bed while you are sleeping.

A 12g shotgun is superior to a 9mm handgun in many ways. It is certainly more intimidating. Shot can be selected that is much less likely to penetrate walls and harm others. Aiming is easier. An intruder might not even see the handgun in your hands, especially at night. Another benefit to the shotgun is that it has other uses, like hunting.

However, a 12g shotgun cannot be conveniently carried or unobtrusively kept within reach, and secure storage requires a large, expensive safe. A handgun is far superior for this purpose, and is easier to secure either on your person (in a holster), or in a gun safe. The 9mm will carry many more shots, as well, and can be reloaded in about a second if necessary. If you need protection when you go out, too, you won't be able to pocket your 12g.

If you are serious about self defense in the home, then carrying a handgun at all times is the logical decision. If you don't like the idea of carrying, then the shotgun may be a better choice.

That being said, you should also acquire and keep a tactical flashlight next to your bed, and consider a laser targeting system like Crimson Trace. Finally, if you can handle a 12g, then you should be thinking more along the lines of 45 ACP for a home defense handgun.

Practice. Be safe. Also, get a home alarm system, and keep your windows and doors locked at all times. Hopefully you'll never have to use that gun.

Garrett191

i would recommend a .40 cal pistol. it has allot better stopping power than the 9mm. BUT the 9mm does have more rounds than the 40, but only about 3 witch isn't much. but a shotgun would also be a good choice. make sure it has a shorter barrel like a 18" and if you do get the shot gun use 00 buckshot

solarianus

I'd recommend the shotgun hands down. The big benefits of a pistol are size and portability.....neither of which matter for a home defense tool. A shotgun has more stopping power, and is much easier for a spouse or child to learn how to use. That's what I keep in my house.

mckenziecalhoun

Shotgun, less chance it will leave the walls of your house, better spread, more intimidation factor. Tradeoff is speed and accessibility. Get both. Don't play hero trying to 'wing' them. Shoot to kill.

both

Mike

I prefer a pump actoion 12 ga. shotgun with a magazine capacity of 9 rounds.

It is hard for me to imagine any group of home invasion robbers that could get past a 12 ga. shotgun loaded with 9 rounds.

trap

i have a 40 cal for my home but 12 ga. is nice.i also have fire zones marked out in my house and wife has a 9mm glock ... if you buy it learn how to shoot it.

DR. phil of sh*t

First answer is all BS there is no such thing as a pump shotgun with 9 rounds. 6 is max.
A 9mm was designed as an "urban" round meaning full jacketed for penetration through car doors windows etc... not the ideal home defense round if loved ones are in another room.
A pump shotgun is good but I suggest a 20 ga.instead of 12 with a short "slug" barrel this keeps overall length down and makes it maneuverable
loaded with 00 buck.
Besides nobody but nobody enters a room after hearing a pump shotgun "rack" a round.

Badcock4

20 ga. is what I like best, although I own both 12 and 20 gauge shotguns.
I like the 20 because it has less kick, which speeds up my ability for a second, and third shot.
With a pistol, in the dark, and under major stress - I question my accuracy, and I also want a gun that will do major damage up close, but not go through the wall and injure a neighbor.

Andy G {Join The Resistance}

I would recommend both, but if it is one over the other I would prefer the 9mm. If you pull the slide to load a round in the chamber, any assailant will hear it and know you are armed. It is compact and easier to hide and also you can reach for it much faster than a shotgun. Depending on your model you can have 16 rounds in one magazine with another 16 rounds in a second magazine in case you need to reload. Trying to reload a shotgun can be more time consuming.

If you shoot and miss, there will only be one bullet hole in your house. Whereas with a shotgun you'll have buckshot everywhere.

Kael M

12 gauge pump action shotgun, with a short barrel so you can maneuver through your home easily without having a 3 foot barrel come around the corner. Also a burgler would probably run away just hearing you rack the slide on a pump. Handguns are asking for trouble, but I'm canadian and we don't have them.

hollywud1965

A firearm, only leads to more problems--for home protection you could get an alarm installed in the home--you can set up security cameras for a cheap price-on a closed circuit tv- head to radio shack ; that way you will be able to see if there is anyone attempting to enter your- home -as the previous answers state a recommendation of either a 12 ga or 9mm goes to show they are not thinking of the effects after the use of the outcome after the deed is done

H3l1o

9mm, more compact easier to use. Instead of lugging the shotgun around.

Doc Holiday

.22 is just as deadly, easier to use and less recoil.

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