Best Weapon for Self-Defense
- Best Weapon for Self-Defense
- May you legally carry the weapon?
- May the weapon be deployed quickly?
- May the weapon be used effectively?
- Are you capable of using the weapon effectively?
- Will the weapon’s effect be fast enough?
- Will you have the will to use the weapon?
- What if the attacker takes the weapon?
- Knives as self-defense weapons
- Firearms as self-defense weapons
- Best firearms for self-defense
- Best firearms for home defense
- All Pages
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Firearms as self-defense weapons
Even with all the negative publicity firearms receive, they are easy to use and, although they may cause collateral damage due to increased range and penetration, they leave clean little holes on clothing and bodies, sometimes with little visible blood. The aftermath of their use is much less revolting than that of knifes.
Considerations for a home defense firearm
- Effectiveness. The weapon must be capable of stopping the threat, which is primarily a matter of caliber and ammunition. The larger the caliber, the more powder, and the more spread of the bullet, the more stopping power of the firearm.
- Penetration. The complement to effectiveness is penetration. Walls don’t stop bullets; innocent bystanders in adjacent rooms and adjacent houses can be wounded or even killed by a bullet fired in self-defense. Caliber and ammunition selection can mitigate this risk, but the bottom line is never discharge a firearm at a target unless you are willing to kill anyone that is behind that target.
- Ammo Capacity. The weapon should hold ample ammunition, because under stressful situations even skilled shooters require more than one shot to hit the target. Some aggressors require more than one shot to neutralize, and reloading may not be an option.
- Reliability. The weapon must work first time and every time the trigger is pulled.
- Cost. Greater effectiveness and reliability may cost more but there is always a middle ground that provides everything you need at a reasonable cost.