If you’re looking to purchase a weapon to use for home defense, then the first thing you should know is that the process requires a lot more than simply going to a gun store and buying the first firearm you see. As a matter of fact, there are three key things that must be considered, as argued by the website Gray Wolf Survival: your experience and training, the risk of collateral damage, and the effectiveness of the round that is used.

Your Experience and Training

Keep in mind that even if you acquire one of the most powerful firearms on the market, it will be practically useless unless you are trained on how to use it. When choosing a weapon to defend your home, consider whether or not you are capable of shooting at a target without getting shot yourself. Whichever type of gun you decide to purchase, be sure that you practice with it frequently and take lessons from a qualified instructor. That way you will have the required amount of experience needed to effectively use it when necessary. If you are new to shooting firearms, then consider one of the following guns recommended by Gun News Daily: a Springfield Xdm (9mm), a Smith & Wesson M & P 9, a Ruger LCR9, a Kahr CW9 (9mm), or a Glock 43 (9mm Luger).

The Risk of Collateral Damage

In addition to your experience and training, you also need to consider your immediate surroundings and the risk of collateral damage when deciding on a weapon to defend your home. Regardless of whether you live in the city, in a suburban neighborhood, or in the middle of nowhere, there is always a chance that you end up accidentally shooting somebody that you didn’t mean to shoot. Consider the fact that if you ever find yourself engaged in a firefight, a target that is firing back at you is going to be significantly more difficult to hit than a target that’s on the move. Therefore, no matter how skilled you are with a firearm, chances are you’re going to miss a few shots. Be sure to take the risk of collateral damage into consideration when looking for a weapon to use to defend yourself, your family and your home.

The Effectiveness of the Round Used

 Gray Wolf Survival offered readers some sound advice: “When you’re faced with a life and death situation in your home, the plain and simple truth is that what you really need to do is stop the guy. If he’s out of the fight, your family’s safe. If he gives up and runs away, your family’s safe. If he’s dead, your family’s safe. The point of having your weapon isn’t truly to exact revenge on the guy for coming into your home… the point of having a weapon is to protect your family.” In other words, despite the fact that it might be tempting to get your hands on the fastest and heaviest round that you can find, your goal is to defend yourself and your loved ones, not to blow an attacker’s head off. (Related: A mother and daughter defended themselves with a handgun last month against a robber who ended up at a hospital.)

As you can see, properly defending your home and your family requires you to consider many more factors than most people think. When searching for an appropriate weapon that fits your own unique needs and skillsets, remember to consider how experienced and well-trained you are, your surrounding environment and how big the risks of collateral damage are, and the effectiveness of the type of round you choose to use. Read Guns.news for more coverage of firearms.

Sources include: 

GrayWolfSurvival.com

GunNewsDaily.com