Home Defense Tips Everyone Should Know

Home invasions are rare, but they can happen to anyone at any time. Having a home defense plan in place is the best way to protect you and your family when things go bump in the night (or day). Concealed carry firearms are an excellent way to protect yourself, but you cannot realistically expect to do so at all hours of the day, especially while relaxing in your home. Thankfully, there are several self-defense tips that you can practice and implement to provide plenty of protection against a home invasion. In this guide, we’ll break down some of the best home defense tips to help you prepare for worst-case scenarios.

The Best Home Defense Weapons & Ammo

Pistols, rifles/carbines, and shotguns are all excellent home defense guns, with each providing different pros and cons in a self-defense scenario. Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of each will help you choose the best option for your needs, and it is equally important to know what ammunition to use for each weapon for the best protection. For personal protection in the home, your firearm should be easily accessible, mobile, and have plenty of stopping power to bring down threats.

While stopping power is essential, it is equally important to avoid over-penetration to ensure you only hit your target and nothing else. That’s why Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) rounds and similar ammo aren’t recommended, as they are designed for punching paper and will penetrate most targets. Hollow point bullets are your best bet since they are designed to expand upon impact, which greatly reduces the chances of over-penetration. Your best bet is to purchase ammunition designed specifically for self-defense, and you can always contact one of our product specialists to double-check if a cartridge is right for you. 

Is a Pistol Best for Best for Home Defense?

Pistols are excellent home-defense weapons since they are compact and allow for full mobility while wielding. Their small size means you can store them in a bedside gun safe under your nightstand. For ammo, rounds like 9mm Luger, .45 ACP, and .40 S&W provide plenty of stopping power to keep threats at bay. Just make sure to keep your handgun loaded with hollow point bullets or similar bullets designed for self-defense.

Home invasions can happen in the dark of night, so it’s not a bad idea to equip night sights or a pistol red dot to your weapon to improve your aim in low-light conditions. Laser sights will help with accuracy in the dark, but keep in mind they may also reveal your position to any intruders. Plus, you can securely holster a pistol for quick access, which is not possible with rifles and shotguns.

What Shotgun Gauge Is Best for Home Defense?

Shotguns are incredibly powerful and are commonly used as home-defense weapons. The downsides of using a shotgun for personal protection are that it needs to be operated with both hands, and the spread of the shotgun may hit objects around or behind your target. Therefore, you need to be at close range to ensure nothing but your target is hit. Popular shotgun ammunition for home defense includes 12-gauge shells and 20-gauge buckshot. 

Some people prefer to equip a weapon light to improve their vision at night, but this will also easily give away your position to any hidden threats. Shotguns are also more difficult to store in tight spaces, so you’ll need a full-size gun safe to store it in, which may be more difficult to access in a pinch. Thankfully, we carry biometric gun safes and other gun storage options that provide quick access to your weapon.

What Is the Best Rifle Round for Home Defense?

Rifles and carbines provide plenty of power to stop threats. Also, depending on where you reside, rifle magazines provide significantly more ammo capacity than shotguns or handguns, which is a huge benefit for personal defense. Rifles and ARs also allow for full customization of your weapon, including optics, laser sights, and other weapon accessories.

Like shotguns, you’ll need a larger gun safe to store a rifle in, so they are not as accessible as pistols when you have limited time on your hands. Nevertheless, rifles are excellent home defense firearms. Some popular ammo calibers used for self-defense are .223 Remington, 5.56 NATO, .300 AAC Blackout, and .308 Winchester.

Home Defense Basics & Safety Tips

If you have loved ones in the house, it’s always best to create a home defense strategy ahead of time. Designate a safe room or hiding places that they can go to in case of emergencies. Kids’ cell phones are attached to their hips nowadays, and that will come in handy in case of a home invasion. You should always call the police as soon as possible when you suspect a break-in. Confronting intruders should always be a last resort. 

Locking your doors and windows is essential to staying safe, so develop a good habit of doing so before going to bed or leaving your home. 

Thankfully, there are countless home security products designed to deter home invaders from entering in the first place. Homeowners should consider installing a security system with an alarm. The noise will startle the bad guys and alert your neighbors to any mischief occurring. Plus, several of these alarm systems also contact a dispatcher who can send police officers to your residence at a moment’s notice. 

Security cameras are also a great way to improve your home defense strategy. They can even capture burglars who break in while you’re on vacation, and some live stream to your phone so that you can contact the authorities even while you’re away.

Motion-activated spotlights are another great deterrent for the outdoors. When they sense motion, an ultra-bright beam is projected in the area, which is hopefully enough to scare away any possible intruders. 

Less-lethal products are another option for self-defense if you’re not a gun owner. They are also a good choice for family members who are inexperienced with firearms. Pepper spray is a classic self-defense weapon that can temporarily blind enemies and provide you with enough time to flee or incapacitate threats. Pepper Ball guns can stun intruders and buy you some time to figure out your next move. Tactical knives are another great self-defense weapon, and their compact size makes them perfect for EDC.

Another tip to keep in mind, especially during the holidays, is not to flaunt fancy or expensive goods that may attract thieves. If you received a brand new TV for Christmas, try to set the box out by the trash the day you know it will be collected. Otherwise, burglars may spot the empty box and know they have a nice present waiting for them in your home. 

Maintain Home Field Advantage

This piece wasn’t written as a scare-mongering tactic. In fact, you’re very likely never to experience a home invasion. However, they do occur, and being prepared is the best way to keep you and your loved ones safe. Check out our guide on How to Dry Fire at Home for tips on how to practice your firearm techniques in the comfort of your own home. You can also read our guide on How to Choose a Gun Safe to help find the best safe to safely store your firearms at home.