In a crisis situation it may become necessary to defend your home and property from marauders who don’t have good intentions. For many older folks, especially women, firearms are often strange objects that are feared and looked down upon. For others, especially those with military experience or who grew up hunting, firearms aren’t something to get stressed about.
Choosing the best home defense firearms for preppers is a genuinely controversial subject, and strong opinions on all sides can lead to a lot of confusion. See my take on the best single-gun option for more on that debate.
Here are a few thoughts before we dive in:
- Any firearm is better than no firearm.
- The best firearm to have is the one you’re comfortable with, can operate efficiently and safely, and can fire accurately.
- A firearm doesn’t have to be expensive or “evil” looking to work.
- Many calibers of bullets can easily pass through a wall or walls within a house.
- Safety, safety, safety.
Top Home Defense Firearms for Preppers
Here’s my updated Top 5 list of home defense firearms for preppers to look at, purchase, train with, practice some more — and then have at the ready stored safely in your home:
1. A .357/.38 Revolver With Exposed Hammer
Simple to operate, and when loaded with .38 Special ammunition the recoil stays very low. Trigger pull can get heavy on the double-action pull. With an exposed hammer, you can cock the hammer back and fire with a much lighter single-action trigger pull instead.
2. Glock 17 9mm Semi-Automatic Pistol
Seventeen rounds of 9mm in the magazine, with operation similar to a revolver at heart: rack the slide to chamber the first round, and every trigger pull after that fires until the magazine runs dry.
Those with weaker hands or wrists may struggle to rack the slide, and a weak grip can cause the pistol to malfunction. If neither is a problem for you, the Glock 17 remains an excellent choice — it’s changed little since this list was first written, aside from minor generational updates.
3. Ruger 10/22 .22LR Carbine
For many this seems like a strange choice. “A .22LR?” you might ask. Absolutely, I’ll tell you why: more people are killed every year in the United States by the .22LR rimfire than by all other calibers combined. It’s not an ideal defensive caliber, but it offers real benefits — little recoil, low noise, limited penetration, and low cost. The Ruger 10/22 stays cheap and remains one of the most reliable carbines you can buy.
4. A Compact .22LR Pistol (Ruger SR22 or Taurus TX22)
Update: Ruger discontinued the SR22 in early 2026. As far as the .22LR itself — see the note above on the 10/22. The SR22 was a reliable, inexpensive semi-auto .22 that many on a budget or limited by health issues found to be a solid choice, and used units are still findable through dealers and distributors while stock lasts.
If you’re shopping new, the Taurus TX22 has become the standout replacement in this category: a similar price point, a threaded barrel option, and a strong reputation for reliability. As with the SR22, a tactical light can be mounted on the front rail to help in the dark. Worth remembering either way: the .22LR isn’t by far the best defensive round, but it’s a genuinely usable one for shooters on a budget or with limited hand strength.
5. A 12 Gauge Pump Shotgun
The 12 gauge shotgun is often looked at as the king of home defense thanks to its raw power. It’s also remarkably versatile — plenty of different loads can go in the same shotgun depending on your purpose. The Mossberg Maverick 88 pictured here remains in production and is still one of the most affordable, reliable pump guns on the market, typically running in the low-to-mid $300s new as of 2026.
Why not #1? It depends on your firearm experience and health. The 12 gauge can deliver violent recoil, and running the pump action takes a decent amount of strength. Depending on your overall health and ability, it can be either a great choice or not the right fit.
If you’re not experienced with firearms, do your best to try out a few guns at a shooting range — many ranges have rental guns available, and the added cost to test-fire your choice before buying is well worth it.
Once you’ve made a purchase, sign up for a training session at the range. Having someone walk you through all the safety aspects of using the firearm, as well as how to shoot it, is critical. It’s also good to have the range officer walk you through cleaning and lubrication.