What Gun Should I Buy? (Best for Self-Defense)
What gun should I buy and what is best for self-defense? This is the question I’ve been getting asked a lot lately over the past few months. Many people have realized that owning a firearm is essential to protect yourself, friends, and family.
Recently many people that never were into guns or have owned a gun before have messaged me and asked what gun should I buy?
I’m happy that there are a lot of people finally deciding to exercise their Second Amendment rights however I do think it’s kind of funny that people only realize this during an emergency or crisis.
That’s why you should be prepared ahead of time and try to avoid panic buying situations.
You are most likely going to overpay and options will be limited during a big run on firearms.
This article is NOT about “hunting” or “survival situations”. This is specifically about protecting yourself from a human threat, a person or people who wish to do you harm, and what are the best tools available to stop them.
So to answer the question of what gun should I buy? I always recommend 2 firearms. An AR-15 and a handgun.
Why do you need a gun?
Firearms will give you the best chance at self-preservation. No one knows what the future holds and you need to be prepared for any situation and have the best tools at your disposal.
Ideally, you want to be better equipped and better trained than any adversaries who wish you harm.
These firearms are also constantly trying to be banned by politicians because they fear you’re right to defend yourself and this puts you on an equal playing field in this ultimate equalizer.
Right now it might be hard to find these guns. They might be out of stock at most gun stores and online firearms retailers depending on when you are reading this.
However, in time, they will be freely available again and you will be able to purchase one at a reasonable price. If they are sold out everywhere that should tell you something.
But give it time and they will slowly become available again same with the ammo.
The 2 types you need
I kept going back in forth on what order to buy these two types of guns.
A pistol is concealable and will probably make more sense to get first, but an AR-15 is necessary for a worst-case scenario.
Try to get them both as soon as possible and if you can only buy one, try to decide on your specific needs and the most likely situation you would be in if you had to use one for self-defense.
I would personally try to pick up an AR-15 before a handgun just because they are constantly under attack from politicians and the media. You will sleep better at night knowing you have one.
Why do I need an AR-15 and a pistol?
In a perfect world, you shouldn’t ever have to use either of these in a self-defense situation but we live in the real world.
If you are not prepared then you need to start preparing right now.
These two are vital for a good self-defense system and will provide you with the best tools in life-threatening situations.
The AR-15 is a common and popular rifle because of how effective it is and easy to operate.
A pistol is there for concealability and should always be on you or very close. A pistol should be used to get to your rifle.
There is a lot of gear and other supplies you need to go along with these two firearms. It’s not just buy one and then be done.
There are a lot of other factors that people usually fail to realize when first purchasing a firearm or are getting into guns as a newbie.
All the stuff I’m gonna talk about complements one another and is used together as a system and is necessary to be effective in a life-threatening situation.
A quick note before I begin, always make sure you know and follow all the laws in your area.
Depending on what state you live in, local laws differ from state to state. Some states and even counties have restrictions on what type of firearms you could own the capacity of the magazines and what accessories can be put on a firearm.
So please be responsible and follow all the laws in your area.
1. AR-15 chambered in 5.56
The AR-15 is the very first firearm that you need if you don’t have one already. They’re easy to use, lightweight, and have very little recoil.
They are also accurate and in recent years they have become a lot more affordable due to the popularity and just the number of manufacturers that are producing this design.
The AR-15 in my opinion is the most effective and efficient way to protect yourself from any unknown threat. Why do you think the government doesn’t want you to have one?
They protect you from becoming a victim.
I recommended AR-15 as one of the two guns that you need to own as a responsible American because owning this firearm gives you the best chance to defend yourself against any unknown threat.
Whether that be an economic collapse, civil unrest, riots, home invasion, or if the shit is hitting the fan.
Why chose 5.56mm?
When purchasing the AR-15 there are two popular calibers that most people go with. The two calibers that you will find these in mainly 5.56mm and in 223 Remington.
There have also been a lot more exotic calibers that have become more popular but it is recommended to get one in 5.56mm.
This is the standard round that the military uses and is by far the most popular round for an AR-15
The reason you should choose a 5.56mm compared to the 223rem is because the 5.56mm is the best of both worlds. You don’t want to limit yourself especially when ammo availability is scarce.
The rounds are very similar and the 5.56mm has a slightly higher pressure than the 223rem. When looking at them side by side they will appear nearly identical.
Do yourself a favor and make sure that your rifle has 5.56mm stamped on the barrel and on the receiver because this caliber will actually shoot both rounds
(Note: If your rifle has 223 Wylde on the barrel it will shoot both calibers as well.)
It will shoot the 5.56mm and the 223rem. If you were to buy a rifle that had two 223rem stamped on the barrel and on the receiver, it will only shoot 223. Make sure when purchasing an AR-15 that you get one in 5.56mm
Does a specific brand matter?
When looking at purchase it doesn’t matter a whole lot what brand you choose.
There’s a lot of good budget options available on the market today you could spend anywhere from $500 up to $3000.
I would say that try to find something in the middle. I wouldn’t purchase anything less than $700 because then quality might be an issue.
So look for your first rifle to be around the $700 to $1000 price range here you could find some good entry-level rifles that will serve you well.
Instead of spending $3000 on a rifle, I would take that extra money and buy more magazines and ammo.
Probably a red dot sight and a weapon light too.
There are gonna be some things that you’re gonna need especially if you’re new or a beginner.
You’re gonna need to practice at the range so now that let’s say you just purchased your AR15 and you have a big old smile on your face (you should if you don’t)
Now, what’s next?
Click Here for prices on rifles and availability
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Buy lots of ammo and magazines
Buy ammo and magazines.
Try to get at least 1000 rounds of ammo and I would say about 9 extra magazines.
This is a good place to start. As far as ammo selection and what type to buy, I personally like to use 5.56mm 62 grain XM855 green tip ammo for my stockpile and my self-defense ammo (my oh shit ammo).
This type of ammo is usually a little more expensive but it is worth having a decent amount of it just in case.
Most indoor ranges don’t let you shoot green tips indoors so whatever you can find will work as long as it’s not steel-cased.
Try to avoid buying steel-cased ammo because it is harder on the internal parts and may void some manufacturer’s warranties. Only buy as a last resort.
Click Here for prices on ammo and availability
As far as magazines get 30 round standard capacity magazines.
If you ever hear anyone refer to a 30 round magazine for an AR-15 at high capacity, for the love of god please correct them on the spot.
A 30 round magazine for an AR-15 is STANDARD CAPACITY!
This is what it was designed to shoot and this is what will ship with the firearm.
I personally like the Pmags made by Magpul the ones with the windows so you can quickly see how many rounds you have left I like the most.
There are a lot of good magazines that are out there so whatever you can find should work.
Surplus GI magazines are pretty good and pretty cheap magazines. Magazines usually go from anywhere from $10 each to $20 each so it’s good to try to have at least 9.
Click Here for current magazine prices and availability.
Learn to shoot and train
Now that you have your AR15 some ammo in some magazines you’re ready to go to the range and practice.
This is very important, especially if you’ve never shot before you’re gonna need some training.
I recommend getting professional training if you can and learn how to shoot a rifle from someone with a lot of experience or a qualified instructor.
Most importantly practice proper firearm safety.
Shooting an AR-15 is not hard, but you want to learn the right way and it does take time to get good. Anyone can become proficient with proper technique and repetition.
There are a lot of good videos online that will go over fundamentals and there are also a lot of great online courses that you can view.
Click Here for prices for online training courses
2. A 9mm Semi-Auto Pistol
The second firearm that you need to get if you do not Have one already is a good quality pistol.
There are lots of different options and a lot of it is actually personal preference but I recommend a 9mm pistol that’s either a full size for a midsize/compact.
Personally, I like the Glock 19 the best.
There’s a lot of good options as far as handguns go and you could choose one which is right for you. You should get something that has at least a 15 round capacity though.
I believe it is a good pistol that could serve a lot of different roles it does all of them fairly well, the reason I say you need a handgun is that most importantly they’re concealable and easier to have on your person or vehicle compared to a rifle.
Some people say that you should get a handgun before a rifle and a lot of time to make very valid points. Ideally, you want to get them both.
The reason I said to get a handgun second, is because right now AR-15 rifles are probably harder to find and semi-auto pistols our little more available.
Click Here for prices on handguns and availability
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As far as what ammo you should get for your 9mm pistol you should get a couple of boxes of hollow points which would be for self-defense. You should also try to get at least 1000 rounds of regular target ammunition.
There’s a lot of good hollow point ammo to choose from, personally, I like federal HST. I think the ballistics on it is very good and it is very reliable ammunition.
Right now it might be slim pickings for 9mm ammo as well.
It used to be cheap and readily available but there’s been a lot of new gun owners and also a lot of panic buying.
Most handguns come with either two or three magazines and you should try to grab a few extras if you can.
Training is very important when it comes to handguns as well because it is actually are harder to shoot a handgun and be accurate and proficient compared to shooting a rifle.
Again if you are brand new please try to get some professional training if possible.
What other gear should I buy?
You should focus on getting the AR-15 a 9mm pistol and lots of ammo in magazines first. That should be your primary task if you do not have these two already.
You can start thinking about what other gear you might need to complement these two firearms, but in this article, I wanna stick with the two main things you need first.
A rifle and a handgun.
Eventually, you might wanna get a plate carrier or chest rig. A way to stop bullets and carry your ammo. Also a good holster for your pistol, a sling for your rifle, a red dot, a weapon light, and some other tactical gear.
Try not to get overwhelmed and piece everything together when you can or can afford it.
I didn’t buy everything all at once and slowly acquired everything over time.
I’ll be writing another article to go over all the other gear that you need and I will link it here once it is finished.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you understand why you need some of the gear in firearms mentioned in this article and you slowly start acquiring them.
Maybe now you are better equipped to give some advice when someone asks you “what gun should I buy?”
Your personal safety is very important and remember at the end of the day only you are responsible for it.
Let me know what you think in the comments below about the AR-15 and a 9mm pistol selection and let me know if you disagree and think there are better options.
Also below I attached a video if you would like to watch it and some of them and some links to the gear that I have mentioned.
Thank you and be safe!
Here is some of the gear mentioned
(check the links for the most up to date prices)
Training
Gear
Some of the related gear can be found on Amazon. Click Here to visit my amazon store.
