driftrider

A Glock is a fine choice, and because of their popularity they can be had for less then what many other semi-auto's cost. I absolutely love my Glock 21 (.45ACP). It's a great shooter, recoil is surprizingly mild for a .45, but Glocks are known for being mild shooters. The only thing that non-stock is the 3.5lb. disconnector. It's also very reliable with anything but the el-cheapo Wolf ammo. My Glock didn't eject the Wolf steel cases very well and it stovepiped a couple times. With Winchester USA JRN and UMC JRN's, as well as Federal Hydra-shoks it has never malfunctioned for me.

As far as cost, it depends on what model you want. New ones are usually in the $475-550 range. Used Glocks are common and can be had for around $400 and up depending on model and condition. I paid $525 for mine used, but it is one of the "America's Heroes 9/11/01" commemorative Glocks. It's one of 1000 made in .45ACP. It's also, to my knowledge, the only special edition Glock has done with their Model 21, making it very rare. It'll probably be worth a little bit of money someday, but I don't think I'll ever sell it.

Mike

ktscontender

Ya shotgun for the house
I have a reliable old Ruger Security6 for personal defense, keep it loaded with my special 'splat' loads of 158gr soft lead hollow point wad cutters, they kinda go spplllaaaaat when they hit.

eldeguello

Colt M1911A1 - type in .45 ACP, of course! I note that the Spec. Ops people and some law-enforcement agencies have abandoned the 9mm and gone back to Johnathan Browning's best handgun design!

Clint.

Winchester 1300 Defender---8 shot capacity---loaded with #1 Buck.

Clint

cherokee_outfitters

Not much beats a 12ga. when it comes to taking care of business.

akbound

The one that you always have with you.......especially when faced with a lethal assault!

Dave

Aught Six

For typical open or concealed carry, I would go with a Ruger GP-100 .357 Mag with 130 gr. Federal Hydra-Shoks. For deeper concealed carry, a SIG P239 .40S&W with Federal 155 gr. Hydra-Shoks.

For use around the house, I have an Remington 870 Wingmaster 12 gauge. My prefered defense cartridge is the Federal Vital-Shok 2¾" 00 9-pellet buckshot.

Clint.

Aught Six,
I prefer #1 buck myself. You get extra pellets without really giving up too much. However, just because I want to be a good hearted fella, I keep a trap load of 8's in the chamber. If a fella keeps intruding upon my merciful disposition, it is followed by 7 more #1 Bucks in the magazine.

Clint

Nomercy

Being pretty vague as to what you're defending yourself against...against two legged vermin, I prefer a .45acp, a decocker DA/SA is a great option, my favorite-Ruger P-97DC, draw and shoot, no time fumbling with safeties, I also carry a Springfield 1911 occasionally...either of which are usually backed up by a .38spcl double bbl O/U derringer-which occasionally gets carried alone, when a full sized gun on my hip would raise too many eyebrows.

Against mountain lions or wolves, I like the .45acps as well, but a good .357mag is hard to beat for these (although if you ever get cornered by 4-5wolves, 6shots and a hard reload isn't my favorite).

For bears, a handgun isn't the best option, I've carried a .44mag revolver, just because it was the only thing I had with me at the time on the trip, I felt pretty undergunned...I much prefered my .454cassul Ruger or the Desert Eagle .50AE I had, I've also carried my BFR .45-70, although I don't really recommend that one.

As for your loads, for people, a good jacketed hollow point design is great, for revolvers, I like hard cast lead slugs for the lighter work, and either hard cast or a good jacketed "hard" soft point for the bears-you need some expansion or you might as well be stabbing it with a knife, but you can't sacrifice penetration.

For personal protection around the camp, nothing beats the following two-Marlin 1895GS stainless .45-70 guide gun, 5rnds of 502grn hard cast power in a fast handling package, OR, a riot gun like the Winchester 1300 Defender 12ga 18-20" shotgun (depends on what year you bought it on length), eight 12ga rounds-I like a "party mix" of slugs and buckshot, gives you power of slugs if you need it and the "sloppy shot protection" of buckshot, making perfectly placed shots under pressure isn't easy.

driftrider

Although, depending on the range, it might not matter if you're shooting #8 birdshot or 00 buck. You also may be putting yourself at even greater risk of a potential lawsuit by using such a load. If you pepper some scumbag with #8 shot, causing a non-fatal injury with permanent disfigurement, he very easily could sue you claiming you had intended to maim him by using that type of load. I'm not saying that this is certain, but it's not really worth the risk. Besides that, a load of #8 may be totally ineffective against a perp hopped up on a cocktail of PCP and meth, and the wasted opportunity might give him the change he needs to kill you. My thought is that if I'm ever forced to use deadly force, I'm not going to risk my life by pulling any punches, so to speak. If, God forbid, that time ever comes I'm going to put a full force load of 00 buck or 2-3 .45 slugs into the bad guy's center mass. If he dies, well, he should have thought about that before he threatened my life.

Mike