It COULD be, with a loose jacket.
I understand people like to double duty their weapon, but I always recommend a shotgun for the house. Especially cuz you can get a good one for less money than a quality pistol. At 18. With no background check.
An M&P with a 4.25" barrel is a concealed carry piece?
Schneiderguy and Jeeebus are now M&P9 buddies (though Jeeebus actually gets to shoot 17 rounds in a mag).
It COULD be, with a loose jacket.
I understand people like to double duty their weapon, but I always recommend a shotgun for the house. Especially cuz you can get a good one for less money than a quality pistol. At 18. With no background check.
Yeah, just saying when I hear "concealed carry piece" I think of something that was designed for concealed carry like a PM-9 or LCP or something. Technically I could register a sawed-off shotgun with the ATF and, with a sport-coat, conceal carry it all day. Doesn't mean it was made for that.
For home defense I think it's a matter of money and practice the person is willing to put in. If price is no real object and the training will be/is there, I'd say a full-size pistol is better for home defense. Can be used one-handed, quicker into action, generally higher ammo-capacity, in .40+ will do a more than reliable job at stopping the bad guy. My own home defense gun is a commander-length 1911 with night-sights and extended mag, giving me 10+1 of .45. But I can also make one large jagged hole at 20 feet, the longest I'd have to engage at indoors. Even losing half of that under pressure, I'll connect. Took considerable time and money (ammo costs) to get there though, and a lot of people can't/won't do that.
A shotgun is the best all around option if you're not going to keep up with the training. Naturally pointing, easy one-shot stop if you load it with the right stuff, and if the racking doesn't make the bad guy shit his pants; even if you miss, the boom will probably scare him off. Plus the advantages you mentioned.
I like the feel and balance of a revolver best, it also makes you conscious of limited fire power. On a range its easier to keep track of brass.
If you think you'll be in a firefight a clip fed semiauto makes sense. So does body armour and tactical gear and a lot of magazines.
Negatives, show a revolver to a non gun nut and he thinks he's a fast draw bad man first thing.
Show a semiauto and they think they're FBI or something.
But I can also make one large jagged hole at 20 feet, the longest I'd have to engage at indoors. Even losing half of that under pressure, I'll connect. Took considerable time and money (ammo costs) to get there though, and a lot of people can't/won't do that.
I hope none of us are ever placed in that situation, but I don't think anyone can reliably state that they will put half their shots on target in a high adrenaline situation, most likely spurred by someone waking you up in the middle of the night.
Consider the statistical studies (unreliable as they may be) of police shootings over the past few decades. Generally speaking, most police officers have better training than the vast majority of us. Notwithstanding this, the "hit ratio" associated with police officers pulling the trigger is usually somewhere between 10% - 30%, and that sometimes includes officers committing suicide (pretty much 100% hit ratio there) and snipers taking someone out with a scope, both of which will drive that number up.
For example: http://www.theppsc.org/Staff_Views/Aveni/OIS.pdf
Adrenaline and anxiety will do things to your body that even the best training can rarely counter. I've got 17 rounds in my M&P9 and 8 in my shotgun - I hope I never have to fire a single one in defense of my family. But I definitely would not count on putting half of those on target in the dark at 3am.
Given the OP two initial choices. I'd go revolver.
Much more fun to shoot at the range and easier to maintain. Now if it was me, I'd buy a range gun (a 22 plinker) and a home defense gun (shotgun) and get best of both worlds (cheap range shooting and a big scary anti-crime tool).
Why do you consider the revolver to be more fun to shoot at the range?
A revolver doesn't leave evidence on the ground ;^)
Most all of those are options for autos as well, the exceptions being speed loading a cylinder and multiple caliber options, which is only if you specifically get a .357 revolver anyway...single/double action, weight, and how many rounds you have available are all just as valid for an auto depending on which one you choose, and just because you have 17 rounds available doesn't mean you're just going to "waste" themThe weight, choices of rounds (357/38sp/38+P), having the choice of single or double action, being able to challenge your self with speed loading, and the smaller number of rounds forcing you to focus on mechanics and skill over just wasting the ammo.
Most all of those are options for autos as well, the exceptions being speed loading a cylinder and multiple caliber options, which is only if you specifically get a .357 revolver anyway...single/double action, weight, and how many rounds you have available are all just as valid for an auto depending on which one you choose, and just because you have 17 rounds available doesn't mean you're just going to "waste" them
Good information for anyone who's never been around guns before...pretty sure we're all clear on the mechanics thoughOne of the main reasons to keep the revolver is that they're almost insencetive to ammunition. If your cartridge is capable of pushing a bullet thru the barrel of the sixgun - you got the working gun. No jams, no stoppages. Even in the case of the misfire you just got to pull the trigger again - and next round will go. In semi-auto, you need sufficient power to cycle the slide, thus rendering underpowered loads almost inoperable in semi-autos. Also, in case of the misfire, or jam, you should manually cycle the slide to fire the next round.
Good information for anyone who's never been around guns before...pretty sure we're all clear on the mechanics though
Generally speaking, most police officers have better training than the vast majority of us.
All true, which is why anyone who knows guns buys good ammo and tests it in their particular weapon thoroughly before relying on it for carry, even with a six gun I wouldn't buy crap ammo for carry...on the range it doesn't really matter, pretty basic but I'm sure someone new could use the info...and aside from combat operations I seriously hope nobody is putting their guns through any "abuse" that would affect their function, that would be sadMain point is sixguns are far less sensetive to ammo quality, and, due to simplicity and inherent design features, could withstand far more abuse. Also, when you go to the other, high-end of the loads (speaking in the terms of power), no semi-autos could withstand the power of loads such as .454casull or .475Linebaugh. Sixguns could
If it were me looking for a home defense weapon, I'd want a flashlight and laser on it. Flashlight to illuminate and identify what I'm pointing at, and a laser to make it an easy point-shoot interface.