Home Defense, 9mm vs 38special

[wpod]

At home...
.38spl +p at bedside. This addresses issues that might occur in that room (intruder choosing wrong window, etc).
.38 gets me around the bed to the (unlocked when home) safe where .38 is replaced with 12g.
Also. Wife (ex LEO) has 9mm on her side. She can keep 9mm or grab another 12g.
Adult son is in another room with his .45acp.
Three other children (2 are adult) in home. Rally point is our bedroom. They all shoot and have their own firearms in the safe.
Yes, we rehearse and practice communication and movement (or non-movement).

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[doggie]

At home...
.38spl +p at bedside. This addresses issues that might occur in that room (intruder choosing wrong window, etc).
.38 gets me around the bed to the (unlocked when home) safe where .38 is replaced with 12g.
Also. Wife (ex LEO) has 9mm on her side. She can keep 9mm or grab another 12g.
Adult son is in another room with his .45acp.
Three other children (2 are adult) in home. Rally point is our bedroom. They all shoot and have their own firearms in the safe.
Yes, we rehearse and practice communication and movement (or non-movement).

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12 gauge is overkill?

[wpod]

...

[wpod]

12 gauge is overkill?

I hope you didn't get that impression.
The .38 gets me to the 12g.
12g is quite appropriate for HD.

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[doggie]

I hope you didn't get that impression.
The .38 gets me to the 12g.
12g is quite appropriate for HD.

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That makes sense.

[Lex Talionis]

I use BOTH in the house.

Like little "easter eggs" hidden about waiting to surprise.

[SomeGuy75]

Another vote for the 9mm

Minimal difference in energy per round - not really a factor
More important, 2 more rounds in the 9mm. I'd rather have two more rounds than I needed than need two more rounds than I had.
Also, faster to reload a magazine than a revolver. I have 3 XD 45s throughout the house, with 2 extra mags per gun in each location. Same gun, same mags, so all interchangeable. There are others strategically placed, but the 3 45s are the first line of defense.

But given the OPs options, I would pick 9mm but would keep the .38 available.

[meno377]

Have both. .38 loaded into an air-light for your belly gun if you are in physical contact. 9mm to get to your shotgun.

[Oceanbob]

You better be real good because most of these home invasion/burglary's at a private home are more than one person. Sure, you might get a teenager popping your window but that's during the day, rarely at night with a house full of family.

I would install a good alarm system, maybe some motion activated outside lights with a DING that alerts you. A hungry loud dog helps.

Depending on the situation I might not call 9-1-1 because I might want the guys shoes.

Bob.

[NIB]

At home distances the bad guy won't be able to tell tbe difference in diameter and pressure variances between 9mm and 38 special.

[Milsurp Collector]

Which has more stopping power?

Both are considered adequate for self defense. Whatever theoretical difference in "stopping power" there is between the two is far less important than your ability to shoot the firearm accurately. 5 hits and 3 misses with a .38 (double action) is better than 4 hits and 6 misses with a 9mm, or vice versa if you shoot the Glock better.

[559BearDown]

9mm Federal HST

[caliberetta]

why do I click on these threads?

[blasterp7]

Aye, a.k.a. six of one, half dozen of the other. In real world factory loadings, in real world actual shootings, there isn't a whit of difference between the two.

For hardcore reloaders, you can get the .38 up to .357 Magnum levels (after all, that's how the .357 got bornt), but even in that case I sure wouldn't want to use it in self-defense, for legal reasons.

Then there are the 9mm +P+ loads which are more than enough for defensive use, and available OTC.

Hate to admit it, but the 9mm is basically a more modern, practical, and efficient equivalent of the .38 Spl.

Come to think of it, it's more like six of one, ten plus one of the other!

Good points...I have many of both calibers - a toss up - but I would go with the 9mm if I had to choose

[Carcassonne]

I have Glock 9mm pistols and S&W revolvers.
I don't hear much about many folks using the 38 for home defense, many more seem to use their 9mm(only comparing these 2)

I realize I have 10 rounds in my Glocks and ONLY 8 rounds in my S&W. But the 38 sp round is much bigger than the 9mm.

Which has more stopping power? I'm assuming defense rounds for both.

thx

The 9mm will most likely be better. The maximum weight bullet a 9mm can use is about 150 grains. The maximum bullet weight a 38 can use is about 200 grains. Chances are you have no need for such a heavy bullet in either caliber.

The benefit of a revolver is you don't have to rack the slide if you have a dud. You just pull the trigger again and a new cartridge cycles into position.