New Home Defense Pistol

[Mr. Blenderson]

I'm trying to decide on a new home defense pistol, the "nightstand gun." I decided that I'd like to have more capacity than my 686+ offers so I'm looking at high-capacity semi-autos.

Main contenders are the FNX-45 with 15+1 rounds of 45, or the XDM with 19+1 rounds of 9mm.

I've never shot a 45, but it seems like it may be a better HD round than 9mm. I have a lot of experience with 9mm and have about 1,000 rounds I was going to sell to put towards the 45 purchase.

[tug700]

Accuracy and familiarity are crucial in a High Stress situation. If you know your 9mm and are proficient with it, stay with it.

Yes the 45 acp is a superior round but it has more recoil is larger and you need to master it before it becomes a bed side weapon.

Use the high tech home defense rounds from the manufacturer you trust. Shoot a couple of boxes to be sure of accuracy and reliability; then sleep sound.

[TAROMAN]

What works for me is a fullsize Sig P250 with Sig light/laser.
Prefer the DAO trigger, especially in high-stress situations.
Also, for me, a lanyard is essential if I needed to use both hands while maintaining control of the weapon.

[686-380]

How about a threaded barrel, with a silencer? Subsonic .45 ACP rounds should be effective. Any trusted brand will do. Just a thought.

[Mr. Blenderson]

Originally Posted by 686-380

How about a threaded barrel, with a silencer? Subsonic .45 ACP rounds should be effective. Any trusted brand will do. Just a thought.

I've thought about this - but a full-size pistol plus can is almost in bullpup territory.

[GTBL]

I wouldn't sell your ammo to buy another caliber that you have not even shot. 9mm and a 686 in your nightstand is plentiful and will deter any threat that you may encounter. My current nightstand is a 3" 686 and a Sig Legion SAO. I own .45's as well and would not say that it is better than 9mm for a HD round. I am sure you will get a lot of different opinions but I am good with my choices!

[Mr. Blenderson]

Originally Posted by TAROMAN

What works for me is a fullsize Sig P250 with Sig light/laser.
Prefer the DAO trigger, especially in high-stress situations.
Also, for me, a lanyard is essential if I needed to use both hands while maintaining control of the weapon.

What is the lanyard for and how do you use it?

[Mr. Blenderson]

Originally Posted by GTBL

I wouldn't sell your ammo to buy another caliber that you have not even shot. 9mm and a 686 in your nightstand is plentiful and will deter any threat that you may encounter. My current nightstand is a 3" 686 and a Sig Legion SAO. I own .45's as well and would not say that it is better than 9mm for a HD round. I am sure you will get a lot of different opinions but I am good with my choices!

9mm is significantly cheaper to practice with as well.

Also considering the M&P full size and the Ruger American.

[quinn]

If you have to let go of your weapon to use both hands... Also, lanyard is great for retention. If the BG grabs your gun you just fall back and the gun rotates upward and eventually is jerked out of his hands. JMHO

[lrrifleman]

For what it is worth, I can appreciate where you are coming from. However, I personally think that you are better served with your 686+ as a night stand gun than a semi-auto.

I swear by my 1911s, and I have a S&W Model 439, but while they are my first choice for self defense, they are not necessarily my first choice for a night stand gun. I know how I am when I am unexpectedly awakened. My 1911s are a bit "touchy" in condition one, and not something I want at hand when I am barely awake. I would take the 439 over the 1911, only because the first round would be DA. I would be hesitant with the subsequent rounds being SA, if I am not fully awake. I am not an advocate of DA Only semi-autos.

My night stand handgun is the K38 Masterpiece that I use for PPC. I like the flexibility of SA or DA, depending on how awake I am. Tactically, I think that I have the advantage over an unwelcome guest, since I will generally be alerted first by my dogs, then the house alarm. Additionally, I know the floor plan of my house and the furniture arrangement.

Personally, if there was the prospect of engaging multiple intruders where my revolver was not enough, I would resort to a shotgun.

[Mr. Blenderson]

Originally Posted by lrrifleman

For what it is worth, I can appreciate where you are coming from. However, I personally think that you are better served with your 686+ as a night stand gun than a semi-auto.

I swear by my 1911s, and I have a S&W Model 439, but while they are my first choice for self defense, they are not necessarily my first choice for a night stand gun. I know how I am when I am unexpectedly awakened. My 1911s are a bit "touchy" in condition one, and not something I want at hand when I am barely awake. I would take the 439 over the 1911, only because the first round would be DA. I would be hesitant with the subsequent rounds being SA, if I am not fully awake. I am not an advocate of DA Only semi-autos.

My night stand handgun is the K38 Masterpiece that I use for PPC. I like the flexibility of SA or DA, depending on how awake I am. Tactically, I think that I have the advantage over an unwelcome guest, since I will generally be alerted first by my dogs, then the house alarm. Additionally, I know the floor plan of my house and the furniture arrangement.

Personally, if there was the prospect of engaging multiple intruders where my revolver was not enough, I would resort to a shotgun.

I agree with most of your sentiment! This would be in a quick-access safe, not just on the nightstand, so I'm not concerned about waking up from a nightmare and unloading a mag in the dark before I know what's going on.

There are two things that have me leaning back to hi-cap semiauto:

1. My wife can use the 686, which she's familiar with and shoots well.

2. I recently read the book Glock: The Rise of America's Gun (great read for anyone interested in firearms) and the main thing it covers is the switchover in American law enforcement from revolvers to hi-cap semiautos.

All other opinions aside, the reason most departments switched over was because as semiautos became more prevalent that is what the BG's the cops encountered were armed with. You don't want to show up to confront 3 BG's with 17-round semiautos with a 6-shot revolver on your hip.

This had me thinking about what threat I would realistically ever encounter in my house. It's HIGHLY unlikely that it will ever happen, as they'd need to get past motion lights, my alarm system, and 3 large dogs. To me, it seems like if someone has actually made it past all of this to the point where I am arming myself to deal with the situation it is most likely that I am dealing with more than 1 BG and that they will be armed. In today's world/market, it is most likely they will be armed with hi-cap semiautos.

If I had my choice of handguns (for the sake of argument let's leave long guns out of the picture for now) to deal with 3 BG's with Glocks, I want as many rounds as possible.

[shawn mccarver]

Glock 17 Gen 4. It comes with 3 magazines, and is quite useful as a home defense pistol with a light in place and a 33 round magazine inserted.

[Mr. Blenderson]

Originally Posted by shawn mccarver

Glock 17 Gen 4. It comes with 3 magazines, and is quite useful as a home defense pistol with a light in place and a 33 round magazine inserted.

I had a gen4 17 but could never get used to the grip, and was never that accurate with it. I shot my LCP better than the 17.

I liked everything else about it, though - and I know others are very accurate with it. Just never gelled with me.

[Wise_A]

Originally Posted by Mr. Blenderson

I'm trying to decide on a new home defense pistol, the "nightstand gun." I decided that I'd like to have more capacity than my 686+ offers so I'm looking at high-capacity semi-autos.

Main contenders are the FNX-45 with 15+1 rounds of 45, or the XDM with 19+1 rounds of 9mm.

I've never shot a 45, but it seems like it may be a better HD round than 9mm. I have a lot of experience with 9mm and have about 1,000 rounds I was going to sell to put towards the 45 purchase.

Stick with the 9.

Comparing .45 ACP and 9mm is, to put it bluntly, a game for small minds. There's no such thing as a superior cartridge, because different cartridges perform differently in different situations. Humans aren't made out of ballistic gelatin*, and we have such things as bonded, jacketed, expanding rounds.

The only thing that matters is your ability to operate your handgun, and use it effectively.

You're already familiar with the 9. If you have 1000 rounds lying around, apparently you shoot it a lot. If you buy the .45, are you also going to cough up for 1000 rounds of .45, and burn through that with as much enthusiasm as you did the cheap 9mm?

To me, the answer is clear.

Now go and buy a .45. Maybe not an FNX. You can get a very nice Springfield Range Officer for a little more than half the price of the Belgian gun. The 9mm is probably better for you, but everyone should have a .45.

*That is to say, the varied composition of the human body makes any standardized comparison of ammunition performance a fool's errand. Not to mention the slack-jawed obedience to the "FBI standard penetration" requirements forcing ammunition manufacturers to make ammo that meets that spec anyway. Does the ammunition penetrate sufficiently? Does it expand consistently--do all those mushroomed hollowpoints look the same? If the answer to both questions is "yes", then it's probably a decent cartridge.

[TAROMAN]

Originally Posted by Mr. Blenderson

What is the lanyard for and how do you use it?

I also carry a flashlight.
Lanyard goes around my neck.
If I need the other hand, opening door for example, I can drop the gun while keeping it secured.
Always used lanyards in the Army.

[Wdbutcher97]

You should shoot a .45 first before you buy one. The recoil from a 9mm is pretty tame compared to a .45.

[686-380]

Originally Posted by Wdbutcher97

You should shoot a .45 first before you buy one. The recoil from a 9mm is pretty tame compared to a .45.

I agree, it would be prudent. As a matter of fact,
shoot​ several different models.

[Smoke]

Originally Posted by Wise_A

There's no such thing as a superior cartridge,

Disagree

YouTube

As an added benefit it makes the recoil from a .45 feel like butter

[Protected One]

In the situation you described I see no reason to go buy a .45. First, you're talking about selling a good amount of ammo just to be able to make the purchase, ammo that could be used for training with the 9mm. Second, you've stated that you are already familiar with shooting 9mm...I presume with accuracy. Why switch to another caliber for a "perceived" improvement that many (including me) believe is a fallacy? You never mentioned what 9mm firearm you have. That could factor in too.

[Ranger514]

Must be a rough neighborhood if a 686+ isn't sufficient firepower for home defense. FWIW, rely on the firearm with which you are most comfortable and experienced. Loaded with modern self defense ammo, the 9mm is a formidable weapon, as is a .45 ACP. Which gives you the best accuracy and fastest, controlled followup shots?

[Engine49guy]

This High capacity handgun is OK for home defense for anything up to borderline Zombie Apocalypse.

[hkcavalier]

You never know what you're going to encounter. The point is to cover as many scenarios as reasonably possible. Since an M113 APC is astronomically unlikely to crash through my walls, I don't need a Lahti 20mm. For example

I went with a Glock 34 with a 19rnd mag and another one handy. I'm in a tight spot if 38 9mm +Ps aren't enough. Oh, there's usually a Shield and a Glock 26 loaded in the house as well. With spares that's another 38 9mms.

[Wise_A]

Originally Posted by Wdbutcher97

You should shoot a .45 first before you buy one. The recoil from a 9mm is pretty tame compared to a .45.

Honestly? I feel they're just different. 9mm is lighter, but snappier. .45 ACP is heavier, but "slower". I do agree that .45, averaging across all the guns you'll find it commonly used in, is probably less forgiving of proper technique. But either one is very easy to shoot fast, even for smaller shooters.

I don't think the difference is enough to matter. Proficiency trumps any small differences in efficacy.

Originally Posted by Smoke

Disagree

As an added benefit it makes the recoil from a .45 feel like butter

I lol'd.

[Springfeildkid585]

I used to doubt the 9mm, until my friend pumped a 9mm Hornady Critical Duty into a can of peas at about 15 yards and I got sprayed with peas. Stick with a fullsize 9. It does the job just fine.
As for the statement about little aside from the aorta and heart to drop someone at center of mass, I counter that people rarely last long with a hole in the lungs, spleen, subclavian artery, kidneys (if you hit low), or the various other arteries extending from the heart.

[FAS1]

Originally Posted by Mr. Blenderson

I'm trying to decide on a new home defense pistol, the "nightstand gun." I decided that I'd like to have more capacity than my 686+ offers so I'm looking at high-capacity semi-autos.

Main contenders are the FNX-45 with 15+1 rounds of 45, or the XDM with 19+1 rounds of 9mm.

I've never shot a 45, but it seems like it may be a better HD round than 9mm. I have a lot of experience with 9mm and have about 1,000 rounds I was going to sell to put towards the 45 purchase.

The FNX is a great host for accessories if you decide on the .45.

[Mister X]

I prefer 9mm, but feel either one is fine.

I definitely would not recommend a lanyard around the neck attached to the pistol as some have done because of the potential problems it could cause in an ECQ scenario. They may have their use in military applications, but home defense is very different.

[gasaman]

At my main residence which is a freestanding house. My bump in the night gun is a S&W 5943 and the wife's is a S&W TRR8.
In our condo up north, mine is a Remington 870 in 20ga and the missus has a S&W 317.

[silversnake]

Originally Posted by TAROMAN

What works for me is a fullsize Sig P250 with Sig light/laser.
Prefer the DAO trigger, especially in high-stress situations.
Also, for me, a lanyard is essential if I needed to use both hands while maintaining control of the weapon.

+1 on the Sig P250, although mine is not configured as nicely as yours.

IMO one of the best guns for the money, especially if you are used to shooting a K/L frame revolver. Mine has been rock solid reliable.

[oldiegoldie]

My nightstand gun is the FNX 9 with a TLR-2 mounted. I do not feel under gunned. I trust it equally with my HK's.

[Muss Muggins]

Originally Posted by Illyia Kuryakin

Typical parsing of terms....the 9mm versus .45 ACP "argument" will never end but it's totally pointless because only wimps care.

Real shooters have long ago advanced to the heavier calibers...those capable of being "pumped up."

Shoot the 9mm all you want....all you want.

Everyone else has left the building.

All you need to do is put one or two in the ten ring quickly. Doesn't matter how big the hole is, only where and how fast it appears . . .

[Arik]

Originally Posted by Bonkers

Well, you are right about the caliber thing...humans are essential "large game" and most of us choose to carry "under gunned" but few probably realize it. They just buy what some store wank tells them is hot, or what some gun rag told them is chic.

During my first year of working ICU and seeing a LOT of gun-shot wounds I realized a LONG time ago that the ONLY caliber to carry for use against humans is the .44 Magnum....anything less is compromise.

You see people come in with an amazing number of holes THROUGH their upper body by 9mm and they're not only talking, their wanting to go home!

I am sure you've opened a can of worms with your lengthy diatribe, but I happen to agree with you. Aim for the "d$%*" or the area just above it, and you're shots are going to make a difference.

You can't look at humans as equivalent to "large game". We may weigh close to but we are nowhere near that as far as body structure goes. Most animals have much more stronger and denser muscle mass. A 200lb adult male chimp is 4x stronger than a 200lbs male. Pound for pound a typical chimp is at least twice the strength of a human. Their muscles are denser and closer to the bone as well as being longer requiring less movement to to move the same weight. Even deer are typically stronger than humans with bigger muscle mass. People, while smart, are not the strongest or the most muscular despite our weight. This is a little oversimplified but it's like comparing a ton of jello vs a ton of rock.

People have survived 44 mags just as much as anything else. Plenty of facts of fighters in Iraq taking multiple shots of 50BMG before stopping. Plenty of guys absorbing round after round of 7.62 NATO and surviving. There is even a man who survived BOTH atomic bombs.

In 2010 there was a Dateline special of a man who was shot by his wife. He was cheating on her, she shot him 3 times with a 44mag. One to the chest, one in the arm and one in the leg. He waited hours before going to the hospital. He was alive to give the interview.
Two NYPD officers shot with a 44 mag last year in a robbery. Both officers survive

Anything is a compromise. 357, 44, 50,.. Etc

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[Muss Muggins]

Originally Posted by Bonkers

BTW, the ideal "nightstand" gun is a powerful revolver. You wake up suddenly...confused, disoriented. You grab for your S&W M-500 4" stoked with 275 grain copper solids at 1,600 fps....all you need to do is point it and yank the drawstring!

Originally Posted by Illyia Kuryakin

A 4" barrel, .41 Magnum stoked with 170 gr. HP or hard case SWC moving out at 1,500 fps is a MIGHTY potent "fight stopper" but I will allow it kicks harder than most can accept . . . It's a shame that my M-500 Smith has less punishing recoil than my M-29!

Why do you both use the odd term "stoked" for describing the loaded condition of your revolvers and the same unusual spelling for the Model 500 (M-500)? [Edit: Also, you both use ellipses in the same random manner.] My daddy was an old cop, and he taught me that there's no coincidence in crime . . .

[Stevens]

In my nightstand drawer which is lockable but pulled open at night are:
1st to grab, a .38 cal. revolver and, second a Glock 17.
Steve W

[rwt1405]

Originally Posted by Muss Muggins

Why do you both use the odd term "stoked" for describing the loaded condition of your revolvers and the same unusual spelling for the Model 500 (M-500)? [Edit: Also, you both use ellipses in the same random manner.] My daddy was an old cop, and he taught me that there's no coincidence in crime . . .

I smell a mall ninja!

[rwt1405]

Originally Posted by Bonkers

During my first year of working ICU and seeing a LOT of gun-shot wounds I realized a LONG time ago that the ONLY caliber to carry for use against humans is the .44 Magnum....anything less is compromise.

You see people come in with an amazing number of holes THROUGH their upper body by 9mm and they're not only talking, their wanting to go home!

I'm very curious as to what ICU you worked in, that sees so many GSW patients shot by a .44 mag?

As a 33 year career Paramedic, that has worked his entire full-time career in a City that is almost always listed in the top 10 most dangerous cities and usually in the top 3, I can tell you how many patients I've seen shot by a .44 mag. Zero!

I've also done 20+ years as a Tactical Medic, in which I have also dealt with a GSW or two, also Zero .44 mag wounds.

I'm not saying there aren't any out there, but what I am saying is that I'm having a real hard time imagining an ICU (and what kind of ICU was this?) that see's multiple wounds from .44 mags, especially in one year.

[Smoke]

Originally Posted by rwt1405

I'm very curious as to what ICU you worked in, that sees so many GSW patients shot by a .44 mag?

As a 33 year career Paramedic, that has worked his entire full-time career in a City that is almost always listed in the top 10 most dangerous cities and usually in the top 3, I can tell you how many patients I've seen shot by a .44 mag. Zero!

I've also done 20+ years as a Tactical Medic, in which I have also dealt with a GSW or two, also Zero .44 mag wounds.

I'm not saying there aren't any out there, but what I am saying is that I'm having a real hard time imagining an ICU (and what kind of ICU was this?) that see's multiple wounds from .44 mags, especially in one year.

To be fair he hasn't claimed to have seen ANY .44 Mag wounds he just said that based on his experience. 44 Mag is THE round.

I want to know what ICU he's working on that has patients who are up walking around wanting to go home

[walnutred]

45 vs 9mm, isn't that why the 40 S&W was developed?

[Wise_A]

Originally Posted by Arik

You can't look at humans as equivalent to "large game". We may weigh close to but we are nowhere near that as far as body structure goes.

I already tried explaining that to this particular goombah.

Originally Posted by rwt1405

I smell a mall ninja!

Too many videogames, I think. Remember that stuff he was saying about the number of ft-lbs of energy a 9mm magazine held compared to a .38 snub?

That's what gamers do. They compare pixelguns based on the amount of damage their magazines "hold".

Originally Posted by Illyia Kuryakin

The recoil of a .45 ACP is pretty mild....in fact, chamber a .45 ACP in a revolver and it's totally SOFT! The ONLY reason the 1911 style platform kicks the way it does is due to a low slide mass and the NEED for a recoil operated gun to HAVE a low slide mass in order to cycle!

Shoot a .45 ACP from a M-25 or Ruger convertible and you'll INSTANTLY understand just how NON-powerful is the .45 ACP!!!!

Your posts would be considerably less-terrible if you learned to read, instead of just writing (although that's pretty cringeworthy, as well). It's rather clear to everyone esle that "heavier" and "lighter" refer to a comparison between the character of the .45 and the 9mm.

Anyone who's truly an experienced shooter knows that 9mm can be deceptively abusive to shoot. It's loud, and it's snappy. The .45 ACP, being a low-pressure, subsonic cartridge, is quite gentle in the delivery of its heavier recoil energy. "Perceived recoil" is not simply a matter of ft-lbs of energy--you'd know that if you shot much at all. It's a function of energy, noise, and time (slower feels lighter at equivalent power factors).

It's also funny that you presume to know what I shoot.

Now, I'll make you a deal, to settle the viability of the .45 ACP as a defensive cartridge, once and for all.

Go stand over there

Oh? You'd prefer not to have this experiment? Understandable. I myself prefer not to be shot with anything heavier than .380. I mean, .32 Auto, no big deal, but those .380s sting.

[swsig]

Returning to the OP's question, I have an FNX 45T with 2000 rounds through it. It is an excellent pistol, reliable and accurate, and it is a surprisingly soft shooter. I purchased it to be my principal home defense weapon (which it is), but it is not my nightstand gun. I find that it is too large and heavy (when fully loaded) to be easily gripped, cocked (if you leave the hammer down), and aimed while rolling out of bed.

For my nightstand gun, I use my everyday carry weapon, my S&W M&P40c. It is light enough and small enough for me to quickly control it, and it provides me with 10 rounds of .40 caliber goodness until I can reach the FNX, which is kept nearby.

I'm not going to get into the caliber debates, I'm just telling you what works for me. I suggest renting some of the guns you're interested in at a range and discovering what works for you. If your solution is not the same as mine, that's fine. You have to be comfortable with your choice of a nightstand weapon, whether it's a 9mm XDS, an FNX 45, or a .50 cal. Desert Eagle.

Good luck!

[Smoke]

Originally Posted by swsig

Returning to the OP's question, I have an FNX 45T with 2000 rounds through it. It is an excellent pistol, reliable and accurate, and it is a surprisingly soft shooter. I purchased it to be my principal home defense weapon (which it is), but it is not my nightstand gun. I find that it is too large and heavy (when fully loaded) to be easily gripped, cocked (if you leave the hammer down), and aimed while rolling out of bed.

For my nightstand gun, I use my everyday carry weapon, my S&W M&P40c. It is light enough and small enough for me to quickly control it, and it provides me with 10 rounds of .40 caliber goodness until I can reach the FNX, which is kept nearby.

I'm not going to get into the caliber debates, I'm just telling you what works for me. I suggest renting some of the guns you're interested in at a range and discovering what works for you. If your solution is not the same as mine, that's fine. You have to be comfortable with your choice of a nightstand weapon, whether it's a 9mm XDS, an FNX 45, or a .50 cal. Desert Eagle.

Good luck!

I'm sorry but if you have to go through all that to get to your "principal home defense weapon" into play you've chosen the wrong "principal home defense weapon ".

[swsig]

Originally Posted by Smoke

I'm sorry but if you have to go through all that to get to your "principal home defense weapon" into play you've chosen the wrong "principal home defense weapon ".

I guess it all boils down to the meaning of "principal". I'm home a lot (I'm retired), and the 16-18 hours a day when I'm not in bed, my FNX is definitely my go-to home defense weapon. Based on the percentage of hours where it's the first thing I grab, the FNX could be considered "principal". That's why I distinguished it from my M&P 40c nightstand weapon. Of course, one could argue that once I go to bed, my 40c becomes, at least temporarily, "principal". I know it stretches the meaning of "principal", but upon further reflection, I'm OK with having two principal home defense weapons.

And then there's my wonderful new SIG P320 .357 SIG...

[Smoke]

Originally Posted by swsig

I guess it all boils down to the meaning of "principal". I'm home a lot (I'm retired), and the 16-18 hours a day when I'm not in bed, my FNX is definitely my go-to home defense weapon. Based on the percentage of hours where it's the first thing I grab, the FNX could be considered "principal". That's why I distinguished it from my M&P 40c nightstand weapon. Of course, one could argue that once I go to bed, my 40c becomes, at least temporarily, "principal". I know that stretches the meaning of "principal", but upon further reflection, I'm OK with having two principal home defense weapons.

And then there's my wonderful new SIG P320 .357 SIG...

OK I see what you're saying. Still, if I roll out of bed with my .40C (Actually in my case it's a 9C) I'm better off going with that then trying to get a different gun into play

[amazingflapjack]

revolver-right now-every time-no jim cracks.

[retiredbadge8091]

Here's some advise, in my 23 years at my agency we first packed a GLOCK 17 in 9mm, then a GLOCK 22 in .40 S&W.

We had a number of officer involved shootings and none produced a failure to stop. I know most were center mass hits, some single and some multiple.

Pick a 9mm or better semi auto that you shoot well and are completely familiar with and practice, practice, practice. And remember, zombies aren't real.

[Mister X]

Originally Posted by swsig

Returning to the OP's question, I have an FNX 45T with 2000 rounds through it. It is an excellent pistol, reliable and accurate, and it is a surprisingly soft shooter. I purchased it to be my principal home defense weapon (which it is), but it is not my nightstand gun. I find that it is too large and heavy (when fully loaded) to be easily gripped, cocked (if you leave the hammer down), and aimed while rolling out of bed.

For my nightstand gun, I use my everyday carry weapon, my S&W M&P40c. It is light enough and small enough for me to quickly control it, and it provides me with 10 rounds of .40 caliber goodness until I can reach the FNX, which is kept nearby.

I'm not going to get into the caliber debates, I'm just telling you what works for me. I suggest renting some of the guns you're interested in at a range and discovering what works for you. If your solution is not the same as mine, that's fine. You have to be comfortable with your choice of a nightstand weapon, whether it's a 9mm XDS, an FNX 45, or a .50 cal. Desert Eagle.

Good luck!

If I'm understanding it correctly, the M&Pc is a stopgap measure in a scenario where an intruder(s) has gained entry into your home and has quickly reached your bedroom without much warning, essentially resulting in a reactive close-quarter scenario. With more time, you would go for the FNX. Is that the jest of it?

If so, I actually use a somewhat similar strategy although my always with me/go-to weapon is an enclosed hammer revolver. My thinking is such reactive scenarios could very well involve some sort of physical contact/close-quarter struggle and I believe the hammerless revolver is a superior weapon in those types of situations. With a little more lead time, I would opt for a Glock.

[AJ]

Has anyone ever thought of using a PMR-30? I have thought about it, don't have one though. The idea of 30 shots in one mag intrigues me. Not a big bore, but have a feeling a .22 mag will do lots of damage.

[Muss Muggins]

Originally Posted by AJ

Has anyone ever thought of using a PMR-30? I have thought about it, don't have one though. The idea of 30 shots in one mag intrigues me. Not a big bore, but have a feeling a .22 mag will do lots of damage.

No, but I wish they'd get around to making the CMR-30 more available. I know they're on the auction sites, but my LGS can't get one . . .

[M29since14]

I think the OP would like to have an FN .45 and if that's what he wants that's good enough. I'd never stand in the way of a fellow who wants a new gun.

As to the gun itself, I don't see the need for high capacity that some do. I have an M&P that hold 10 rounds and my 1911s hold 7 or 8, but if the FN seems like your thing - great! Give it a whirl!

[swsig]

Originally Posted by Mister X

If I'm understanding it correctly, the M&Pc is a stopgap measure in a scenario where an intruder(s) has gained entry into your home and has quickly reached your bedroom without much warning, essentially resulting in a reactive close-quarter scenario. With more time, you would go for the FNX. Is that the jest of it?

If so, I actually use a somewhat similar strategy although my always with me/go-to weapon is an enclosed hammer revolver. My thinking is such reactive scenarios could very well involve some sort of physical contact/close-quarter struggle and I believe the hammerless revolver is a superior weapon in those types of situations. With a little more lead time, I would opt for a Glock.

Yeah, that's pretty much it. It's similar to the old saying, (which I've seen on this forum), that a nightstand pistol is a weapon that buys me time until I can get to my rifle. I don't have a rifle, so a 15-round .45 will have to do in its place.

[Will Carry]

I keep a Walther PPQ-45 next to my bed and a model 36 backing it up. At close range bells and whistles don't mean much. Keep it simple.