Handguns

While it's easy these days to buy a gun that's designed specifically for home defense, it can be just as simple to turn a long gun or handgun that you inherited or bought for another purpose into a terrific home-defense tool. Customizing the gun doesn't have to be expensive or difficult, and in some cases the modifications don't even have to be permanent, allowing you to return the gun quickly to its original condition for its original purpose.

We'll move through the various types of firearms one at a time and suggest a variety of options for each that will make them better for home defense.

Shotguns
The shotgun may very well be the most common home-defense firearm--certainly, it can be one of the most likely to come into someone's possession through inheritance or as a gift from a family member. Once it's in the house, though, too many people figure it'll be fine "as is" to defend their homes, and they forget all about it.

The first factor to consider is the barrel. Shotgun barrels are commonly 26 inches or longer, and that length can be unwieldy for negotiating narrow hallways or steep staircases. Keep in mind that if the barrel precedes you into a room or when moving around a corner, an intruder can easily take it away from you.

So a shorter barrel makes sense, and here you have two options. One is to have a qualified gunsmith cut it to a shorter but legal (18 inches) length. Do not take a hacksaw or pipe cutter and do the job yourself; there's a lot more to cutting down a gun barrel than just whacking off the end. The muzzle is the last point of contact for the projectile, and you don't want uneven surfaces interfering with the plastic shotshell wad as it exits the muzzle. That can ruin patterns and hinder accuracy.

The second option--one that's particularly appealing to owners of pumps or semiautos--is to buy a replacement barrel. These can be purchased for most modern shotgun models, and they're easy to install. By going this route, you can store the gun ready to go for home defense and within a minute or two turn it back into a hunting gun.

I have long believed that a short, legal-length double with a piece of Weaver rail attached to the fore-end would be a good home-defense gun. The addition of a small piece of rail--on any shotgun, not just a double--is a good idea because it allows for the addition of a weapon light. A small piece of Weaver rail costs but a few dollars and does not distract from the appearance of the gun. If you opt to perform this modification, make sure that you attach the rail with a few screws and glue, not just glue alone, as it will not hold up to repeated shooting.

Over the years, I have seen many people equip a shotgun intended for home defense with folding stocks or solo pistol grips. While I have nothing against folding stocks (provided they are extended to help control the gun), I have not had good experiences with pistol grips alone. Pistol grips transmit all of the gun's felt recoil to the shooting hand and forearm and are just flat-out punishing to shoot.

Remember, the most effective home-defense gun is the one you've practiced with, and reducing recoil will produce a gun you'll shoot more. Stocks with recoil-control devices are fine, provided they do not interfere with the reliability of the gun itself. The new gel recoil pads available from a number of manufacturers are also great for reducing felt recoil.