Everyone sets up their home defense guns differently. Some use Less Lethal; others use shotguns, pistols or rifles. Different guns all have different purposes and depending on where you live and your skill level, one might work better for you than another. Your home defense gun needs to work for you and your purpose. My home protection gun is currently a GLOCK 19 Gen 5, a compact 9mm pistol. It lives in a small safe in the bedroom.
Why does this handgun work for me? I am left-handed and the Generation 5 GLOCKs are ambidextrous. The grip fits my hand well and I am used to all of the controls. I have the Wilson Combat Vickers Elite Battlesights, which has a black rear sight and a fiber optic front sight. These are the same sights that have on my carry pistol, so it stays consistent.
Self Defense Handgun Light
For dark or dimly lit situations such as that unwelcome bump in the night, I have an Axeon MPL1 Micro Pistol Light. It is slim, compact, and runs on the common AAA battery. It puts out 120 lumens with a constant run time of 30 minutes. Changing the battery is simple and easy, after checking that your gun is unloaded and clear, meaning the magazine is out and the handgun is clear of any ammunition, unscrew the battery compartment on the front, where the light bulb is, and replace to the battery. Place the negative (-) end of the battery in first, with the positive (+) end facing out. It also has buttons on each side of the light so that it too is ambidextrous. Either button can turn the light on and off.
The MPL1 handgun light has three settings, a constant stream of light, strobe, and an SOS Morse code flash. One-click produces a constant stream that can be used for surveying the surrounding areas. A second click will produce a strobe light, which can be used to stun or disorient an intruder for a short period of time. The third click will produce SOS in Morse code—3 fast flashes, 3 slow flashes, 3 fast flashes before it pauses and restarts. If you are using your light as an SOS signal, I recommend removing it from the gun. If you are unable to remove it then make sure it is unloaded and clear (you do not want to be pointing a gun at the person that is coming to save you). A fourth click turns it off.
How To Mount the Axeon MPL1 Pistol Light
Mounting the MPL1 is simple and easy, loosen the Allen screw, line up the screw on the light with the notch on the rail of your pistol, place on the rail, and tighten the screw back.
Using all of these tools takes practice and patience. I suggest signing up for a class and practicing regularly with your home defense guns and your concealed carry guns to stay proficient.
Listed below are a few firearm defense courses that may be of benefit to you. Additionally, there are many videos that you can find on self-defense shooting and practice drills.
NRA Firearm Training | Student Courses
Tatiana Whitlock | Training in Context
Gunsite Academy
Leave a comment below on what you use for personal defense and how that works for you!
By Breanna Garvey
Competitive shooter, wife, and lover of shooting sports and the outdoors.