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A handgun should be considered just one element in your self-defense plan. In your home, you should have motion-sensing lights placed around the perimeter of your house, either an alarm or a dog with good ears, a cell phone and a very bright flashlight.

And a gun.

What kind of gun? The rule of thumb is, "The biggest gun you can comfortably and effectively use." Depending on who you are, you physical limitations and your budgetary restrictions, there are several suitable choices.

The first thing to think about is that buying the gun is just one step in becoming skilled with its use. You need a goodly supply of ammunition, extra magazines or speedloaders and some accessories.

What type of gun? There are two basic choices; revolvers and semi-automatics. Neither is definitively "better" than the other. It's sort of like asking whether a belt or suspenders is better at keeping your trousers up - they both do the same job, they just do it differently.

Revolvers are traditionally the choice for people who don't want to fuss with their gun very much. A good revolver from a good manufacturer gives you 5 or 6 shots before you need to reload. Frankly, if you can't get it done in 6 shots, or 12 with a reload, you're probably not going to get it done.

Semi-autos are great as they are quicker to reload, generally hold more rounds (these are especially important if you plan on missing a lot) and can feel better in the hand to many. But you must be a bit more diligent about maintenance and are fussier about the choice of ammunition you feed it.

Go to a gun range where you can try different guns out. Many ranges have special rental nights where for a moderate fee you can try as many different guns as you like. This will give you exposure to a broad range of different sizes, shapes and feels.

Buy what works best for your hand and your eye. Don't worry so much about the caliber, that's not as important as the fact that your gun fits you well. If it doesn't feel good, don't buy it, period.

In my case, I have a unique challenge. My hands are fairly large, but my fingers are short, so firing guns like the Beretta 92 is awkward at best. None of the double action pistols fit very well, so I gravitate to revolvers and single-action pistols.

Remember that with revolvers, you can change grips and that there are a wide variety of grips available to fit most popular makes and models.

Which calibers should you consider?

Again, you want to carry as much gun as you can comfortably and effectively use.

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