A pistol is a small firearm designed to be held in one hand. Pistols are often used for self-defense, target shooting, and hunting. When choosing a pistol for home defense, it is important to consider factors such as caliber, capacity, accuracy, and reliability.
The caliber of a pistol refers to the diameter of the bullet it fires. The most common calibers for handguns are 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP. 9mm is a relatively small caliber that is easy to control, while .40 S&W and .45 ACP are more powerful calibers that offer greater stopping power. Capacity refers to the number of rounds a pistol can hold in its magazine. A pistol with a higher capacity can fire more rounds without reloading, which can be an advantage in a self-defense situation.