Couple of USMC rules for gun fighting I'd like to share with you. 1. If you are not shooting, you should be communicating. 2. Decide to be aggressive enough, quickly enough. 3. In 10 years nobody will remember the caliber, stance or tactics. They will only remember who lived.
Hadn't heard of these, so naturally turned to the YouTube comments section for advice: Hi point. The gangbanger throw away - sigfan 380 I got 1 people say they r ugly I tell them defence is a ugly job so I have a ugly tool they don't know what to say to that - Gerald Nash
Lots of people like to say they're "ugly". I don't see that myself. In fact none of the pistols, even the hi-priced ones, are as attractive as a smothered burrito.
Hi-Points.... better than many imagine. Lots of You Tube videos of, "testing this gun (Hi-Point whichever model), thinking I'll be deriding it... but was wrong. Better than I thought". (FWIW... I'm not a "gun guy", though I've shot "Expert Marksman" with rifles in the military 4 times... won't be shooting all that much now days or showing off my guns and bragging to others... but have considered the need for home defense. Hi-Point firearms... both pistols and carbines... fulfill that requirement more than satisfactorily.)
I have never shot one, but from what I have read and seen, you are correct. It is a pretty reliable piece of work at a real bargain price point. 9 mil or 45 carbine is a great home defense choice. I know the latest American Rifleman had an article by their tac expert saying an AR was his home defense choice, and he had many valid reasons. For me, the main negative of an AR is likely ear damage from firing it inside the house with no ear protection. I'm not really sure how big a threat that is, but he admitted it is very loud inside a house.
My 1st concern about an AR would be "over penetration"... perhaps mitigated by round choice and its fragmentation when penetrating barriers. "...For me, the main negative of an AR is likely ear damage from firing it inside the house with no ear protection. I'm not really sure how big a threat that is..." That threat is significant. As far as "noise damage to hearing from rounds discharged in the house"... not much help here. Noise level from any hypersonic round likely around 150-160 dB for most calibers (including shot guns and even .22s)... magnified a bit by walls being in close proximity. Even "subsonic" or "hushed" rounds run about 125 dB (unless suppressed)... that's no picnic, either. IOW... if you have the opportunity, you should put on your "ears" before firing.... especially indoors. Unless, of course, you're running "sub-sonic and suppressed".... a viable consideration for home defense + the protection of your hearing. (I have several guns scattered around my ranch style home and garage.... not running subsonic and suppressed, each gun has an ear muff stationed with it.... hope I/we have the time to put the ear protection on if needed.)
I cannot think of a logical argument for 5.56 for home defense outside of a rural area with acreage. A 45 or 9 carbine, handgun, or 12g shotgun. This goes for any rifle-caliber.
When everyone was buying up the 30 round mags I bought up whatever I could find. Bad idea, lots of feed and spring issues. This is across many different brands of AR15s I have. Don't skimp and get magpuls, etc. Good luck with your decisions.