These days, most gun owners own at least one gun for self-defense purposes, but should they own two? There's a debate in the community about whether or not a single self-defense firearm is enough to protect you both when you are home and while you're out and about. We'll take a look at the benefits of keeping a second pistol to help you make the decision. 

Read on to learn the pros and cons of owning separate guns for home defense and self-defense. 

Size

One major factor to consider before making your decision is the impact that size has on a handgun's versatility. At the end of the day, concealed carry and home defense are two very separate applications for firearm usage, and the handgun elements that are demanded from one application may not necessarily be beneficial for the other. Size is one of these elements. In a concealed carry pistol, it's important to maintain a smaller frame without diminishing your stopping power. In a home defense scenario, the size of your pistol is not as important, and the decreased sight radius that comes along with more compact pistols may actually serve as a hindrance in a home defense application. 

Stopping Power

When talking about home defense, many will tell you that a rifle or a semi-automatic shotgun, such as the VR80 or the VRBP-100,  are the only guns for the job. While these long guns do, in fact, make for great home defense weapons, the benefits of a full-sized, larger caliber handgun in close-quarters defensive gun use should not be understated. Versatile home defense handguns, such as the full-sized, high-capacity TAC Ultra in 45 ACP are more than capable of stopping an intruder, especially when outfitted with an under-barrel light and night sights. Unfortunately, one of the major drawbacks of concealed carry pistols is that they do not often feature the same level of versatility and aftermarket customization afforded by their full-sized counterparts. However, that does not mean that these smaller concealed carry pistols are incapable of stopping an attacker. 

Gun Pairs

When contemplating your next trip to your favorite FFL, we recommend that you seriously consider planning to own a gun for each application—both concealed carry and home defense. While there may be some firearms that can effectively fill both roles, you would be far better prepared for each situation. We also recommend you opt for two guns in the same series, so your skills from one gun will transfer more seamlessly to the other. By doing so, you'll have more assurance that you can keep yourself and your family safe.

Ultimately, the choice about what firearms you buy and what you use them for is up to you. If you have one gun that you feel serves you well in both home defense and concealed carry applications, by all means use that gun for both. You need to be comfortable with the tools you use to protect your life, so forcing a second gun purchase may not always be the best choice for you. However, if you invest your time and energy into learning the ins and outs of both guns, you will certainly be more prepared when your life is on the line.