Unpacking Colion Noir's Home Defense Handgun Guide

Our perspective as Gun Range/Store employees on Colion Noir's video "How To Buy A Home Defense Handgun"  

Before you read this post give the below video a watch! Colion Noir is one of my favorite youtube personalities and I enjoy all of his videos! 

To start off, I love Colion Noir’s channel and videos. Hell I have even purchased some of his merch. I don’t intend for this breakdown to be a counter argument or disagreement video…the opposite in fact, as I agree with almost everything he’s said. Rather, this video is meant to unpack some of his talking points, expand on them, and give some insight from the perspective of those here at Governor’s Gun Club (GGC) that work the range counter, range sales, and are Firearms Instructors. Our input on the topics in these videos can further the knowledge and direction of somebody who is looking to make their first handgun purchase.

Revolver vs Semi-Auto

I think in 2024, revolvers for self-defense only have one purpose. That's when very little or NO training can be involved. They are very simplistic in their use…pick up, point, and shoot. But once somebody starts to receive training on how to actually USE their gun, this reason quickly diminishes. This is my main contention with revolvers. They are used as a cop out when the owner doesn’t want to get training and thinks the revolver can make up for that lack of training. This is Point #1 (You MUST get training if you plan to own and use a firearm for self-defense).

Other reasons I don’t recommend revolvers is capacity, or how many rounds the gun can hold. Revolvers can generally only hold 5-6 rounds, whereas modern semi-autos can hold anywhere from 10-17 rounds. That's almost TRIPLE the amount of rounds that a revolver can hold. Home invasions are trending to have multiple aggressors. So if you only have 5 rounds in your gun, then that severely limits the amount of opportunities you have to solve the problem. Nobody after a gunfight thought to themselves, “Wow, I wish I had less rounds.”

A common thing that I hear from my students that come to my class is they think revolvers can’t jam or break. And while I would agree for the most part, I still tell them YES a revolver can jam. However, when a revolver does jam, it's much more difficult to fix. Immediate Action to clearing malfunctions on a semi-auto can take under a second to fix. If you know how to quickly correct it then the jamming argument loses weight. Refer back to point Number 1.

Back when I first started teaching, I saw several ladies bring revolvers into my classes. When I asked if they selected this gun themselves, their answer more often than not was, “My (insert male figure here) told me to buy this or got it for me,” or “The guy at (insert large retailer here) told me not to get a semi auto, and I should get a revolver because a semi-auto is too complicated.” I think that’s an insult to their intelligence. I’ve been teaching for almost 6 years and have taught hundreds of students. There have only been TWO ladies to ever not be able to manipulate the slide of a semi-auto. One lady had severe arthritis, and another lady had metal pins in her thumbs and wrists. Very rarely do I believe it is a strength issue. It is almost always due to technique when I think ladies struggle with the operation of the slide. Part of it, I believe as well, is finding a gun they are capable of racking the slide on. Some gun slides are more difficult to rack, but with the prevalence of the Smith & Wesson EZ models, I’ve now never had a lady NOT be able to rack or lock a slide. The old mindset that a lady needs or can only use a revolver is one that I think needs to be changed. It's an older, outdated way of thinking of female self-defense. Any female can operate the slide of a semi-auto if they are shown properly. Again, refer back to point Number 1.

I tell everyone who is purchasing a gun for the first time this…make the selection yourself. By all means, do your own research on reviews, but ultimately the decision on what gun YOU want should be YOUR choice. I’m not going to tell you what shoes you need to buy, so I’m not going to tell you what gun you need to buy. We’re going to give you options and examples, compare those options, and then let you make the decision. I’ve had countless students that have taken a class with a gun they were told to buy or had a gun bought for them, fire their first few rounds in the range, and end up hating the gun. In short, try it before you buy it.

I could probably make a whole video on why I’m not the biggest fan of revolvers. But I 100% agree with his points on revolver vs semi-auto. Just go with a semi-automatic that YOU choose. 

What Caliber?

I think Caliber selection for a first time gun buyer comes down to a few things…Recoil, Capacity and “Stopping Power.” I absolutely agree that 9mm is the way to go for self-defense handguns. There are many more gun options if you choose a 9mm. So many more guns I can show you at the range counter. The supply for 9mm is there too. But I do understand that some newer shooters may be a little shyer about recoil. When introducing someone who is brand new to guns for the first time, I’ve found it's hit or miss on who is “okay” with a bit more recoil and who may find 9mm to be too snappy for them. The folks I would have thought would be recoil sensitive turned out to handle it great for their first time ever shooting a gun. But you won't know until you try it. 

I think there are a few ways to solve the recoil problem for those who may be more timid because of the recoil. Ammo manufacturers make “low recoil” 9mm that have a noticeable reduction in how much they kick. Another way I’ve found that works well to get people comfortable with recoil is to gradually progress them to a 9mm, starting from .22, then to .380, and then trying 9mm. I’ve also found that finding a gun that fits their hands better helps them manage that recoil better as well. If the shooter can get an overall better purchase of the gun, then they’ll be able to manage the kick better I’ve found. Say a Glock19 is just a tad too large for someone with smaller hands. If we replace that with a Glock48 I've found that even though the gun has less mass and is a little smaller the shooter can get an overall better grip on the gun and can manage the recoil better. 

When it comes to magazine capacity, 9mm is unmatched in how many rounds you can get into the gun. Take the capacity of Glock’s 9mm G17 and compare it to their .45ACP G21 as just one example. The G17 will hold 17 rounds while the G21 will hold 13. Yes…only a difference of 4, rounds but wouldn’t you want to have those extra 4 rounds? This disparity is even greater as you go to a smaller gun.

Stopping Power is a made up myth by old dudes that were compensating for poor shot placement. As long as you are getting a good-quality self-defense round, your differences in 9mm & .45 ACP are marginal at best. For example, Hornady 9mm HP XTP has a muzzle energy of 339 ft-lb. Their 45 ACP XTP HP has a muzzle energy of 386 ft-lb. Let’s use our earlier example of the G17 & G21. The magazine of 17 rounds of 9mm has a total amount of energy of 5763 ft-lbs. vs the 13 rounds of 45 ACP with a total of 5018 ft-lbs. So yes, per round there is a difference of energy, but when you take into account ALL of the ammunition from the magazine, those additional 4 rounds gives us a higher TOTAL energy that can be dispensed. Yes, a bigger hole is better, but I value having more chances to solve the problem.

Again, the caliber debate has been raging since the dawn of guns, and there's no right answer. But for a first handgun purchase, 9mm is going to be much more enjoyable to the shooter…and their wallet.

How much to spend?

Something that I ask all of my students is how much money are they willing to invest into a tool that could potentially save their life? The usual response is “how much ever it takes.” Occasionally we’ll get the high roller that has the cash to afford some of the higher-end guns, but I think for a first time purchase, all of that extra money could be saved and better spent elsewhere (ammo and training). I tell new buyers this: Glock, Sig, and Smith & Wesson all make affordable firearms in the $400-$700 range. They aren’t going to break the bank, but they are going to be reliable when you need them to be. They are the Honda Civics of the gun world; nothing fancy, not too pricey, but maintain it right, and it’ll last you a really long time. Think of it this way too: If you just got your drivers license and are shopping for a brand new car, are you going to go out and get a high speed Ferrari? Will it be nice and high quality? Yes. Will you have the skills and knowledge to use it to its full potential? Probably not at this stage in your driving career. Same concept when buying a handgun for the first time. Having a higher end firearm won’t make you a greater shooter if you don’t have the skills and training to begin with. You can’t just throw money at a gun and expect it to make you a good shooter if you don’t know what it takes to be a good shooter. I’d suggest you start at something that’s more entry level and use that extra cash for ammo and training. Once you have some experience under your belt then maybe look to upgrade to something that can elevate your shooting. 

But don’t go too cheap. In this industry you get what you pay for. So I agree with Colion, I’d maybe say minimum $400 for a brand new gun is a good indicator to whether or not that gun is going to be reliable or not. I’m looking at you Taurus & SCCY.

I’d much rather a new shooter find a quality gun that works for them at a price point that also works for their budget. Take the money that you may have spent on a fancier gun and put it into ammunition and training. You’ll get much more value out of that training than you will from having a nicer gun. Be prepared to spend a good bit, but know that your investment will last and be dependable.

Visit a Gun Store

Here is another section where we could probably make a whole separate video.

We have the privilege of working at a gun store that also has a shooting range. At our range we also have several rental options to choose from. I would highly advise that if you are looking to make your first gun purchase, come to a dedicated gun store/range. The input of the employees that work here will be much more valuable than the input that may come from an employee at a large retailer, think Cabelas and Academy. That's not to belittle any of those stores or their employees, but the chances of you getting an employee that's just there to run the register is much higher. I can't tell you how many times I've heard my students or customers give absolutely bad or INCORRECT advice about guns. They may not know the specific answers to your questions. How to navigate your questions in a way that best serves your needs. How to get a good feel of what it is that you’re looking for and how to make suggestions. Whereas a gun store/range employee sought out that particular place of employment for a reason; they have some form of passion about firearms. You’d be even more in luck if they have a training program or a team of instructors. 

One of our associates that works here was once employed at one of these large retailers selling firearms and they say their customer engagement is vastly different with how we operate here at GGC. They were pressed to make a sale no matter what, even if they knew the customer may not have been happy with their purchase. Here at GGC they feel they can speak more openly and spend the time necessary to direct and educate the customer in finding them the gun that suits their needs. And that shows, as we’ve had several customers come back seeking advice from this specific associate because they had a good experience.

Here at GGC, all of our Sales and Range associates love to talk with newer shooters about making their first purchase. Everyone will have their own process and talking points, but everyone here wants to see that customer leave happy with the purchase they’ve just made.

Here is my own process on recommending a gun for a first-time purchaser. My first question is “What context do you see yourself using the gun the most? A gun to just have fun with? Concealed Carry? Or Home Defense?” I ask this question because for me this narrow down what I’m going to show them at the range counter. I explain to them the pros & cons of full size & compact firearms in those different contexts. For example, A Glock 43x is a great gun for concealed carry given its smaller size. But that smaller size usually leads to a smaller magazine capacity. If using it for home defense that smaller size is negligible because in that context, we’re not trying to conceal the gun. A full size gun for home defense would mean we don't have to sacrifice the size of the gun, benefits being that we can have more capacity, the larger size means we can manage the recoil better, in turn being more accurate. 

I also tell them that the beautiful thing about America is that you can own as many guns as you want. So while you may be looking for a gun for home defense now, later down the road you may want to look for a gun more suited to concealed carry, and that’s completely okay!

Lets say this customer wants a gun for home defense and they don’t see themselves conceal carrying just yet. I’d then select several full-size models to show them. Think Glock17, Sig P320, Smith and Wesson MP2.0. My next question is how important a Thumb Safety is to them? I tell them that a Thumb Safety is a personal choice and a decision that they’ll have to make on their own while weighing the pros and cons of selecting a firearm that does or does not have a Thumb Safety. The next step is to show them a quick proper grip and ask them how each gun feels in their hand. Narrowing down the 2-4 guns that feel the best to them. Once 2 to 4 firearms that feel good in hand have been selected, I’ll talk about the differences between those firearms. Noting each of their magazine capacities, ability to mount red dots and lights, if they have optional thumb safeties, etc. The last thing that I’ll cover is price, because all of the guns I’ll show them will fall into that $400-$700 range. The next step is heading to the range to test fire them!

Test Rental at Gun Range

There isn’t much to say about this point. Our instructors and Range Safety Officers (RSO) have almost the exact same process and checklist for first-time buyers renting and trying guns on the range.

I will say that I wouldn’t overlook the value of having a professional on the range guiding you through this process, especially if it's your first time shooting or buying a gun. How is a newer shooter going to know how the gun feels in their hand if they’ve never held one before, let alone if they are holding it incorrectly? You’d be surprised at how many shooters we see on the ranges here that have bad grips… and how many band aids we’ve had to put on thumbs. Having an instructor or an RSO there can ensure that they are loading the gun correctly. So that they can get a feel between the differences of racking the slide. How about aiming? Do we know if this newer shooter is looking at their sights correctly?

I guess there are smaller nuances that we take for granted by being well versed in firearms that newer shooters may not understand. Being an instructor, I’ve learned that even our common verbiage and jargon may not be known or understood to someone who is brand new to firearms. I’ve had students and customers ask what “caliber” was. We who know a bit more about firearms may think it's common sense what caliber is, but somebody who is brand new to it may not.

I think a bigger discussion to have is should you get training before buying your first gun? I think there are pros and cons to either side of that answer that the student and customer will have to determine. I’ve had many students take a class before they bought a firearm, and I’ve had students that bought a firearm and then took a class with said firearm. This is also state-specific. Some states require you possess a carry license before purchasing a gun.

Conclusion

Overall, I loved this video and I wanted to share my own thoughts and experiences about buying a Handgun, especially for a someone new. Here at GGC we love talking to new folks who are either just getting into firearms or making their first purchase. I still vividly remember the craze of the pandemic and riots of 2020-2021 when people were flocking to get their hands on any type of gun no matter what it was. I understand it, even if I wished they would have made a more informed decision. Buying a gun for the first time is a serious first step in making the choice to defend yourself and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. But equally important is getting trained in how to use your firearm!

Let me know your thoughts on Colion’s video and if you have any experiences that you’d also like to add!