That is a question one of the Netizens put to me a couple of weeks ago. Rather than give a canned answer (everyone needs a 1911 .45, after all), I’d like to use the question as a starting point for a discussion among us. I don’t think that I can tell you what gun to own. There are too many variables from your size (small women probably don’t want a 12ga), to personal tastes. A gun is a tool, a toy, a fashion accessory, and more. Let’s start with general recommendations.

In general, I would advise that everyone own at least three firearms and one good knife. You should have a handgun (pistol or revolver), a rifle, and a shotgun. Each of these has a role to play in self-defense and, more generally, your contribution to the defense of liberty as a full participant in your own God-given rights.

What do you need a handgun for? Are you going to get a permit and carry the weapon? Are you going to use a handgun as your primary home defense weapon? As a backup weapon? Just for target practice? All of these questions will impact what kind of handgun you want to buy. A full-size combat handgun like a Government model 1911 is an excellent choice for home defense or as a backup weapon for your shoulder arms (rifle or shotgun), but it probably isn’t the optimal choice for concealed carry. It also has moderately heavy recoil, something that you should consider. I recommend going to a gun range that provides rentals and firing a number of calibers before you make a purchase (9mm, .45, .38, .357 Mag. at least, more, of course, if you want to branch out). Decide what you want it for and shop accordingly.

A rifle is a different animal. It is an intermediate range weapon, and, as such, is not well suited to home defense. Why have one, you may ask? That is in some ways a philosophical question, but my answer is you need a rifle for personal defense where range is beneficial. Excellent examples are the LA Riots of 1992, or New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. This role lends itself to semi-automatic rifles with large magazine capacities, but a good lever-action rifle or scoped bolt gun would still be useful if the semi-automatic makes you uncomfortable or is illegal in your area.

A shotgun fills a third role, that of a short to medium range self-defense weapon with more power than a handgun, but fewer side-issues than a rifle. A shotgun is legal in almost all jurisdictions in the United States, and even overseas where they don’t have a Second Amendment to protect their right to keep and bear arms. Many people insist on a 12 gauge shotgun as the only gauge worth having, but I find that a 20 gauge is also acceptable with the right loads if the substantial recoil from a 12 ga. is an issue. I favor pump shotguns. They are a reliable, tested technology.

A word about self-defense. Self-defense is almost always at close range. In the street, it is often close enough to touch. At home, the longest range you can shoot is the length of the longest hall or largest room in your house. Practice accordingly. It is possible that you will need to be able to engage longer-range targets. The recent shooting at Ft. Hood, for example, could have been a scenario where an armed citizen might would have had to take a longer shot to take down someone that wasn’t necessarily a direct threat to them, but was engaged in violence towards others, and the riot scenario will require intermediate range capabilities so you can engage the threat before it is able to overwhelm you with numbers. Again, practice accordingly.

That is my philosophy on the issue. Certainly it is desirable to own more than just the three basic weapons, but not everyone can afford that or has the desire to do so. But having the basic three-gun compliment can prepare you for most self-defense situations that you are likely to encounter.