It can be hard to find the best rifles for self defense amongst the thousands of firearms in production. You have to consider which manufacturers are good, what caliber to choose, as well as the accessories you need to defend yourself. I wrote this article to highlight some great self defense rifles, and show you how to set them up for efficiency and performance.
Readers of this website know that I’m no stranger to shooting. In a universe far far away, I was an officer in the United States Marine Corps, and I’m currently serving my community as a police officer. While this does give me some experience with rifles, I would say my most relevant qualification is as a competitive shooter.
I’ve shot many thousands of rounds, through all kinds of rifles, and I’ve seen the good, bad, and the ugly. In this article I’m going to cover some great options for a home defense weapon. As you might imagine, there is functionally no difference between these rifles and what a SWAT officer, or Delta Force operator are carrying.
Moreover, I’ve only included very high quality options in this list of best rifles for self defense. If you’re looking for a list of lower priced budget AR15s then you can find that here. Similarly, I’ve not included any battle rifles, as they can be cumbersome for some users. You can find a list of battle rifles here if you’re dead set on those guns. Check out the full list below.
5 Best Rifles for Self Defense
- POF Renegade + 300 Blackout AR Pistol
- IWI Tavor X95 5.56mm
- FN SCAR 15P 5.56mm Pistol
- LWRC IC-A5 Gas Piston AR15 Rifle
- Daniel Defense DDM4 PDW
You can see that most of these guns are AR15 rifles, with a few notable variants. The prices also vary between $1700, to more than $2800. You absolutely do not have to spend this much money for a good self defense rifle. Recall, that this a list of the best rifles for self defense, not a list of ok rifles.
In the next section I’m going to review some key characteristics of a good defensive rifle. We’ll cover the key points to find your best gun. We’ll also disprove a few common misconceptions. If you like articles about fitness, guns, and tactical training, then it’s a good idea to join the email list below.
What Makes the Best Self Defense Rifles?
As you should imagine, the number one characteristic of a great self defense rifle is reliability. It doesn’t matter how well it shoots, or how cool it looks, if it doesn’t go bang when you need, then it’s junk. The rifles that I’ve included on this list all meet this standard. Most of them are tested by units like US Special Forces, or guys in the Ranger Regiment.
Next, you should consider what accessories you plan on using. If you’re going to hang lights, lasers, bipods, and more on a rifle, with no rail space, you might want to think again. Similarly, you need to consider if the muzzle device is removable, and if the rail will accommodate any suppressor or muzzle device you plan on using.
Lastly, you should consider the caliber. I’m only including 5.56mm and 300 Blackout rifles in this list. Contrary to popular belief there are no magic rifle rounds, that will guarantee a one shot stop. Any hunter can tell you that game shot with large caliber rifles rarely drops in their tracks. Bad guys are no different. Now let’s get to the next section.
5 Best Rifles for Self Defense
In this list I’ve included regular fighting rifles, as well as semi-automatic AR15 full-size pistols. There are certainly pros and cons to purchasing a pistol style AR15. In the US these guns are generally considered pistols, and can be taken across state lines with no issue. However, you still need to make sure the state you take the pistol into hasn’t prohibited it.
Alternatively, you can alway apply for a tax stamp, which isn’t hard. It’ll cost you $200, and you’ll have to notify the ATF of your intent to take it out of the state. If you plan on using your self defense rifle at your home, these gun laws won’t be a problem. Of course, the simplest option is choosing a rifle with a longer barrel length. There are two of those on the list. Now let’s get to the first rifle.
1. POF Renegade + 300 Blackout AR Pistol
The POF Renegade+ in 300 Blackout has been my best home defense gun for several years. I originally purchased it as an AR15 style pistol, and converted it to a short barrel rifle. It’s chambered in 300 Blackout, which is one of the best rounds for shorter barreled rifles.
While Patriot Ordinance Factory is known for their gas piston guns, this particular offering is direct impingement. I prefer this for a gun I’m not going to shoot all day, because it’s much lighter. I can also tell you that even units like DEVGRU are currently running DI guns. Don’t think you must have a piston. Check out the video below to see why I prefer this option to protect my family members.
On of the best features of this gun is the high quality trigger. As you can see it’s flat faced, and it is extremely crisp, coming in around 4-5 pounds. I like this trigger so much I purchased the drop in trigger pack for one of my other guns.
The one thing I would change is the rail. While it does have adequate rail space, the MLOK-slots are only every 90 degrees. I generally prefer rails that have slots at 45 degrees, as it allows you to fit accessories exactly where you want.
I currently run this rifle with a Surefire Mini Scout light, and a Deadair Sandman K suppressor with E-brake. The E-brake allows the short fighting suppressor to act as a compensator, drastically reducing recoil, for faster follow on shots.
As of this writing you can purchase this rifle for almost the exact same price I did in 2020, $1900. Of note, you will need to buy a brace, as they don’t ship with braces currently. Now, onto the best home defense rifle in bullpup format.
2. IWI Tavor 5.56 mm Bull Pup Rifle
The IWI Tavor in 5.56mm is a good choice for all around defensive use. The great thing about this self defense rifle, is that it features a full length 16in barrel. This longer barrel neatly gets around many annoying laws, that several states have. On a practical note, it also allows a regular 5.56mm round to achieve much higher velocity than in a 10.5 inch barrel.
Because it’s a bullpup design, it carries the weight in the buttstock, closer to your body. While the rifle isn’t light, it is easy to maneuver in tight spaces, due to this weight distribution. The Tavor has the added benefit of using 5.56 mm ammo which is much cheaper than 300 Blackout. Check out this video for full details.
Most reviewers praise this gun for its reliable gas piston system, which can easily be shot suppressed. They also note that the trigger isn’t that great, being slightly heavy. If that’s something you care about, Geissele does make a trigger kit to fix this issue.
I think the Tavor is a great option for those that need a do it all self defense rifle. If you live in a more rural area and need the ability to shoot at longer ranges, then this would be your best choice. As of this writing you can purchase the Tavor for around $1750. Next we’ll cover one of the most compact options on the list.
3. FN SCAR 15P 5.56 Pistol
The FN SCAR 15P is a great rifle caliber pistol for those that need a very compact package. Because it’s largely made of aluminum and polymer, it only weights 5.65lbs. The barrel is 7.5 inches, which keeps the overall package very small. This compact platform does come with some ballistic penalties.
Most reviewers testing 5.56mm rounds, in 7.5 inch barrels, report velocities of around 2200 ft/per second. With a 55 grain bullet, that yields around 670 ft/lbs of muzzle energy. This is roughly double what a typical 9mm pistol has, at the muzzle. There is actually a great ballistics gel review here from a 7.5 inch barrel (hollow point round) if you’re really interested.
If you compare these ballistics to the POF 300 Blackout, shooting a 110 grain V max bullet, you’ll find it registers 2300 feet per second, with roughly 1300 ft/lbs of muzzle energy. As you can see, 300 Blackout is a better choice for short barreled guns. Muzzle energy matters, but as it turns out the yaw angle of the round entering a body is actually just as important.
The ballistics out of the SCAR are more than sufficient to get the job done, provided you recognize that you’re giving up some range, and power. Check this video out for more details on the SCAR.
The good folks at FNH have finally fixed the charging handle issue. The first generation of the SCAR had a reciprocating charging handle, which would cause malfunctions if you touched it during operation. This one doesn’t reciprocate. It’s also more reliable and comfortable to shoot.
I think most users will likely mount a pistol brace or stock on this rifle, as shooting without either isn’t great. The nice thing about the SCAR is that you can mount a folding brace, because it has no buffer tube. This allows you to fold it into a bag easily. You can find some great braces here.
Now for the bad news. This pistol isn’t cheap. As of this writing, it goes for around $2800, depending on rebates. It tends to go out of stock quickly, so you might have to check back from time to time. Next, lets get to one of my favorite AR15 companies, LWRC.
4. LWRC IC A5 Gas Piston Rifle
The LWRC IC A5 Gas Piston 5.56mm rifle is a super reliable self defense rifle that is used extensively by law enforcement agencies. I’ve shot many thousands of rounds through several different LWRC rifles. They are well known for producing rugged, high quality piston driven guns. If you plan on shooting a lot, especially suppressed, then this is one of the best AR15s out there.
My current hard use LWRC is an M6IC with a 10.5 barrel in 5.56mm. I shoot it suppressed exclusively, and I find the piston system to be a life saver for good reason. It keeps the action of the gun much cleaner. Most importantly, the rifle isn’t over gassed like some other well known rifles, cough, cough HK.
There is nothing worse than getting so much gas blown back in your face that you can’t see, after every round. LWRC doesn’t have that problem. They feel like shooting a regular AR15, regardless of which suppressor you use. Check this video out.
This LWRC IC A5 is a 16 inch variant with cool spiral fluting. This fluting simultaneously reduces the weight of the gun, and allows for faster barrel cooling, due to increased surface area. The overall weight of this rifle is 7.3 pounds, which is very good for a full length piston gun.
Out of the box the A5 comes with iron sights. It has a two aperture rear sight, and flip up front sight. It also features a comfortable stock. LWRC uses a proprietary rail system, where you screw sections of picatinny rail where you need them. I still prefer MLOK, but this type of rail works well enough, and is a light weight method of adding in pic rail.
The downside is that this rifle isn’t cheap. You can currently purchase it for just under $2700. This is expensive but I don’t think you can purchase a higher quality piston driven rifle. Next we’ll talk about a great PDW from Daniel Defense.
5. Daniel Defense DDM4 PDW
The DDM4 PDW is the most compact AR15s on this list. This PDW is a great 300 Blackout gun, that is diminutive in size. It features a 7 inch barrel, and allows for an interesting sliding stock. The bad news is that you have to buy the stock separately.
Because Daniel Defense supplies rifles to Navy SEALs and Green Berets, they have a very rugged, and reliable rifle. The rail is extremely strong, and features MLOK at 45 degrees, all the way around. Check out this video below.
Most reviewers report that this gun is around 1.5 MOA accurate, which is incredible, given its small size. Because it’s direct impingement, the gun is very light, coming in at 5.7 pounds. The PDW is only 20.75 inches when collapsed and 24.75 when extended, with the brace in the review.
If you need a gun that you could fit into a regular bag, this would be a great option. As of this writing you can pick it up for a little under $2200. Again, this is a gun that goes out of stock quickly.
Now that we’ve covered all 5 of the best rifles for self defense, let’s move on to the accessories, and setup. After all, you still need sights, lights, and more.
Self Defense Rifle Accessories and Setup
No matter what the firearms industry might tell you, you don’t need to mount everything and the kitchen sink on your rifle. In order of precedence you need: red dot optic, light, back up sighting system. There are certainly other items which you may want to use, but those are the bare minimum. Let’s cover braces and stocks.
Best AR Pistol Braces and Stocks
There are quite a lot of options out there, but I think this is one area where there are clearly a few good quality options that will work for most shooters. First, the SBA3 brace has been around for years and works very well. It’s adjustable, and very comfortable to shoot.
There are some other interesting options that allow for collapsible braces, like the Daniel Defense PDW. Check out this SB HPPDW Tactical Brace pictured below.
Image Courtesy of Brownells
For those that need regular stocks, I think you should check out any of these Magpul options. I’ve tried a few other companies and I almost always return to a Magpul stock. They fit, work well, and are reasonably priced. Next let’s review some rifle optics.
Best Rifle Optics
I know some of you guys read my comment about red dots and started punching the air, but let me explain. These are self defense style rifles. Low powered variable optics (LPVOs) aren’t a good option for this situation.
As someone who shoots a lot with both types of optics, I will tell you that an LPVO is an intermediate range optic, that can be used in close quarters. Where as a red dot is designed exclusively to be used in close quarters. They have no eye relief requirements, and you can pair them with a magnifier, if you really need to see at further distance.
For shooters that want a great close range red dot, with an integrated bullet drop compensator, I highly recommend the Holosun HS503G. I pair this with a red dot magnifier, and it allows me to shoot from muzzle distance to 500 yards easily.
If you want a simple red dot sight, then I think you would do well with the Aimpoint Duty RDS (Amazon Affiliate Link). It’s a little more expensive than the Holosun, but Aimpoint makes good quality rifle red dot sights. Next lets cover the lights.
Best AR Rifle Lights
In my opinion, a quality rifle light is a must for any good self defense rifle. I recommend checking out this list of rifle lights, to see which ones fit your budget. Lately I’ve really enjoyed having the Surefire X300U pistol light mounted on the top rail.
You can run the standard rocker switch and it has a great beam pattern for close to intermediate work. As a bonus, you can always mount it on a pistol if you want to. Now let’s quickly talk about suppressors.
Suppressors on the Best Rifles for Self Defense
Suppressors are a nice to have, but not a must have. I think if you’re setting up a rifle for self defense, then you should strongly consider using a suppressor. If you’ve never shot suppressed, especially indoors, it is still very loud, and not hearing safe. It just isn’t immediately deafening, which is a good thing.
One of the other benefits of suppressing a rifle is that it can reduce the muzzle flash, which can be extreme on short barreled rifles. I recommend reading my review of the Deadair Sandman K, as I think it’s the best can on the market for self defense. It only adds 2.9 inches to the barrel of your gun! Now let’s finish this article up.
Final Thoughts
Those of you who passed 3rd grade math probably realize that a fully equipped rifle, using the accessories I’ve recommended on this list is very expensive. You could be looking at $4500 – $5000 plus if you go crazy with the accessories, and silencers.
Remember that you don’t need to spend a lot of money on a self defense rifle. You can also use a shotgun to great effect, and they are much cheaper. Check out this list for great self defense options for shotguns. You can buy a quality pump-action shotgun, with all the accessories, for less than the base price of any of these rifles. They are awesome for any home-defense scenario.
As always your skill with firearms is more important than any gear considerations. Proper training and practice with a bare bones gun will always out perform someone with a big budget and no fundamentals. If you have any comments or questions, put them below. Now get out there and get training. Don’t forget to join the email list.
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