As we all know, some states have firearm restrictions that are, to put it kindly, less logical than others.
For example, states like California, New York, and Massachusetts have laws that make it tough to legally protect your home with the most effective weapons possible.
Luckily, the gun industry is so large and vast that there’s still a wide variety of options, even within the most restrictive states.
I’ve gathered together some of the best home defense weapons that are still legal in states with strict gun control in place.
While these guns are a compromise over something like a proper AR-15, they can still provide the necessary firepower to protect yourself.
So keep reading if you live in a firearm-restrictive state and need some ideas for home defense!
THE QUICK LIST
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Editor’s Pick
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Best Lever Action
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Highest Capacity Shotgun
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Best Semi-Auto Rifle
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Best Shotgun
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Best Revolver
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Low Recoil Shotgun
Table of Contents
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Best Ban State Home Defense Guns Comparison Chart
| Caliber | Action | Capacity | Barrel Length | Overall Length | Weight | Price | |
| Glock 34 Gen 3 | 9mm | Semi-auto, striker-fired | 10 | 5.31″ | 8.82″ | 25.93 oz | $596 |
| S&W Model 327 TRR8 | .357 Magnum/.38 Special | DA/SA revolver | 8 | 5″ | 10.5″ | 35.2 oz | $1,489 |
| Henry Big Boy X | .357 Magnum/.38 Special | Lever-action | 7 | 17.4″ | 36.3″ | 7.3 lbs | $805 |
| Fightlite SCR Carbine | 5.56 NATO/.223 Rem | Semi-auto, direct-impingement | 5 (accepts AR-15 mags) | 16.25″ | 37.75″ | 5.9 lbs | $1,179 |
| Beretta 1301 Tactical | 12 ga | Semi-auto, gas-operated | 7+1 | 18.5″ | 37.8″ | 6.7 lbs | $1,638 |
| Mossberg 590 Persuader 20 ga | 20 ga | Pump-action | 8+1 | 20″ | 40″ | 7.25 lbs | $449 |
| SRM Arms M1216 | 12 ga | Semi-auto, roller-delayed blowback | 16+1 | 18.5″ | 33.75″ | 7.75 lbs | $1,713 |
How We Chose the Best Home Defense Guns for Ban States
For this article, we gathered opinions from our staff who have actually lived in ban states previously. Our Founder/CEO and Videographer/Social Media Manager both lived in Califonia, while our Editor-in-Chief spent time living in New Jersey. We considered guns we had personally shot, reviewed, or owned, as well as a few we’ve researched and recommended to us by people we trust.
For guns we have reviews on, we’ve linked those. Reviewed guns go through a strict testing protocol. Every review handgun undergoes a strict testing protocol that requires a minimum of 500 rounds of both FMJ and JHP ammo through it at 5 and 7 yards.
Meanwhile, every review rifle undergoes 500 rounds of practice ammo and heavier match-grade ammo at 50 and 100 yards with a 5-25x scope (unless otherwise noted). We require all AR-15s to be tested with at least 3 magazines to assess compatibility, and we use a Lyman Digital Trigger Gauge to measure the average trigger pull for all guns.
Best Firearms for Ban States
1. Glock 34 Gen 3 – Editor’s Pick
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Specs
- Caliber: 9mm
- Action: Semi-auto, striker-fired
- Capacity: 10
- Barrel Length: 5.31″
- Overall Length: 8.82″
- Weight: 25.93 oz
If you want to take the home defense handgun route, then the Glock G34 offers you a great choice. You are isolated to 10 rounds in the most restrictive states.
However, the Glock series has been around for decades, and the magazines from earlier generations will work in Gen 3 Glocks.
Let’s say you live in a state that did not enact gun control until recently. If that’s the case, it might be easy to find some pre-ban magazines floating around for the Glock 17/34.
The Glock 34 uses a long slide that will add some velocity, increase your sight radius, and provide a heavier, easier-to-control pistol.
This 9mm Glock is easy to handle and likely easy to find. Even if you are stuck with 10 rounds, you can very easily purchase 10-round magazines for the Glock series of pistols.
Another reason to consider a Glock is because they are affordable, easy to upgrade, and one of the most reliable pistols on the planet.
It’s tough to hate on a reliable, proven, and affordable platform.
What do you think of the Glock 34 Gen 3? Rate it below!
2. Henry Big Boy X .357 Magnum – Best Lever Action
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Specs
- Caliber: .357 Magnum/.38 Special
- Action: Lever-action
- Capacity: 7
- Barrel Length: 17.4″
- Overall Length: 36.3″
- Weight: 7.3 lbs
The Henry Big Boy X avoids most gun control by being a manually operated firearm with a relatively low capacity and an internal magazine.
It’s a lever gun, something designed in the Civil War era, although the X models modernize things a fair bit.
First, they ditch the wood for lighter, more durable synthetic furniture.
It even has a Picatinny rail and M-LOK slots for adding accessories. For home defense, a light is a must-have, and the Cloud Rein micro would fit perfectly on the gun.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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We also get high-visibility sights, and the gun is tapped to make adding a red dot easy.
The weapon is fairly light and handy with a 17.4-inch barrel. It weighs in at a little over 7 pounds and can hold seven rounds of ammunition. Side saddle devices now exist to make top-offs possible.
Companies like Midwest produce M-LOK handrails for even more accessorizing. The threaded barrel makes the addition of a muzzle device easy. A good flash suppressor or compensator would be best since most restrictive states don’t allow suppressors.
In .357 Magnum, you get a potent caliber that hits hard and expands well with defensive ammunition.
On the flip side, the gun can use .38 Special, which tends to be cheaper for practice. You’ll need lots of practice because operating a low-capacity, manually operated weapon is never easy.
It’s an old-school solution to a modern problem, but it’s tough to find a state that bans lever actions.
3. SRM 1216 Shotgun – Highest Capacity Shotgun
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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Specs
- Caliber: 12 ga
- Action: Semi-auto, roller-delayed blowback
- Capacity: 16+1
- Barrel Length: 18.5″
- Overall Length: 33.75″
- Weight: 7.75 lbs
Most ban states only allow 10 rounds in a gun at a time. The SRM 1216 is a shotgun that carries 16 rounds but gets away with it in ban states.
Because the “magazine” is four tubes that require the user to manually rotate the next tube into action.
Technically, it’s only a 4-round magazine. They even produce models that require tools to remove the magazine, effectively making it a fixed magazine. Sixteen rounds of 12-gauge are nothing to joke around about.
You can see it in action below:
It provides plenty of power in a compact package. This is a quasi-bullpup shotgun that delivers a semi-auto action.
The SRM 1216 delivers a fast-firing action that utilizes a roller-delayed system, much like the ol’ MP5 series of SMGs.
The SRM 1216 comes ready with plenty of rail estate for mounting optics, lights, lasers, cup holders, etc. It’s a very modern weapon that can be set up for righties or lefties with ease.
This gun is super reliable in my experience, and with a good defensive 12-gauge load, the SRM 1216 is a devastating weapon.
It might not be as easy to handle as a standard AR-15, but it provides a semi-auto action with 16 rounds. With practice, you’ll get fast at rotating the tubes and keeping the gun in action at all times. Heck, if removable magazines aren’t an issue, you can purchase multiple SRM 1216 magazines.
4. Fightlite SCR – Best Semi-Auto Rifle
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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Specs
- Caliber: 5.56 NATO/.223 Rem
- Action: Semi-auto, direct-impingement
- Capacity: 5 (accepts AR-15 mags)
- Barrel Length: 16.25″
- Overall Length: 37.75″
- Weight: 5.9 lbs
Finally, let’s look at the one “AR-15” that’s proclaimed itself 50-state legal, and it’s a fascinating rifle design.
The SCR lower is completely different than an AR-15 lower and implements a sporting-style Monte Carlo stock. This design utilizes an integral buffer in the stock and a unique rat tail BCG.
This lower allows you to use a standard AR upper receiver in .300 Blackout, 5.56, and any caliber that can use a standard AR-15 bolt. The SCR retains the semi-auto action, a good bit of the AR-15’s modularity, and its soft shooting nature.
I’d actually say it’s softer shooting than a standard AR-15. Since you can use standard uppers or the Fightlite upper, you can mount M-LOK rails, optics, lights, and whatever else you may want on your SCR.
The SCR is all kinds of cool and is the least abomination-looking compliant AR-15 design I’ve ever seen. It’s a fascinating option, and it’s very ergonomic. I live in a “free” state, and I own an SCR just because I respect the design so much.
Want a compliant AR but don’t dig the Fightlite? We got you covered with more ideas and builds in our Featureless AR-15 Rifles [California Build Guide].
5. Beretta 1301 – Best Shotgun
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Specs
- Caliber: 12 ga
- Action: Semi-auto, gas-operated
- Capacity: 7+1
- Barrel Length: 18.5″
- Overall Length: 37.8″
- Weight: 6.7 lbs
A tube-fed semi-auto shotgun with a capacity of fewer than 10 rounds is rarely restricted. If you want a pure combat-oriented shotgun, then the Beretta 1301 is tough to beat.
The new 1301 Tactical Mod 2 sports an extended 7+1 magazine tube, a redesigned forend with M-LOK mounting slots, and a new barrel clamp with an integrated sling QD mount.
The 1301 Tactical’s semi-auto action makes follow-up shots quickly, and the soft-shooting nature of the gun brings a new degree of controllability to shotguns.
Toss on a red dot, and you’ve got a very capable fighting weapon. Load it with good buckshot like Federal Flitecontrol, and you’ll be ready to go.
With the low capacity, you’ll need to train your reloads on the fly. However, it’s unlikely that eight rounds of 12-gauge won’t solve your problem.
Want to see the standard Beretta 1301 Tactical in action? Check out John’s review or watch the video below.
6. Smith & Wesson Model 327 TRR8 – Best Revolver
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Specs
- Caliber: .357 Magnum/.38 Special
- Action: DA/SA revolver
- Capacity: 8
- Barrel Length: 5″
- Overall Length: 10.5″
- Weight: 35.2 oz
Staying with the handgun theme, let’s take a peek at one of the coolest revolvers on the planet.
Revolvers typically do not fall under restrictive bans due to their fixed magazine design and relatively low capacity.
With that said, the TRR8 is an 8-shot revolver, which is somewhat uncommon.
It’s a .357 Magnum, so you can also shoot .38 Special through it without issue. The TRR8 is cut for moon clips as well, which can facilitate faster reloads.
Moon clips are essentially speedloaders that drop into the gun. They are disposable in a fight and the preferred setup for competition shooters who need to shoot fast and reload faster.
.357 Magnum is no slouch in the ballistic department, either. Recoil can be cumbersome, but the TRR8 is a heavy weapon, and 35 ounces of metal help eat some of that recoil.
The TRR8 can utilize a series of rails to attach a red dot and light to ensure the wheel gun keeps up with the most modern of pistols.
In action, the Performance Center design tends to provide a slick action with an amazing trigger. It’s a big gun and does big gun things very well.
The TRR8 provides a very modern revolver with complete compliance in states like California and Mass.
7. Mossberg 590 20-Gauge – Low Recoil Shotgun
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Specs
- Caliber: 20 ga
- Action: Pump-action
- Capacity: 8+1
- Barrel Length: 20″
- Overall Length: 40″
- Weight: 7.25 oz
For shooters who want a shotgun that’s compliant but also easy to handle, look no further than the latest models of Mossberg’s famed 590 series.
Mossberg has produced a dedicated 20-gauge tactical shotgun that holds nine rounds of 20-gauge. As a manual action weapon with a fixed magazine, it’s unlikely to hit the ban lists.
This 590 model comes complete with ghost ring sights, which I’ve grown to prefer over the classic bead sight.
The 9-shot model also features a compact 13-inch LOP stock, making it easier to maneuver in tight spaces that you would likely encounter in a home defense scenario.
A 20-gauge round is still a very potent fighting cartridge and will deal some serious damage to a home invader. With nine of them, you’ll be ready to quickly take on multiple bad guys if necessary.
Using 20-gauge over 12-gauge reduces the recoil of the gun and makes it a much softer shooter and much easier to handle overall.
The 590 series have always been reliable fighting shotguns, and now that they’ve been 20-gauged, it’s perfect for smaller shooters or recoil-sensitive shooters.
Be sure to check out our full review of the 18.5-inch Mossberg 590 20-gauge!
Why Trust Pew Pew Tactical
Pew Pew Tactical author Travis Pike wrote this article. Travis spent a lifetime shooting as a kid and later joined the United States Marine Corps, where he spent five years as an infantryman. In the middle of his Marine Corps career, he began writing and never stopped. Travis is an NRA-certified instructor and Concealed Carry Instructor for the state of Florida. He has thousands of articles in his name and a variety of publications, including Pew Pew Tactical.
Editing and adding to this article is Wyatt Sloan, Jr. Editor. Wyatt is an NRA-certified instructor with previous experience as a USPSA competitor. Wyatt personally owns over 200 firearms and has 10 years of home-based FFL firearm sales. He has used his extensive experience with firearms at large to test guns for Pew Pew Tactical — evaluating them based on our standards and metrics.
Editor-in-Chief Jacki Billings runs our experienced team of reviewers. She is a National Rifle Association Basic Pistol Instructor as well as a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, ACES: Society for Editing, and the Professional Outdoor Media Association. Jacki has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and has worked as a media professional for close to 20 years, specializing in gun media for almost 10 years. With 2,000+ articles to her name, she uses her professional journalism and editing experience to set testing protocols and editorial standards for Pew Pew Tactical. Jacki also spent time living in New Jersey, so she understands the value of guns you can own in ban states.
Final Thoughts
While living in a ban state might feel like a bummer, there are guns out there you can use to defend your home.
These recommendations will hopefully get you squared away with your home defense setup.
If you live in a ban state, what’s your weapon of choice for home defense? Let us know below! For more on securing your home, check out how to Stage Guns for Home Defense.
Latest Updates
- February 2025: Removed .458 SOCOM build. Swapped Glock 34 for the Glock 34 Gen 3 California Compliant model. Changed model specifics for the Beretta 1301 Tactical, Mossberg 590 20-guage, and Fightlite SCR. Added a comparison chart and specs for each model.
21 Leave a Reply
A very good choice for a topic.
CORRECTION: Should read, "A tube-fed, semi-auto shotgun with a capacity of fewer than 10 rounds is rarely found to be deemed 'out of compliance' in regard to satisfying any given state's imposed firearm restrictions"...or something similar.
I just looked up the regulations for California shotguns, because I was pretty darn certain that the IWI TS-12 and SRM Arms shotgun shown here were not compliant, but according to 11 CCR subsection 5471, paragraph (ii), they don't meet the qualifications of a revolving cylinder shotgun, so they're good to go.
Now...if only I had the cash to front for one....
Also, one note: the .458 SOCOM is not a straight-wall cartridge. It has a bottleneck. For similar performance but a true straight-wall design, you would need to look at the .450 Bushmaster.
Not sure of the specific law, but I doubt the to state legal Fightlite SCR is legal in Chicago (guess it’s state not city, just realized my error).
We have the “scary looking ban” so pistol grips on riffles an such are a no no.
No suppressors or lasers cuz God forbid I’d want to save my hearing if I shot indoors or wanted quick target acquisition.
I really love this one as im from a ban state of New Jersey sadly....Right now im on a search for 15 to 20acres of land in WV or maybe TN or SC? Off Grid of course ;>) hehe Anyway I love the list i own most of the styles and brands of guns you mentioned. I have revolvers and shotguns and glocks although i went with the standard G19 lol i own two. One is tricked out while the other is all factory. I have a Mossberg 88 rather then the 590. At the time i didnt have big bucks. lol Also own the Henry big boy. A few Ars to say the least and am just now starting my .458Socom build! lol I decided to use that for home defend and already have some 250g and 300g rounds to be ready to see what it may like better? But as anything else i have a few different calibers of ARs so It was more about the power of the 458 that drew me to it for close in. The 458Socom and 45/70 i have are my bear guns! I really think if you have a carbine chambered in 45/70 that also would make for a good home defense gun. My problem with using my Henry is that it dosnt have the side gate. But the 45/70 dose! hehe I cant understand how there wasnt some kind of 1911 in there for the list? There are plenty of reliable 1911s out there these days!!!
Those states are also the type to charge you with thirty counts of murder for killing one armed home invader, though, so none of this really helps. The only safe option is to move back to America.
Your right. Here in SF, CA a guy was living with and taking care of his elderly mother. One day he came home from work to find an armed burglar robbing his mother. He managed to wrestle the gun from the burglar and shoot him. No serious harm done to the burglar and the burglar was arrested, but so was the homeowner for shooting the burglar who was in his home. The burglar was out of jail almost immediately. The guy who was in his home protecting his mother, himself and his home had a harder time getting out of jail. My wife and I live in an apartment and if our neighbors knew how well armed we are, they would be horrified and hate us. Meanwhile in our nice neighborhood, home invasions are on a radical rise. The lesson is, it's every man and/or woman for them self. The only people I would protect are my wife and myself. The rest are on their own. I'll mind my own business.
California is actually largely a "stand your ground" state, which was completely surprising to me when I learned that. That holds true even outside the home. Imminent peril must be present, but that's really the only time when lethal self defense is employed anyway.
With a Soros backed Attorney General you can forget what the law actually says, if it's not PC you will get hung out to dry. Get your self defence insurance, you shouldn't need it in a perfect world but hey, look around.
Thank God I live in Texas . Nuff said .
I live in the fascist state of NJ. Got an RIA VR80 in the corner and a Springfield XDM Elite 9mm in a drawer 12 in. from my pillow. Across the hall my daughter keeps a Beretta 92X Performance in her nightstand. I like to think we got it covered.
3 More years until retirement. Wife is thinking South Carolina, I'm looking at South Dakota. LOL We'll see what happens. Can't wait to get the f#$%k out of Jersey.
I'll light a candle for you.. I live on a boat on the South Shore, so if I get "invaded" it will likely be out past the 3 mile limit (maybe more... you know....Pirates....) Carolina's are still nice... Not "invaded" by Liberal assholes from the North....YET.
Yeah, I'll probably wind up down south. If you gotta live in the city, South Shore is the best place. Stay safe, enjoy the ocean and get the hell out of there when you can.
For California AR-15 owners there is a replacement part that makes your AR-15 a manual operated rifle. Called the Kali-Key. Just remove the entire bolt carrier group and the charging handle. It's lawful to have a bolt carrier group in your possession. Just not in the AR-15. The Kali-Key makes your semi-auto AR-15 the same as a bolt action rifle. No phony balogna parts needed. Just pull back the charging handle after each shot.
I live in the PRK (Peoples Republic of Kalifornistan). I recommend the IWI TS-12. Easy to maneuver in tight spaces, easy to service and packs 15 rounds of pain and CA compliant out of the box. Thanks Israel.
Beretta 92fs, yipee ki yay
Among others. WOOHOO!!
If I lived in a ban state, I think I would go with a Remington 870 Tactical with 00 buck and a 1911 with Federal 230gr HST.
If, I lived in a ban State, well, I wouldn't even have to own a weapon cause the nice policemans is always there to protect me. :-)
Seems like this article is trying to sell overpriced macho pew pews. Far more reasonable in price choices out there, me personally, being a southpaw, a 500 Mossy, or a lever gun like a '94 in .35 or .44
. Pistol is for real close-up for most folks, they find out after having to patch the holes in the walls after missing the center mass and all attached to it.
Just setting here in my armchair.
A Mossberg would work just fine, too. Pistol is something I'd have if I'd run through the 7-9 rounds in the Remington or Mossberg and still had a threat. I don't expect to, but mama always told me better safe than sorry.
Your comment about the nice policeman protecting you made me snort and chuckle
Pistol is also nice because they're so compact, especially compared to a shotgun. The federal law requiring shotguns to be 36" in overall length makes them less ideal for home defense than people think: you're going to come across paths that may require you to lower your weapon to pass.