When thinking about home defense, different people have different ideas of what is the best firearm for that purpose. Some people say that you want to carry a full-sized pistol, such as a 1911. Other people say that you should have a rifle for home defense. Still others say that everyone should have a shotgun.

To be fair, each of these types of firearms have their pros and cons for home defense.

For example, pistols are easily concealed and carried on your person, but because they have a shorter barrel, they are less accurate especially over distance (though, to be fair, an optic such as a red dot can help with accuracy over somewhat longer distances).

The argument for rifles is that they are more accurate over distances, but on the flip side, rifles, with their longer barrels, aren’t as easy to move around in an enclosed area such as most homes.

And as for shotguns, the argument for shotguns is that racking the shotgun makes a distinctive sound that everyone knows which will, hopefully, scare away an intruder. Also, the shot in shotgun shells may not penetrate as far as a bullet, so, shotguns may be less likely to unintentionally injure someone behind the intruder that you’re aiming to stop. The cons for shotguns are a combination of the difficulties with pistols and rifles: shotguns aren’t ideal for distance shooting and are harder to move around in an enclosed space than a pistol due to the longer barrel.

So, what should you buy for home defense? If you’re looking for a best of all worlds, you may want to consider a carbine. They’re shorter than a rifle (so, easier to maneuver), often use readily available ammunition such as 9mm, and in some cases, such as the Kel-Tec SUB CQB, they come with some very interesting “accessories” already built in. David Maccar writes,

While it has plenty of practical applications, the new Kel-Tec CQB SUB-2000 pistol caliber carbine is just pure fun to shoot.

It’s a quick-takedown carbine that literally folds in half. It’s chambered in 9mm and accepts magazines in the pistol grip, like a handgun, and uses Glock mags, though other variants accept SIG, CZ, and Beretta mags.

Maccar continues:

The CQB version is also integrally suppressed, meaning a tax stamp is required, but the total MSRP for the CQB SUB-2000 is just $900, can included.

That’s right, a foldable (think easily stored and hidden) carbine with adequate stopping power for most purposes (9mm) and a built-in suppressor. No kidding. Kel-Tec’s website says that “this one is ‘Hollywood quiet’ when paired with subsonic ammo.”

If you’re looking for an all-purpose home defense firearm, a carbine may be an excellent choice, and if you’re looking for a carbine, then Kel-Tec’s SUB CQB may be one to consider.