The safer handgun for home/self defense. The revolver or the pistol?

[DonP]

21. It depends, in part on how much you intend to practice with it?

Revolvers are "usually" more reliable, but a snub nose can be very hard to master with out a lot of consistent practice. In addition carrying it in anything but a good holster on your belt, not in your pocket without a special pocket holster is inviting trouble. A 4 or 6 inch barrel (S&W L or N Frame, Ruger GP100 etc.) is a little heavier, but usually much easier to shoot accurately and with adjustable sights can also be used for target shooting.

Pretty much all of the modern single/double action revolvers now have a hammer block safety built in, that keeps them from going off even if dropped on a hard surface.

Most modern semi autos have multiple safeties built into them as well. Semi autos take a more practice time, but after a break in of a hundred rounds (2 boxes) or so they are about as reliable as a quality revolver now. But again, how much time will you be putting in to practice with it?

But in any gun safety class you'll ever take, one of the first things you'll hear is "A safety is a mechanical device that can fail" use it, but don't rely on it. The best safety is between your ears combined with strictly following the four rules of gun safety.

In addition to the 4 rules, get in the habit of any time you pick up a gun or put one down, clear the magazine/cylinder and rack the slide several times to visually inspect the chamber and eject any casing or round that may be in the chamber.