Actually my main point was that coyote attacks are very low on the threat assessment. I've seen several news reports whose main purpose seems to be spreading fear of a threat that really isn't there. I think those reports are pretty ridiculous. This one is a prime example. It describes how she had to take refuge at her neighbor's house "behind the iron bars of his security gate" as if a simple wooden door wouldn't have been sufficient.

The Mossberg HS410 and the Remington 870 are your primary choices. Load it up with Winchester's Super-X .410 000 Buckshot, and you're good to go for a home defense weapon that every member of the family can shoot easily. Don't mind the macho types who claim you absolutely *must* have a 20 or 12 gauge for home defense. You need to consider your wife's needs, and the fact that a home defense situation may involve darkness, short range, and thin walls.

Another good choice is the Taurus .45/.410 revolver. It takes the 2.5" .410 buckshot shells as well as .45 Long Colt. Personally, I think for home defense it may be a better choice, as a long gun can be difficult to handle to confined spaces. There are also some .410 capable derringers, though I think the Taurus revolver is probably a better choice.

Well, my wife was injured pretty badly with a 12 Ga recoil, so I can see her point. She now has a Mossberg 500 in 20 Ga, which is quite easy to handle, has far greater stopping power than a 410, and has far more options as to make and model. While I have successfully hunted deer with 410 slugs, it's not the sort of weapon that will have any meaningful stopping power unless you're using slugs, and place them well, or you're using larger shot at very close range, and even then I don't think it's got the slam factor of a larger round.

We've both the Remington 870 series and the Mossberg 500 series, I like them both, but I find that my hands just seem to fit the way the Mossberg is set up better. They seem to have identical mechanical reliability.

Her gun is the Mo9ssberg 20Ga 500 "Persuader" model, 18" barrel, with a recoil pad and a forestock mounted tactical light. It's light, fast and reliable, as well as being really low priced. We have a bead sight on it, it's painted bright orange with some model paint. It hits what you point it at.

Load it with 00 Buck and it's a pretty hard-hitter.
If you load it with a slug, it's a stop 'n drop weapon (as long as you hit in the right place).

HTH