hmmmm.... *leans back, fingers steepled meditatively*<br><br>Pistols have the strong points that Ade mentioned. However, they are harder to learn how to use, and the skills deteriorate faster than longarm skills do. There is also the issue of registration/liscencing/et al in many locations. Those are less relivent, though.<br><br>Pistols seem to many to kick harder, becuase all their recoil is on the wrist(s). I for defensive handgun, that isn't going to be concealed, it is hard to beat a medium to large frame .38 (or .357 Mag, which can be loaded with .38s) with 3"-5" barrel with good sights- not much recoil, mechanically simple, only two controls to learn, innexpensive and it has decent stopping power with good hollowpoints. Just remember NOT to cock it- if you can, get the spur bobbed off if you think this might be an issue. With a double action revolver, the only time you need to cock it is for accuracy at range, and if urban areas you won't need it. (if you are underfire, take cover and let them come to you, don't try to take them outside of your property line/perimiter and get a reckless endangerment and/or attempted homicide charge out this.) <br><br>The "downside" is that if you can grab the cylinder, a revolver isn't going to go bang, but if they get that close and you haven't fired, you weren't going to in the first place. <br><br>For people who aren't going to be practicing a lot, I say leave autoloaders out of the picture. To many pieces, to many controls. And you get more kick- even a .22 has some jump from the slide moving. They are also more expensive. If you are going to be carrying it concealed, then you might want to get teh extra practice- they are easier to hide.<br><br>Ade mentioned "grabability" of shotguns. It might be easier with a shotgun, but it is another non-issue. If you are carrying it at a high ready or port arms, you are screwed, and there is no two ways about it. But if you are holding it like that, well, lucky you, you deserve that Darwin Award you just got. Hold it to your shoulder, muzzle DOWN in a low ready. Just slide your finger int the gaurd and pull if they try to grab. If the hostile is front of you, it just recieved a load of shot to it's legs/groin/belly and is out of the fight. <br><br>For people who won't be shooting a lot, I'm not fond of pump action shotguns. Spend the extra and get an autoloader- the one handed thing that Ade (sorry dude, nothing personal) was talking about goes out the window if they are so close you can't drop the phone and grasp the forearm. It is also easier to operate under stress (long list of dead or wounded cops who short stroked a pump action, and an infinantly long list of humilated hunters and trap shooters). 12ga or 20ga, I'm rather impartial between them, so long as the two are not mixed in the same house. (20ga is close enough in size to 12ga that you can't feel the difference, or see if it if you don't look close, but it will slide down the barrel. You'll get a failure to fire, rack the bolt, get a 12ga in the chamber, and blow the weapon apart when you pull the trigger.)<br><br> I use #4 buck with slugs strapped to the stock, but my house is pretty big and I have 40+ acres of front yard. For suburbanites with driveways, large birdshot (#2 or bigger, in lead not steel) is better. It will still blow thorugh an interior wall, but it won't get outside of your home. Buckshot is too big, and shot fine enough to not go through drywall is too small to be effective. Just remeber that this IS NOT skeet shooting- you need to AIM not just point in close quarters.<br><br>My personal recommendation is a light, pistol caliber carbine. Dont' get an "assault weapon" (I'll explain why later) like a AR-15 in 9mm or a recreated Tommy gun, but go with something with a conventional style stock. Sythetic is OK, wood is better. I really liked the old Marlin Camp Carbines, and if you can find one used in good shape, it's a great choice. Ruger has a similiar series out now, I'd go with the .40 or .45 caliber version becuase it hits better and is less penetrative of building materials than 9mm. As to why, it's simple. Autoloading makes it easy to use mechanically, while using a longarm is easier than a pistol. Detachable box magazines make securing and rapid loading easier. <br><br>With either long arm, I like to add a light. Don't go with a SWAT-type mount. I like 2-3D cell Maglight and some ducktape. Looks like crap, but it works, and costs less than the batteries of those wonderlights. I also like a red-dot sight, preferably a tube-type model WITHOUT magnification, as they are easier to use up close and in a hurry. <br><br>For shotguns, if you can stretch the tube, that great, but don't worry too much if you can't get an extended mag. Ditto stock-mounted ammo carriers. Unless you [censored] off an entire street gang or mob family, you most likely won't need more than one or two shots anyway. <br><br>Final words:<br><br>IF you ever need to use this, remember range. If the hostile can touch the barrel with a single long step, it is too close. If it can get inside that 10' ring before you ID and challange it, your danger just jumpped a few thousand percent. Put the hostile down at that point, dont' risk loosing control of your weapon. If it turns into a wrestilng match for a loaded weapon, the last thing you will see or hear before you die is your family having their heads blown off, unless you keep control. Which means only your hands on that weapon.<br><br>The other piont is this. If you pull that trigger, you are going into a court room. Not maybe, you ARE! Maybe criminal, but certainly civil court. "Evil" looking guns (whatever the hell that is- just ask any media weenie, they can tell you) with all kinds of nasty looking widgets are a bad thing at that point. Blued steel, wood and a duct-tapped maglight improves your ability to get out of that court room without having to pay your hostile every cent you will ever make becuase it was robbing you to pay for it's addictions. Or worse, it's next of kin sueing you for loss of companionship/support/whatever. The Super-slayomatic 9000 with the double pistol grips, laser sight, illuminator and pre-ban, ultra high-cap mag might look cool on the range, but in the court room, it will get you no friends on the jury of 12 morons, media-trained and truely braindead. (I own a lot "black guns", but they stay secured if something goes bump in the night.)<br><br>And use regular ammo. No reloads from a buddy. And nothing exotic, like thumbtacks (Doc Holliday's load of choice) or flechette. Either of those will make you open to a lawyer trying to get his cut of your future earnings by showing the affore mentioned morons you were some deranged gunfreak psycho killer who set out to purposefully and intentially main or murder his client. Not even handloaded bouncyballs (which make a nasty slightly-less-than-leathal load, btw, for anyone who doesn't follow Uncle Raven's sage advice).<br><br>