There are lots of good blunt instruments that will do if you have room to weild them and the drop on the BG. Heck, a good wollup with a 3/4" steel plumbin pipe about 2 1/2 feet long is probably quite effective at subduing someone when effectively used by an average sized person (male or female). Even the best gun is not going to do you much good, though, if the BG gets the drop on you.

Personally, I would prefer the terror aspect of home protection more than simple self defense. If you scare the Byjeezes outta the BG before he finds you, he is likely not to want to engage further. I wouldn't mind having a 6 foot tall robot shaped like a trash can and a couple of dryer duct hoses for arms with big electrical arcs in between yelling "DESTROY!!!" in a deep menacing voice. Of course, a big dog may work just as well if not better, especially if he has a rubber hand as a chew toy in his mouth at the time. The best deterrent I can think of would be to have the walls all splattered with blood, piles of gore and body parts strewn about, with the sounds of a muffled chainsaw and someone screaming "NO DEAR GOD AAAGH!!!" from under the floor or a back room. Like something out of Doom or Half life or some such. Might be a bit difficult to stage, but ought to be effective.

Yep, I want home invaders to have a deep, instinctive fear that entering my premises uninvited is to give up all hope.