Barb,<br><br>I think we need to know a little more about your circumstances to make recommendations re guns to you: e.g., <br><br>1. From what do you seek protection: burglar in your home, assassin, mob, gang, or others<br><br>2. In what venue: bedroom, saferoom, house, apartment, ranch, etc.<br><br>3. Do you live in a populous or unpopulated area?<br><br>4. Your size, physical condition, & age?<br><br>Generally I tend to be less enthusiastic about using .22s & bolt guns for self protection, but your individual circumstances could conceivably make them desireable. We have some good friends who had a problem with burglars at their apartment. They made a well-reasoned decision to get a 20 gauge pump shotgun for potential defensive use for use by the wife when the husband was working nights & 24-hour shifts. Although they were not regular shooters, the wife grew up using a 20 ga. pump hunting with her father. She was very comfortable with one, & therefor her choice. To make good choices of guns, you should try to get some personal experience in using them. Some ranges rent shotguns & handguns, although I have not heard of any renting rifles. Perhaps you could go shooting with friends using their guns at target ranges. Also, shooters tend to be friendly & helpful to others seeking advice, so don't be bashful.<br><br>Many spouses are physically dimensioned very differently. Consequently what is a great & comfortable fit for your husband may not be for you, and vice versa. I am 6'2', have a size 17 neck & 34 sleeve. My wife on the other hand is a petite 5'2" who has ... commensurate other dimensions.<br>Guess what, her long guns have short stocks & mine have long stocks. I can contort my body enough to shoot them (although not easily or comfortably), but she really can't fit my long guns well enough to shoot them adequately. Handguns have similar problems. Differences in vision can also be a problem. So do some shooting & find out what fits you & what seems comfortable to each of you.<br><br>Do be sure to get education & training in the correct way to shoot, gun safety, & the moral, ethical, and legal ramifications of owning & using guns generally & especially in your legal jurisdiction, not to mention what happens if you use a gun on another person. Any interpersonal use of a gun will have consequences for which you need to be prepared. The NRA & possibly your state's gun associations have many materials on these subjects. Also some training courses are available from reputable, for-profit businesses. Gun clubs may have competitions which will help you train.<br><br>You may also want to do an "Advanced Search" on this website re: gun, pistol, shooting, etc. We've had a lot of discussion re defensive guns in the last 2 mos. or so. Be sure to look under the name: robb or Robb. He raised a good discussion in July re choice of handguns & shotguns.<br><br>We look forward to hearing more from you.<br><br>Good luck.<br><br>John