zech80

I have a mossberg 500 pistol grip with a laser sight. Point and click! The remington 870 is probably a better gun but you can pick up a used mossberg cheap, and they are very reliable. Ebay has all the accessories dirt cheap. Look for ebay store ultimate arms from NJ, they have great prices.

_Jedi_

For a long while, my go-to weapon for home defense was a pistol. After some thinking and sage advice from individuals who really know of what they speak, I now use a shotgun for home defense. If the laws in my state were not so screwed up, I would use a carbine for home defense. To paraphrase one of the individuals, a pistol (secondary individual weapon) is only good for providing you the defense to get to your shotgun/riflel (primary individual weapon).

Before I give you a few of the reasons shown to me, lets be clear on one fact. As soon as you pick up the weapon (pistol, shotgun, or rifle) you have made a decision to use deadly force against an unknown individual who poses a threat to the safety of you and your family. With that said, here are a few reasons:

1. Pistols are a less accurate and less stable platform. This is just a simple fact. When you have a choice between a 3.5" barrel compared to an 18" barrel, the question of accuracy is a no-brainer. Besides barrel length, think about the number of points of contact between your body and the weapon. With a pistol, you likely have 1 or 2 (your hands only). With a shotgun or rifle, you will likely have 3 or 4 (2 hands + stock + cheek weld).
2. To win the engagement, you will need every advantage you can get. This isn't about having a "fair" fight, it is about out-smarting and out-gunning the bad guy. If they have a knife, you need a gun. If they have a gun, you need a shotgun/rifle. (Most "petty" criminals will use a knife or handgun) If they have a shotgun/rifle, you need to have a shotgun/rifle and friends with the same.
3. A rifle round (30-06, .223, .308, etc...) is more lethal than a pistol round. There are TONS of ballistic charts available to back this up. What many find surprising is that there are many rifle rounds with great ballistics that do not have the over-penetration issues most people worry about with these higher velocity ammunitions.
4. When it comes to shotguns, the reasoning is simple enough.... of one 9mm hole is good, then nine 8.3mm holes (00 buck) are better! Remember that the goal is to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.

The shotgun I chose for home defense is the Remington 870 Security. It is 18" and holds 7+1 shells. The ONLY modification I have made to it is the addition of a sling.

One last comment for all the "rack it to scare them off" crowd... WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH AN UNLOADED SHOTGUN????? Without a round in the chamber a pistol, shotgun, or rifle is nothing more than a paper weight. At 3am, when I wake up to breaking glass, the last thing I want to worry about is having a type III malfunction.

No matter what you decided to get, make sure you fully familiarize yourself with it... to the point that you can operate it in the dark while you are half asleep... because that is exactly what you will need to do. While I recommend taking a defensive position, calling 911, and yelling for the bad guy to leave, if you insist on "clearing" your home, make sure you learn how to properly pie a corner and keep your chicken wings in.

Harbourone

I STRONGLY disagree. A full choke indoors is as dealy as a slug. There is no range for the shot to spread. If you miss and you have family on the other side of the wall, they will take the whole ball of shot.

Open choke with a very light shot. Almost a skeet load.

ZBoater

Another vote for the Mossberg 590 with pistol grip and folding stock.

And another vote for fully loaded, no racking necessary. The last sound an intruder in my home will hear is the discharge of my weapon.

Brashanic

Pistol grip it.

AK4Dave

You look way too young to be driving.......lol. Notice that I didn't say too young to be out shooting. I agree, I wouldn't even think about selling the 870.

Work in Progress - JK

Mossberg 590 maybe this will help http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTCURi-NlD4

smurfblue

I come from a family of lawyers, yes it is as bad as you would think, and the consensus among almost everyone I have spoken to about this is to put the person down for good.

Both prosecutors and criminal defense attorneys have told me that in a home invasion/burglary situation its best not to leave the intruder alive. Buckshot makes quick work of that problem. If the criminal survives, the likelihood of a full shooting investigation rises dramatically, in addition, the criminal could file a civil suit against you for shooting him (This happened in Ohio in 1999). They could also come up with a whole host of other attacks against you and your homeowner's/renter's insurance provider.

For dove hunting, I have a Browning XPS Stalker. It has a bottom ejection that works for righties and lefties, so the GF could use it in a pinch. It's $750, but it is damn near nukeproof. Unloaded it's still a deadly weapon.

My vote is for buckshot, and a highly reliable pump action.

You can also pistol grip it for home use too.

sn00wman

you should get a saiga 12....this is my fav home defense shotgun and heck just my fav gun to go shoot....check it out on youtube ive got three 12 round clips for mine and you can run through it in about 3-5 seconds no one would have a chance at escape or even testifying....lol. and you can pick one up for arouund 300 bucks.

BigTrace

I keep a Mossberg 500 at home and one in my motorhome. Full proof, always loaded, always prepared. You can easily find them on sale. I just picked up my 2nd one at Big 5 for $250 before taxes and DROS fees. Can't go wrong with a Mossberg