AGGGGGGG you people who say shotguns don't overpenetrate and are easier to defend yourself with need to go to a range and shoot some ply wood and bring some turkeys from teh grocery store. you just see what 00 and 000 buck do to those. Then shoot those same things with pistol rounds and or a 5.56mm from an AR15. Set some wood up behind a turkey. shoot the turkey and compare the damage to the wood from the 3.
99% of what people think about is right for home defense comes from the movies.
fyi, any 9mm that shoots through 9 walls was using jacketed ammo. NO good hollow point will penetrate like that. NONE.
do what you want, but I'm 100% confident in my gear and ability. are you?
Turk, Shotguns are a great choice to go with. That's undeniable. They can be nice and short, they are easy to aim with, you are not going to need multiple shots, and I have never found someone who cannot learn to use one for a home defense scenario. if you are worried that much about overpenetration then you are just screwed, because your 10mm is going thru as well. If you are in a home defense situation and you overpenetrate the perp then it should be going toward a wall. It is not going to have enough energy to go through that wall too. If there is a friendly behind that perp then you are an idiot for shooting in the first place.
No matter what type of firearm you choose for an "around the house" gun. you need to be sure to take plenty of time at the range. I don't care if you won't be shooting past ten feet in your house, you need to be VERY familiar with that gun. The last handgun that I bought, I didn't start keeping it by my bed till I have put 500 rounds through it. I made sure that I was very familiar with it first.
If you want to go with a handgun you need to look for a few things in it. Is it reliable? Does it fit my hand right? Will it fit right for the other people using it? If it meets this criteria then it will work. You don't have to spend a fortune on one, but don't buy a piece of junk either. Buy a GOOD RELIABLE gun. Be sure when you are at the range to pay attention to any malfunctions. Hopefully you won't have any, but you have to be prepared for them. Learn the drills for what to do when you have a malfunction. You don't need to be trying to take down a perp and have your gun jam, and not know what to do.
If you are going with a shotgun just about everyone can handle a 12 gauge just fine. If they have a hard time with a 12 then just drop it down to a 20. I won't recommend anything Mossberg, but a good Remington 870 with a mag extension will get the job done. I would also recommend a shorter barrel for one. In handgun calibers there are a wide range of calibers available, if you go to a local range you will more than likely find plenty of people who will let you try their guns to see what you like.
I myself have two handguns around. One Kimber .45 ACP, a Sig Sauer 2022 in .40 S&W, a Remington 870 with 00 buck shot, a Rock River Arms Entry Tactical, and a long range rifle. I have firearms ready for multiple situations. Some call me overprepared, but I would rather be overprepared then underprepared. Hope these tips help you out.
Now be safe, and get yourself out to the range and PRACTICE!!!
B