Gun purchasing advice (Seriously)

For home defense I'm another proponent of th 12 gauge pump. The sound of clambering a round is unmistakable. If that doesn't cause an intruder to either scram or start begging for forgiveness they are serious about harming you or yours. The shotgun will make a knockdown hit easier to effect. The advice about trying several different weapons before purchase is very good. If you go with a handgun keep in mind that you will want a caliber that will truly stop an intruder. Small bullet mass has the potential to just aggrevate a drugged up bad guy. If the gun is truly for defense make sure you go large enough that even if you don't get accurate bullet placement that bad guy will be stopped!