Shotgun is the way to go. Most handguns available to you are high velocity. The consequence of this is that you get a lot of penetration. Even small handgun bullets will go through many layers of sheetrock. So, if you miss, the bullet is going to go through several rooms until it strikes something. Maybe something (or someone) you do not want to shoot. OTOH, a shotgun with a low-powered birdshot round will expend most (but not all) of its energy after passing through 2 layers of sheetrock, the configuration of the average interior wall. However, this same load can provide significant damage on soft tissue, which is what you want to do during a home protection situation. Therefore, for first time gun owners looking for a firearm for home protection, I recommend the Mossberg 500 pump action in 410 gauge. It is a great balance between firepower and kinetic energy when loaded with 3 inch shells containing #6 shot. It won’t overpenetrate, but it will get an intruder’s attention. The pump ac