This is surprising... why?
Lawful people trained in the basics of marksmanship covertly carrying lawfully registered firearms in order to defend themselves just in case they get mugged.
I think I understand this because I own and carry firearms... You know the best part? They government lets me do it because I passed their qualification tests.
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WillRavel?
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UsTwo,
HANDGUN: Any double action 4" barreled .357 Magnum revolver by Smith & Wesson or Taurus would be a fine "load and forget" home defense handgun. Only gun you'll ever need for a whole lot of reasons. You can load it and leave it forever. No springs to weaken, no mags to fumble or lose, no chamber to jam, no slide to get stuck, and hell, you can use the gun as a club when it runs outta rounds. 100% reliable. Both manufacturers' most recent models feature an integral firing mechanism key lock (for if you have children or wanna sleep with it locked for some reason).
S&W 686 .357 Magnum
Taurus Tracker .357 Magnum
Get some HKS speedloaders and train with them. Ammunition should be Federal Hydrashock or Winchester SXTs. These guns are as easy pie to use. .357 Magnum revolvers can also use .38 Special ammunition, which has less power / kick for training purposes or if your wife is squeamish about recoil.
HKS 6-Shot Speedloader
IMPORTANT: Make sure you keep a high-quality 3v flashlight next to the gun and reloads. Train with the use of the flashlight and handgun in your own home in the dark. Surefire is a popular choice.
Surefire Nitrolon 3V flashlight, your most important home defense tool
ALSO: I'd seriously consider getting a 12 gauge shotgun or pistol-caliber carbine instead of a handgun. I've mentioned the reasons numerous times in other threads. Lemme know if you want me to rehash. Gun talk gets me hard.
Winchester 1300 12 gauge slide-action shotgun, 7 shot mag
Bushmaster 9mm AR-15 style semi-automatic carbine, 30 shot mag