I want to buy a shotgun
 

I would always recommend a safety course. Most sports and outdoor stores, and some colleges offer hunter safety courses at a small fee. As far as your next door neighbor being safe, it depends. If you hit a solid wall, either a bullet or shotgun pellets will embed itself into the wall. If you catch a window with a shotgun blast you will more than likely still hit your neighbors house. probably not lethal, but it'll still hit in small amounts.
I can at least tell you what I have and use. I have a Ruger 20 ga. over and under. It's lighter than a 12 gauge, easier to load quickly (for me anyways), and more manneuverable. Even though not as powerful, it doesn't matter much if the guy is within 40 feet of you.

only problem with the shotgun is the incredible noise that it generates- had a military buddy point this out to me- try firing one in an enclosed space, it feels like your head exploded- beyond that, remmington 870 or a mossberg 5oo are good, cheap defense guns- do not "tactical " it out- no need and a folding stock is not your friend- as to overpenetration, there is no " magic bullet, only practice and accuracy- also, highly dependant on what you load it with, and how far away neighbors are.......

Like many, I would say to get the 870. I would also put a tactical flashlight on it, which is a good way to blind an intruder. With the light, you may also be able to see that he he isn't armed, so you can subdue him and call the cops instead of shooting an unarmed (but stupid) intruder.

I have my sights set on a Remington 870 with the Surefire forend.

I agree with MSD, the tactical flashlight will help blind an unsuspecting intruder....that way you can poke him in the eyes instead of shooting him.

As to needing a license, that varies by state. Go to a local gun shop and ask about permits/licenses in your state. The folks should be really helpful.

Hello and Thanks to: Confederate,Fire,MrSelfDestruct,im2smrt4u and HRdwareguy

Thanks for the suggestions ,flashlight idea and safty class info.
I will remember all you have said.

lol hopefully firing the shotgun at intruders in an enclosed home setting doesn't occur often enough to be worried about the sound it produces, hearing loss or otherwise (to the neighbors: "don't mind me just blasting my shotgun at intruders again! nothing to worry about here!"). My impression is that the sound of the cocking mechanism in a shotgun is very desirable and will have perps. pretty much shitting their pants before a shot is even fired.

Yeah, that noise swings both ways. Many people dont realize just *how* loud the sound of a shotgun being racked is--being on the receiving end of that would be intimidating in its own right.

And yes, safety classes are a good idea.

Also, I dont know if it has been said, but the shot size is going to have much more impact on the penetration than the guage. Something like a #9 birdshot would have a hard time making a lethal hit at all, while 00 buckshot is going to go through your walls, your neighbors walls, and keep on going. Something like a #4 is more along the lines of what you are looking for for a home defense load.

federal low-recoil "OO" rounds
 

like a previous poster said, a good Remington 870 or Mossberg 500 pump gun is an excellent choice.

federal makes a 12 gauge "tactical low recoil" OO buck round that is less powerful than the full-on hunting loads, and offers lower recoil and (presumably) less risk of over-penetration. they're pretty expensive though, and are typically sold in boxes of 5.

look up Glaser Blue safety slugs, they are for pistols, and do not penetrate walls. My opinion is that if the perp has a pistol, your going down. a shotgun is cool looking and all, but completely worthless in a house, much too hard to swing around doorways and through tight spaces, a pistol is by far the best way to go. I personally sleep with a Kel-Tec p32, in it I have 3 glasser Blue slugs, and 5 hollowpoints in case they don't do the trick.

there was astufy done with criminals, to determin wht sound woudl stop the from robbign a house #2 was a dobermen bark #1 was the chambering of a 870 shot gun.... guess what one i have in my house?

get a remington 870. take a class. take it skeet shooting. keep it clean.

I like the Mossberg 500 personally, just get the shortest barrel you can legally (18.5). Its not that bad inside houses, and the sound of the pump will scare away any criminal that isn't on drugs anyway. You also don't have to be very accurate, especially inside of a house.

if you are going to use a shotgun for home protection, get a tactical flashlight, keep the batteries fresh in the flashlight, use relatively light loads, actually fire the gun at least once a month to build your skill and confidence with it, be obsessive about keeping it clean, and take a class that focuses on legal as well as safety issues.

Either the 870 or the mossberg 500 would be excellent for home defense. I keep a mossberg with number 8 shot. I got to see an arm blown off with one at the shoulder. The 870 is a better gun, but the mossberg is more inexpensive. The birdshot will incapacitate an intruder and will not travel all the way through your house like buckshot. Forget the pistl grip, if your not use to it they make things actually more cumbersome in my opinion.

I would also go with a rem 870 or mossberg 500, I came across a deal on a mossberg 590 so thats what I have, I like the safety on top a little better than the safety on the trigger guard. but try both and fo with the one you like.

You don't need to wory about over penatration with anything short of a high powered rifle (think 30-06 and up).

You have to get training. If you keep a gun for home defense and don't get training on how to use it you will be endangering your friends and family. No exceptions.

As far as the gun, the winchester 1300, remington 870, and mossberg 500s are all going to be basicaly identical to a new user. Some features you will want:
1) A magizine tube that extends to the muzzle
2) A barrel no shorter than 16 inches and no longer than 20
3) A fiber optic or tritium front site (a brass bead will be invisable in the dark)

Again, If you don't know how to use and safly store your gun, you'll end up makeing yourself less safe.

I have a mossberg 590 loaded with 000 buck and a tatical light in the fore grip, but I wouldn't use it for home defense. It'd pretty much cut a person in half or take a few doors/walls/etc. down. I have a Sig P228 9mm loaded with hollow points for home protection.

3) if you are using sights on a shotgun in your house, you must have one hell of a pad......

I'm not talking about rifle sights, I'm talking about a dot. It seems to me that being able to aim a gun would be useful in a gunfight. I take your point though, a shotgun in close quarters won't be used precisely, but the wide (and cheap) availability of high-visability front dots seems (to me) to make them a good investment.

870 with #6 shot, shorter barrel, a lite is always a good idea so you don't shoot the kids in your half awake, scare-out-of-your skull mindset. Sites...not necessary with a shotgun, especially in a house as a shotgun will only spread about 18-24 inches across an average room. And practice, practice, practice. Then think about having to actually pull the trigger, can you do it? If not, you might not want to have a gun around to arm an intruder.

Heh, maybe we're talking about Bill Gates' place... :D

I teach home defense as part of my CCW class. A 12 ga. short barrel shotgun is good for your "secure" room. Loads for it should be buckshot and slugs, usually loaded buck, buck, slug, buck, slug. But, what about the rest of the home? I like to have at least two large-bore semi-auto pistols stashed in other places that are handy. Every "shooter" in your household should be trained on and familiar with all firearms that are loaded and ready. Home invasion is becoming a bigger problem than breakins. You must figure out your defense plan and safety requirements that are optimal for your home and family. Investigate local laws. Take instructional classes as available. Any gun is better than no gun at all. Muzzle blast is not a problem since in any self defense situation you will be in "Tachy-Psyche" mode and your hearing ability will be shut down or reduced. The bad guy/s will also be in "Tachy-Psyche" and will not be able to hear you rack your shotgun to load, so keep it loaded from the start.

"God created man, Sam Colt made them all equal."

Yeah, chambering a shell in a pump action shot gun will turn most people around. Most likely you would never have to fire it to worry about the blast.

Heck, I would advise ejecting your first live shell in a loaded shotgun, just for the sound effect.

Nope, if you have IDENTIFIED your target, its no time for warning...once you pump your shotgun he has you! Any good 9mm, light quick and easy.

I am talking about if you hear a sound in your house and get out of bed to go check it out. The first thing I would do is chamber a shell.

If they are already in the bedroom, just blow a hole in 'em.

When I took my handgun safety course, they mentioned home safety. Their advice was very simple; you have a handgun so you can get to your shotgun.

Take a safety course (the NRA offers them everywhere), take a home defense course, and then follow their advice on purchasing a shotgun. The Remington 870 is universally considered an ideal choice and in extensively used in law enforcement and the military.

Make sure you also understand the legal implications of your actions. You WILL get arrested if you discharge a firearm against someone, no matter how clear-cut a case of self defense it is.

Is there a waiting period for purchasing a shotgun, at say, Walmart? I know in most states that sales at gun shows are mostly considered private transactions, but I imagine retail big boxes are a bit different (not that I have a criminal record to be worried about).

I have a Winchester 1300 "Defender". I love it, I am suprized nobody has said anything about it. It's a great shotgun, 18", 7 shot + 1 can get it in black with plastic stock and forearm. It's just a good all a round shot gun.