for once, I might agree with LanceOregon - a 20gau. might be your best bet. But there's SOOOOO many options that you have.
If you stick around these shotgun forums long enough you're going to here the infamous Mossberg 500/590 vs. Remington 870 debate. Both guns are amazing and they are merely chosen on preference. I have a Mossberg 500, an Rem 870 12ga and an Rem 870 20ga. My wife (5'1", 130lbs) has shot all 3 and like the recoil of the 20ga. the best, but its not comfortable to hold. The 870 has a slightly longer stock which requires a little longer reach. She's most comfortable with the Mossy 500. The stock recoil bad does a great job of cutting recoil, aftermarket pads are great too. The nice thing about the Mossberg is that it can be had in a "combo" version for $250ish. This means it comes with both an 18" barrel and a 28" barrel. The 28" is great for trap/skeet and practice, while you'll want to put the 18" on in the house for maneuverability. The shorter the barrel the easier it is to move around, especially in an apartment.
As far as loads, I started wifey out shooting Walmart $21 special Federal Target loads #8. They're a great CHEAP light load so that you can used to the recoil - you'll want to fire a couple hundred (maybe not all at once, spread it out over a week or two) until you get comfortable with the gun and punch - an rental from your local trap place will be a good start. Once you're comfy with #8 loads, you might wanna drop down to #6. As far as home defense, I, along with countless others would reccommend #00 buck. I've found that Remington Managed-Coil #00 buck loads are VERY comfortable. My wife shoots them as easy as #8 shot and they do a fair amount of damage to a target. I honestly don't even notice a kick difference between them and light loads - they're amazing!
YOU LIVE IN CALIFORNIA THOUGH, AS DO I, SO HERE'S A COUPLE THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
:
1. Walmart doesn't sell ammo in LA County - its illegal for them to.
www.cheaperthandirt. com or
www.ableammo.com might be a good place to purchase.
2. Its hard to find a trap shooting place in LA, you might need to head into Inland Empire
3. There's no law against having a shotgun (of handgun for that matter) in CA, Los Angeles, or in an apartment.
4. If you're in a rental apartment, thats even more pressure for you to practice with your shotgun frequently. A bad placed shot in an apt could mean severe property damage, or loss of life for a neighbor.
5. CA law says that the only way you're justified shooting an intruder is if you feel your life is threatened - burglary is not enough of a reason. That being said, while some might push you toward purchasing a semi-auto gun, the loud rack of a pump gun's action might be your best defense. Most smart bad guys would run the minute they heard you rack that thing, saving you months in court and lot of problems.
You're in a GREAT place to find info here on TFL, read up on all you can, and let us know if you have any questions. Also, keep us posted what guns you've tried, or bought, we'd love to here it!
-WS