[pax]

I submit to you that the best gun for home defense is one that

1) you can get to in a hurry
2) you can maneuver in tight quarters (NOT because you're going to "clear the house" but because you're going to race to the children's room with gun in hand, and may need to navigate hallways & corners), and
3) you are most familiar with and well-practiced with.

For me, that's a handgun. My carry handgun did not suddenly become useless simply because I am inside the walls of my home rather than outside them. I can store it most efficiently on my body at home when I am awake. When asleep, it is easy to keep in readiness near the bed, within an unlocked case behind my locked bedroom door (I lock it before opening the door, or simply take it with me -- no danger to the children while I sleep). And since I am not going to put in the time to become as proficient with a long gun as I have with a handgun, the handgun is a much more deadly weapon in my hands than a long gun would be.

Of course all of those are personal lifestyle issues, but it only underscores that there's really no one-size-fits-all answer to most defensive questions. Just what works or does not work for the individual in question.

pax