Taking a gun class next week...

[beavis]

first of all i commend you on your proactive approach to learning about firearms.

i'm going to have to agree with wolf here and recommend a shotgun if the primary purpose is home defense. god forbid the time should come that you actually need to use it for such, a shotgun gives you a much larger margin for error in a high stress situation than a pistol would, it's easier to hit your target. an additional benefit is that there is a much smaller risk of any projectiles escaping. pistol rounds (some more than others) are more likely to penetrate walls and cause further damage and injury than shotgun load. i own both a pistol and a shotgun and am quite experienced with both, but if it came down to a home defense situation i would grab the shotty first. also it happens to be my favorite gun to shoot and is relatively inexpensive to purchase.

if you do decide to go with a pistol, i would recommend a medium caliber revolver (like a .38 or similar) or a .45 auto. revolvers have the advantage of simpler operation, i.e. less chance of mechanical malfunction or user error, but a quality auto pistol (i like glocks) should prove to be just as reliable. in terms of caliber i believe the .45 is your best bet for home defense for similar reasons as stated above for the shotgun. a .45 has great stopping power, as opposed to other calibers (i.e. 9mm or .44 magnum) that have more penetrating power. again less risk of stray projectiles and if it comes down to it you want to knock an attacker down as opposed to poking holes.

having said all that i would recommend trying out a variety of guns and see what you like. chances are you will never be forced to use it in a lethal situation so get something you can have fun with. i have 2 (soon to be 3) shotguns, a .22 long rifle and a .45 glock and i enjoy them all. i shoot mostly shotgun at the trap range, but i also enjoy the occasional pistol session and the .22 is a blast to shoot and the ammo is dirt cheap.

my approach to safety is simple: a gun is always loaded. if you treat it as such you will never have an accident. i never keep loaded weapons but i still always double check when i handle them, and even after that i don't point them at people. when it comes to children and guns, out of sight and reach is a good addition to a capable lock IMO.

my 2 pesos, let us know how the class goes.