I've messed with several, but have settled on the inexpensive Maverick 88 that Mossberg makes in Eagle Pass. Also have an OpSol insert en route so I can run Aguilla shorties (or at least so my small-framed significant other can).
That Youtube hot dog James Reeves helped me make up my mind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9OL7IquoIo

Old mossberg 500. Probably gonna switch to a coach gun because my wife ain’t too motivated to shoot, can’t hardly load it, and won’t keep a loaded gun in my absence.

Might as well have a break action then, since i am not home much. A coach gun or maybe one of them three barreled guns.

Beretta 1301

I have the insert for my Mossberg 500.

I'd love a Beretta 300 Ultima Patrol, but it just ain't in my budget. There are a bunch of Turkenelli clones out there for less than $500, but none of them seem to escape QC/reliability issues.

I have one of the MAC 1014 Breachers (M4 Clone) that has ran fine. I believe it is Agency Arms that is using the MAC Shotguns as their base gun for their custom comp guns. I think Reeves has a video on this specific Turkish gun and it changed his mind on them.

Mossberg critics point to the aluminum reciever and the slack in the pump arm. But the guns are solid, they run, and the bolt locking lugs lock into slots machined into the barrel.

Put this 870 together back in the late '70s. Stan Baker cut the 28" Modified barrel to 20" and installed his Winchoke-interchangeable choke tubes.

I've shot trap, skeet, dove, quail, skunks...even hogs...with it. Only had to deploy it in personal defense mode once (right after Katrina) but gunfire wasn't required (thankfully).

Other light-equipped 870's are spaced around the house as well...

Mark

I have the same gun, 8 shot with either a 18” or 20” barrel, I can’t remember.

Ugly gun but it works for what I bought it for.

Only thing I’ve shot with it was a 4’ diamondback

I had a Mossberg 500 with the 18.5" barrel and flashlight mount loaded with #4 buck as my home defense gun for awhile. If I wanted to press a shotgun back into service it would have to be my grandpa's old 16 gauge 870 Wingmaster with the 24" polychoke barrel but I'm happy with my current HD setup. I do wish Browning would make some shorter Maxus barrels, for hunting and HD.

I’m not a defense weapon by any stretch, but would a person be better served inside the home with a hi capacity semi auto and outside the home with a AR-style rifle vs a shotgun?

I am very familiar with all types of shotgun but if I had to grab a weapon to defend my homestead I can’t say it would be the first gun I would grab.

I think an AR is the ultimate home defense weapon, and 55 grain vmax will keep them inside the bad guy.

I’ve shot quite a few hogs with a 55 grain V-max and it’s nasty.

I’ve never used it but I know guys who used to shoot deer with buckshot over dogs and they all said buckshot sucks.

That right there looks perfect to me. Keep it loaded or if she isn't comfortable with that teach her how to load it and that sound usually deters most bad guys.
Shot gun makes more sense to me, you don't have just one projectile unless you have slugs loaded.

This^^^

I actually use the 300BLK version in 110VMax.

Most people don't think a shotgun will penetrate walls like a rifle round will. 00Buck will penetrate just like FMJ rifle round does, so instead of having one bullet over penetrate you then have 8-9 30cal+ projectiles over penetrating.

This has been my experience (although not with deer).

For me its a Remington 870 Breacher Ghost ring 18.5. the breacher is just a Remchoke so having the ability to utilize it for outdoor activities using a rifled slug choke made the choice for me.
GG&G reliability upgrades and Sidesaddle make it easy to have options onboard for pest control purposes.

Distances inside the home, buckshot is wicked. It’s about the nastiest thing somebody could shoot you with. But inside 5 yards or so it’s almost like a single fragmenting projectile. I still would rather have an AR.

At hunting distances buckshot sucks.

Have a Remington 870 with a 20" slug barrel & 8 shot tube

Come to think of it, I bought it from Nix gun store back when they were located behind the hospital ... so have had it for close to thirty years.

I really like this.

Remington 870 with a 14" barrel and Magpull Furniture. Or a 18" Mossberg 500, also with Magpull furniture.

Maverick 88 12 gauge 18" barrel ... swapped the pistol grip for a stock.

Came with a long barrel but I don't have a plug for it.

This would be it, but I barely ever shoot it. High recoil, low cap, prone to short stroking in stressful situations, and it's just not fun to practice with. Compare that against my ARs and PCCs and I know which one I'm going to practice with more, get better with, and be better with if it ever comes time to use it.

For 20+ years I kept a Maverick 88s upstairs and another downstairs. They were cheap and 100% reliable. Now, an AR-15 serves as a self-defense long gun for outdoor threats. When something goes bump in the night, I reach for a high capacity 9mm first. The longest possible shot inside is only 30 feet.

Laugh if you wish, but I also slap on my electronic muffs primarily for quiet sound amplification.