they're awkward to handle in a close encounter such as would occur in a house. If the bad guy rushes you and gets closer then the muzzle of your weapon, he has the advantage. He can also grab the barrel of your weapon and take control of it.
I prefer to drop a snub nosed .38 revolver in my pants pocket if I suspect an intruder in the house. If it's just someone visiting one of the other people who live in rather large house, I avoid scaring the shit out them. If indeed it is a bad guy who decides not to run from the encounter, I already have my hand on the gun in my pocket. I can quickly draw and fire if he decides to attack. Five .38 special +P rounds may not be as effective as a shotgun blast, but they will inflict a considerable amount of damage. The small size of the revolver makes it difficult to grab and gain control of.
Of course, that's merely my opinion and applies to my current situation.
Rifles for home self defense:
For most self defense situations a person is likely to encounter, a long barreled rifle is not the weapon of choice. Intended primarily as an offensive armament, its greatest drawback in a defensive situation is the fact that it may be too long and too bulky to quickly deploy and maneuver in a close quarter, cluttered, or confined environment. A rifle is designed to produce long, accurate shots. Hence, it may pose a threat to innocent people from over penetration or excessive range.
On the positive side, a rifle possesses better stopping power, presents a stronger visual deterrent, and provides greater accuracy than any handgun. Recoil will be tolerable and manageable with the preferred urban defense rounds such as .223 Remington, .357 Magnum, or .44 Magnum. These latter two revolver cartridges benefit significantly from being chambered in a carbine, even more so than their autoloading counterparts, 9 mm and .45 ACP.
A short barreled rifle such as an AR-15 by Colt or one of its various derivatives or clones by other quality manufacturers, a Mini-14 by Ruger, or an autoloading or lever action carbine is preferred for personal protection.http://www.internetarmory.com/rifle_defense.htmShotguns for home self defense:
The ideal home defense shotgun would consist of a short barreled model, 18- to 22-inches, chambered for 12- or 20-gauge. Recommended action would be pump or autoloader.
Models worth considering include the Remington 870 pump action series, including the Police model and the nickel plated Marine Magnum; the Mossberg 500 Special Purpose, 18.5-inch barrel pump action; the Beretta 1201 and the Benelli Super 90 autoloaders; and the Winchester pumps: Defender, Camp Defender, and Stainless Marine.
High quality pump action shotguns offer a distinct advantage over autoloaders in the sense that their operation tends to be mechanically reliable, even under the worst of adverse conditions. They often represent the best choice for a home defense application because they can be stored or carried in a relatively safe condition: magazine loaded, chamber empty, safety on, hammer down. http://www.internetarmory.com/shotgun_defense.htm