The Remington 870 is a time proven design if it is mainly
for the wife.
I would most likely go with one that fits her more then you.
Maverick Model 88
Most any tactical pump you AND your wife can handle is fine. We keep an 870 with #6 shot light loads ready to go. No magnum loads on the house ;-)
Whatever you decide to get, look into suppression.
Firing a shotgun in an enclosed space could result in permanent hearing damage.
Check out the SilencerCo Salvo.
If you have the money a 500 is a durable and effective pump. I have one which I take as a backup to my venerable 1100 when I bird hunt. I have a short barrel and pistol grip for the 500. I don’t know what a original Benelli barrel to cut down my cost or if a after mkt is available. If you have a 500, it is always there and ready. I live in a suburban area and do not load buck shot in the event I did use it to not fear for .32 pellet going through my window into a neighbors. 7 1/2 to 4’s are more than capable in ranges in a house.
Get a dedicated defense shotty with higher capacity and shorter barrel. No pistol grips for the wife, especially in 12ga. They look cool but they make for poor aim and viscious kick control.
Don’t believe the myth that shotguns don’t have to be aimed for accuracy. Shot patterns at short distances are pretty small.
590-A1. Point and click.
My two cents: Not being as familiar with the specific model you have (crack barrel -vs- pump or auto), I’d say use a shorter barrel on the gun you are most comfortable with and use frequently. For home defense, I use #4 shot high brass duck & goose hunting load. In the close quarters of a house, it is just as deadly/ effective as buck shot, but the smaller BB size pellets won’t go through quite as many walls as buck shot. Of course, there is no substitute for the psychological effect on a burglar/ home invader than to hear the slide action of a pump shot gun in another room.
Since your wife is also a potential user of this gun, consider a 20 gauge 870 in a youth model. Somewhat shorter and easier to handle. Also very effective at close ranges. I used one to hunt deer with a slug barrel. The shorter length compensated for the thickness of the extra clothing. Actually, it’s one of my favorites. Works great as a snake gun too with two diamond backs to it’s credit.
Mossberg 500.
Have you considered a Judge?
Swapping barrels - may come a time when for whatever reason you forgot to swap barrels just when you need the shorter barrel most.
Different needs, different tools.
Best to get what your wife is comfortable with and train with that. Eliminate the possible confusion under stress.
My two cents.
Gunbroker.com
Remington 870 magnum 3”
18 1/2” barrel
Synthetic stock
$299
I have a 3,round mag extension on mine. $40
Agree with no pistol grip. It limits handling in close quarters. Keep your home defense gun a dedicated weapon.
Try to keep low level lighting in your house at night as flashlights, as do tracers, work both ways.
I’d like to check one of these out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQj7FhmX2N8#t=27
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3zK-MelXY4
If you haven't yet figured that out, go no further before you have been instructed by a professional in defensive use of firearms.
Seriously.
As a caveat, for personal defense, most folks are better off with a pump. If your wife is potentially a user, depending on her size and weapons experience a .20 is easier to practice and be comfortable with. That being said, in a real world defensive use, no one recalls the recoil or the sound. Thats all felt in training on the range. Whatever you decide...they all go bang... Play with it at the gun store and be sure you’re comfortable with the safety location action and handling. If you ever use it, there will be adrenalin moving and everything falls to muscle memory and prior practice. My 500 is not as smooth as the 870’s we had in law enforcement. They all do the job, just make sure you and your wife are comfortable with the weapon system.
Go with what you're good with and practice as much as you can.
If you end up with the Remington 870, be aware that many buyers of the lower priced Express model in recent years have experienced failure-to-extract issues when using hulls with steel bases, due to rough chambers. You will know within a few boxes of shells if you have one of these problem guns. Remington is aware of the issue. You can either send the barrel back to Remington for chamber polishing or do it yourself with a brass brush wrapped in fine steel wool, chucked to an electric drill. A self-defense situation is not a time for your weapon to lock up on you.
Hawk 982 12 ga. sells for around $190.
What other firearms do you have that you’d like to tell the world about? Think opsec