I have a S&W autoloader but I actually want to find a cheap pump like a Mossberg. There is something about the sound of a round being chambered in a pump that would send anyone but the most psychotic of intruders running for their lives. And in that case the round would take care of the rest.
I would rather have that round chambered previously. among a few other reasons for having the weapon in that condition... why risk a possible failure to feed malf/jam etc. at the moment you could least afford it?
For my wife, I got a .410 bore shotgun. It’ll kill as easily as a 44, but with a 12 guage, she’d only get one shot off. With a .410 bore, it’s easier to control. If she missed with the first shot, the next one is on the way.
I bought my 500A (12 ga.) at WalMart for $209 last year in March. For another $100, I replaced the forearm and stock with black synthetic (from Mossberg) and got a black synthetic folding stock from ATI. You have to be careful on the forearm for them, there are two versions - I knew the original sub-model of my 500, so it was a simple phone call to Mossberg to get the right composite replacement.
It takes less than 10 minutes to switch between home defense configuration and sporting/hunting configuration.