What caliber is your handgun? If you insist on a rifle instead of shotgun, I recommend a carbine (short rifle) that shares the same ammo as the handgun. Even better, a carbine that shares the same magazines as your handgun (assuming it’s a semiauto).
Not to diss the AR. I got one of those too, but only after acquiring a handgun/carbine combo, Beretta’s PX4 and CX4 in .40 cal. (Those can be matched in 9mm and .45 caliber as well.) Should you go that route, make sure your gun dealer *knows* you want to have matching magazines, as Beretta’s carbine magwell can be fitted to the PX line or the older 92/96 models.
At least one FReeper has recommended Kel-Tec’s line, and I second that brand. I admire their innovative line of products, tho I only have their 5.56mm pistol. I bought this gun for one purpose and one purpose only: bad guys wearing Kevlar kicking in the door. It feeds from standard AR mags. You can forget about concealability, as this pistol, in profile, resembles a small pistol-grip shotgun. To compensate for the lack of a stock, I attached a loop at the balance point and hooked on a single-point bungee sling, using it as a tensioner for shooting. But with my small female hands, I kept having to adjust my grip after every couple of shots. (As it is by definition a pistol, the Batfags frown on installing a forward pistol grip on the railed fore-end.) My shooting partner said it was the loudest of all we fired that day, including the shotguns, and you really wanna get the optional flash suppressor, as well. I don’t recommend it as one’s only pistol, more as a special-use item once you already have an AR and a buttload of mags.
You’ve gotten good advice on shotguns, but I’m awful partial to the semiauto Saiga 12, which feeds from a detachable box magazine. Think of it as a big brother to the AK-47 rifle. Mylife has a couple of nice ones he’s customised. (Hint for gun porn)
One thing I noticed about my switching off with a friend’s pump shotgun is that I kept forgetting to cock his Mossberg after each shot. So if you think you might make the same mistake in a panic situation, go for a Saiga. That some recoil gases are bled off in feeding helps. There are always tradeoffs, and the Saiga unfortunately has the tilt-in magazine lock like an AK, and won’t automatically lock open the bolt on an empty magazine unless you install an aftermarket accessory called the last round bolt hold-open. But golly it’s a hoot to shoot!
The nice thing about the saiga 12 is that if you want to secure it from kids you just pop the mag out.
I love mine
Most saigas have the bolt hold open now.
And that is a definite necessity