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Thank you for the links, EG. But, when I bought the .35 S & W, I asked about shotguns. The salesman told me that they are all powerful enough to break your shoulder, if you don’t brace it against the wall behind you (and then it will break through the wall!)

I’m not a youngster anymore, but am a strong, tough lady. (No osteo-perosis). I just want to know that if I am confronted by a gang of thugs - I will be able to give it my best ‘shot’!

I will certainly look into your links, and thank you!

The salesman told me that they are all powerful enough to break your shoulder, if you don’t brace it against the wall behind you He lied. A 20 gauge shotgun is fine even for a seasoned citizen of the female type.

Now, I would amend that rifle recommendation, eliminate the Moison and the Mauser. I still think the Swiss rifle would be OK, but they are heavy buggers. However what you need is something like a .270 hunting rifle, any of a number similar "light but still enough for deer" rifles. I have a sister in law, who while still pretty young is also a thin lady. She has her own .270. She came to the US from a state of the Old Soviet Union, and learned to shoot AK-47s there. Which reminds me, an SKS or AK type would also work well. SKS is cheaper, while the AK holds more rounds and is probably more reliable. Or you could get an Arizona made Ruger Mini-30 in the same 7.62x39 chambering, for somewhat more $. The Ruger and the SKS are more easily "scoped" and will do the job, just not quite so far out.

I'm no spring chicken myself. I just got out of the hospital today after getting my right knee joint replaced. I go back in 2-4 weeks to have the other one done too.

I asked several of the nurses and assistants if they had been there on November 5, when that Muslim Maniac shot up so many troops at Ft. Hood. Many had been. The hospital is the same one many of the wounded, including the lady civilian cop who was the first to engage the perp, were taken. It's about as close to the scene as the post hospital.

I bought a Model 88 Mossberg in 12 ga. a while back,,,

8 shot pump,,,

It points/shoots like a dream,,,

You mite get one in 20 ga. that wouldn’t kick so much,,,

If it gets to the situation where you have to use it

you won’t even feel the kick,,,

I agree with El Gato's revised recommendations. You should consider a 20 ga. shotgun. You can get shells with 00 buckshot (double ought) or #4 buck (slightly smaller shot so more pellets per shell) or slugs. (one solid lead projectile per shell) 20 ga. will kick much less than 12 ga. but it will still deliver a very potent punch on the bad guy's end.

I was thinking of an SKS as I read El Gato's post too. Reasonably priced semi-auto rifle, recoil is not that bad, ammo is relatively cheap and fairly accurate to 100 yards. It's main advantage for self-defense is the ability to fire rapidly.

Yorkie, if you are worried about recoil, then may I suggest you buy an AR-15 or a Ruger Mini 14 in 5.56? A handfun of 20 or 30 round mags loaded with good quality ammunition will allow you to hit bad guys at 500 yards.

A shorty AR-15, sometimes known as a CAR-15 or an M-4, can be used in a house and won’t recoil hardly at all.