Think about it, if you are choosing a gun for a gunfight, to stop your opponent and defend your own life, you would be wise to look at what special ops chooses for that purpose. Invariably, special ops forces around the world choose a variant of the M4 carbine as their primary weapon. Not pump shotguns, not full caliber battle rifles (M14, FAL, G3). Not handguns (those are "secondary," ie. backup weapons).
But that is because they are allowed to shoot combatants that are known to not be innocent, but are hundreds of feet away.
For people in a home in town, a rifle is the least helpful gun. A shotgun or pistol is far better.
On the farm, rifles and shotguns are what we expected to use.