Best gun for self defense that is not a handgun?

If handguns were to be unlawful (like they used to be in DC), what kind of gun could possibly be used for self defense? In other words, what%26#039;s the smallest gun that is not a %26quot;handgun%26quot; but which still might be used in a %26quot;defense mode%26quot;?|||yes i agree with most of the others a shotgun but my preference is a 20 gage loaded with #4 double ought buckshot...i use an older mossberg single barrel breech loader with auto eject just shoot break and load... its a little slower but then from 10 or so feet and the load i use you really don%26#039;t need a second shot....one round is guaranteed to ruin the bad guys day...forever...nice penetration without going all the way through and will indeed take out anything it hits...center mass will probably kill the bad guy quick!!!|||Here%26#039;s what I use: http://store.womenonguard.com/-strse-657...





It%26#039;s a pepper spray handgun . It%26#039;s not considered a gun, and It doesn%26#039;t look like a real gun, but it has a range of over 20 feet and is fairly compact. Yes, that is a website for women%26#039;s self defense, but men use this pepper spray gun as well. It%26#039;s becoming more and more popular because it is operated like a gun, which gives the defendant much more control over it.





The spray is stored in a cartridge and you get 7 sprays (or 7 seconds if you choose to hold the trigger in for a continuous stream). You can then change the cartridge instead of replacing the whole thing. You also get a water cartridge for practicing!





If you are interested in something else for self defense, here is a great website that is loaded with self defense weapons: http://www.defensedevices.com/index.html





Please note: There is a taser gun on that website, but it is illegal in many states, so that%26#039;s why I didn%26#039;t recommend that.





Good Luck! I wish you safety!|||A Remington 30/30 is a good carbine that is easy to fire, and hard to mess up the operation of.





I would also recommend almost any pump shotgun (I prefer Winchester). The advantage to a shotgun is, depending on the size shot you use, you can certainly disable/discourage a criminal, without killing him (if that is your goal).|||i would recommend a remington model 870 marine magnum, or a ruger 10/22. i%26#039;d probably prefer the .22 more because you said you want it to be small. it has very low recoil and is lightweight also. but if you%26#039;re not a good shot or will be under much stress, i would say the shotgun because it will have a wider spread so you will hit the target.|||If you truly want to defend your home, the experts will tell you to get a shotgun. Any handgun has an effective range of about 35 feet. Beyond that distance, you may not hit your target. With a shotgun and some scatter buck shot, you are going to hit what you are aiming at.|||I don%26#039;t think a Tek-9 is considered a handgun. Perhaps a sawed off shotgun, although, not probable for self defense and I don%26#039;t think legal in any state. Personally, I would be happy with the MP-5. Just my opinion|||Shotguns. As long as the barrel is over 19%26quot; it is legal. Even a blindman could take care of business with one. Ever hear a shotgun go off in a small room? Only an idiot would wait to see if the second shot hit them.|||yeah- shotgun





min barell length of 18 1/4%26quot;- overall length of not less than 26%26quot;





anything assault styled (tek9, mp5) would face the same theoretical ban as the handgun|||The best self-defense firearm, period, is a quality pump-action 12 gauge shotgun with buckshot shells.|||Remington 870 marine mag makes a good LEGAL home defense firearm|||Winchester Defender tactical 12 gauge