Well it can be, but I don't want someone to be able to just grab it either. I just dont think she would use it and would better off with something a bit easier
Well the .38 is only going to be worth a darn if she'll train with it, that's for sure. But there isn't much that is going to be effective without practice. Pepper spray indoors is probably going to fill the room. Tazers and stun guns are good... if there's only one assailant.
Pepper spray that actually works is a really bad idea in your bedroom.
Big, strong dog that loves you and your family dearly is a very good idea.
Next, a 20-gauge shotgun.
Every keyboard commando on the net will mock me for recommending a 20 instead of a 12 for home defense... but let's think this through.
I'm 6'3" and 250#. My wife is not. She's frankly scared to death of the kick from a 12. Better to hit what you're pointing at than to be terrified of even picking it up...
We're talking about ranges measured in feet, not yards. You don't need an assault rifle with a 30-round mag for that. A 20 loaded with buckshot? BOOM - done.
Just my opinion, of course.
A good dog and good locks are the first line of defense. Trying to make your place more trouble than it's worth to get into will go a good long way. "An ounce of prevention..." as it were. An alarm system too if you can swing it.
I'm not going to knock a 20 vs a 12, either is pretty effective.
However where the shotgun lacks, regardless of gauge, is it's limited capacity and it's time to reload. You may think you only need 5 or six shots but more is always going to be better.
An AR15 or similar rifle is actually a really good choice. Some may say it's overkill but can you really have too much gun in a potential life-or-death situation? An AR15 doesn't kick very hard, holds a lot of ammo and is quick to reload, if you actually needed too. If you have a tacticool m4gery with a quad rail and adjustable stock then it can be adjusted for different users and a quality light and optic can be added which would be beneficial in a confrontation. Though the stock, light, and optics can easily be added to a common shotgun.
It's 2:00am. You're in bed when suddenly you're startled awake by what sounds like a window breaking. Is there someone in your house? How many of them are there? What are their intentions? You're in your PJ's and only have time to grab your weapon and whatever ammo is in it and attached to it.
If it actually comes to exchanging rounds with some low-life you'll probably only need a few. But wouldn't you rather have 30 on tap with maybe another 30 ready to go? Not saying you've made the wrong choice by going with a 20ga shotgun. They can do the job well. But if we're being honest a carbine offers a lot of advantages. It's not the end-all-be-all #1 choice for everybody. There are many things to consider. And the fact is they're expensive and when a weapon system can cost as much as a good used car it puts it outside the reach of plenty of folks. A good shotgun is relatively inexpensive, is simple to operate, and can be devastating to a threat with the right load. Plus few, if any, localities have restrictions against the classic scatter gun.
Whatever you choose you need to train with it. That means a lot more than going to the range a couple times a year and casually shooting a few rounds. Professional instruction is advisable. Once you've decided on how you're going to deal with possible threats you also need an
overall plan. You've got your firearm/stungun/morning star/rubber chicken at the ready but what else could you be doing? Is someone calling 911? Are there other people in the house that need protecting that you need to get to? What about when the police show up? Many things to think about ahead of time.