the best home defense is definantly a 12ga., as a city policemen,I have known a few homeowners to take shots at would be burglars with various handguns over the years, only for the burglars to be long gone when we got there. but on tow occassion i have seen first hand what a 12ga. can do with the homeowner awaiting our arrival, and the burglar awaiting the squad. a .38 is an excellent weapon in the hand of an experienced user. a 12ga. allows a whole lot more margin for error, and remember you are more likely to use these weapons in dark or low light conditions. wouldnt you definantly rather have something that will fill a hall-way than require the accurate placement of one round. and i dont know anyone that would keep coming after being fired at with a 12ga.