A 24" barreled Mossberg 930 gets the nod for use at home. It came with a rail on the forearm on which I hung a Streamlight TL-1 with remote switch. It has had several thousand rounds through it without a bobble, it has even cycled Winchester Universals that we're giving others extraction problems. I load it with a couple rounds of low recoil 00 buckshot followed by slugs as largish 4 legged pests can be as likely as two legged ones.
I switched from an 870 to a semi-auto as my wife shoots a semiauto and is much less likely to fumble using it. I have little concern regarding the barrel length as a long gun is better served for static defense than a house search, particularly by oneself. If I have to go looking I'll pick a pistol as it is much easier to use one handed and in tight quarters. It is pretty hard to open a door and keep a shotgun ready for a shot with one hand.
What to use and how to use it comes down to the individual and their particular circumstances. What works best for one individual in one instance may be totally wrong for someone else in another. It is really an example of getting some education in the matter and how one can adapt that information to their application. Greater knowledge and more thought will give one a better perspective on their needs.
