The crazy Joe finger shotgun?
Pistol is not that good of a choice! Shotgun!! With laser!
A 2inch 38 special or 357, a safety will get your butt shot in a confrontation without proper training.
The crazy Joe finger shotgun?
Finances allowing, I suggest a .22lr version for practice for the beginner. They are very mild and help keep the bad habit of flinching away. I taught my SO with a S&W mod 617 transitioning to a 686, both with 4" barrels.
I don't like the Ruger LCR isn't a good choice for the beginner because the .22 trigger is way too heavy when compared to the .38 version of the same.
Here is a 617 image. 
Rossi Circuit Judge (shoots both 410 shotgun and 45cal bullets)
Revolver, so no ‘semi auto’ to remember
Available in Stainless
“...where an assailant might spring out and grab the barrel of a shotgun or rifle and wrestle it out of your hands. “
~~~
If you have a home invasion you almost always know it. If you have time to reach a firearm, then you should also have time to find a (relatively safe distance) bottleneck. You definitely should not be searching around shadowy corners with a loaded firearm if you don’t know who or where anyone is.
Forget shotguns, AR-15s and revolvers. The best defensive weapon is the one you have on you. My personal choice is the Glock 23. It’s concealable, fires a .40 S&W round, is very reliable and holds 13 rounds plus one in the chamber. If I were buying today, I’d go with the Glock 19, which is the 23’s 9 mm brother, now that 9 mm ammo has significantly improved since I decided on .40 S&W as my primary caliber. I’d also consider the Glock 43X, which is smaller, has a single stack magazine and holds 10 + 1. While I am not a Glock fanatic, I do like them for their reliability, simplicity and their passive safeties. Pull the trigger and it’s going to go bang. And like the Jeep Wrangler, there are a million aftermarket accessories for them.
If you have a shotgun and need to go to the door to learn who it is, you are already in trouble. Just shoot the shotgun through the door - its what most do in that situation. You are using double ought buckshot, right?
smith n wesson hammerless 38 model 642 is my choice
it always goes bang when you want it to and it does not when you dont want it to ,,,,,,once I was two foot away from a huge rattle snake by my garbage cans, pulled out my 1911 and tried to shoot it, no bang,,took me 3 seconds to figure out the saftey is still on. Have carried this 38 ever since. If that rattler was armed and shooting back I would have been toast.
Im a good shot but under pressure you may forget the safety is on safe.
For seniors with bad eye sight, a semi automatic shotgun should work well.
Here we go again!
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That’s a crazy article if it is being meant for a first time gun owner. Certain to scare them off. Good grief.
I keep a 9mm with me at all times in the house. It is usually within reach, never more than a step or two away. This is my "just in case of a home invasion" protection. Not being paranoid - there have been a couple of home invasions in this area. My 9mm is a S&W M&P Shield M2.0 with the external safety. It has a full mag, one in the chamber, and the safety on.
We live in a two story with the master bedroom upstairs. Bedside I have a full size 1911 loaded with 230 gr JHP. Full mag, but empty chamber. (carry condition 3) Also beside the bed is a Mossberg 12 GA pump with adjustable stock (collapsed) and 18.5" barrel. It is also condition 3. The first shell is a slug, then #1 buck, then another slug, then #1 buck... The idea being that if someone breaks in during the night, between the dog and the alarm system I should get a few seconds warning - enough time to bring the Mossberg into play. Because these are out of my immediate control during the day I don't have a round in the chamber. Note, there are no children in the house. The 1911 is there as a back up in case plan A doesn't work out. I have no intention of clearing the house - descending the stairway would just expose me in an obvious way. The Mossberg and 1911 are really just there to prevent anyone from entering my bedroom. The slug is first up because if there were someone in the house, I know I'm going to have to shoot past the dog as it attacks them. After the first shot I expect she'll run away or cower some, hence buckshot comes next...
You can’t go wrong with a revolver for a beginner. Even a cheap .22 revolver is better than nothing. And I have yet to see anyone volunteer to be shot.
BUT
You need to also consider ammunition and time on the range for practicing. Get to where you can hit a fist sized or cup sized target consistently at 25 feet. And practice, practice practice.
Also consider a future upgrade. Either to a .357 magnum revolver and shoot .38 specials or to a pistol that you can operate effectively.
You will see several people advocate for a shotgun. It is not a bad choice but your circumstances my impact your decision. If you live in an apartment complex that has thin walls, a missed shot might hit someone else. Small hallways may make a long gun impractical. Just take your situation into consideration. The primary reason for recommending a revolver as a first firearm is due to it’s simplicity.
And always remember the five rules of a gun fight:
1) gun beats no gun - if you don’t have ammo or cant clear a jam, you have club not a gun.
2) fast beats slow - he who shoots first often shoots last
3) a hit beats a miss - a .22 that hits is worth a WHOLE lot more than a .44 magnum that misses
4) big holes beat little holes - bigger bullets make bigger holes that bleed out faster
5) two holes beat one hole - two holes bleed out faster
Fwiw, I’m a retired soldier of the USA’s Military Police & a Certified Rangemaster, with a lifetime Instructor’s “ticket” for every Army weapon from .38 SPL revolver up to & including .50 caliber Machine Gun.
My sincere advice to “NEW SHOOTERS” for HOME/FARM DEFENSE is a DOUBLE-BARREL or PUMP 12 or 20 gauge shotgun by ITHACA, MOSSBERG, REMINGTON, or WINCHESTER with an 18-20 inch barrel & loaded with #4, # 3 or # 1 BUCKSHOT.
IF you are NEW to firearms, get PROFESSIONAL TRAINING before you try to load or use your shotgun.
Even persons, who have never TOUCHED a firearm with be COMPETENT with a DOUBLE-BARREL with TWO HOURS or less of professional coaching.
IF your choice is a PUMP shotgun, expect to be COMPETENT with THREE HOURS of training.
IF you want a handgun, the BEST choice is a .38 SPECIAL revolver by COLT, RUGER or SMITH & WESSON, with a TWO or FOUR INCH barrel. = GETTING PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED is VITAL & may well SAVE YOUR LOVED ONES or YOUR LIFE.
Generally speaking, with proper coaching, a brand new revolver owner will be able to quality on a standard police course of fire with EIGHT HOURS of PROFESSIONAL TRAINING.
Just my OPINIONS, ex-cadet
USAMPR, Retired
Somewhere in the Bible it teaches “never ever ever limit yourself to one handgun”. Collect em’ all.
WW2 manufactured M-1 carbines selling for $2,000+ is a bit steep for me.
The .88 Magnum - it shoots through schools...
Train to shoot and shoot to kill.