If you were living in a house by yourself or with a family of your own, which would you prefer for a self defense weapon, a fully automatic rifle or a 8 rd auto shotgun? Which would you grab for in a rush? Just curious.
I'd take my 20-gauge pump over anything else. If you've got an MP-5 with several 30-round magazines, maybe we can talk. But until then, I'll stick with my $156 gun shop sale special. And a S&W 686.
Definitely the shotgun as whatever is used will be confiscated as evidence. I'd much rather have my relatively inexpensive shotgun taken than an almost irreplaceable Title II firearm.
I would chose the 12 gauge shotgun for HD distances less likely to hurt any friendlies living next door plus shotguns have a way of solving things without firing often and if not I can't thinkof too many situations of the HD type that 8 rounds of 00 wouldn't solve!