What should I spend my money on?

Trap or Skeet shooting is a LOT of fun. A highly respected skill, too. Mossberg with 28" and 18" barrels can be had reasonably. and cost of shooting is reasonable, too.

AR shooting is a blast, too.

I recommend a reloading setup. Cuts ammo cost by about 2/3 to 3/4 for the revolver.

Lost Sheep
 
Get what you want. I think you'll be much more satisfied with the AR in the end. I think you'll find that the 18" barrel shotgun will spend 99% of its time in the corner next to the bed and not out at the range. An AR with proper ammo selection is an equally viable self defense option, can be used for inexpensive plinking, hunting, or competition.

Also, with politics what they are I think scooping up an AR as soon as it is financially responsible is always a wise move, especially with a lame duck session of Congress coming up.
 
My vote goes to the AR (plenty in the $750-100 range)...then a Canik TP9 (reliabilty and great price) to replace the 38...and a Mossberg 500 for your shotgun

And lots of ammo
 
There are some really great deals in entry-level AR's in the $600 range. PSA is a great choice. You still need to consider sights or an optic in your budget. Don't forget at least some basic cleaning tools and liquids.

I have a Maverick88 for HD. It's a great gun, basically a Mossberg500 with a cross-bolt safety vs. a tang safety. For HD, I'd highly recommend a weapon mounted light to aid in target identification at night.

As others have said, you aren't going to have any "fun" with a shotgun unless you're going after clays or hunting. An AR is just about as fun as a rifle can be, and YES, you can shoot .22lr out of your .223.556 AR15 with the purchase of a new BCG and a magazine. However, for the same price as a decent .22lr conversion, you can buy a Ruger 10/22 and a couple 25rd mags.

The "whats best for home defense" debate can rage for weeks. The good news is that it's a great time to be in the market for a new gun, because prices are pretty low.
 
I use my shotgun more than any other firearm. That is because I am a hunter. So I would choose a high quality shotgun first then an AR.

AR is for fun and the shotgun for work (that's actually fun).
 
Another vote for "get what you want." It just so happens that you want an AR and that would be my recommendation for a specific suggestion.

A short AR has a lot of advantages over a shotgun, if you're looking to press it into a dual range-fun and HD role. My Colt doesn't kick very hard, has lots of rounds on board, quick reloads, is shorter and lighter than an 18" barreled "combat" shotgun, the semi-auto operation prevents user-induced short-stroking and it's accurate to 300+ yards. As a bonus ammo is inexpensive and becoming available again. The AR gets taken out much more often than any shotgun I've ever had because it's a lot more fun (to me) to spend an afternoon behind.

Ultimately though, get what you really want, otherwise you won't be satisfied.
 
Decisions, Descisions...

I am not you, and you are not me. As several others have mentioned, you are already adequately set for home defense. Now, to the topic of your next purchase...
Are you a hunter? Do you spend much time shooting where a shotgun would be the chosen arm? Will you spend time shooting beyond 50 or so yards? Are you interested in precision shooting, martial arms, "tactical" exercises, etc.?
Between the handguns you already own, a shotgun, and the AR, your rifle will (currently) be the most cost-efficient firearm to keep shooting. The AR platform is very modular, and easily changed/upgraded to suit changing needs or interests.
Hoping that you will shoot frequently, thereby gaining proficiency and interest, I would suggest the AR at this time. If your main reason is simply to 'round-out' your collection, eventually owning both rifle and shotgun, then buy the shotgun now (more affordable), and use the left-over monies as a seed fund to start saving for the AR.
 
I've researched around about home defense and what weapon for it. The AR15 came out on top.

Why?

Frangible rounds is the answer. Less risk of over penetration in a dwelling compared to pistols and shotguns.

But you can use frangible in a pistol?!? Yes you can but not much power for it to stop the threat quickly. An AR15 can do it and that's comparing 1000+ pounds of energy dump to 200-400 pounds from a pistol.

A shotgun certainly can stop the threat but over penetration is high on the list like the pistol. Also it can be pretty messy if you succeed.
 
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