I think a dog is the ultimate home defense system!

Does it matter if the barrels are side-by-side or stacked ?

There is just something "wrong" with a "stackbarrel 'Coachgun' ".

It just defies the Smooth Functioning of the Universe.

Got that covered three 80lb+ dogs.

My 1911, etc. doesn't like steak.

tp

2 dogs.

Joe Dirt, the 125# vagabond Chocolate Lab who turned up here one evening 1-1/2 yrs ago and couldn't be convinced to leave, loves everyone, hates mice and only barks at coyotes (and will not bark indoors, he will "huff" to demand my attention).

Holly, the 64# Black & White Pitoxer that we got from a shelter almost 3 yrs ago (with unknown priors of 2 owners) hates strangers, and, if you try to suck up to her, or briber her (with edibles), her paranoia kicks into Top Gear and she hates you worse.
Saw a UPS driver toss her a treat once, she watched it fly, land, completely ignored it, and seemed to get even madder he was here. "How DARE you try to bribe me!!!"

I have no idea if her bite is as bad as her bark, she is easily scared of sudden noises (drop a fork in the steel sink), but by golly she puts on a great show of being Little Miss Guard Dog.
And, honestly, I have hung onto a rope when she wants to play, she'll dislocate your arm, she'd probably pull a leg off and beat you with the wet end.
Not nearly so protective on a leash "in public", in town (well behaved), but around the house, she guards her territory firmly.
I was amazed she likes Joe and didn't run him off, probably because he flopped down on the porch, refused to move, and refused to pay her any attention until she decided he was harmless.

Two Rhodesian Ridgeback that rarely bark and one American foxhound mutt that barks at everything. She will go out the door in full song.

That’s perfect!

A two shot HD gun is as obsolete as a two seat bi-plane. We have much better options now.

Better options, yes. Obsolete, hardly.

I would use one if that is all i had, but it wouldn't be my first choice.

"Joe Dirt".

tp

Better options as in more capacity?

Yes! Two shots might work against a single unarmed adversary but what if there are two or more invaders armed with Glocks holding close to 20 rounds?

Then obviously you're in California.

tp

Then you hit the floor, get all your tacticool floor level light switches off, fire up you nvg’s, and prepare to do whatever it is you envision happening........then your mom yells down the stairs to knock it off and get to bed.

Ok, Rooster. You owe me a keyboard!

tp (not topping that one tonight)

Yes, that's always a possiblity, among an almost limitless amount of others.

Or what if they kick in the door while I'm in the bathroom or on the couch or in the kitchen, and my gun is in the bedroom or behind the door they kicked in, etc..

Just having more capacity is not some magic talisman that is going to give me some theoretical advantage by having the ability to send more lead flying around.

Yup... one can play "what if?" forever. If you comfortable and feel safe with a coach gun as a home defense weapon, great. I would be. I'd put one of those elastic ammo-holders on the buttstock with a handful of extra shotshells in it and sleep well.

I had a chance to do some shooting in a deserted/empty house, and I wanted to see for myself just what kind of penetration a few different 12 gauge loads would have.

7 1/2 birdshot at an average living room distance penetrated both sides of an interior wall but not much more. Probably almost harmless by the time it went through.

#4 buckshot easily went through an interior wall and into the wall across a hallway and into a bedroom wall.

00 Buckshot went through the living room, through the hallway, through the bedroom and into the exterior wall.
Different wall, it went right through a wall seperating living room & kitchen, through the kitchen wall, through the garage, out of the other wall which was sheetrock interior and some kind of thick stucco material exterior. No idea how far it went after that as I could not find any evidence or buckshot.

The lesson in this, for me, is that I I'm not using buckshot for HD. While I don't have kids, I do have a wife and occasional guests, and unless they are in the same room I'm shooting in, they could easily get hurt/killed unintentionally.

Is birdshot a one shot threat ender? Maybe not, but I guess I could just shoot again if needed, same with any other firearm that might be used for HD.