The best home defense gun is going to be different for each one of us. As an approach to finding the answer that is best for you, I suggest starting with all options on the table and then using a process of elimination based upon your specific needs, your physical ability, and what type of gun you might actually like to take to the range.

My father, a long time Deputy Sheriff and lifelong shooter, had a somewhat different opinion.  He was a large and jovial, but soft spoken man who tended to look at firearms from a more pragmatic point of view.  He felt strongly that people cannot defend themselves adequately with firearms that they never shoot.