I have an 1187 Police model, ghost ring sights, extended mag tube and Speed Feed 2 tactical pistol grip stock (the kind that have a butt stock and pistol grip). Gun runs and shoots very well and is the first gun that I will grab should I need to defend my house. Lucky if for me if you get into my house I have a natural defensive position that puts all bedrooms behind me.
As for ammo I run straight #4 buck. More than enough to kill a person in an inhouse shooting distance but less likely to over penetrate. Ihave slugs in a side saddle shell holder incase bad guy wants to hide behind my couch or kitchen island.
As for using birdshot like has been suggested above, leave that for birdhunting. About 10 years ago I took a call at work (i'm a cop) where a young man was despondent over a break up. He loaded a shotgun with either #6 or 8 birdshot (cant remember now) and put the barrell under his chin and pulled the trigger. Litterally removed the center of his face and his jaw. This bird shot was so "effective" at this close range (contact shot to the head!) that I still see the young man on a farely regular basis as he panhandles from people on the street. He still lacks a face but it didnt kill him. Now image shooting at bad guy across your living room (20-30feet) and he has on a leather coat or a carhart and you are shooting birdshot.
If you are serious about home defense, get training, use the right equipement for you and do not worry about killing someone if you are truely justified under the law that govern this stuff in your state. Shoot me with bird shot and I might die, but you are gonna have a hell of a fight on your hands untill I do. Run 00, 000, 0000 buck or a slug through me and it will likely be a single shot gun fight.
As for a . 38 for home defense, yeah thats better than birdshot, but dont forget that in the Miami FBI shoot out in the 80's, one bad guy took a . 38 through the heart, lived for aleast another minute and killed 2 agents (IIRC) after he was shot.
For handguns the ammo and shot placement is key. We had an officer involved shooting where bad guy took 3 . 40cal hydra shocks at less than ten feet. 2 of the 3 where considered fatal and he was immediately stopped. All three rounds were recovered at autopsy, perfectly mushroomed per design. If you over penetrate with any ammo, it is a waste of kinetic energy.
Hope this helps but also hope this does not turn this into an "oil war" thread, LMAO.
Happy holidays,
J-