keep one in the chamber and the tube full - if you need to pull the trigger immediately you're not wasting time racking it. if you want to rack it to use the sound to (hopefully) scare off the intruder(s), and it works, you can always pick up the shell that was ejected. lights help you see, may blind the intruder, may give away your position. pros/cons. get a dog with a deep, manly bark. best first line of defense, imho. ***edit: reduced/low recoil loads should make for easier/quicker follow-up shots. if you don't have a shotgun already, consider a 20 gauge. less recoil, easier follow-up, still plenty to stop a bad guy.