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Unless you plan to carry concealed or get a concealed carry license skip the pistol for your first gun.
If you want something for home defense that sits by the bed get a 20-gauge pump shotgun. I've never met anyone man woman or child that couldn't shoot one and #3 or #4 buckshot is hard to miss with within 20 or 30 yards. You can go to almost any sporting goods store and pick one up for about $250. I like the Maverick 88.
If you want something to hunt with or just have in case of "troubles" get yourself a decent bolt-action rifle with a 3x9 scope in a popular caliber such as 308 or 270. Rifles are easier to shoot and you can use them for hunting. Once you shoot the rifle a few times and are comfortable with it you can put it away for those "troubles."
If the US gets ripe enough you need to stack bodies you are going to want a rifle more than a pistol and if you have a shotgun or a rifle you can pick up a pistol, there will be plenty on those bodies you are stacking.
That's my extremely qualified opinion, but with that said opinions are like assholes, everyone has one.
Good luck out there, be safe.
When I thought about buying a shotgun I looked into rock salt and other non lethal ammo, it turns out it's illegal to load shells with rock salt. Hard to believe
Because you shouldn't use a gun unless deadly force is warranted.
What about less than lethal ammunition, like rubber bullets that cops get to use on protesters?
It's less-lethal, not nonlethal. Even blanks can be deadly. A gun should only be pointed at something you're willing to destroy.
Cops are not held to as high of standards as everyone else. This should not come as a great revelation.
You can use a shotgun loaded only with rock salt even when deadly force is warranted. You can also not use a gun at all in situations that would allow deadly force. Not everybody wants to kill someone.
If you go through a defensive carry class you'd almost certainly be discouraged from doing that by the instructor for multiple reasons:
First is that all ammo can be lethal, even blanks. So if you're not willing to kill to protect your own life, that may cause it anyway. On the flip side, a prosecutor will argue that if lethal ammunition wasn't required, then use of a gun wasn't necessary and you've not only broken firearm discharge laws (in place where most people live), but are also guilty of assault with a weapon with intent to kill or maim.
Firing a gun in self-defense is only warranted if nonlethal means are insufficient. If you try using less-lethal ammo and it doesn't stop your attacker, you're killed or seriously injured. If you try using less-lethal ammo and it does stop your attacker, you're still screwed by the legal system (possibly except under some "stand your ground" laws).