[BigOlChiefsfan]

I have a nice smallish .380 made by Bersa. Good buy, always goes bang. It's a decent 'briefcase' gun or for vest carry. Not really as small as the Kel-Tec P3AT or the new Ruger LCP. But I'll tell you a fact - it's been tough to buy .380 ammo since the election. Not impossible, but tough. I think a .380 is a decent carry round, but if you can't buy any to carry look around for something else. I shoot the 'big brother' of a .380 (which is a 9mm x 17) - the "Makarov" 9x18. I have a Bulgarian Makarov that I really like and a CZ82 - maybe the best surplus buy on the market right now. They both shoot the 'mak' round, and I can buy all I want for $12/50 for Russian FMJ ammo, Hornady 'self defense' 9x18 is roughly twice that.
Either of these little surplus pistols will be less than $300 and they're both tough, accurate and 'all steel'. They may weigh more than some of the .380's, but they're small pistols and will carry well. And they're bona fide service pistols designed to stand up to police/army use. They can take it.

That said, if I was only going to buy 1 pistol to for CCW I'd probably look at the 9mm kel-tec models. P-11 or P9 IIRC. They'll 'disappear' in your front pocket (with a pocket holster to keep the barrel clean/unplugged). They're designed to be carried often and shot fairly seldom but perfectly capable in the 7yard category they're designed for. Ammo isn't an issue. They're (relatively) easy to find and priced right.

My only advice re: fighting shotguns is - get really, really familiar with your shotgun, don't just pimp it up and sit it by the bed and 'assume' you know where it shoots. Go shoot skeet or trap with it - don't care if it's not a 'skeet' gun, you can use the practice shooting moving targets. I have a Benelli Nova 'tactical' because I got a great deal on it 2nd hand, but if I was really wanting a designated home defense gun I'd watch for a decent used pumpgun at pawnshops, cut the barrel off @ 19" and put a buttstock 'cuff' ammo holder on it so you'll have extra ammo on the gun. You really don't need barrel shrouds, bayonets, etc...remember, you may have to appear in court someday and explain why you shot a goblin w/the gun. Your old hunting gun will look a lot less 'weirdo' than some ninjabangstick. K.I.S.S.