I'm planning to setup a shotgun as a home defense weapon. Given that home invasions often occur at night, I'd like to set it up with a night sight system. I recall the Home Invasions episode in "Surviving Disaster" TV series on Spike, and one of the recommendations was to turn all the lights off, providing an advantage since the homeowner is familiar with the house layout, while home invaders probably aren't.

1. What kind of night sight system should I install: laser, red dot, or tactical flashlight? Are there any other options I should consider, particularly those that don't require batteries that could go dead at the most inopportune time?

I think that laser and flashlight may have the psychological effect of letting the bad guys know that a gun may be pointed at them (particularly laser), but won't the lights also give them a target to shoot at?

2. What kind of 12 gauge shot shell should I use? My shotgun can handle 2 3/4", 3" and 3 1/2" shells but if I use 2 3/4" (presumably less stopping power), I can have more shells in the magazine and I assume it's better to have too many than not enough, since I wouldn't know how many bad guys there are.

I can't advise you on the sights/lights as I just keep a 45 auto with regular night sights and a really bright flashlight. There is enough ambient light at night in my house that I can see a intruder.

As to the 12 gauge, regular low brass buck shot at close range is more than enough.
Ever fire a 12 gauge with high brass buck shot at night, inside?? Ochy Momma!!, deaf and blind real quick.

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Still Running Against the Wind

I can't help you with the sights/lights question either.
But, for ammo you can't go by shell length or brass height to determine power or effectiveness. You must look at the ballistics, mostly shot size and velocity, to determine what is best. If you see the word "magnum" or have a shell with a longer length it may just mean it has more shot and may actually have less velocity, but not always. High brass may not always have more power than low brass and makes no difference to a reloader as either is as good as the other, but high brass is supposed to be more reliable at extraction, although I've never noticed a difference.

The flashlight is the most important...regular sights will show up just fine against the light and you have the added tactic of blinding him...I would not worry about it giving away your position unless you are in a cave...any intruders eyes are already adjusted to the dark and he will see you either way...so blind away...

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

A polished brass bead works pretty well actually. I'm not big on weapon mounted lights for the average home owner, or a bunch of other bolt on gadjets, and you don't need magnum ammo either. I actually prefer a 20 gauge because it is fast handling and light enough to shoot one handed if you are opening a door with the other hand.

A dap of "White Out" on the front sight works well.
Low recoil#4 Buckshot is good or even birdshot is ok.
At room length any shot is not going to spread over over a dinner plate size group.
Jimmy

OO or OOO buck, 2 3/4", standard loadings (not mags). Don't use birdshot and you don't need to mess around with smaller sizes. Yes, it'll go through walls, but everything effective (save some 5.56mm offerings) tends to do that.

The home invasion episode on Spike was idiotic on many levels.

Leave your lights on if they are already on. Just take cover.

Buy some hearing protection. And armor if you're serious about such things.

You can stick a Surefire light on most shotguns. Either buy a mount, put it on a rail, or get one that is recoil proof and some Gorilla tape...

If you have a rail on top of your shotgun, you can stick an Aimpoint or Cmore or some such on it. Sort of pointless for most users though, since you're using the gun up close.

The best "night sight" that I'm aware of would be to get an AN/PVS14 (an ITT one, not a lesser brand) and attach an IR spotlight and laser aiming device. Again, sort of wasted on a shotgun, but eh, if it amuses you. A bit pricey. I haven't even bothered to weapon's mount my own PVS-14, but you can use them in conjunction with some models of EoTech and Aimpoints, and mine worked okay with my Cmore when it was at its dimmest.

Not the best indoors and up close though, since depth perception isn't the greatest and some people get motion sickness using one.

Here's what I think you need:

-Night sights, such as XS Sight Systems "drop in" replacements for the front & rear sights on Remington rifle-sighted "law enforcement" barrels, or etc..

-Flashlight, mounted, either in the form of a Surefire dedicated fore-end/light, or some similar alternative.

-Magazine extension for maximum capacity, with SideSaddle on-board ammo reserve, or equivalent (Vang Comp Systems offers a nice-looking rig, with QD carriers on an action-mounted base...)

-Federal's 2-3/4" 9 pellet 00 buckshot, with Flitecontrol wad, in your preference of maximum or reduced velocity. (part number for max velocity Law Enforcement load is "LE127 00", there's an identical civilian load with a different part #) These Flitecontrol wads border on being miraculous in their ability to maintain tight patterns at extended ranges, and apparently work best from cylinder choked barrels.

That said, there's a cogent argument to be made for foregoing the HD shotgun entirely, in favor of the 5.56mm/.223 carbine, which your local Scottsdale PD has pioneered, using carbines in lieu of shotguns and pistol caliber subguns for decades, and followed by many other departments, for warrant entries, &tc. Frangible high speed bullets minimize over-penetration, and are thought by some to be more instantaneous fight stoppers than scatterguns, but this is an observation, not an assertion.

Since your live might depend on it, I would recommend a SureFire light for your shotgun.

Also I would use No1, O, or OO Buck Shot.

NO birdshot for me....

Myself I have night sights on my SW99 and keep a SW Tact light right next to it I got from wal-mart for 40 bucks. Uses aa batteries and is about 120 lumen cree led

You might check these out. I have a 66-3 with them on, however mine have faded. They are nice when there fresh. I should get mine redone.
Trijicon, Inc. : Brilliant Aiming Solutions

With a shotgun, I don't think night sights are a neccessity. Same goes for the laser.

But a good light is a must. As well as a hand held for backup. When you turn the light on, you'll see all you need to see.

Keep in mind, just having a light is not good enough. Practicing with a light is critical. For those who don't or haven't practiced light management, it is often misused and misunderstood.

IMHO, a home defense shotgun should be simple to operate.

I purchased the new Weatherby 12 gauge black pump (Model PA-459) for home defense. Comes with front pic rail and I placed a SureFire X-300 light. Expensive light but 2-legged critters coming on your property with bad intentions at night deserve the best!

12 gauge is the best "reactive" mode HD firearm.

From a "proactive" mode I begin with my 10 gauge and work down to the 12 gauge for 2 or 4 legged critters with bad intentions...works every time.