Ever lived in an apartment before? I hadn't until this past January and it has taken some adjustment. The management will have keys to your place and maintenance will come in (usually with notice, sometimes without) while you are not there. People can usually watch you come and go pretty easily. You have no choice of neighbors and they are close.
If you can pull off carrying a baseball or golf bag regularly a pump gun is probably OK. Otherwise I'd say stick with handguns or take-down models. If you can pull off discretely transporting long guns I might suggest a .223 rifle in place of the pump gun. This is not first-hand experience but what I've read is that frangible .223 actually has a lower overpenetration risk than most 12ga. The .357 carbine might be a fun choice as well.
I mention all of that because in my case I really haven't used the long guns I brough as much as I thought I would. Handguns are easy to toss into a bag (I use a small camelpack style daypack) and head to the range with. They are also much cheaper and easier to secure properly.
But, since I was in a similar situation a year ago, here was my answer. I brought the following guns "to use" when I moved:
1) Accurate .22LR pistol (range use)
2) Accurate .22 rimfire rifle (range use, maybe hunting)
this gun is great for takedown and fits nicely into a
bag intended for short SxS double shotties.
Cost to duplicate: $300 used, $600 new.
That's the basic "keep the skills up" pair. They were my most-used guns before though I've only used the pistol since moving.
3) 12ga pump (500A) w/ folding stock (stored "cruiser ready")
4) 9mm full-sized semi-auto pistol. (Was stored locked & loaded, now replaced with a locally aquired gun of similar type).
Cost to duplicate: $350 used, $600 or more more more new.
That's the "practical" duo and all I would've brought if my interest was primarily/strictly defense. The folding stock makes it easier to discretely get out of the apartment but it's still a rather large lump and I think the advice I got here on THR to use a conventional stock and get used to disassembling/reassembling the gun is probably a lot better.
The pistol gets used. The shotgun hasn't been out of my bedroom in months.
5) Cap and Ball revolver
6) Muzzle loading rifle
7 and up) C&R collection
That's the fun collection that can also be quite practical in a pinch. C&R stuff doesn't apply to you but it includes some handguns and rifles that would enable big game hunting or other forms of protection if desired. Frankly, though, most of these are sealed up and locked up and would take a while to make ready for use. I don't even have ammo for all of them.
The long guns are taken out and cleaned/checked periodically. The handguns are taken out and used periodically. See the pattern?
I've since aquired additional guns just because. I came from California to TX and sometimes I buy something just because here I can and there I couldn't. I've added a couple of small bore (e.g. .223) rifles that almost never get used, and several handguns that do get used.
Whatever you bring, make sure you'll be able to use it in a fun and low-stress way. If you have a tacticooled out shottie and are in an area of double guns you may not do much shotgunning and then why have it with you?
