My wife is barely 5 foot and she can handle the recoil of 12 gauge slugs pretty well. For home defense it's loaded with Federal Power Shok low recoil 00 buckshot.

If it's just for home defense just buy a Maverick 88/ Mossberg 500 and install a adustable stock+pistol grip. You won't break the bank and you'll have a shotty goes boom everytime you pull the trigger.

Throw in a couple more bones and pick up a Knoxx Industries Spec Ops stock.