A rifle is for long range, a pistol for close, and a knife/baton for arms reach. Why you may need all three depends on your situation. If you have a yard, a handgun is going to be difficult to safely use at anywhere beyond 25 meters for most people, so that’s where the rifle comes in. If they are at your door or in your house, that’s what the pistol/shotgun are for, with a knfie or baton as a backup. You do not want to be shooting a rifle inside your house. The noise will be horrendous, and the bullets will over penetrate through targets and the walls behind them. As far as a proper rifle goes, your best bet is an AR15 for a few reasons. They are cheap, readily available, have a plethora of customization options, and most importantly are generally extremely reliable. Another option worth considering is a pistol caliber carbine. This is a rifle length setup chambered in pistol rounds, which reduces recoil and ammunition cost, and if you can use the same ammunition as your pistol. If done properly, you can even interchange the magazines between pistol and rifle. A baton is fantastic to keep on hand because you are less likely to get a major injury if you mishandle it. Any questions let me know!