Is the Defensive Shotgun Still Relevant?

luckygunner.com ^ | 9/24/2015 | Kyle Eggimann

[rktman]

The shotgun has been a ubiquitous home-defense tool for decades. There’s just something about that train-tunnel bore and the unmistakable sound of a pump shotgun being racked that inspires a sense of security. However, more and more, it seems as though the defensive shotgun is losing favor. Between the vast array of quality handguns that allow for protection both inside and outside the home and the AR-platform rifles that are cheaper than ever, endlessly customizeable, and available in nearly every modern caliber under the sun, it becomes harder and harder to justify the harsh recoil and comparatively clunky operation of a shotgun. So, is there really still a place for the defensive shotgun in today’s age of high capacity wonder-pistols and space-age carbines? I think so, and here’s why.

[archy]

All one ever sees is the gun. In a gun crime investigation the bad guy could be wearing a clown suit, riding a llama and all anybody saw was the BIG gun he was pointing at them. Could have been a .22 derringer but it looked like a howitzer.

I have often said that if I ever decided on embarking on a life of crime at this fairly late point in the game, I'll begin by holding up a Long John Silver's seafood restaurant. With a cutlass.

After that, maybe a liquor store or gas station, with a handgun. I think a Remington XP100 would be the weapon of choice [I want to read the report about how the wit describes the weapon] but a pepperbox or duckfoot muzzleloader has possibilities as well.

[DungeonMaster]

Absolutely; the shotgun is one of the most versatile firearms in existence.

I remember being a Spec 4 in the Army when a Staff Sergeant from Illinois told me that exact thing.

[archy]

It works for me!

That a little Astra Cub or Colt Junior under the 870? I just love those little things, particularly the .22 short versions.