It's 2023, what role does the shotgun fill today?

[Ron3]

Truth of the matter is most shotgun fight don’t go more than two rounds. As with anything else you have to put the time in on them and most won’t. It will stay loaded in the closet or the corner waiting for the day.

It's funny 'cause it's true.

A short (18 in, shorty stock) SxS with a light & two extra shells on it (optional) and a pistol on you for backup & you're plenty HD ready.

Unless your concern is a home invasion by guys who have armor and REALLY are willing to push aside their dead to get you. That's kinda rare.

[Detmongo]

It's funny 'cause it's true.

A short (18 in, shorty stock) SxS with a light & two extra shells on it (optional) and a pistol on you for backup & you're plenty HD ready.

Unless your concern is a home invasion by guys who have armor and REALLY are willing to push aside their dead to get you. That's kinda rare.

Another thing to look at depending on where you live and the political climate, defending yourself with a shotgun might be much easier to justify than using a Black Rifle. Imagine a leftist prosecutor making a huge issue out of using a weapon of War (because no one needs a weapon of war) to defend themselves. I keep a plain Jane 870 20” rifle sights Hogue youth stock on loaded with #4 buck. Hey Mr/Mrs prosecutor I used my youth modle deer gun to defend my self. It’s all bullshit but something to ponder depending on where you live.

[33XRAY]

I'm not a fan of shotguns due to their lack of range. They who manage the space win the fight as they say. People choosing them as their primary carry baffles me, but I do plan on buying one, because 12ga is the only thing I see on the shelf sometimes. They are deadly, loud, and cool looking. If I had the $$$ I'd buy one yesterday.

[26 Inf]

I'm not a fan of shotguns due to their lack of range. They who manage the space win the fight as they say.

I think the shotgun manages the space within its effective range pretty effectively in terms of terminal ballistics.

Let's be honest, though. If you are moving about in public, neither the rifle nor the shotgun are likely to be carried. Likewise, the increased effective range of the rifle over the shotgun or pistol is not needed in most street or HD encounters.

There is no perfect firearm for every situation. The pros and cons of rifle, pistol and shotgun have been discussed ad nauseum on this forum and others and opinions vary.

That being said, if I had to choose one firearm for home and self-defense it would be a pistol, I can't 'practically' carry a rifle or shotgun into the grocery store in a manner where it is as readily available as a concealed handgun.

YMMV.

[LowSpeed_HighDrag]

My thoughts on this:
I've owned:
18" 870 w/Mesa M4 Stock
Benelli M4
870P w/Surefire Foreend
Mossberg 590

I still own the 590, if for nothing else than I have quite a bit of 12g ammo and need something other than my Citori to shoot it.

My thought process on the shotgun is that it is a specialized tool. Breaching, hunting, "home defense", etc, and yet each of those applications likely needs to be set up differently to be effective in their specialization.

I feel like "end of the world" fantasies are pretty unrealistic. A good concealed pistol with a spare mag is probably going to be gold in those scenarios as it doesn't really matter if you are carrying a woodstocked 870 or an AR15, most folks arent gonna be pleased by the sight of it.

As far as a true do it all defensive weapon, I am hard pressed to see where the shotgun outshines the 14.5" AR15. Length, recoil, capacity, reloads, distance, speed, etc. Yes, the shotgun is devastating at close range, but it has many drawbacks compared to an AR.

So, with all this in mind, I decided to keep the 590 in my safe, and buy more training and ammo for pistol/carbine courses than buy another shotgun.

[Slater]

Yeah, it's been quite a long time since trench shotguns scared the Germans into complaining about them being illegal in warfare.

[constructor]

Now that I have retired and am bored at times I read or watch you tube videos lately, like everyone else with an opinion I have one. I have seen people say the shotgun is worthless except for hunting, they say a long barrel protruding around corners while trying to clear a house will give your location away and someone will take it from you...maybe.
I'm not going to go kicking doors and clearing houses anywhere, I am considering the direction this country is heading at an escalated rate. I do not want to be outgunned in my own house regardless of who comes through the door and in the days forward we will never know who it's going to be, it could be 1 thug or 5, they may be kids or trained men.
Sure I have a pistol, belt, 2 extra mags by the bed and that may be the quickest to grab but 1 step away is a IWI Tavor 12 bullpup SG with 15 rounds in it, it is only 28" long. The way they are made with 3 tubes one could hold slugs and the other 2 buck.
Outside where shots could be over 50yds it wouldn't be the best choice but inside at 15-45ft it will work.
Far from the best video but...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKGTy0WqRTQ