Pattern your shotgun with your intended load and decide for yourself.
I am in a weird apartment setup and due to longish shots for my mossberg 590 loaded with 00 or 000 buck I have a handgun and a centerfire rifle for self defense purposes.
Part of my reasoning also comes from the simple fact that I am now working on taking some training classes and I figure it is far simpler to learn one handgun platform and one rifle platform and work on those two platforms vs. trying to work on other stuff.
I still have a hunting shotgun and I still use the 590 for fun stuff, but overall it boils down to a simple fact that I am not going to worry about a pellet or two from the buckshot load missing the target and maybe getting through a thin door or a window.
I have owned leveractions and while nice they are not something I would choose for a bump in the night.
When it comes to a long gun firing handgun ammo I just decide I want a centerfire rifle round instead so I don't own any long guns that shoot handgun ammo.
Different people prefer different things. I understand not everyone owns one of each to work with, but some research on how most shotguns pattern will show if you have a situation where a shotgun can keep all its pellets on target or if you might be at the point where if you are off a little a pellet or two could miss.
I am in a weird apartment setup and due to longish shots for my mossberg 590 loaded with 00 or 000 buck I have a handgun and a centerfire rifle for self defense purposes.
Part of my reasoning also comes from the simple fact that I am now working on taking some training classes and I figure it is far simpler to learn one handgun platform and one rifle platform and work on those two platforms vs. trying to work on other stuff.
I still have a hunting shotgun and I still use the 590 for fun stuff, but overall it boils down to a simple fact that I am not going to worry about a pellet or two from the buckshot load missing the target and maybe getting through a thin door or a window.
I have owned leveractions and while nice they are not something I would choose for a bump in the night.
When it comes to a long gun firing handgun ammo I just decide I want a centerfire rifle round instead so I don't own any long guns that shoot handgun ammo.
Different people prefer different things. I understand not everyone owns one of each to work with, but some research on how most shotguns pattern will show if you have a situation where a shotgun can keep all its pellets on target or if you might be at the point where if you are off a little a pellet or two could miss.