Quote:
Originally Posted by MT2008
.....the only threat I worry about is the Latino gangs who are scattered throughout this area. I think the sound that my Mossberg makes when cocked ought to put the fear of Jesucristo into them.
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Seconded. I live in a less credible area of town (as well as within a quarter mile of the state penitentiary) so a shotgun brings a lot to the table, and can take a lot off the table as well.
I still think, though, that in all practicality, not factoring in intimidation, that the handgun is the best means of home defense. In a close environment, a shotgun is a bit bulky, low capacity, and LOUD to be using in your own house, not to mention the collateral damage it could cause should you have to shoot it. With a shotgun, I believe that if you can't deter someone by saying "I've got a shotgun, you better leave" or that monstrous racking sound, it's not worth it.
Still, they are fun guns and convenient to have should something more than a petty thief threaten your life, but any long gun should be supplemented with a decent sidearm, especially a shotgun. MT2008 has himself a good, shiny shotgun and an excellent pistol, so he's in good hands.
Finally, as a zombie and gun enthusiast, a shotgun actually isn't the best weapon to have for fighting hordes of the undead, although it's not low tier either. The slow reload time alone is enough to drop it's rank substantially, not to mention that most shotguns can't hold more than 9 rounds and aren't useful past traditional pistol ranges. The only reason it's balanced out is by it's ability to accept raw ammunition without the need for magazines, shoot spreads instead of one single round at a time, and the fact that said spreads can cause massive damage to a head or even a zombie's center mass, rendering it at the very least incapacitated. Still, if you think it's going to be your only primary weapon, you'd better be running with a decent group, armed with other weapons like rifles, or be a masterful reloader and shooter of a tactical shotgun.
Opinions about effectiveness of weapons applied to undead enemies end here.