Everyone always gives the 1873 Winchester the title of "The Gun that won the West" when it was the settlers who with their lowly double barrel shotgun who did.
Next to the handgun, the shotgun is probably the most prolific firearm in America, from upland to lowland game hunters, gamers (3-gun and CAS) to hunters that can only use a shotgun due to state regulations, police, military, to grandpa's old SxS, to the rest of us who have one sitting in the corner, or behind a door, or under the bed. The shotgun, be it a single shot, SxS, lever action, O/U, pump or auto is the true American weapon. Load it with birdshot, buckshot, or slug, its a do anything gun, and more versatile than anything else we have as firearms. Even the smallest of them are now very effective defensive platforms(I'm talking about the .410). The .410 with the new loadings made for the .410 pistols are very effective out of a standard size pump action. With slugs or the new buckshot loads the little .410 can put some rounds on target with very fast followup shots due to low recoil. Target was first shot with a load of #6 at 25yds, and then five rounds of 00Buck loads. She will keep all the 00/000Buk loads on the target out to 50yds.
Next to the handgun, the shotgun is probably the most prolific firearm in America, from upland to lowland game hunters, gamers (3-gun and CAS) to hunters that can only use a shotgun due to state regulations, police, military, to grandpa's old SxS, to the rest of us who have one sitting in the corner, or behind a door, or under the bed. The shotgun, be it a single shot, SxS, lever action, O/U, pump or auto is the true American weapon. Load it with birdshot, buckshot, or slug, its a do anything gun, and more versatile than anything else we have as firearms. Even the smallest of them are now very effective defensive platforms(I'm talking about the .410). The .410 with the new loadings made for the .410 pistols are very effective out of a standard size pump action. With slugs or the new buckshot loads the little .410 can put some rounds on target with very fast followup shots due to low recoil. Target was first shot with a load of #6 at 25yds, and then five rounds of 00Buck loads. She will keep all the 00/000Buk loads on the target out to 50yds.