I first shot the 10 Ga. in the early 1980's when steel shot was made mandatory for waterfowl. In those early days you had steel or you had lead....non-toxic shot available today was still a thing to come.
With steel, the only way to gain effectiveness was to throw massive charges of large diameter pellets downrange. When used with lead shot or later with heavier non-toxics it was even more deadly. The 10 gauge ruled the waterfowl world in those days and still does today when judged by pure killing effectiveness.
However, this effectiveness didn't come without a cost. Due to it's heavier recoil and the size of he 10 Ga. round, shotguns in this chambering are big, heavy and unwieldy when compared to a typical 12 Ga. This was also true for the later 3 1/2" 12 Ga. models.....which were nothing more than a failed attempt to get 10 Ga. effectiveness in a 12 Ga. frame.
For deliberate shooting such as hunting turkeys or waterfowl from a blind this extra weight was acceptable and nothing killed better than a 10 Ga. in those situations. However, for general all-around use where you have to carry your weapon any distance and shooting is quicker.....the heavy 10 Ga. does not compare so well.
The 10 Ga. has it's place and will outperform any other shotgun at the games it is best suited for, but for general, everyday use it is far from the "best" choice simply because of size and weight.
