My experience mirrors this exactly. Great idea that just doesn't pan out in reality.
Okie John
Yep, kind of like Contenders.
Once upon a time, people weren't rich.
They had, maybe, a shotgun, 22, and 1 or 2 rifles. That's was a good gun supply.
So, something that cost 1/2 to 3/4 the cost of a gun made good sense.