There just isn't any well reasoned compelling argument to choose a shotgun over an AR carbine for self defense. Be it in the home, around a homestead farm/ranch or in a much bigger area outdoors the carbine wins on all fronts from 30' - 300+ yards. And I say that as a shotgun guy. I grew up with shotguns and have hunted a lot of game with shotguns and shot a good bit of clay's on the skeet and sporting clays range near me. Small game, wingshooting, turkey, deer and hogs and a heck of a lot of called coyotes, bobcats and fox. In certain predator calling circles I have a reputation as the guy who years ago started getting real serious about finding the ultimate shotgun, choke and load combinations for calling coyotes. I am about to retire from a 32 year law enforcement career that has shoved me into a few scenarios in which shotguns played an immediate role in my survival. I have seen the results of what a shotgun can do in a gunfight. I used an issue 870P to defend myself and a partner officer when ambushed by a whacked out meth head. It worked - decisively. I have investigated shootings involving shotguns, trained with, qualified with and been issued shotguns for a very long time now. I have a long interest in shotguns and currently have both a personally owned 870P pump and a Benelli M1 Tactical that I am not getting rid of for any reasons. With all that said I no longer rely on a shotgun as a primary long gun for self defense. AR carbines have taken over that role. The AR carbine checks all the boxes and just makes more sense all things equal.
