IF, that is, you get your gun "on" them in time for them to notice it and back down. Of the 280+ armed robbers confronted by the NYPD Stakeout Unit, in HARLEM, 1968, less than 40 made the cops fire, by not immediately dropping their guns. You can bet that at least some of the robbers were shot before they had actually decided to put up a fight. They were cornered in a store, and were facing life in prison.
For the civilian defender, who is smart enough to leave the attacker room to flee, the odds are much lower that the guy will make you shoot him. The Stakeout Unit was dealing with guys so depraved and doped out that they were RENTING a gun from a dope dealer, to rob the SAME liquor store twice a day. Cirillo said that he solved thousands of past, present and future crimes with a few shots from his Ithac 12 ga. He called his 12 ga "Miranda". As in: "You may remain silent, FOREVER". LOL.
Often times, Jim and his partner were unable to tell (from their hiding place) if a robbery was taking place or not. So Jim would put his hand in his pants pocket, on his Detective Special .38 snub, and walk out into the store, as if he were another customer. If a robbery was taking place, he'd jerk out the .38 and yell:"Police, drop it!". So would his partner (usually with a 12 ga). It the guy turned toward the cops at the "challenge", or did anything but immediately drop his gun, they blew him up.
Even tho it was all black people being robbed and killed by the scum, the NAACP made the NYPD stop using the Stakeout unit, after 40 shootings. Shows you where their true sentiments are, most likely. The point is, however, that you are many times less likely to need the power of a longarm, as vs the handiness of a pistol, for defense in the home.
Even tho you don't INTEND to concealed carry your pistol, an immediate threat may make you do so, even tho it may be illegal. It's not an option if all you have is a longarm. Furthermore, this constant trumpeting of a shotgun's being what's needed is playing into the hands of the anti-gunners. They will quote you as saying that a shotgun is what's needed, and you will lose the right to ccw a pistol, in areas where you now have that right, and never gain it in areas where we are fighting to get that right.
WHY are you worthy of defense while in your home, and NOT worthy of same when you are 50 yds down the street, hmm? There is no reason for such a viewpoint. I carry everywhere and all the time, because it is a natural right to be able to defend oneself. Anyone trying to abrocate that right is a lethal enemy, to be treated as such.
