[Jeff Higgins]

1) A stock is necessary on any long arm you wish to aim. And yes, one must aim even a shotgun at any in home defensive ranges - even a cylinder choke pattern will be no larger than, say, a tennis ball even at down-the-hall ranges. The pattern does not open up fast enough to just kinda sorta point it in the general direction of the threat.

That said, folding stocks on shotguns are an aberration. Lose the pistol grip and get a standard wood butt stock for it. You cannot aim it with the pistol grip, and you cannot put a real stock on it with the pistol grip. The pistol grip / folding stock combination is just another manifestation of this whole misguided "tactical" phase the shooting world is experiencing.

2) Most folks use a shotgun because it won't readily penetrate these barriers. Why would you need to shoot through stucco walls and wood floors? Forget that nonsense.

The best in-home defensive ammunition for the shotgun are plain old light dove or skeet/trap loads with #7 1/2, #8, or #9 shot. Very little recoil and blast, won't go through a wall and on to visit the neighbors, and absolutely lethal at conversational ranges.

3) Effective range of the above combination is longer than your house. Outdoors, 30-40 yards. Understand, however, that most courts will need a great deal of convincing that it was "self defense" at that kind of range.

4) Another useless appendage wrought by the tactical wannabes. The side saddle ammo holder, not the drum. There is no drum. Anyway, if you need more ammo than what the gun already holds, more ammo isn't going to help you.

Anyway, don't get caught up in all this "tactical shotgun" bullshyt. Put a normal butt stock on it, load it with dove/trap loads, and you will be just about as well armed as a man can possibly be. And it will look a lot better for you in court (and you will wind up there if you use it, civil at least) if it looks like a bird gun and is loaded with birdshot.