My 870
the first 2 to come out are #8's They won't go through walls. this is a habit I had developed when I had kids living here.
the next 2 are 00 buck, if I need more than the 8's to get my point across,
the last 3 are slugs. escalation of force type of thing.
I hope I am never in a situation where I will find out of my selection of shells is correct.
As for not using a pistol grip, and having a full stock. With my 18-1/4 barrel and the pistol grip, this thing is as easy to "sweep" the house for intruders as a pistol. The longer you make a gun the more room you need to swing it. it is all a matter of preference and what the gun is designed for.