Random violence is just that, random. Besides the advantage of retention in a fight (mentioned earlier), the hand has the advantage of availability. If can be stored on your body or very close to it , such as on a night stand by the bed. It is a multi-purpose, multi-location weapon. Shotguns are large, clumsey, and single-action (which is dangerous without lots of training). But devastating in proper circumstances. The comparison is artillery to a rifle. You'd love a self-propelled 155 mm gun but you can HAVE a 7.62 mm rifle. The dream gun vs. the practical gun. Handguns are so much more practical than long guns for personal defense on the street or in the home. Professor Joseph Olson, J.D., LL.M. o- 651-523-2142 Hamline University School of Law (MS-D2037) f- 651-523-2236 St. Paul, MN 55113-1235 c- 612-865-7956 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>> Greg Jacobs [EMAIL PROTECTED]> 02/07/08 12:05 AM >> ( mailto:[EMAIL >>> PROTECTED]> ) Summary? The advantage of a handgun over a shotgun is that the handgun is always there when you need it and the shotgun ain't! Gunwriter Clint Smith says he figures he can use his handgun to fight his way to his long gun. And since Massad Ayoob was referenced I'd recommend finding some articles by Clint Smith in a similar vein. However, I'd argue that by the time he got to his long gun he would probably have already won the fight with his handgun. Lethality is not the decisive point - availability is.
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