At average self defense ranges that shot pattern isn't as big as you might think, you CAN miss with a shotgun.
No doubt. Everyone has his own preference, and this topic can get as surly as politics or religion. I just stated a different perspective and one that makes sense to me from having studied it from those who know more about it than I do.
I know that the shot pattern is smaller than most people think and that you can miss. People make the mistake of thinking they can just point a shotgun, and that’s often why they miss. But the fact that you can miss even in the close ranges of home defense is why you don’t want to use a .308 with full metal jackets in your home or any other round that can go through a dozen houses on your street.
Modern safety slugs are pretty reliable. They are expensive but you don’t really have to practice with them. Just load them up in your pistol and swap them out with your usual plinkers when you want to practice.