For a long time I used to leave an old Topper 10 Gauge single shot ,that I'd cut the barrel back to 18.5" , behind the kitchen door w/ a simple elastic stock sock on it with 8 spare rounds of # 5 Turkey loads......simple is good !
I think I had all of 65 dollars tied up in that rig including ammo, the sock and a cleaning brush & mop for it.....simple is good.....:o)
Mmmmm....Number 5. What a great field load...and not definitely too small for protection.....well.....beats 6 anyway, on game. 10ga. is a wonderful thing. A 3" or 3 1/2" 12 ga. single barrel is excellent, and I have used one for very effective game/varmint getting, with 3" Turkey loads, and Full choke. It would be great with a pistol grip, and whatever barrel length is then legal for overall length. I think that barrel length is the key to things, and a pistol gripped shotgun with 20" or more barrel may look strange, but.......!
This feller' needs t' buy a plain old shotgun, fire a box of shells through it, clean it up and put it away. You are right that he should practice with it...most of us do that during various hunting seasons, and fun trips to the range, or the back yard, etc...sadly, he may never rise to the wisdom of doing it until the blood is in the streets...but hey...maybe someone else in the family will appreciate it being there. I hope we are misjudging this, and it is just the begining of a properly armed citizen being hatched.
Let Freedom RING !!!