“My choice for long term weapon is a 12 ga. pump. I would saw off a little barrel and stock. Why the 12 ga shotgun? Because the ammo is among the most plentiful of the the tools that can get the job done. I’d remove the plug to hold more shells.”
Some things to consider:
12G ammo is bulky, heavy and loud. Think about how much you can carry. Also they way more powerful than necessary.
Even a 12g with an extended mag tube only carries 8-9 rounds and are slow to reload. Some are mag fed and are faster to reload.
Shotguns are not good for longer than 30 yards except with slugs.
1. Because 12ga shells are relatively plentiful, I wouldn’t feel the
need to carry large quantities. When dove hunting I pack 3-4
boxes w/ more in my pick-up. That is 75-100 shells on me max
at a time.
2. Regarding the subject at hand I believe my targets of necessity
would mostly be w/in 30 yds.
3. Pheasant hunting since the age of seven, I can reload a pump
remarkably fast.