ACTUALLY, these are useful for more than just "your back alley fight".
i toted and used a WINCHESTER M1917 12-ga trenchgun -BY CHOICE- when i was in the RVN and beating the bush as a grunt. i preferred it to the REMINGTON M1917 12-ga trench gun and other GI shotguns (never saw an ATCHINSON when i could have used
one). with the WINCHESTER, a bod could hold the trigger back and pump the slide without the normal delay, and thus spray out either 8 big solid slugs, or eight 9mm slugs per 00 round, or 24 NR 4 shot (6.35mm) slugs per 00 round. took me slightly longer to reload, but i could spray as many or more " bullets" into an area in only slightly more time than an AK or an MATTY MATTEL could empty a mag into same. it was reliable, rugged, and a maneater.
nowdays, armor piercing flechettes, explosive, armor piercing or flame throw round can defeat modern body armor. of the flame round tend to warp the barrel after a few shots!
sure, magazine fed, recoil or gas operated police/combat shotguns can fire faster and more shots (sometimes) than ye ancient pump actions on the ba-zillions WINCHESTER, REMINGTON, ITHACA, MOSSBERG, etc, but they are more per snickerty, too.
as forany firearm being phallic, other than as a joke, a gun in the last thing in the world that would make me "hard". i much prefer women to guns for sexual gratification!
DAWGIE