I agree with you and others re: preferring a shotgun "if" I had to defend against a gator (note: not a "Gator," which might be a member of a certain football team).
Problem is that unless you are deliberately going into the gator's environment or maybe have one come to you home, most of the time folks wouldn't have the shotgun available. A pistol--maybe.
Larry
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Larry W. Williams RKCC #CM-041 ABKA #046 RKS #1246