Reply #82: Actually it may be a good thing that handguns are commonly used in street crime ...

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the normal handgun that is popular with criminals and suitable for concealment, is nowhere as lethal as a rifle or a shotgun.

A .38 special revolver is often used in street crime but a solid hit from a 12 gauge shotgun using 00 buck is like getting hit with 9 .38 special rounds simultaneously. Note that a .38 caliber revolver normally only holds six rounds in the cylinder.

Buckshot is similar to but larger than birdshot, and was originally designed for hunting larger game, such as deer (hence the name). While the advent of new, more accurate slug technologies is making buckshot less attractive for hunting, it is still the most common choice for police, military, and home defense uses. Like birdshot, buckshot is described by pellet size, with larger numbers indicating smaller shot. From the smallest to the largest, buckshot sizes are: #4, (called "number four"), #1, 0 ("one-aught"), 00 ("double-aught"), 000 ("triple-aught") and 0000 ("four-aught"). A typical round for defensive use would be a 12 gauge 2 3/4" (7 cm) length 00 buck shell, which contains 9 pellets roughly 8.4 mm (.33 inch) in diameter, each comparable to a .38 Special bullet in damage potential.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun#Ammunition

A sawed-off shotgun can be easily concealed.