Not "useless" ......one would at least make a good club.
Got to admit they do look good on TV..... Tubbs on Miami Vice made them famous...........
My understanding is the marshal's had them cut down to carry them concealed..... yet have a short range heavy weapon.....
While cool for me they rank pretty far down my list of useful/practical firearms...... YMMV...... but I doubt I'd ever practice enough to be good with one,..... again YMMV....I wouldn't want to explain one to a Police office at a traffic stop ( ya they are legal but most cops will see a 'sawed off shotgun)... with proper ID YMMV.... I don't clear houses...... I will be hunkered down..... again YMMV.
NO big deal to me;if it works for you great....just my take on these as 'useful to me". OP/ JimmyJ asked for opinions.......
Would love one in 20 gauge.... with a short length of pull stock thou!!!!!!
Muss Muggins...... LOL I did say "use to be carried" ...... ya it's been about 30 years for me too....... not a cop so for me a truck/ATV gun is a utility tool.......mine are a Mossburg 510 or a Ruger 77/357 or RAR compact in .22magnum....... your definition to me is a patrol rifle/shotgun found in a police car.