Like most shotguns, it suffers at mid to long range due to its poor weapons spread, more so than most other shotguns.
There are several disadvantages with the weapon. It also has the distinction of having the lowest Action point cost of all shotguns at 17 AP per shot which is comparable to some pistols, making it very useful for VATS-dependent player characters. It also reloads much faster than any other shotgun and therefore can change ammunition types very quickly. With the Shotgun Surgeon and And Stay Back perks, it can be a very devastating weapon in close quarters combat. It has a high damage-per-second, due in part to its large ammunition capacity when compared to other shotguns, and its high rate of fire. The riot shotgun is a semi-automatic shotgun with a drum magazine.
