Is it just me or does it seem like everytime I walk into an objective ( be it hacking or defusing or something), an enemy AI comes out of no where, with a shotgun, and 1 shot kills me without fail.

Okay, so maybe not everytime, because I have finished all the Campaign and challenges through 3 star, but it happens enough to notice. It seems like enemy AI's I run into at close range often have the only shotgun in the game. I always found it quite useless as a primary, and that any other AR would be more effective. But after a few more times of being 1 shot blown away by this monster, i decided to try it out.

I switched the Mossington to my primary and started up another level in Campaign. Long story short, I got through maybe five kills without before deciding to switch back to my AR. My playing experience with it went something like this; I would walk up to an enemy, surprise him with a shot at VERY close range and knock most of his health down, a second shot cleaned him up. Not too bad I thought, two shots from the hip is alright. But then I meet someone at close range, not close enough to hit, but close enough that i could accurately spray down the AI in a second with any of the sub machine guns. I fired, damn, hardly any health, maybe it spread i thought, I fired a second and then a third from the hip! 3 shots was a little disappointing. I stuck with it though, thinking that maybe you actually had to aim down sight with the shotgun, something almost unheard of for anyone who has used a spaz in Call of Duty.As I tried for my 3rd kill with the shotgun, I aimed down sight, every shot at close-mid range, only to find that the ADS had made the shots worse, and my guy layed on his ass waiting to join the reinforcements.

So, now I ask you, do you find similar results with the Shotgun? Was I using it incorrectly? Do you find it to be actually quite effective? Let me know. Also, am I the ONLY ONE getting blasted by enemy shotguns? Do they have higher damage modifiers? is that why the gun is so effective for them?

I can only seem to get either to work at point-blank range, like when somebody rounds a corner of you're running down a hallway. If you're playing against people who have a good medic around buffing them, you pretty much have to be buffed by an Engineer to or you'll fail.

It's very situational, but is devastating in the right place at the right time.

No, you are not the only one. I find often that at close range it is either: A. they have an SMG and it becomes a sliding firefight or B. they have a shotgun and I need to take a nap.

I have had some good luck with the shotgun, but only using it as a beefy secondary. As Pangolin said, it's very situational.

i have lots of fun with the shotguns, the trick is to never run at someone in a straight line, especially AI. They'll more than likely see you and gun you down with their longer ranged weapon.

Your best bet is to slide around corners and be ready to 1 shot them before they can react. And if you don't 1 shot them then quickly strafe back behind the wall and get ready for the second shot. You have to stay in cover when not shooting. (duh)

SD didn't make every gun usable in every situation, thats why you have a secondary. Get a carb-9 or something for your secondary and always have it out when your not in close quarter combat.

Shotgun is quiet powerful on some maps.
As pointed out before, it needs more thought though. When someone sees you, instead of shooting just take cover around a corner, they come to get you and you one hit kill.
If Engineer it is even better, you can lay a mine, then lure people.

I agree that sometimes the spread is extremely irregular and will cause you to miss at very close distances with nearly all pellets, which mostly means respawn. But i think if it would be more accurate it would become to powerful.