[quote name='thrustbucket']Well I have concluded that I suck. I can't count how many times last night I shot someone 3/4 times with the shotgun,
zoomed, just to have them one shot kill me with their shotgun in response at the same distance. It gets really old.
People say the shotgun is the best defense to grenade taggers, well it isn't for me, because I only gib someone with the shotgun maybe 9/10 times. I can shoot them 3 or 4 times as they run up to me and plant a grenade on my head .[/quote]
Zooming with the shotgun is situational. If they are also zooming, meaning they won't easily strafe out of your view, it's safe to do so for added precision. Zooming is also good when they are about 10-15 feet away and you can sweep them and keep them in your window eventhough they are strafing or rolling. If you are behind cover, peeking out to zoom and shoot works wonders too but watch your head - they can still kill you shotgun vs shotgun up close. Once the fight is closer than 10 feet, don't even bother zooming or he'll just strafe right out of your window. You better practice blind firing.
Shotgun altercations rarely last longer than 3 seconds. Be quick and strike without hesitation. Don't dance around him, strafe and

with his mind, let him fire a round and nick a shot on you or totally miss you, then you go in for a point blank gib shot. There is a lag in which the next shot can come out. That's your drop.
Don't look at your character, look at the middle of your screen and imagine that red omen (damage) sign there. Put your opponent in that area. I sucked at the shotgun because I was being too precise. You can't play precise with the shotgun, you gotta play dirty because it's a dirty weapon.
EDIT: Find a friend to play with 1vs1, shotgun battle. That's the only real way to get better because in a real game, you don't have time to practice.