[Archie]

Provided one carries it all the time. That is the main point of 'superiority' if such it is.

One can invent or think of various scenarios wherein a pistol would be of greater utility than a longer arm, but they are specific and few. A longer arm can normally be employed with greater precision and distance than any handgun, under the same conditions.

Or to put it in other words, If I knew I was going to a gunfight, I'd take a carbine at a minimum.

For a person who's business is getting into other people's business (law enforcement, for instance) one would hope the individual agent would have both options at his disposal - pistol on hip, long gun in the transport.