I'd rather die then waste bullets. I just rush in guns ablazing. It's super theatrical, rarely works, and makes me feel like a super star when it's pulled off.
I use scattershot, boltshot, IC, lightrifle, and binary rifle. When it's available I just use plasma pistol. I never really had a bullet sponge problem. Like I said. I just rush the attack.
My solo legendary experience took about 5 days from November 6th. It was long... Tedious. But most of all fun. I'm a CQC guy though. That helped alot. Lots of assassinations and most of my methods were to get in close. Cross the threshold. I liked it because it was something different. Not the agro elites that rush you when you pop their shields. It's almost completely opposite.