Shotguns

Firearms — Subcategory

Overview

A shotgun is typically a smoothbore long arm that fires shot — multiple small pellets that spread on leaving the barrel — or a single heavy slug. The spreading shot pattern makes the shotgun highly effective at close range without requiring precise aim, but the pattern spreads and individual pellets lose velocity rapidly; beyond 50–75 meters, buckshot becomes much less effective. The shotgun occupies a unique tactical niche: devastating at close quarters in confined spaces.

Types of Shot

• Birdshot — Small pellets (No. 7.5–No. 9); many pellets per shell; for birds and small game; minimal penetration
• Buckshot — Large pellets (No. 4 Buck to 000 "triple-aught" Buck); fewer pellets; significant stopping power; military and law enforcement standard
• Slug — Single heavy projectile; behaves like a rifle bullet; effective to 100+ meters; hunting deer and large game; military use

Military Shotgun History

American Civil War

Both sides occasionally used shotguns, particularly cavalry. Confederate cavalry used double-barrel shotguns as cavalry weapons in the early war.

World War I: Trench Sweeping

The Winchester Model 1897 Pump was the iconic WWI military shotgun:

• 6+1 capacity; pump action; could be slam-fired (trigger held, pump cycling fires each round)
• Used by American forces as "trench sweepers" for clearing dugouts and trenches
• Germany formally protested its use as inhumane; the US replied that Germans were using flamethrowers and poison gas
• Devastating in the confined environment of a trench at 10–20 feet range

World War II and Korea

• Winchester Model 1912 — Improved pump; used by US forces
• Remington Model 11 — Semi-automatic; the first US semi-auto military shotgun
• Used primarily for guard duty, perimeter defense, and jungle patrol

Vietnam War

The jungle environment of Vietnam was ideal for shotgun use — short engagement ranges, dense vegetation:

• Ithaca Model 37 — Pump action; feeds and ejects from the bottom (no side ejection port for left-hand shooters)
• Mossberg 500 — Widely used; 6+1 capacity
• Remington 870 — Became the dominant US military shotgun; still in service

Modern Military Use

• Mossberg 590 — Current US military pump shotgun; 9+1 capacity
• Benelli M4 — Semi-automatic; US Marine Corps standard; combat-tested in Iraq and Afghanistan
• Door-breaching — Modern military shotguns are frequently used for breaching locked doors using specialized breaching rounds

Action Types

• Single shot — Break-action; one shot; simple; reliable
• Double barrel — Side-by-side or over-under; two shots; hunting and sport
• Pump action — Manually cycle the action to eject and load; reliable; the military standard
• Semi-automatic — Uses gas or recoil to cycle; faster follow-up shots

---

This article is a stub. Contributions covering specific shotgun models, ammunition, and military use are welcome.

Improve this article