Choosing Shotguns - A Guide to the Different Kinds of Shotgu

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Shotguns are firearms made to fire several small-sized spherical pellets. They can have smooth bore barrels that can fire multiple shots or slug barrels for single shots at a time. Compared to rifles and handguns, they also have higher stopping power over short ranges. And because they have widespread shots, they are fairly easy to aim, making them great for beginners, either for hunting or recreational shooting.

Shotguns can fall under two main categories: the action types and the feature types.

Action Types

Auto-loading/Semi-automatic: Auto-loading or semi-automatics extract, fire, and reload automatically after every shot. They have exceptional cycling speeds with continuous shots, very little recoil, a magazine for extra rounds, and an action that is kept open when there is a need to fire more than one round.

Slide/Pump Action: A slide/pump action shotgun is made to be loaded with shells through its slide. New shot shells are placed into the chamber, with the slide moved to the rear and then pumped forward with every shot.

Hinged/Break Action: A hinged/break action shotgun needs shells to be manually inserted into the chamber. It can have side-by-side barrels, rifled third barrels or rifle caliber barrels and can further be classified into single shots, over-and-unders, and side-by-sides.

Feature Types

Double-barreled: A double-barreled shotgun comes with two barrels arranged on top of each other or side by side and can both be fired in one shot just as long as both are aimed at one target only.

Sawn-off: Sawn-off shotguns are custom-made to conceal the action with shortened barrels. While they are lighter, weighing three-quarters of what an average shotgun would weight, they also only fire about two-thirds of the distance of what a normal one can make.


By Ilse Hagen