Shotgun
A shotgun is a smoothbore firearm that has no spiral grooved cut on the inner surface of the gun barrel like the rifle. Designed to fire a number of pellets simultaneously, it is used primarily in hunting small game, particularly birds. The first shotguns, called fowling pieces, appeared in sixteenth-century Europe. In the following century, the prevailing technological theory was that longer gun barrels allowed a greater charge of gunpowder to be used which would result in a longer range. This led gunsmiths to make firearms with barrels up to 7 feet (2.13 m) long and weights up to 12 pounds (5.44 kg). In addition to their unwieldy design, the slow flintlock ignition system was a drawback because it made hitting a moving target nearly impossible.
Several significant changes brought the shotgun into the modern age of weaponry. The invention of the percussion cap created a more dependable system of ignition so moving game could be hit more consistently. In addition, English gunsmiths realized the cumbersome nature of shotguns made them difficult to use, so they brought out shorter and lighter weight guns for better use out in the fields. In 1787, Henry Nock (1741-1804) patented a new kind of breech. It made the gun fire more rapidly and efficiently by igniting a small amount of gunpowder in a chamber behind the main charge. This meant the weapon had more power and distance, so gunmakers could shorten barrels to as little as 30 inches (76 cm). One other result of this lighter gun was the increased practicality of a side-by-side double-barreled construction. Guns of this design had been made in the past but they were heavy and difficult to use. Joseph Manton (1760-1835), an English gunsmith, made the double-barrel even more popular when in 1806 he patented an elevated sighting rib, which made aiming easier. Muzzle-loading shotguns faded out of use in the 1800s. Johannes Pauly (1766-1820) introduced a break-open breechloader and made a special cardboard-wrapped cartridge with a metal head in 1812.
Another improvement in shotgun design occurred following the American Civil War when several people began experimenting with the barrel's shape. W. R. Pape, an Englishman, patented a design in 1866 by which the barrel was constricted near the muzzle, making the shot go further. Unfortunately, accurate aim was still difficult. Pape's design, now called choke boring, was perfected by Fred Kimble, an American hunter. Kimble experimented with various shaped barrels and was able to reshape the constriction at the muzzle until he could keep all the shot load within a 30-inch (76 cm) circle at 40 yards (37 m).
The creation of fixed ammunition during the late 1870s brought about a successful repeating shotgun. Up until then, shells had been manufactured and sold empty to be loaded by the gunner. With fixed ammunition now available, the demand for faster repeating shotguns grew. John Moses Browning created the Winchester Model 1887, a lever-action, five-shot gun that sold extremely well. He also designed a pump shotgun that was a big success. Browning then sketched out plans for an autoloader, which came out on the market in 1905 and survived for over 50 years. Several manufacturers brought out semi-automatic shotguns using a gas-operated system in the mid-1950s. These guns used the gas released when the shot is fired to push a piston, which ejects the fired cartridge and brings up the next round. Few important changes have been made in these basic shotgun designs since then. Shotguns are used primarily for hunting and sport shooting. However, they were also used by American troops during World War I, primarily by guards. The barrels were shortened for convenience, leading to the term Òsawed-off shotgun.Ó Shotguns were also used in training troops during World War II, and they are still often used by police forces worldwide.
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