SHOTGUNS

A shotgun is a gun with a long  barrel that shoots a special cartridge called a shotshell. The shotshell sends out small projectiles or shot or one big one or slug. These are powerful and can do a lot of damage, more so than some guns that only fire a bullet.  A shotgun is different from a rifle because of the absence of rifling, a special engraving in the inner part of the barrel. Shotguns do quite a lot of damage. 

Shotguns originate from muskets that were used a lot in the 18th century and weapons like the blunderbuss. The roles  of the shotgun were many, as this weapon was  used for riots and self-defense. In the 19th century, a shotgun became the favorite weapon of the cavalry thanks to how easy it was to use while moving. The weapon also played a role during WWI when it was quite popular among  American troops.  Today, shotguns are used by law enforcement and the military. In a military context, they are often utilized for special purposes, for instance, shipboard security, as this weapon works very well at close range. They are also used by modern units for breaking doors and other goals. During the wars of the 20th century, the shotgun was employed for trench warfare, jungle combat, and more. Today, shotguns are still viewed as a cool type of weapon and often owned by civilians who want to defend their home.  This weapon has a lot of cultural significance in the U.S. and other countries as well.