Shotguns

A shotgun slug will go through a standard lock mechanism like a hot knife through butter. As will a lot of other rifle rounds (hehehe... .308.....no more doorknob)

 

A shotgun can also fire tear gas canisters and other special ammo. That rifles might have trouble doing.

 

Shootgun got special "safe" rubber ammo for busting locks....Oups,my mistake,for busting padlock.It was tested on box of truth,and it proove that it work fine.

 

Military use of combat shotguns goes back to trench-warfare.
Those same close-quarter advantages make it a perfect assault weapon for use in urban, house-to-house fighting... such as is common in Iraq these days.
Double 00 buck can definitely hit more than one man standing in a hallway. Todays shotguns use choke-tubes to control expansion of pellet-pattern. If you're using full-choke, expect the tightest pattern. Cylinder bore would result in the most open-pattern. Some choke tubes will cut and strip the wad as it exits the barrel. The wad helps to hold the shot-pattern together until it gets a ways down-range. (In hunting birds, waterfowl and small game this is more important consideration.)
In patterning my shotguns--12 ga--I find that the "modified" choke results in the best pattern for waterfowling with non-tox loads. (35yards.)
I'm not sure whether the military opts for full-or open chokes in their assault shotguns, but with magazine extension, 8-shot capacity is possible--including one in the chamber.
Make no mistake... it's one LETHAL weapon.

Tim

 

Smooth bore muskets in military use were often used with "buck and ball". It was common with the .69 caliber US musket to use a proper round ball with smaller buckshot in the same load.

 

Shot guns

Whilst we are on the subject, can anyone explain to me how a "choked" barrel can affect the shot pattern ? I have never understood how any internal changes in the barrell length ( which is what a "choke" is, I believe ) can change the spread of shot as it exits the muzzle end.

I'd also be pleased to learn more of the effectiveness of using rock salt in cartridges, since I believe that some police forces prefer it as being less damaging to the victim.
BG

 

bosworth:
It's not the length of the barrel, but the amount of choke-diameter that ultimately determines the type of pattern one sees on the pattern-board.
A straight cylinder-bore has no choke whatsoever. At the other end of the spectrum is extra-full choke... commonly used in turkey-hunting here in the 'States.
As a waterfowler, I opt for middle-of-the-road choking, and the pattern-board has shown that the "modifed choke" tube provides the best pattern when shooting "hi-velocity" steel non-tox loads.
Most of todays better shotguns have long forcing cones that help to prepare the shot-cup for it's exit through the choke-tube and muzzle. Different ammunition manufacturers shells will pattern differently, just as todays rifles may "like" a certain brand of ammunition, and will shoot tighter groupings.
Bird-hunters want to see pattern-coverage with no obvious "holes" at optimum range. I step-off 35yds for patterning... as that is the range I consider "optimum.' Doesn't mean you can't kill a duck out past 50yds, but at increasing ranges, the pattern will begin to break-down and lots of holes in that pattern are the result.
Here in the US, waterfowl hunters shoot only no-tox ammunition, and there is a wealth of different materials used. Tungsten-Iron, Tungsten Polymer, Steel, , Heavi-Shot, Bismuth to name but a few. Each has different capabilities and properties dependant on the density of the shot being used... and compared to the standard-bearer, which is lead.
I hope this helps Bos.
The main point being that in shotgunning, you must consider both choking AND range to get the optimum pattern.

Tim

 

Yep.

To over simply it, chokes are basically tapers in the shotgun's barrel. A full choke will have more taper to produce a tighter (smaller) pattern. The modified choke will have a pattern that is larger than full but tighter than a cylinder. A cylinder is basically no choke at all and tends to make a large pattern.

Chokes are designed for different purposes and you need to use the correct one to achieve optimum performance.

 

One must remember not to shoot slugs with choked shotgun. Results are, hmm, memorable.

 

I agree, with one minor difference. Both the choke and the barrel length are important in determining shot pattern. My first shotgun I owned (as a 12 year old) was what was called a "goose" gun. Designed to bring down high flying geese it not only was full choke but had a longer than usual 36 inch barrel as well as a 3 inch chamber (rather than standard, at that time, of 2 3/4s inch).
On a side note IIRC only the most expensive custom guns had a fully tapered barrel to achieve the choke. Most shotguns are choked only in the last few inches of the barrel. You have surely seen the adjustable choke models, as well?

 

barrels

barrel length is mostly unimportant with reguard to MV and pattern with modern ammo. with long barrels you may lose MV in fact. the advantage of a long barrel is accuracy when wingshooting. it helps with both aiming and a smooth swing and follow through. a barrel somethere around 24 to 26 inches gives about the max MV. with older powders and with black powder the longer barrel did improve MV but no so with newer loads.
now as to the forcing cone and chokes. they are 2 seperate things. a forcing cone is machined into the barrel just after the chamber. its function is to squeeze the load down to the true bore size from the oversized chamber. and effect it has on pattern comes from either damaging or reducing damage to the shot. damaged shot opens patterns wider. the choke further decreases the bore size and tightens the pattern. chokes are made in different sizes with the usual ones being cyl bore, improved, modified, full, extra full. with cyl bore being the normal bore diameter and extra full being the smallest diameter. there are also other choke tricks such as rifling [ both twisted and stright]. twisted allows saboted slugs that require a rifled barrel to be fired from a smooth bore and the stright rifling stops any spin of the shot cup and tightens the pattern.
both forcing cones and chokes work better as they get longer and reduce the angle of taper.
i have seen and shot guns that would cover half of a door at 10 yds and others that will give a 18" pattern at 50 yds. the thing to understand about shotguns is that they are very versitle as a class but any one gun may not be. a rifled gun designed for sabot slugs is not much good for anything else and a short barreled riot gun with a open choke is a close ranged weapon even with slugs. with barrel changes and screw in chokes one gun can do many tasks well but not all at once. you need to understand your weapon, its ammo, and any changes you can make such as chokes and barrels. you have a system that is wonderfully adaptable and deadly but only if you understand how all the pieces work and any limits. its neither a wonder weapon nor a overaged rellic from the past. the difference between deadly and useless is the man behind the trigger.

 

Not anymore.All modern slugs can go trought chocked barel,but it is not recommended.

 

Is that the voice of experiance?