A shotgun (also known as a fowling piece or scattergun is a firearm typically used to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot. These pellets cover a wider range than a rifle. The shot is usually fired from a smoothbore barrel; another configuration is the rifled slug barrel, which is used to fire a single projectile (though slugs can also be fired from smoothbore weapons). Since the power of the burning charge is divided among the pellets, the energy of any one ball of shot is fairly low, making shotguns useful primarily for hunting birds and other small game. However, the large number of projectiles makes the shotgun useful as a close-combat weapon or defensive weapon, where the short range ensures that many of the projectiles of shot will hit the target (see riot shotgun and combat shotgun). Ammunition for shotguns is referred to as shotgun shells, shotshells, or just shells (when it is not likely to be confused with artillery shells). Single projectile loads are generally called shotgun slugs or just slugs.
Aside from the most common use against small, fast moving targets, the shotgun has several advantages when used against still targets. First, it has enormous stopping power at short range, more than nearly all handguns and comparable to most rifle cartridges. The wide spread of shot produced by the gun makes it easier to aim and to be used by inexperienced marksmen. A typical self-defense load of buckshot contains 8-27 large lead pellets, resulting in many wound tracks in the target. Also, unlike a rifle bullet, each pellet of shot is less likely to penetrate walls and hit bystanders. It is favored by law enforcement for its low penetration and high stopping power, while many American households use it as a home defense weapon for the same reasons along with the aforementionned ease of aim.
The typical home defense shot is seldom over ten or fifteen feet. At these relatively short ranges, the shot charge never expands to more than a few inches. At extremely close ranges, the pellets and wad will strike the target as a single mass.
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