See Also: shotgun(dictionary)
shotgun(encyclopedia)
shotgun(dictionary)
Shotgun(money)
shotgun method(medicine)
Shotgun - Poker(gambling)
sawn-off shotgun(dictionary)
shotgun wedding(dictionary)
Shotgun Formation - Football(gambling)
Double-Barreled Shotgun - Poker(gambling)

shotgun (sh)




Smoothbore shoulder firearm designed to fire a number of pellets, or shot, that cover a large target area after they leave the muzzle.

It is used mainly against small game such as birds. The earliest examples were the fowling pieces that appeared in 16th-century Europe. Repeating shotguns, in which several cartridges could be loaded at once, became available in the 1880s. The range of a modern shotgun is about 50 yards (45 m).