Shotgun facts for kids
A shotgun is a type of gun that shoots many small metal balls or a single large slug. It's often used for hunting, sports, and by police or military. Shotguns are different from rifles because they usually fire many small projectiles that spread out.
How Shotguns Work
Inside a shotgun shell, there's gunpowder and a small part called a primer. When the trigger is pulled, the primer lights the gunpowder. This creates hot gas that quickly pushes the projectiles out of the shotgun's barrel.
Most shotgun shells contain many small metal balls. These are called "buckshot" or "birdshot." When fired, these balls spread out. Sometimes, a shotgun shell has one bigger piece of metal, like a bullet, called a "slug."
Different Kinds of Shotguns
Shotguns usually have one or two barrels. Each barrel has a chamber to hold a shell. These barrels can be side-by-side or one on top of the other.
There are several ways shotguns load and shoot:
- Break-open shotguns: These shotguns "snap" open. You put shells inside, then close them before shooting. They usually hold one or two shells.
- Pump-action shotguns: These hold more shells. After each shot, you "pump" a part of the gun back and forth. This removes the empty shell and loads a new one.
- Semi-automatic shotguns: These shoot one time each time you pull the trigger. You don't need to pump or use a lever. The gun reloads itself automatically.
- Automatic shotguns: These are less common. If you pull and hold the trigger, they will keep shooting until they run out of ammunition.
Shotguns for Safety
Shotguns can also fire things that do not cause deadly injuries. For example, police sometimes use special shells. These shells might contain rubber balls or beanbags filled with small metal balls. These are used to stop someone without causing serious harm.
Images for kids
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Vincent Hancock in the men's skeet finals at the 2008 Summer Olympics
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A Gurkha Contingent trooper in Singapore armed with a folding stock pump shotgun
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Confederate cavalryman
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A United States Marine carrying a Winchester M97 shotgun during World War II
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A view of the break-action of a typical double-barrelled shotgun, shown with the action open
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A Winchester M1897, one of the first successful pump-action shotgun designs
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A modern reproduction of the Winchester M1887 lever-action shotgun
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Closeup of MTs255
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A Browning A-5 semi-automatic shotgun
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A United States Army soldier armed with a Mossberg 500 shotgun
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Bond Arms Cowboy Defender .45 Colt/.410 Shotshell Derringer
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U.S. Marines fire their shotguns
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Loading 12-gauge shells
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Two rounds of Fiocchi 12-gauge rubber buckshot
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A homemade lupara
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A RCMP officer in 2010 armed with a shotgun outfitted to fire beanbag rounds
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Barack Obama skeet shooting with a Browning Citori 525 on the range at Camp David
See also
In Spanish: Escopeta para niños
