Dual Shotguns
| Factions | Weapon | Icon | Classes | Ammo | Damage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | Headshot | |||||
 VC |
 Dual Fusil Robust Sawed-off |
 |
Special Loadout Zombies |
4 / 48 | 23 | 57 |
Shotguns are smoothbore shoulder-fired firearms designed to fire a shotshell that can launch multiple pellets (shot) or a single projectile (slug). They are most effective at close ranges, where their payload and pattern can make fast, decisive hits in confined spaces. In the Vietnam War era, shotguns were valued for patrol and close-quarters fighting in dense terrain, as well as guard and security duties.
DEFINITION & CHARACTERISTICS
A “shotgun” is defined primarily by its smoothbore barrel and shotshell ammunition, which can be loaded with shot for a spreading pattern or slugs for a single heavy projectile. In military use, shotguns are typically employed where their close-range effectiveness and handling in tight spaces outweigh their limited reach compared with rifles.
- Common traits
- Role: Close-range fighting, point/lead scout work, bunker/room clearing, and security/guard duties.
- Typical cartridges: Shotshells loaded with buckshot/birdshot, slugs, and other specialty loads (depending on availability and doctrine).
- Typical fire modes: Usually semi-automatic or pump-action; the category itself is defined by bore/ammunition rather than action type.
- Typical feeding: Commonly tubular magazines (pump/semi-auto) or break-open actions (double/single), depending on design.
- Common engagement ranges: Primarily close range, where effectiveness is highest and pattern/slug performance is practical.
- Notable tradeoffs: Very effective at short distances and in confined terrain, but limited range and ammunition capacity compared with rifles; effectiveness depends heavily on load selection.
HISTORY
Shotguns developed from earlier smoothbore firearms used to fire shot, and modern shotguns matured into a distinct class of shoulder arms optimized for shotshell ammunition and close-range targets. Their basic advantages—strong short-range effect and relatively forgiving hit probability with shot—also led to periodic military adoption, especially for trench, guard, and close-quarters roles where engagement distances are short and targets appear quickly.
In the Vietnam War era, shotguns were widely used by U.S. forces in close combat and security roles, with both refurbished older designs and newer procurements appearing in service. Period overviews of Vietnam-era combat shotguns note extensive use of WWII-era models (such as the Winchester Model 12 and Stevens M520-30), and also describe later acquisitions including Remington 870 variants by the Navy and Marine Corps. Marine Corps reporting notes that in 1966 the Corps requested a modern high-firepower shotgun and ultimately adopted the Remington 870, reflecting continued demand for a reliable close-quarters weapon in the theater. Shotguns also appeared on the opposing side in more ad hoc forms: Australian War Memorial writing and photography document that a wide mix of small arms was encountered in Vietnam, including hunting shotguns, and an ANZAC patrol photo from 1970 shows troops examining an old shotgun recovered during operations.
Sources
- https://www.britannica.com/technology/shotgun Shotgun | Encyclopaedia Britannica
- https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shotgun shotgun (definition) | Merriam-Webster Dictionary
- https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/combat-shotguns-of-the-vietnam-war/ Combat Shotguns Of The Vietnam War | American Rifleman
- https://www.pendleton.marines.mil/In-the-News/Press-Releases/Article/566146/evolution-of-shotguns-in-the-marine-corps/ Evolution of shotguns in the Marine Corps | U.S. Marine Corps (Camp Pendleton)
- https://wm.awm.gov.au/read/vietnam-enemy-weapons From the East and the West (Vietnam enemy weapons; includes hunting shotguns) | Australian War Memorial
- https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C325803 ANZAC patrol examining an old shotgun found on operation (April 1970) | Australian War Memorial
- https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_415904 Remington Model 870 Wingmaster Slide Action Shotgun | Smithsonian National Museum of American History