Shotguns are specialized weapons that are mainly used at short range. Instead of a single bullet, these firearms typically fire a burst of small pellets called “shot”. When the gun is fired, the pellets spread wide, increasing the chance of hitting a target at a close distance without the need for precise accuracy. The U.S. military utilizes shotguns for combat in close quarters since you don’t need to have perfect aim.
In addition, some shotguns fire “slugs” — single, heavy metal projectiles. When fired, slugs can fly further and with more power than pellets. This extra power can be used to breach obstacles like hinges and doors, allowing soldiers to quickly enter into secured locations.
Hunters have used shotguns for centuries, but it wasn’t until World War I that the military introduced them in combat. While their range is limited, shotguns can fire a spread of shot and hit moving targets at short distances, such as in trench warfare. Many of today’s top shotguns are made in America by gunsmiths like Winchester, Remington, and Mossberg. (These are America’s top 19 shotgun companies.)
To identify every major American-made military shotgun since WWI, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of shotguns from Military Factory, an online database of arms, vehicles, and aircraft used by militaries worldwide. We ordered the shotguns chronologically and included supplemental information regarding the type of gun and the year it entered service, as well as the manufacturer, caliber, and feed. (These are the newest guns to see everyday U.S. military use.)
Why We’re Writing About American-Made Military Shotguns
Source: Public Domain / Wikipedia
For over a century, military shotguns have been a key tool for American soldiers, helping them to breach doors, clear trenches, and maintain an upper hand in close-quarters combat. Examining the shotguns used by the U.S. military can provide insights into the complex relationships between government spending, major defense contractors, and global conflict. The evolution of American-made shotguns, how they are adapted for specific roles, and which companies manufacture them, also sheds light on technological advancements, budgeting priorities, and the constantly changing landscape of warfare.
Here is a look at every major American-made combat shotgun since World War I:
Winchester Model 1897
Source: Public Domain / Wikipedia Commons
The Winchester Model 1897 is a pump-action slide shotgun. It was manufactured by Winchester Repeating Arms and entered service in 1897. It uses a 12-gauge caliber and a 5- round tubular magazine.
Browning Auto-5
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
The Browning Auto-5 is a self-loading semi-automatic shotgun. It was manufactured by Browning Arms / Remington Arms / Savage Arms and entered service in 1902. It uses a 12-, 16-, or 20-gauge caliber and a 3- or 5- round tubular magazine.
M11 (Model 11)
The M11 (Model 11) is a semi-automatic self-loading shotgun. It was manufactured by Browning Arms / Remington Arms and it entered service in 1905. It uses a 12-, 16-, or 20-gauge caliber and a 5- round tubular magazine.
M10 (Model 10)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
The M10 (Model 10) is a pump-action slide shotgun. It was manufactured by Remington Arms and entered service in 1908. It uses a 12-gauge caliber and a 5- round tubular magazine.
M520 (Model 520)
The M520 (Model 520) is a pump-action slide shotgun. It was manufactured by the J. Stevens Arms Company and entered service in 1910. It uses a 12-, 16-, or 20-gauge caliber and a 5- round tubular magazine.
Winchester Model 1912 (Model 12)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
The Winchester Model 1912 (Model 12) is a pump-action slide shotgun. It was manufactured by Winchester Repeating Arms and entered service in 1912. It uses a 12-, 16-, 20-, or 28-gauge caliber and a 6- round tubular magazine.
M620 (Model 620)
The M620 (Model 620) is a pump-action slide shotgun. It was manufactured by the J. Stevens Arms Company and entered service in 1927. It uses a 12-, 16-, or 20-gauge caliber and a 5- round tubular magazine.
M720
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
The M720 is a semi-automatic shotgun. It was manufactured by Savage Arms and entered service in 1935. It uses a 12-gauge caliber and a 5- round tubular magazine.
Model 37
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
The Model 37 is a combat shotgun. It was manufactured by the Ithaca Gun Company and entered service in 1937. It uses a 12-, 16-, 20-, or 28-gauge caliber and a 4-, 5-, or 8-round tubular magazine.
Model 37 Stakeout
The Model 37 Stakeout is a pump-action military shotgun. It was manufactured by the Ithaca Gun Company and entered service in 1946. It uses a 12- or 20-gauge caliber and a 4-round tubular magazine.
Model 870
The Model 870 is a pump-action military shotgun. It was manufactured by Remington Arms and entered service in 1950. It uses a 12-, 16-, 20-, or 28-gauge or .410 bore caliber and a 4- or 7-round tubular magazine.
Wingmaster (Model 870)
The Wingmaster (Model 870) is a pump-action military shotgun. It was manufactured by Remington Arms and entered service in 1951. It uses a 12-, 16-, 20-, 28-gauge or .410 bore caliber and a 5-round tubular magazine.
M6
The M6 is an aircrew survival rifle. It was manufactured by the Ithaca Gun Company and entered service in 1952. It uses a .22 Hornet / .410 caliber and 9 x .22 Hornet / 4 x .410 shells.
Model 1100
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
The Model 1100 is a semi-automatic auto-loading shotgun. It was manufactured by Remington Arms and entered service in 1963. It uses a 12-, 16-, or 20-gauge caliber and a 4- or 10-round internal tubular magazine.
Winchester Model 1200
The Winchester Model 1200 is a pump-action slide shotgun. It was manufactured by Winchester Repeating Arms and entered service in 1968. It uses a 12-, 16-, or 20-gauge caliber and a 4-, 5-, 6-, or 7-shot capacity
Model 590
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
The Model 590 is a pump-action slide shotgun. It was manufactured by Mossberg and entered service in 1975. It uses a 12-gauge caliber and a 6-, 8-, or 9-round tubular magazine.
Winchester Model 1300
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
The Winchester Model 1300 is a combat slide-action shotgun. It was manufactured by Winchester Repeating Arms and entered service in 1978. It uses a 12- or 20-gauge caliber and a 4-, 5-, 7-, or 8-shot tubular magazine.
HK CAWS
The HK CAWS is a select-fire automatic combat shotgun manufactured by Heckler & Koch. It entered service in 1983 with a 12-gauge caliber and a 10-round detachable box magazine.
Jackhammer
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
The Jackhammer is an automatic shotgun. It was manufactured by the Pancor Corporation and entered service in 1987. It uses a 12-gauge caliber and a 10-round cassette.
Sledgehammer (AA-12)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
The Sledgehammer (AA-12) is an assault combat shotgun. It was manufactured by Military Police Systems and entered service in 2005. It uses a 12-gauge caliber and an 8-round detachable box or a 20- or 32-round drum.
KSG
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
The KSG is a pump-action bullpup shotgun. It was manufactured by Kel-Tec CNC Industries and entered service in 2011. It uses a 12-gauge caliber and twin 6-shot internal tubular magazines.
Origin-12
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
The Origin-12 is a semi-automatic tactical shotgun. It was manufactured by Fostech Arms and entered service in 2014. It uses a 12-gauge caliber and a 5-, 8-, or 10-round detachable box magazine or 20- or 30-round drum.
Model 1216
The Model 1216 is a semi-automatic tactical shotgun. It was manufactured by SRM Arms and entered service in 2016. It uses a 12-gauge caliber and an 8-,12-, 16-round tubular magazine.
M90 Shockwave
The M90 Shockwave is a magazine-fed pump-action shotgun. It was manufactured by Mossberg and entered service in 2018. It uses a 12-gauge caliber and a 5-, 10-, 15-, or 20-round detachable box magazine.
V3 Tactical
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
The V3 Tactical is a pump-action shotgun. It was manufactured by Remington Arms and entered service in 2020. It uses a 12-gauge caliber and a 6-round tubular magazine.
Take This Retirement Quiz To Get Matched With An Advisor Now (Sponsored)
Are you ready for retirement? Planning for retirement can be overwhelming, that’s why it could be a good idea to speak to a fiduciary financial advisor about your goals today.
Start by taking this retirement quiz right here from SmartAsset that will match you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area and beyond in 5 minutes. Smart Asset is now matching over 50,000 people a month.
Click here now to get started.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Editors' Picks
