Riot shotgun

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Mossberg 590 pump-action riot shotgun, with 20-inch barrel, black plastic furniture, and long magazine tube Shotgun Mossberg 590.jpg
Mossberg 590 pump-action riot shotgun, with 20-inch barrel, black plastic furniture, and long magazine tube

A riot shotgun is a shotgun designed or modified for use as a primarily defensive weapon, by the use of a short barrel and sometimes a larger magazine capacity than shotguns marketed for hunting. [1] [2] The riot shotgun is used by military personnel for guard duty and was at one time used for riot control, and is commonly used as a door breaching and patrol weapon by law enforcement personnel, as well as a home defense weapon by civilians. [3] [4] Guns of this type are often labeled as breaching shotguns, tactical shotguns or special-purpose shotguns to denote the larger scope of their use; however, these are largely marketing terms.

Contents

Characteristics

Hatsan Escort Magnum, security and law enforcement purpose 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun Escort-Magnum-MPA-12ga.jpg
Hatsan Escort Magnum, security and law enforcement purpose 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun

The primary characteristic of a riot shotgun is a "short" barrel (generally 14 to 20" long; 18" is the shortest length available to civilians in the U.S. that is not subject to additional federal ATF regulation) which makes the shotgun more compact and easier to handle, easier to stow inside a police vehicle, and more suitable for quick aiming at (close) stationary targets. Generally they have an open (cylinder-bore) choke, to permit the shot to spread quickly and to allow use with other types of projectiles, and they may be equipped with bead, rifle, or ghost-ring sights. Riot guns are most often pump-action due to this design's lower cost and higher reliability, although in recent years a number of semi-automatic shotguns designed primarily for defensive use have become available and are used by military, law enforcement and civilians alike.

Most riot guns are chambered in 12-gauge and can handle either 2.75" (70 mm) "standard-length" or 3" (76 mm) "magnum-length" cartridges. Most non-shotshell loads, such as less lethal ammunition like bean bags, are made only in 12-gauge. However, 20-gauge and .410 shotguns in riot gun configuration are available. Smaller bores are popular for home defense, as the reduced power and recoil make them more suitable for less experienced shooters who may be more recoil-sensitive.

While most hunting shotguns hold between 2 and 5 shells (often 3 shells, to comply with U.S. regulations for migratory bird hunting), riot shotguns can have a magazine tube as long as the barrel, allowing for 6 to 10 shells to be loaded depending on the model, barrel length, and type of shells loaded. Standard-capacity magazine tubes are also used on riot shotguns. For example, the popular Remington 870 Police model riot shotgun often ships and is used with the stock 4-round magazine tube by Law Enforcement personnel. [5]

An armed Chinese policeman stands guard with a Hawk Industries Type 97-2 shotgun. The Type 97-2 in the image is a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun configured with a detachable magazine, black plastic furniture and a folding stock. Hawk Type 97 Xi'an North Railway Station.jpg
An armed Chinese policeman stands guard with a Hawk Industries Type 97-2 shotgun. The Type 97-2 in the image is a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun configured with a detachable magazine, black plastic furniture and a folding stock.

Configurations of grips and stocks for riot shotguns vary widely, but often feature reinforced plastic "furniture" instead of the wood common on hunting firearms. Wood was used for riot gun stocks in the past, and sometimes still is. As compared to hunting shotguns, riot guns more often feature pistol grips, with or without a shoulder stock. Without a shoulder stock (or with a folding stock), a riot shotgun becomes more compact and thus is able to be brought to bear more rapidly in very close quarters. With the stock, the pistol grip facilitates control of the weapon and provides a more ergonomic grip when the shotgun is fired from the shoulder. Foregrips, or forends, also vary, often with the inclusion of a pistol-grip fore-end (further increasing control and absorbing recoil), and/or the addition of an accessory rail or other mounting point for a tactical light.

The multiple projectile ability of a shotgun greatly increases the probability of a hit on an assailant, and the multiple projectiles increase the likelihood of a disabling hit. Though many sizes and configurations of shotshell are used by police, among the most common is the 12-gauge 23⁄4-inch (70 mm) 00 ("double-aught") buckshot shell, which consists of 8 or 9 .33 caliber (8.5 mm) round lead balls, each of which is similar in size and velocity to a 9mm/.38 caliber handgun bullet (which actually have a diameter of .354-.357"). This shot spreads out to a greater or lesser degree depending on the barrel choke, and can be effective at ranges as far as 75 yards (70 m). Also popular is the #4 buckshot load, which sacrifices individual pellet size (each pellet is about .24 caliber) for greater numbers (usually 21 pellets per shell) and is very effective at most indoor ranges (<50 feet), where the shot has less distance in which to scatter and thus hits the target in a relatively localized pattern. "Deer slugs" (1 oz rifled slugs) provide a powerful, accurate shot with minimal spread, but more risk of overpenetration. "Hybrid" loads combining different sizes of shot, or a slug and shot, are available but less common. These cartridges generally advertise a compromise or "best of both worlds" between the power of slugs or buckshot and the spread of smaller pellets.

The delivery of the large number of projectiles simultaneously makes the shotgun the most effective short range weapon commonly used, with a hit probability 45% greater than a submachine gun, and twice as great as an assault rifle. [6] The ability to use shotgun slugs extends the range and penetration capability of the shotgun. Police officers in the US commonly secure a shotgun in their vehicles, for use when armed resistance is expected or at any time greater firepower than the officer's sidearm is needed. [7]

Riot vs. combat shotguns

The difference between the riot shotgun and the combat shotgun is blurry, and may be more a matter of application than design. A combat shotgun would be used in military combat situations as a primarily offensive weapon, where a riot shotgun would be used in paramilitary, law enforcement or civilian situations as a primarily defensive weapon. [8] Common additions to a combat shotgun would be provision for attaching a bayonet, and the addition of a ventilated heat shield over the barrel (though this heat shield is a common addition to riot shotguns as well) designed to prevent the operator's fingers from being burned by a barrel heated by multiple shots, and thus to allow the operator to secure a full grip on the weapon while using the attached bayonet, even when the barrel is far too hot to touch (otherwise, there is little reason to enshroud the barrel and hinder the cooling airflow). One or both of these features can be seen on many military long-arms, including the 1903 Springfield, the SMLE, M1 Garand, and Mauser rifles, to name some of the more obvious types. The U.S. Army specifications for shotguns require a metal trigger guard for durability, which reduces the number of "special purpose" models used by police that would also be suitable for the military (the Mossberg 590A1 and Benelli M1014 are the standard-issue pump and semi-auto shotguns currently in service; the standard Mossberg 500 and 590 models, and most variants of the Remington 870, have plastic trigger groups).

Riot shotguns are also more limited in range than combat shotguns by the nature of their use. A combat shotgun is considered effective out to 75 yards (70 m) because on average at least 1 pellet of a 9 pellet 00 buckshot load will hit a human sized target at that range. This is enough to degrade the combat effectiveness of an enemy soldier, but it is not enough to reliably disable an assailant in a defensive situation. For that, there must be multiple hits to the target, enough that one or more pellets will hit a vital region. Generally this is well under 27 yards (25 meters) with a cylinder bore barrel. Beyond this range, slugs and good iron sights are recommended, extending the range to over 109 yards (100 meters). [6] [9]

Less lethal alternatives

Two rounds of Fiocchi 12 gauge rubber buckshot Fiocchi rubber buckshot.jpg
Two rounds of Fiocchi 12 gauge rubber buckshot

The latter part of the 20th century saw a new role for the riot shotgun, with the advent of a wide variety of less lethal ammunition for police use. These vary from the early "bean bag" shooting flexible baton rounds, rubber bullets and other impact munitions, to tear gas and, released in October 2009, a 12 gauge electroshock weapon from TASER International. Using the shotgun as the delivery system allows the officers to quickly choose a lethal or a less lethal weapon, so responding officers can adapt to changing situations. An officer in a standoff can quickly eject a chambered buckshot cartridge and replace it with a less-lethal cartridge such as a bean bag, and is not required to unload the magazine as with most rifles or handguns. Alternatively, one officer can be equipped with less lethal munitions, while others, equipped with buckshot, can provide a backup in case the less lethal rounds fail to stop the target. [7] [10] [11]

Entry and breaching shotguns

H&K Fabarm FP6 Entry - features a 14" barrel and is subject to regulation under the National Firearms Act in the U.S. H&KFabarmFP6entry.jpg
H&K Fabarm FP6 Entry - features a 14" barrel and is subject to regulation under the National Firearms Act in the U.S.

The entry shotgun or breaching shotgun is a role that can be filled by a standard riot shotgun, or one further modified for these purposes. They may have an extremely short barrel (14" or less) and often only a pistol grip rather than a buttstock, or a folding or collapsing buttstock if it is provided with one. In addition, the barrel often has a muzzle brake, used to disperse hot gases rearward, in order to reduce recoil. This type of shotgun is often used to fire special breaching rounds which are designed to disable or destroy door latches while limiting overpenetration of the projectiles used beyond the door. Since these shotguns would in some areas be classified as short barreled shotguns, they are often highly restricted under gun control laws and generally only used by police and military, except in some regions such as the USA. [7] [12] [13]

Usage

A policeman with a pellet shotgun during a clash with violent protesters in Kashmir in September 2017. Pellet shotguns are used as the last "non-lethal" resort by security forces for crowd control in Jammu and Kashmir. Police Protesters Clash after Eid Prayers in Kashmir 2 Sept 2017 29.jpg
A policeman with a pellet shotgun during a clash with violent protesters in Kashmir in September 2017. Pellet shotguns are used as the last "non-lethal" resort by security forces for crowd control in Jammu and Kashmir.

In 2006, during anti-corruption protests in Budapest (Hungary) some people were hit on the head by shotgun-fired bean bag rounds. At least 3 of them were blinded. One man committed suicide in 2013 because he could not live with the blindness. In addition, many people suffered minor injuries (nose and finger fractures, hemorrhagic bruises), and a few needed permanent psychological help because of the shock. [15] [16] [17]

Pellet shotguns have been used in Bahrain, Egypt and Tunisia for breaking up protests. [18] Since 2010, in the Indian state of Jammu Kashmir, police forces have used pellet shotguns (known locally as pellet guns or pump action guns) as a 'non-lethal' defensive crowd control measure against violent, stone pelting mobs in the region. [14] [19] [20] The usage of pellet shotguns in Jammu and Kashmir has been widely criticised. [18]

In the United States of America, the use of shotguns by police officers is in decline. Many agencies have adopted patrol rifles for increased precision and better range when compared to shotguns. [21] However, many agencies retain the shotguns for use by newer officers [22] and for less-lethal munitions.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shotgun</span> Firearm intended for firing a junta of small to medium-sized pellets

A shotgun is a long-barreled firearm designed to shoot a straight-walled cartridge known as a shotshell, which discharges numerous small spherical projectiles called shot, or a single solid projectile called a slug. Shotguns are most commonly used as smoothbore firearms, meaning that their gun barrels have no rifling on the inner wall, but rifled barrels for shooting sabot slugs are also available.

The Winchester Model 1897, also known as the Model 97, M97, Riot Gun, or Trench Gun, is a pump-action shotgun with an external hammer and tube magazine manufactured by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. The Model 1897 was an evolution of the Winchester Model 1893 designed by John Browning. From 1897 until 1957, over one million of these shotguns were produced. The Model 1897 was offered in numerous barrel lengths and grades, chambered in 12 and 16 gauge, and as a solid frame or takedown. The 16-gauge guns had a standard barrel length of 28 in (71 cm), while 12-gauge guns were furnished with 30 in (76 cm) barrels. Special length barrels could be ordered in lengths as short as 20 in (51 cm) or as long as 36 in (91 cm). Since the time the Model 1897 was first manufactured, it has been used to great effect by American military personnel, law enforcement officers, and hunters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sawed-off shotgun</span> Type of shotgun

A sawed-off shotgun is a type of shotgun with a shorter gun barrel—typically under 18 inches (46 cm)—and often a pistol grip instead of a longer shoulder stock. Despite the colloquial term, barrels do not, strictly speaking, have to be shortened with a saw. Barrels can be manufactured at shorter lengths as an alternative to traditional, longer barrels. This makes them easier to transport and conceal due to their smaller profile and lighter weight. The design also makes the weapon easy to maneuver in cramped spaces, a feature sought by military close-quarters combat units and law enforcement SWAT team users. As a result of the shorter barrel length, any sawn-off shotgun with a magazine tube will have its capacity reduced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mossberg 500</span> Series of pump-action shotguns

The Mossberg 500 (M500) is a series of pump action shotguns manufactured by O.F. Mossberg & Sons. The 500 series comprises widely varying models of hammerless repeaters, all of which share the same basic receiver and action, but differ in bore size, barrel length, choke options, magazine capacity, stock and forearm materials. Model numbers included in the 500 series are the 500, 505, 510, 535, and 590. The Revelation 310 and the New Haven 600 were also variations of the 500 series produced by Mossberg under different names. By 2021, 11,000,000 M500s had been produced, making it the most-produced shotgun of all time.

A combat shotgun is a shotgun issued by militaries for warfare. The earliest shotguns specifically designed for combat were the trench guns or trench shotguns issued in World War I. While limited in range, the multiple projectiles typically used in a shotgun shell provide increased hit probability unmatched by other small arms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M26 Modular Accessory Shotgun System</span> Underbarrel Shotgun

The M26-MASS is a shotgun configured as an underbarrel ancillary weapon attachment mounted onto the handguard of a service rifle, usually the M16/M4 family of United States military, essentially making the host weapon a combination gun. It can also be operated as a stand-alone shotgun by attachment to a pistol grip/collapsible buttstock module. Rollout commenced in 2013, replacing the M500 shotguns in service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breaching round</span> Shotgun shell made especially for door breaching

A breaching round or slug-shot is a shotgun shell specially made for door breaching. It is typically fired at a range of 6 inches (15 cm) or less, aimed at the hinges or the area between the doorknob and lock and doorjamb, and is designed to destroy the object it hits and then disperse into a relatively harmless powder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shotgun shell</span> Self-contained cartridge loaded with either shot or a solid slug

A shotgun shell, shotshell, or shell is a type of rimmed, cylindrical (straight-walled) cartridges used specifically in shotguns, and is typically loaded with numerous small, pellet-like spherical sub-projectiles called shot, fired through a smoothbore barrel with a tapered constriction at the muzzle to regulate the extent of scattering. A shell can sometimes also contain only a single large solid projectile known as a slug. The hull usually consists of a paper or plastic tube often covered at the base by a metallic head cover which retains a primer, and the shot charge is typically contained by a wadding/sabot inside the case. The caliber of the shotshell is known as its gauge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.410 bore</span> Shotgun bore designed by Charles Eley and William Eley

The .410 bore (10.4 mm) is one of the smallest caliber of shotgun shell commonly available. A .410 bore shotgun loaded with shot shells is well suited for small game hunting and pest control. The .410 started off in the United Kingdom as a garden gun along with the .360 and the No. 3 bore (9 mm) rimfire, No. 2 bore (7 mm) rimfire, and No. 1 bore (6 mm) rimfire. .410 shells have similar base dimensions to the .45 Colt cartridge, allowing many single-shot firearms, as well as derringers and revolvers chambered in that caliber, to fire .410 shot shells without any modifications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KS-23</span> Soviet pump-action heavy shotgun

The KS-23 is a Soviet shotgun. Because it uses a rifled barrel, it is officially designated by the Russian military as a carbine. KS stands for Karabin Spetsialniy, "Special Carbine". It is renowned for its large caliber, firing a 23 mm shotgun shell, equating to 6.278 gauge using the British and American standards of shotgun gauges and approximately 4 gauge using the current European standards, making it the largest-bore shotgun in modern use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riot gun</span> Type of firearm

In current usage, a riot gun or less-lethal launcher is a type of firearm used to fire "non-lethal" or "less-lethal" ammunition for the purpose of suppressing riots or apprehending suspects with minimal harm or risk. Less-lethal launchers may be special purpose firearms designed for riot control use, or standard firearms, usually shotguns and grenade launchers, adapted for riot control use with appropriate ammunition. The ammunition is most commonly found in 12 gauge shotguns and 37mm or 40 mm grenade launchers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shotgun slug</span> Type of ammunition used mainly in hunting medium and large game

A shotgun slug is a heavy projectile made of lead, copper, or other material and fired from a shotgun. Slugs are designed for hunting large game, and other uses, particularly in areas near human population where their short range and slow speed helps increase safety margin. The first effective modern shotgun slug was introduced by Wilhelm Brenneke in 1898, and his design remains in use today. Most shotgun slugs are designed to be fired through a cylinder bore, improved cylinder choke, rifled choke tubes, or fully rifled bores. Slugs differ from round ball lead projectiles in that they are stabilized in some manner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saiga-12</span> Russian shotgun

The Saiga-12 is a shotgun available in a wide range of configurations, patterned after the Kalashnikov series of rifles and named after the Saiga antelope native to Russia. Like the Kalashnikov rifle variants, it is a rotating bolt, long-stroke gas piston operated firearm that feeds from a square magazine. All Saiga-12 configurations are recognizable as Kalashnikov-pattern guns by the large lever-safety on the right side of the receiver, the optic mounting rail on the left side of the receiver and the large top-mounted dust cover held in place by the rear of the recoil spring assembly. Saiga firearms are meant for civilian domestic sale in Russia, and export to international markets.

The Benelli M3 is a dual-mode shotgun designed and manufactured by Italian firearms manufacturer Benelli Armi SpA, and the third model of the Benelli Super 90 line of semi-automatic shotguns. The M3 holds a maximum of seven rounds and uses Benelli's proprietary inertia-driven action system first showcased in the M1. The M3 is notable for allowing the user to choose between semi-automatic or pump-action operation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heckler & Koch HK CAWS</span> Bullpup automatic shotgun

The Heckler & Koch HK CAWS is a prototype automatic shotgun—designed as a combat shotgun—co-produced by Heckler & Koch and Winchester/Olin during the 1980s. It was Heckler & Koch's entry into the U.S military's Close Assault Weapon System program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MAG-7</span> Pump-action shotgun

The MAG-7 is a pump-action shotgun manufactured by Techno Arms PTY of South Africa since 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taurus Judge</span> Revolver

The Taurus Judge is a five shot revolver designed and produced by Taurus International, chambered for .410 bore shot shells and the .45 Colt cartridge. Taurus promotes the Judge as a self-defense tool against carjacking and for home protection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Automatic shotgun</span> Automatic firearm that fires shotgun shells

An automatic shotgun is an automatic firearm that fires shotgun shells and uses some of the energy of each shot to automatically cycle the action and load a new round. It will fire repeatedly until the trigger is released or ammunition runs out. Automatic shotguns have a very limited range, but provide tremendous firepower at close range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MAUL (shotgun)</span> Shotgun

The Multi-shot Accessory Underbarrel Launcher, or MAUL, is a combat shotgun designed by defunct Brisbane-based company Metal Storm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawk Industries Type 97</span> Depending on variant:

The Hawk Industries Type 97 is the factory and official Chinese military and police designation of a shotgun design patterned after the Remington Model 870, and manufactured by Hawk Industries, a division of the China North Industries Corporation. The Type 97 is the base designation attributed to a variety of models with multiple configurations to suit different purposes and applications.

References

  1. ↑ "Riot gun" . Retrieved 2007-09-18. Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law. riot gun n: a small arm used to disperse rioters rather than to inflict serious injury or death; especially : a short-barreled shotgun
  2. ↑ SAAMI Glossary. "Gun, riot". Archived from the original on 2003-08-24. Retrieved 2008-09-18.
  3. ↑ Chuck Hawks. "Guns for Home Defense" . Retrieved 2007-09-18.
  4. ↑ Massad Ayoob (December 2003). "Long guns still popular home-defense option". Shooting Industry.
  5. ↑ "Rifle Sight - Remington Defense". www.remingtondefense.com. Retrieved 2019-07-18.
  6. 1 2 W. Hays Parks, Special Assistant for Law of War Matters, Office of The Judge Advocate General, U.S. Army Washington, D.C. "Joint Service Combat Shotgun Program" (PDF). Library of Congress . Retrieved 2010-10-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. 1 2 3 Bill Campbell (July 4, 2007). "The Police Shotgun: Versatile, Powerful & Still "The Great Intimidator"". The Police Marksman.
  8. ↑ Combat Guns Hardcover – 1 Nov. 1987 by Chris Bishop (Author), Publisher: Book Sales; 1st Ed. (U.S.) edition (1 Nov. 1987), ISBN   1555211615
  9. ↑ John Schaefer. "Some Thoughts on the Combat Shotgun" . Retrieved 2007-09-18.
  10. ↑ NIJ. "Impact Munitions Use: Types, Targets, Effects" (PDF).
  11. ↑ "Taser XREP". TASER International, Inc. Archived from the original on 2009-06-25. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
  12. ↑ "Remington 870 Shotgun (USA)". Archived from the original on 2007-10-23. has pictures of Remington "Entry" and "Breaching" models
  13. ↑ Picture Archived 2008-02-16 at the Wayback Machine of a Mossberg 500 Tactical Cruiser, with a special breaching barrel with stand-off device on the muzzle
  14. 1 2 Nair, Ravi (21 July 2016). "Pellet Guns in Kashmir: The Lethal Use of "Non-Lethal" Weapons". The Wire. Retrieved 2019-01-05.
  15. ↑ Gergő, Joób Sándor, Plankó (2011-10-23). "A gumilövedék helye megmarad". index.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2020-07-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ↑ "Öngyilkos lett a 2006-ban kilőtt szemű Cs. Attila | Mandiner". mandiner.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2020-07-14.
  17. ↑ Tamás, Bodoky (2009-01-16). "Négymillió forint egy kilőtt szemért". index.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2020-07-14.
  18. 1 2 Barry, Ellen (28 August 2016). "An Epidemic of 'Dead Eyes' in Kashmir as India Uses Pellet Guns on Protesters". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2018-12-25.
  19. ↑ Akhzer, Adil (22 July 2016). "What are pellet guns and why are they so lethal?". The Indian Express. Retrieved 2018-12-23.
  20. ↑ Javaid, Azaan (25 April 2018). "Chilli bombs to tear gas, CRPF looks at alternatives to pellet guns in Kashmir". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 2019-01-05.
  21. ↑ Wallace, Joe (1 August 2018). "Shotguns vs. Patrol Rifles". Kentucky Law Enforcement Magazine. Retrieved 2019-08-12.
  22. ↑ "Police Shotgun – Carry It!". BlueSheepdog. 25 April 2012. Retrieved 2019-08-12.
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