US Combat Shotguns

When a soldier must face multiple opponents at close quarters, few
weapons can match the effectiveness of the shotgun. From World War I to
the War on Terror, the shotgun has been a devastating weapon in the
hands of US troops. For urban combat, prisoner control and shipboard
operations, it remains as deadly today as it was a century ago. This
book examines various types, from the early combat shotguns through to
the riot gun and trench gun versions used in World War l. So effective
was the trench shotgun, the Germans complained it violated the “Rules of
War” as an inhumane weapon, and threatened to execute troops captured
carrying one. More recently during the War on Terror, shotguns have been
used to clear cave complexes in Afghanistan and buildings in Iraq, but
especially to blow doors open during entries and searches. Featuring
specially commissioned full-color artwork, this is the story of the
origins, development and the use of the combat shotgun in US service,
from the trenches of World War l, to the Korean and Vietnamese Wars and
lately the cave complexes of Afghanistan.