Training with an AR-15 or a side arm is very important. But what is not really covered in many militia trainings is the shotgun.

The earliest smoothbore firearms like with a shotgun, was loaded with small pieces of metal, first appeared in 16th-century Europe. In the early 17th century, the barrels were made as long as 6 feet to gain maximum accuracy.

From the Encyclopaedia Brittanica:

The modern shotgun evolved principally from a series of 19th-century improvements in gunpowder, cartridges, and guns. The barrel was shortened and lightened, making possible the double-barreled gun, in which two barrels shoot to the same point of aim at normal ranges. The choke bore was introduced to limit the spread of the shot and increase range and accuracy. Repeating shotguns, in which several cartridges could be loaded at once and successively positioned in the firing chamber by a cocking action, became available in the 1880s. In semiautomatic shotguns, firing a shot automatically positions the next round.

Encyclopaedia Brittanica

Our training involves all types of weapons, including the shotgun and hand gun. The shotgun is one platform that comes in a variety of styles: pump, break open, semi-autmatic. Getting comfortable with the shotgun is one of the many keys to success should a civil conflict become a reality. Check out the photos below:

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