Massive Spanish Naval Flintlock Blunderbuss Swivel Gun for comment

Jim McDougall · 1st May 2019, 11:10 PM

Not sure on blunderbusses, and possibly the idea of loading ease might have some bearing, but shotguns have a 'choke' to tighten the shot pattern if I understand. I would think that the shot or whatever is being fired would expand outward as projected. I thought that is why shotguns etc were close range weapons.
I know colloquially shotguns have always been called 'scatter guns', whether to disperse groups of combatants or scattering their fired content unclear.

With cannon and those deck guns, the use of misc. scrap, glass etc was pretty common from most of what I have read, and as these were smooth bore, there was not concern over the barrel interior.

1st May 2019, 11:10 PM	#6
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,194	Not sure on blunderbusses, and possibly the idea of loading ease might have some bearing, but shotguns have a 'choke' to tighten the shot pattern if I understand. I would think that the shot or whatever is being fired would expand outward as projected. I thought that is why shotguns etc were close range weapons. I know colloquially shotguns have always been called 'scatter guns', whether to disperse groups of combatants or scattering their fired content unclear. With cannon and those deck guns, the use of misc. scrap, glass etc was pretty common from most of what I have read, and as these were smooth bore, there was not concern over the barrel interior.