Shotguns in WW2

[Hans1906]

I remember some photos showing American GIs with shotguns from the WW2.

Where were these shotguns used, that would be my question..?

Were these shotguns also used in Europe, or only in the pacific theatre ?


Hans

[OpanaPointer]

Shotguns are smooth bores. Rifles have a ... rifled ... barrel. Cheers.

[dgfred]

Shotguns excellent for close in jungle fighting. Or even house to house fighting.

[Hans1906]

Shotguns are smooth bores. Rifles have a ... rifled ... barrel. Cheers.

JaJa, but this does not answer the question..?


Hans

[Hans1906]

For example, in the WW1, the german storm troopers "Sturmtruppen" used typical flare-guns with deadly ammunition,
to clean up the enemy trenches in close combat fighting.

Was this tactic still used in WWII, anywhere, that's the real question..?

Or were these weapons frowned upon as "not soldierly"?

The Japanese were less than subhumans for the Americans, more prosimians, who had to be destroyed, right?
(So much for racism...)


Hans
P.S. Edited topic title

[Sheldrake]

Shotgun manufacturers sold the idea of shotguns as "trench brooms" in the Great War, and the theory sounds good. They were popular with some Americans in WW2 and made sense in jungle warfare.

However, Submachine guns were better for close range combat, which is why armies adopted SMGs rather than pump action shotguns. .

[jbroshot]

I remember some photos showing American GIs with shotguns from the WW2.

Where were these shotguns used, that would be my question..?

Were these shotguns also used in Europe, or only in the pacific theatre ?


Hans

Don't know about use by the US Army either in the Pacific or in Europe, but from April 15, 1943, through September 5, 1945, the Tables of Organization for a US Marine Division included 306 "Shotgun, Winchester, riot type, 12-gauge, M1912 or M1897", with each infantry regiment of the division having 100.

source: History of U. S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II Volume V Victory and Occupation (1968), Appendices H, I, J, and K

[OpanaPointer]

Shotguns are smooth bores. Rifles have a ... rifled ... barrel. Cheers.

JaJa, but this does not answer the question..?


Hans

I'm a documentarian.

[OpanaPointer]

P.S. Edited topic title

Okay, the hostages will be released unharmed.

[LineDoggie]

I remember some photos showing American GIs with shotguns from the WW2.

Where were these shotguns used, that would be my question..?

Were these shotguns also used in Europe, or only in the pacific theatre ?


Hans

Shotguns have many uses-

Interior guard duties, bases and defence factories, reservoirs, bridges, etc
Guarding POW's both in established POW camps and combat zone collection cages
Riot Control
House to House fighting
Near Ambush
Naval Boarding and Landing parties

US "TrenchGuns" were used in WW2 in both the ETO/PTO theaters
Pump guns included-
Winchester M1897
Winchester M12
Stevens M520-30
Ithaca M37

The Pump guns had no disconnector so could be slam fired. Basically pull the trigger and fire a shell, hold the trigger down and it fires as fast as you can pump the slide action back and forth. With each shell containing 9x .30 caliber pellets, slam fire at close range was devastating.


SemiAuto guns- (both basically Browning Auto-5's)
Remington Model 11
Savage Model 720

USMC on Guadalcanal found the shotgun an effective way of dealing with Japanese firing from Palm tree tops (just like duck hunting)

In addition to combat usage many semi auto guns were used to train aerial gunnery students some even adapted to a turret mount for training use.

https://www.guns.com/news/2019/03/20/ra ... r-surfaces

[LineDoggie]

The Japanese were less than subhumans for the Americans, more prosimians, who had to be destroyed, right?
(So much for racism...)


Hans

When you've found your comrades (Americans, Australians, New Zealanders, British, Burmese, Canadians, Chinese, Indians, Filipinos, etc.) mutilated and tortured to death for fun by the Japanese and see what they also did to occupied nations civilians in China, In Burma, In Dutch East Indies, in Indochina and dozens of Pacific islands you might have a reaction that the enemy is not a human and less than deserving of humanity (sort of like how the Waffen-SS was given short shrift )

(So much for generalizations of the Yanks, eh?)

[LineDoggie]

Shotgun manufacturers sold the idea of shotguns as "trench brooms" in the Great War, and the theory sounds good. They were popular with some Americans in WW2 and made sense in jungle warfare.

However, Submachine guns were better for close range combat, which is why armies adopted SMGs rather than pump action shotguns. .

Since until the very end of the war there was little in the way of the Submachinegun to be had (MP18 and Austrian Stop, Vilar-Perosa) a Shotgun was of use. The fact Imperial Germany threatened to execute American troops captured with one shows the Germans took them seriously. Few armies still have SMG in first lineInventory, but the US, France, Italy still have combat shotguns on issue

Even the British used them in Malaya, odd since they had so very many Stens available...

[OpanaPointer]

The Japanese were less than subhumans for the Americans, more prosimians, who had to be destroyed, right?
(So much for racism...)

All same-same Japan. They created the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere. Japan would get the prosperity or East Asia would get the Sphere.

[dgfred]

Street Sweeper - Tombstone Era

Trench Broom - WWI

[Poot]

The Japanese were less than subhumans for the Americans, more prosimians, who had to be destroyed, right?
(So much for racism...)


Hans

When you've found your comrades (Americans, Australians, New Zealanders, British, Burmese, Canadians, Chinese, Indians, Filipinos, etc.) mutilated and tortured to death for fun by the Japanese and see what they also did to occupied nations civilians in China, In Burma, In Dutch East Indies, in Indochina and dozens of Pacific islands you might have a reaction that the enemy is not a human and less than deserving of humanity (sort of like how the Waffen-SS was given short shrift )

(So much for generalizations of the Yanks, eh?)

Well stated, sir.