[swaghauler]

Here are some real-world facts about shotguns.

Rates of Fire:

The typical rate of fire for a semiautomatic is between 3 tenths of a second and half of a second per round fired based on the shooter's skill. The rate of fire for a pump-action shotgun will vary between 3/4 of a second to 1.5 seconds per shot based on the shooter's skill. An experienced pump gun shooter could fire ONE SHOT PER 1-second INITIATIVE PHASE. An "unskilled or unfamiliar" pump shooter will often have to spend a 1-second Initiative Phase running the pump to chamber a new round. Bolt Action Shotgunners will spend 2 seconds running a bolt shotgun (especially due to the length of the cartridge/hull they are cycling (2.75" to 3").

The rate of fire for Full Auto Shotguns varies quite a bit. The Saiga has a cyclic rate of fire around 600 rounds a minute. The latest generation of AA12 has a rate of fire of from 320 to 350 rounds per minute based on the power of the load in question. The experimental H&K CAW (close assault weapon) had a listed rate of fire with 00 Buck of 375 rounds per minute. The USAS-12 has a rate of fire between 400 and 450 rounds per minute.

The Patterning of Shotguns:

Most larger bores are patterned at between 30 and 40 yards (or meters) and .410 Bores are patterned at between 20 and 25 yards (or meters). The most common pattern is a 30" circle at these distances. Chokes constrict the bore in order to reduce the pattern size; which increases pattern density (the number of pellets in the circle) and therefore, increases the EFFECTIVE RANGE of that load.
Most Buckshot loads will spread about 1" for every yard (or meter) traveled. This means that at 25 meters, the pattern of 00 Buck will be about 2 feet across. Tactical Buckshot (which is designed to hold a tighter pattern) will pattern much tighter and could range from 12" to 18" in diameter at 25 meters. The typical width of a grown man varies between 16" and 22" across. At 100 yards, a typical 00 buck loading will occupy a pattern 100" across. There will be A FOOT OR MORE between each pellet. Needless to say, accuracy will be bad!

Steel Shot is much maligned because it is less dense (and therefore lighter by volume) than lead. This leads to shorter ranges, less pellet density, and less lethal effect (based on momentum) than lead shot.

Rifled Slugs are actually designed for SMOOTH-BORE BARRELS and Sabots are specifically designed for RIFLED BARRELS (which help them shed their sabots).

Shotgun Sights:

The bead sight is preferred by some shooters. It allows you to lead a target while still being able to see it WHILE LEADING IT. I give shotguns (and cannon with AA sights) the ability to NEGATE ONE LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY SHIFT IMPOSED BY TARGET MOVEMENT. This doesn't mean the shooter has it one level of difficulty easier to hit a target; the shooter simply gets to reduce any MOVEMENT BASED PENALTIES by one difficulty level.

Increased Reciever Size in Repeating Shotguns:

Repeating shotguns MUST have enough room in their receivers to accommodate the shell in addition to the components used to feed shells. A Single-Barreled or Double-Barreled Shotgun doesn't need this extra space in the receiver. This means that a Single-Barreled or Double-Barreled Shotgun will have a 2" to 3" LONGER barrel for the same overall length as a Repeating Shotgun. Longer barrels have long kept hunting "Doubles" competitive with "repeaters."

Those are just some common facts about shotguns.