I know The us army used shotguns for
sweeping the trenches in WW1,But what about
WW2?Where they used in europe?
And what about the pacific?Seems to me like they would be great weapons in the island
jungle fighting.
Scrog

I think there may have been some limited use of the shotgun in the pacific theater. (I believe I may have seen some footage of a marine firing a shotgun) But I have not heard of it being used in Europe

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Ain't no rocket scientists in the firehall

From what I have read, the USMC issued the same 12-gauge, pump, trenchguns to Marines in the Pacific Theatre of operations as their Fathers were given in World War 1. Although outlawed by the Geneva convention, they were issued and used with great success in all of the island campaigns although not to the same scale as WW1.

I was just talking to a friend of mine about ww2 shotguns a few days ago since he has one in his collection. Sadly my mind is blank right now from what information he told me. Hopefully it will come back to me.

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"Front leaning rest position"
"Move"
"In cadence, exercise....1, 2, 3" (My favorite thing to hear at 5 in the morning.)

Actually, I beleive they only outlawed lead shot. As long as steel shot was used I think they were technically legal.

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It's a sick, sick world. I'm a happy man.

There was use of shotguns in Europe too--not for combat but for men who were guarding POWS. Ive seen several photos of 1o1st Airborne Div paras with Remington-Rand shotguns guarding German POWs. I forget the name of the book, but its a large hardcover title that just recently came out and is sold at least at Barnes and Nobles bookstores.

In fact, one picture I remember showed a USMC Sergeat watching German POWS on some ship in the ETO.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

When asked about shotguns in the ETO the only thing I can think of is partisan and guerrilla forces. Both my grandfathers fought with Tito's partisans in WW2 and my mom's dad started the war with a double barrelled-shotgun, which he quickly discarded for a "proper" rifle after they overran their first enemy positions. Many Italian partisans were armed with shotguns and I am sure the French 'Maquis' were, too. As for regular forces I believe the US was the only one to issue a limited amount of shotguns. Both the British and the Soviets had some stockpiled for their Home Guard/Osvoyenkhi(sp?) militia units. Maybe some German diehards used shotguns during the final days.

Miro :

The German populace especially in Bayern and the Schwarzwald had the single shot Schützen rifles, double-barrel and the drilling wepaons, though they were used for hunting purposes and occasionally for self-defence. At the end of the war many US service men came away with some beautiful engraved hunting weapons. A good friend that has since passed on picked up 2 Schützen's and 1 gorgeous drilling while in Czechslovakia at the surrender.....mostly likely via Volksturm units.

E

Also, on occaision, shot guns were used by British commandos though I admit I have only read a few reports of this occuring. I suppose the fact that the Germans were supposed to shoot them rather than take them prisoners made the whole geneva convention thing a bit of a farce.

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There's no honorable way to kill, no gentle way to destroy. There is nothing good in war. Except its ending.

Again, I can find no Geneva convention passage outlawing shotguns. Only the use of lead shot.
I know for a fact that shotguns were issued in WWI and Korea. I'm pretty sure they were issued in WWII as there was nothing stopping them.

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It's a sick, sick world. I'm a happy man.

John I'm not sure that it was used with all that much effect. I can see its use during a banzai attacks,at least untill it ran out of ammo, then it would be of use only as a club. there would be no time for reloading a shotgun in those conditions.However, I read that in the jungle it was less than adequete, its shot being easily deflected by dense foiliage. Interestingly, I read a book about Marine Raiders, in it ,it said they discovered the same defeciencies with the Thompson, many Raiders traded theirs,at the first opertunity for BAR's

[ 02 May 2002, 08:58 PM: Message edited by: Billy Bones ]

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Ain't no rocket scientists in the firehall

The only reference to shotgun use I have been able to find is an article by Joe Poyer in the American magazine 'Surplus Firearms'

The article is titled 'US Combat Shotguns' and states that Winchester supplied, under contract to the US Government, 39,176 M-97 shotguns between '41 and '44. Many seem to have been used for Home Guard, military installation defence, aerial gunnery practice, etc.

But Poyer goes on to say : ' Military shotguns saw extensive combat use with the Marines and Army, primarily in the Pacific theaters, but also in the China-Burma-India theater and in Europe after the invasion of Normandy '.

I'm not a Pacific expert but I've read a lot about Europe and have never seen references to shotgun usage, or any pics.

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

I think the commandos used the winchester as well.

regards