Shotguns

In the early 20th century, shotguns such as the Winchester M1897 were actively used in the First World War for close combat in trenches, earning the nickname "trench gun". In the middle of the century, shotguns were used by the police and the army, for example, the Izh-54 in the USSR and the Remington 870 in the USA, which became standards of reliability. The Vietnam War proved the effectiveness of shotguns in close combat - the Mossberg 500 and IZH-43 were used to break through the jungle. In the 1970s and 80s, combat modifications appeared, such as the SPAS-12, capable of conducting semi-automatic and pump-action fire. Shotguns began to be equipped with under-barrel magazines that accelerate reloading, like the Kel-Tec KSG. By the end of the century, tactical versions, such as the Benelli M4, received telescopic butts, Picatinny rails, and the ability to fire door charges. Civilian models like the Saiga-12 (based on the AK) have adapted to military needs, including drum magazines. 20th century shotguns have proven their versatility by being used to storm buildings, crowd control, and even in space (aboard the ISS as part of an emergency kit). By the 2000s, they had finally moved into the category of specialized tactical weapons, retaining their lethality at short distances.