page_title: Shotgun shell
section_title: Sizes
hierarchical_section_title: Shotgun shell / Sizes
caption_attribution_description: English: Different cartridges, left-right, 12-bore, 20-bore, 16-bore, 28-bore, .410, on display at London gunmaker William Evans.
context_page_description: A shotgun shell or shotshell is a self-contained cartridge often loaded with multiple metallic "shot", which are small, generally spherical projectiles. The shells consist of a paper or plastic tube mounted on a brass base holding a primer. The shot is typically contained in a small container inside the shell casing. Shot has traditionally been made of lead, but steel, tungsten and bismuth are frequently used due to restrictions on lead. A shotgun shell can contain a single, large projectile known as a shotgun slug. They can also be made with specialty non-lethal rounds such as beanbag rounds, and rubber.
  Shotguns have an effective range of about 35 metres with buckshot, 45 metres with birdshot, 100 metres with slugs, and well over 150 metres with sabot slugs in rifled barrels.
  Other rounds include:
  Ferret rounds: rounds designed to penetrate a thin barrier and release a gas payload.
  Bolo rounds: two large lead balls attached by a wire.
  Piranha rounds: shells full of sharp tacks.
  Dragon's breath rounds: shells full of chemicals that burn when fired, and can ignite a flammable target at close range.
caption: Shotgun shell comparison (left to right): 12-, 20-, 16-, 28-bore, .410
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