How effective were shotguns in Vietnam?

The effectiveness of shotguns in jungle was not lost on the American troops in Vietnam. At first, leftover World War II models were used, but eventually new weapons were acquired. Leftover ammunition was used as well, although much of it had been rendered useless due to corrosion.

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Were shotguns used in the Vietnam War?

In the Vietnam War, the shotgun was used as an individual weapon in the American army during jungle patrol and urban warfare like the Tet Offensive.

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What was the most effective weapon in the Vietnam War?

M16. The M16 would become the standard service rifle for U.S. troops during the 1960s, seeing widespread use in Vietnam and largely replacing the M14. The weapon was in many ways revolutionary, though not without problems.

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What kind of shotgun did they use in Vietnam?

Remington Model 870 – pump-action shotgun, main shotgun used by Marines, Army, and Navy after 1966. Savage Model 69E – pump-action shotgun used by the US Army. Savage Model 720 – semi-automatic shotgun.

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How effective are shotguns in combat?

Shotguns are extremely effective at close-range combat when they are loaded with buckshot (Several small pellets expelled with each shot). Buckshot has the disadvantage of stray pellets hitting things you weren't aiming at. That's why the police mostly don't use it anymore.

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Combat Shotguns of the Vietnam War | Collector's and History Corner

40 related questions found

Are shotguns better than snipers?

Asked: Are shotguns or snipers more deadly? The answer will depend on the range to the target. A sniper has longer range than the user of a shotgun. But at the extreme edge of the cartridge's range, even a hit may not be effective enough to put the target out of action.

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What is the best military shotgun of all time?

The Benelli M4 is the proven king of combat shotguns. This gas-operated, semi-auto shotgun was evaluated by the Marine Corps in 1999 and joined the ranks shortly after. The fast-firing design makes follow-up shots quick and effective, making it a terrifyingly effective close-quarter's weapon.

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What weapons did the Australians use in the Vietnam War?

A 7.62 mm L1A1 self-loading rifle (SLR) which was the standard infantry weapon used by the Australian Army during the Vietnam War. It is gas operated with an internal piston and has a 20 round staggered box magazine. It was replaced by the 5.56 mm Steyr F88 assault rifle in the 1980s.

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Why did the M16 fail in Vietnam?

The harsh jungle climate corroded the rifle's chamber, exacerbated by the manufacturer's decision against chrome-plating the chamber. The ammunition that accompanied the rifles sent to Vietnam was incompatible with the M16 and was the principal cause of the failure to extract malfunctions.

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How much ammo did soldiers carry in Vietnam?

In Vietnam the standard loadout was seven 20-round magazines contained in a bandoleer, but soldiers would often carry 2-3 bandoleers full of magazines to survive the intense jungle firefights. To quote John Johnston of Ballistic Radio: “the only time you have too much ammo is if you're drowning or on fire.”

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Were tanks effective in Vietnam?

Because the often soggy Vietnamese terrain limited their range, tanks did not play a major role in Vietnam. They did, however, provide valuable support to American forces in the south, securing contested roadways and engaging enemy troops. The most common U.S. tank was the M48.

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Did the Viet Cong use AK 47?

THIS WAS THE STANDARD WEAPON USED BY THE NORTH VIETNAMESE ARMY ... 1966. A KALASHNIKOV AK47 RIFLE. THIS WAS THE STANDARD WEAPON USED BY THE NORTH VIETNAMESE ARMY (NVA), THE VIET CONG (VC) AND OTHER IRREGULARS ARMED BY NORTH VIETNAM.

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Was the bombing in Vietnam effective?

By the end of 1966, the United States had dropped more bombs on North Vietnam than it had dropped on Japan during World War II and more than it had dropped during the entire Korean War. Yet the bombing seemed to have little impact on the communists' ability to carry on the war.

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Why were shotguns banned in war?

Why are shotguns banned in war? They aren't banned. Shotguns are still used in the military but their role has been limited because they have such short range uses. In WW1 shotguns primarily could only be used at very close range to clear out trenches of enemy soldiers.

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Why was the trench shotgun banned?

The German protest cited Article 23(e) of the Hague Conventions, which outlined the rules of warfare, claiming the trench shotgun caused “unnecessary suffering.”

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Why doesn't the military use shotguns?

Shotguns are not commonly used in the US military for the following reasons: Heavy ammunition - Shotgun shells are far heavier than standard ammunition, meaning that far more limited amounts can be carried. Rate of fire - Shotguns have a much lower rate of fire than standard battlefield rifles.

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Why did soldiers hate the M16?

Vietnam War troops hated the M16 and dubbed it the “Mattel 16” because it felt more like a toy than a battle rifle. “We called it the Mattel 16 because it was made of plastic,” said Marine veteran Jim Wodecki in the video below. “At that time it was a piece of garbage.”

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Is the M16 better than the AK 47?

The standard U.S. military rifle (M-16) is substantially more destructive than its Russian counterpart (AK-47) when fired at short range into clay blocks, despite the fact that the AK-47 is of larger caliber and fires a much heavier bullet with a kinetic energy (muzzle) 25% greater when compared to the M-16.

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Why was the M16 unreliable?

The M16 often failed to eject spent cartridges, often jammed, making the rifle "about as effective as a muzzleloader, " in the words of one officer. Men began to be killed in combat because they couldn't return fire or because they had paused to fix their rifles.

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Were Australian soldiers conscripted in Vietnam?

In Australia, 15,300 men were conscripted into the Australian Army during the Vietnam conflict. More than 200 died and at least 1,200 were wounded on active duty. Most 20-year-old Australian men had to register for national service between 1965 and 1972.

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Did Australian soldiers use m16 in Vietnam?

The M16A1 assault rifle was introduced into Australian Army service in 1967 as a section weapon for use by scouts and section commanders. It was used during the Vietnam War by Australian and American forces.

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Why were the Vietcong so difficult for the Americans to fight?

The Vietcong were a South Vietnamese communist faction that fought against the U.S. and South Vietnamese armies during the Vietnam War. Their use of civilians in combat and guerrilla style fighting, such as spider holes and tiger traps, made them a difficult enemy for the United States military.

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What is the most iconic shotgun in the world?

Remington 870

It is much the same in the classic shotgun world, especially with pump guns. John M. Browning designed the Remington Model 17, which influenced the Ithaca 37 and the Remington 31. Both of these shotguns swam in the gene pool of one of the best shotguns ever made: the Remington 870.

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What is the most reliable shotgun in the world?

Best Overall – Mossberg 590A1

The 590A1 is also the only shotgun to pass the military's reliability test. If you keep the shotgun well-maintained, you should never need to worry about it jamming. On the odd chance that the gun malfunctions, you can cycle to the next round and fire as normal.

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What shotgun has the most stopping power?

A Semi-automatic shotgun can be even more reliable than a pump shotgun. Shooting data has shown that a 12 gauge shotgun has the most stopping power.

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