As used in the modern American army ... just shotgun?

Shotguns are one of the oldest types of firearms. Older guns only gun, and gun became a continuation of the evolution of the gun, charged with gunpowder and the nucleus. So to speak, a miniature portable cannon!

It happened a very long time, but this old man to give up their positions ultramodern automatic rifles, machine guns, submachine guns and other minigun (a six-barreled gun, like Schwarzenegger in "Terminator") is not going to surrender completely. And why? Let's face it. Ordinary shot shotgun is valuable for many situations in the near and very close battle ... its fragmentation. Or shot. Or drobovitostyu. In general, the ability to shoot at one time a large pile of charges that do not require precise aiming. And it is very valuable in many combat situations. For example, in the tropical jungle where the fight is usually at a distance of 10-20 (and sometimes less) meters. Or when you go uncontrolled mob charge grape can neutralize several people with one shot. Crowd control, guarding prisoners of war and many other situations generally do automatic rifle or unenforceable, but a shotgun with rubber bullets or rubber buckshot - the most it! 

Thus, the use of shot cartridges can improve the chances of failure groups, fast-moving targets at short ranges. In addition, based on the 12 caliber ammunition (the most common for combat shotguns) may develop cartridges for various applications (cumulative, lighting, etc.), which is very difficult for patrons 5.56. And as to produce an anti-tank cartridge for an ordinary assault rifle ... But for the gun worked and such ammunition as well as shrapnel, rocket-propelled long-range, etc., which greatly increase the effectiveness of combat shotguns. Compared with rifles, shotguns at close (and sverblizkih) distances have a much greater tactical flexibility, but they are inborn defects are much less firing range, a large mass and size of bullets (and, hence, a smaller magazine capacity and carried ammunition). When firing buckshot, or shot effective range is less than 50 meters when firing a bullet range can reach 100 and even 150 meters. But in a city where the fight goes on the street or on the premises, usually on and is not necessary. Given all these advantages of a conventional smooth-bore shotgun, the U.S. military since 1979 have started to apply podstvol'nyy version shot gun that is worn under the barrel assault rifle, M-16 rifle or M-4. At first it was a shotgun Remington 870, or rather, its short version - without the stock and pistol grip, which could be placed under the barrel assault rifle or shotgun? In the process of firing a gun store assault rifle was a sort of pistol grip. This design became known as "trowels" ("master key"). Its main drawback is the use of constant reloading of the store and the principle of movable forearm that when you install this rifle under the barrel of the rifle M-16 rifle or M-4 is rendered too far ahead. Through the further modernization of the system "trowels" in order to ease and speed of reloading for the U.S. Army has developed a new system under-barrel shotgun called the X-26. XM-26 rifle was developed in order to enhance the combat capabilities of individual soldiers in close combat and combat operations in populated areas. In particular, when using different types of ammo XM-26 can be used for the following tasks:

1) Penetration into the room (knocking doors), which uses special types of bullets;

2) firing non-lethal ammunition (rubber bullets and buckshot, ammunition with non-fatal poison, etc.);

3) Shooting shot and grapeshot melee (one shot of buckshot shotgun 12 gauge performance comparable to a burst of submachine-gun);

4) as a light or signal guns - shooting flares.

In the HM-26 provides for the replacement pyatizaryadny box magazine instead of a permanent under-barrel on the Remington 870, and also used another method of reloading. (Instead of the so-called pump action principle to use the sliding bolt, as in old rifles with a side handle that can be mounted on either side arms.)

XM-26 is a modular weapon system, which, depending on the task can be transformed into various modifications. If for her, rather, to join him the butt of light alloy and pistol grip, you get just an ordinary short-barreled shot gun.