Combat Shotgun.

This is coolbert:

Here is a unique American addition to the weaponry as carried by the common soldier of World War One [WW1] during that particularly brutal and savage form of warfare known as the TRENCH RAID! [effective when employed either on the offense or defense!!]

The combat shotgun!

"The Winchester Model 1897 is a pump-action shotgun with an external hammer and tube magazine. It was offered in 12 and 16 gauge, solid frame or take down. Numerous barrel lengths were offered"



"the first true combat shotgun--the Winchester[R] Model 1897 (known as the Model 97)."

The Winchester Model 97 -- firing a modern 12-gauge shell -- with pump action; six-round magazine capacity; and short, 18-inch barrel was brought over by American military police and infantrymen and soon became known as the 'trench sweeper' . . . A soldier with a shotgun, fast to pump and fire, could quickly suppress German trench assaults and clear dugouts with devastating effectiveness.

The Model 97 had a particularly unique feature about it that allowed it to be used almost as an automatic weapon:

"Unlike most modern pump-action shotguns, the Winchester Model 1897 (versions of which were type classified as the Model 97 or M97 for short) fired each time the action closed with the trigger depressed (that is, it lacks a trigger disconnector)."

Let us get this straight. With the trigger pulled and held down after the first round is fired, merely operating the pump action will fire susequent rounds until the tube magazine is empty. This allows for a high rate of fire.

[according to the guru of combat pistol shooting, Ray Chapman, a man with an auto loading [semi-automatic] shotgun, firing # 1 shot, can put more lead on the target faster than can a man armed with an Uzi!!]

Dig this amazing stuff. What one man could do with a shotgun. Unstoppable until overcome by exhaustion.

"On 27 September 1918, Sergeant Fred Lloyd, using a Model 97, advanced alone into a German-held village and began methodically clearing it, pumping and firing the shotgun as he moved. He finally collapsed with exhaustion after routing thirty German soldiers."

Exhaustion NOT ONLY a result of physical exertion. The stress of combat, fear, a hyper-rush and flow of chemicals in his body, adrenaline and such, wore the man out until his muscles probably just plain collapsed. The good sergeant just could not go on any further. Well, no need to. He had done his bit.

I know that ever since the use of combat shotguns in WW1, there has been considerable controversy regarding the use of this weapon. CAN BE CATEGORIZED AS AN ILLEGAL WEAPON??!! Causes unnecessary suffering in that fires a round [buckshot] that is not a military style full-metal-jacketed bullet!!

"The Hague Convention of 1899 . . . defining[ed] illegal rounds as a jacketed bullet with an exposed lead tip"

A buckshot round of whatever size is not even jacketed and therefore illegal!! Rendering the shotgun as a weapon of war illegal in the process?!

coolbert.