While the M14 and M16 were the primary infantry small arms of the Vietnam War, the various combat shotguns also provided valuable service to our fighting men on many occasions. The last of the original Auto-5 shotguns were shipped out in 2000. There are a total of [ 11 ] Vietnam War Shotguns entries in the Military Factory. And yet shotguns were so effective in trench warfare that we opted NOT to supply our soldiers with very many and to prolong the war as a result. The Ordnance Department gave contracts to several commercial firms for shotguns. As it had in the South Pacific, the shotgun proved a very effective weapon in the jungles of South Vietnam. Helicopters flown during the Vietnam War were not heavily armored. To this end, ammunition of this type was adopted as “Shell, Shotgun, Plastic Case, No. U.S. Navy photo, Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. Hammer Women Of Distinction Award, Women's Wildlife Management / Conservation Scholarship, National Youth Shooting Sports Ambassadors, NRA Outstanding Achievement Youth Award Presented by Brownells, National Youth Shooting Sports Cooperative Program. Ithaca had previously manufactured shotguns for the U.S. government during World War II. There were several variations found in military M870 shotguns of the era including Parkerized and blued finishes, solid plastic butt­plates, rubber buttplates and a variety of marking formats. Twelve 10-round boxes were packed in a metal  ammunition can. The tried and proven Model 1897 was slightly modified by the addition of a ventilated metal handguard and bayonet adapter and was referred to as the “trench gun.” The Winchester Model 1897 12-ga. trench guns, along with a smaller number of Remington Model 10 trench guns, saw action in the trenches of France during the closing months of the war. Unlike the World War II shotguns, the Vietnam-era Model 37s were Parkerized rather than blued. A few Winchester Model 97 shotguns saw use during this period as well—even though most of them had been disposed of as surplus by the government in the late 1940s. A normal barrel 12 gauge buckshot shotgun is 14 inches long and has a maximum effective … My uncles are out of town and can't be reached otherwise I would ask them. In production since 1950, the Remington 870 pump-action shotgun has been produced in numbers which will doubtfully ever be matched by another shotgun. The guns had 20″ barrels and plain, unadorned stocks with plastic buttplates and no sling swivels. The barrel was marked with a “U.S.” on the right side and the receiver bore a “U.S.” marking below the serial number near the loading port. In certain combat situations, there is no deadlier arm than a slide-action shotgun loaded with buckshot. Plastic 00-buckshot ammunition was adopted by the U.S. military and initially given the designation “Shell, Shotgun, Plastic Case, 12 Gauge, No. One of the most notable features of the Model 37 design was the fact that it did not have an ejection port in the right side of the receiver, but rather loaded and ejected from the bottom. Because most of the shotguns used during the war are no longer in production (including the actual Vietnam-era Remington), we chose a Remington 870 shotgun that is similar to shotguns used in Vietnam. Shotguns were not general issue to all infantrymen, but were select issue, such as one per squad, etc. Due to their limited capacity, they were reportedly seldom used, and most soldiers carried shotgun shells in M16 magazine pouches or other containers, or simply stuffed handfuls in their pockets. The M1200 was intended as a replacement for Winchester’s legendary Model 12, which had proven very costly to manufacture. In Europe, the expectation was that most combat would occur at distances beyond the effective range of a shotgun. The number of Model 37 Vietnam-era trench guns procured under government contract has not been verified but was likely only a relatively small quantity—certainly no more than a few thousand. While a good number of the weapons that were used in WW2 were also […] The M870 was a popular sporting and police shotgun due to its reliability and smooth action. The M1200 was intended as a replacement for Winchester’s legendary Model 12, which had proven very costly to manufacture. Since Vietnam was the most recent U.S. war, its veterans were the men who could provide answers to critical questions addressing willingness to fire. The Remington Model 870 was used by US Marines in the Vietnam War but why the hell would you like to carry a sawed off shotgun as a personal weapon into combat? This design helped keep dirt and mud out of the action as compared to most other standard slide-action shotgun designs that utilized an ejection port in the right side of the receiver. They were used with great success by the US Army in the trench fighting of World War I where the Winchester Model 1897 pump shotgun gained its fame. Though certainly effective, Patton crews often had reason to resent the visibility of their tanks. So, after the interview about the AK that he picked up, I was interested in learning more about some of the arms of the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong and what they used against U.S. forces in the Vietnam War. SummaryWhile not well suited for all types of combat applications, shotguns proved to be of value in many engagements during the Vietnam War. Everything from AKs, B52s, and RPGs are lightly discussed in this informative episode. The individual shells were standard 00-buckshot shells (red plastic cases) indistinguishable from sporting ammunition of the same variety. A very small number of prototype M77E trench guns (riot guns fitted with bayonet adapters) were procured, but few, if any, were issued. Shotgun, smoothbore shoulder weapon designed to fire a number of pellets, or shot, that spread in a diverging pattern after they leave the muzzle. The M1200 military trench gun had a dull anodized finish on the alloy receiver and the steel barrel and handguard assembly were gray Parkerized. Except for the markings, those military-contract shotguns were essentially identical to the Model 37 riot guns made for civilian and police use during that same period. Winchester Model 1200As the war in Southeast Asia continued, other types of shotguns were procured by the U.S. military. Most of those guns were Parkerized, and any worn or defective parts were replaced as part of the overhaul process. These weapons were short and featured a bayonet and hear shield. During WWI Remington provided 4500 of their Browning-designed Model 10 pump-action riot shotguns, some of which were modified into "Trench Guns" by adding a wooden handguard and bayonet mounting brackets. In addition to the new-production bayonets, some refurbished World War I M1917 bayonets were issued for use in Vietnam. A very similar Model 37 trench gun was manufactured by Ithaca under government contract during World War II, but they differed from the Vietnam-vintage guns in that the latter had Parkerized finishes and somewhat different martial markings. 4 Buckshot,” would be better suited to certain types of combat situations than the standardized 00-buckshot. The M77E was the first United States combat shotgun equipped with a rubber recoil pad. Around 1967, the government procured a quantity of Model 37 “trench guns” from Ithaca. In Country: Small Arms of the Vietnam War, The Remington-Lee Rifle: Ahead of Its Time, Favorite Firearms: Wingmaster Is My No. The attachment of the buttstock to the receiver was rather weak and resulted in a number of guns being broken. E-mail your comments/questions about this site to:EmediaRifleman@nrahq.org For questions/comments about American Rifleman magazine, please e-mail:Publications@nrahq.org You can contact the NRA via phone at: NRA Member Programs1-800-672-3888, To advertise on American Rifleman, visit nramediakit.com for more information. The earliest smoothbore firearms loaded with shot were the “fowling pieces” that Really, trench brooms (WW1 era) shotguns had been in EVERY Marine Corps and USAF armory that I had worked since the 1970s. The XM257 No. The war in Vietnam saw the introduction of a wide array of new technologies. Both plain-barreled “riot” versions (top) and “trench” versions with ventilated top handguards and bayonet lugs were procured. Helicopters flown during the Vietnam War were not heavily armored. The World War I-vintage shotguns were about a quarter century old by that time, and the supply was insufficient to meet the burgeoning demand. Some identical guns were sold on the civilian market as well, but these were not “U.S.”-marked and were generally in a higher serial number range. They were a trusted firearm for men who had to engage the enemy at close range. The number of Model 37 Vietnam-era trench guns procured under government contract has not been verified but was likely only a relatively small quantity—certainly no more than a few thousand. Even though large numbers of military surplus shotguns were sold on the civilian market after World War II, there were sufficient numbers on hand to meet the needs of the military from the end of the war until the early 1960s. The bayonets made by these firms were not as well-crafted as the World War I bayonets and were fitted with checkered plastic grips. Unlike the Ithaca M37, the M77E was a conventional slide-action shotgun design with an ejection port on the receiver’s right side. A few years later, some additional Model 37 riot guns were procured by the government. Our posts contain affiliate links and we earn a small commission from those links. Over 11 million units of this much-trusted shotgun have been produced, in a When the United States stepped up the deployment of troops to Southeast Asia beginning in the early 1960s, it was recognized that shotguns could be of value for fighting in the jungles and similar terrain. Shotguns were procured in great numbers and from multiple firearms manufacturers. Model 870 Riot Guns were standard issue to many American soldiers and Marines in Vietnam and were a favorite weapon for close-quarters firefights. Winchester Model 1200 A few Winchester Model 97 shotguns saw use during this period as well—even though most of them had been disposed of as surplus by the government in the late 1940s. Due to their limited capacity, they were reportedly seldom used, and most soldiers carried shotgun shells in M16 magazine pouches or other containers, or simply stuffed handfuls in their pockets. The thinking was, rifle ammo would penetrate the aircraft and do internal damage. These were similar to the riot guns but were fitted with a ventilated metal handguard/bayonet adapter and sling swivels. Ithaca had previously manufactured shotguns for the U.S. government during World War II. The Military Cannot Get Enough Of Its Shotguns (For Good Reason) Shotguns are not terribly suited to combat: shotgun shot has a maximum effective range of … Here is its … Shotguns were also used in the Iraq War, ... Due to the cramped conditions of trench warfare, the American shotguns were extremely effective. When the United States stepped up the deployment of troops to Southeast Asia beginning in the early 1960s, it was recognized that shotguns could be of value for fighting in the jungles and similar terrain.

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