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GURPS Shotguns (TL7)

Contents: [Shotgun Weapon Tables] [Shotgun Ammunition] [Custom Weapon Modifications and Accessories]

The versatility of shotguns is often underestimated. If fitted with rifle sights and loaded with rifled shotgun slugs effective range is increased to 70 yards. Well inside the normal ranges of most urban fighting conditions. And - legal difficulties aside - if loaded with armor-piercing saboted (APS) shotgun slugs effective range is increased to 125 yards while still providing enough accuracy and power to hit and disable vehicles at that distance. A highly recommended upgrade for all tactical shotguns are internal choking systems.

On the over hand, loading beanbag shells turns the shotgun in a less-than-lethal weapon, for solving situations where intermediate solutions between a dangerous brawl and a deadly shootout are desired.

On the down side of shotguns is the high recoil. Use the Flinch rule (p. HT6, CII64) whenever a shooter uses a shotgun with a stock made for larger shooters. Use the Height/Weight Tables on p. B15. Assume that most stocks are made for shooters with the minimum required strength for that weapon (see the weapons ST statistic). Look up the corresponding height to that ST in the table (e.g. 5'9'' for ST 10). If the shooter is more than 2'' smaller than that (e.g. 5'6''), assign a flinch penalty of -1, and increase the penalty by -1 for every inch below that height (e.g. a 5'5'' shooter would suffer a -2 penalty). Do not use the flinch rules for the very first time a shooter uses a shotgun with a too large stock. One has to suffer the pain once to pick up that flinch.

Some weapon descriptions have codes (e.g. [h, l, n, s, f]) indicating possible modifications/accessories. A code in round brackets (e.g. (s)) indicates that the weapon is already fitted with that extra. Clicking on the weapon names brings you additional immages.

Use the Guns [Shotgun] skill with all shotguns. For more GURPS rules on shotguns see p. B119, pp. CII58, p. CII38, and for especially detailed rules see pp. HT17. If you like to play exactly after the GURPS rules use Guns [Light Automatic] when firing full-auto with shotguns like the CAWS or the Mk 3-A2 and use Guns [Pistol] when firing any shotgun stockless or with stock folded.

Shotgun Weapon Tables (TL7)

The CAWS was never made available to the general public. This may be the reason it was omitted from the latest edition of GURPS High-Tech. In any not-terribly-realistic roleplaying environment it may assumed to be available to specialists anyway. The first listed damage takes into account a special high-power flechette ammunition which is not useable with normal shotguns and hard to obtain on the black market. Another special round for this weapon fires high-power buckshot that is also not useable with normal shotguns.The CAWS may use normal shotgun ammunition, however (last table row).

Semiautomatic shotgun with the largest commercially made caliber available. Called the "Roadblocker", it is designed to disable vehicles. Only standard shot shells (listed damage) and shotgun slugs (1/2D 75, Max 750; Double the damage that penetrates. Apply the total damage to DR, not each die separately) are available for this caliber, no special ammunition. Custom recoil reduction (p. UTT62) is already included.

	This shotgun, Ithaca Model 37 or 87, has only a pistol grip and no buttstock. A wrist-breaker for masochists. It can be slung from the shoulder under a coat or jacket and may be quickly drawn into action. The Stakeout may be mounted under the barrel of a assault or battle rifle. See the note at the TALON grenade launcher.
	Other short-barreled shotguns with pistol grip and without shoulder stock (a.k.a. "Whippet" guns), like the Mossberg 590 Compact, the Remington Sidewinder Model SW-PC and the Remington SBS (shown with Tac-Star rear pistol grip, Sure-Fire light grip, and 12'' ported barrel) are so similar that the same GURPS statistics may be used.

Short-Barreled Shotgun (SBS): Any shotgun that was originally equipped with a shoulder stock, but has a barrel less than 18" in length (as measured from the face of the closed bolt to the end of the permanent muzzle) or an overall length less than 26".

Any Other Weapon (AOW): Any National Firearms Act (NFA) firearm not otherwise categorized by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms as a short-barreled rifle, shoulder-stocked pistol, short-barreled shotgun, machine gun, silencer, or destructive device. Included in this list are firearms disguised so they are not readily recognizable as firearms, such as pen guns and cane guns. Also included are handguns with smooth bore barrels less than 18" in length and intended to fire shotgun shells. Also included are combination rifle/shotguns with barrels over 12" but under 18", provided each chamber is single shot and must be manually reloaded.

The Pancor "Jackhammer" uses a 10 round removable drum magazine "cassette". To change cassettes takes 4 seconds. To reload a cassette with 10 rounds takes 20 seconds.

Selective semiautomatic or single shot repeater (gas or pump action operation). May be fired one-handed (Rcl -2) with stock unfolded and hook attachment used as arm brace. Made by Franchi in Italy.

Semiautomatic revolver-type feed. 2 turns/round to reload, plus 2 turns to wind the spring that turns the cylinder.

Shotgun Ammunition (18.5x70mmR = 12 gauge)

Beanbag: 1/2D ×1/2, Max ×¼, Acc -2, cost ×2. Shots a flexible but tough bag filled with 1.4 ounces of small pellets. The bag will not rupture or penetrate if striking a human body. Damage is 4d crushing. No other damage modifiers. LC5.
Note: Used for subduing rather than killing. The round is too weak to operate the CAWS and the SPAS has to use the single shot repeater function.

Dragon: Shots phosphorous powder, creating a two hex wide, six hex long flame. DMG 4d; roll independently to hit for each target in flame area. LC2, cost ×2.
Note: Very effective against Vampires or swarms of vermin, in close-quarters combat with multiple opponents, and maybe for intimidation purposes. The round is too weak to operate the CAWS and the SPAS has to use the single shot repeater function.

Explosive: 1/2D ×2, Max ×4, -2 to skill, LC0, cost ×2. Bullet damage is reduced to 3d-1. Double the bullet damage that penetrates. Apply the total damage to DR, not each die separately. Double the DR of anything hit. Explosive damage, in addition to bullet damage, is 1d. If the bullet hits (undoubled) DR3+ it will explode on the surface for double explosive damage, otherwise it will explode internally, buried in tissue, for fife times explosive damage.
Note: These rounds fire big solid single bullets, filled with a high explosive. They where invented to destroy hinges and locks. If exposed to fire they will explode on a 6 or less, doing only explosive damage; roll for each second the round is in the fire.

Flashbang: Max 55, LC2, cost ×2. Produces laud bang and visible flash. Anyone accidentally in contact with the exploding round takes 2d damage.
Note: This is a diversionary device, not a stun grenade. It is intended to provide aerial distraction and divert attention for some seconds, nothing more. It will explode after flying 50 to 55 yards.

Flechette: Changes damage type to Imp. and reduces 1/2D by -10y, cost ×2. Cannot penetrate DR3+ except non-rigid armor like Kevlar. Non-rigid armor provides only PD1, DR2. LC1, cost ×2. Each die of damage is rolled individually and applied separately vs. armor, as per the shotgun rules p. B119. Available from 1952 on.
Note: For use against targets wearing non-rigid body armor.

Hollow Point (HP) Shotgun Slug: +1 to DR of any target. 1/2D ×3, Max ×5, -2 to skill. Apply the total damage to DR, not each die separately. Double the DR of anything hit; damage that penetrates is tripled. LC4, cost ×1.5.
Note: Use with single shot repeater, revolver-type feed, or removable drum magazine only. These rounds fire big solid single bullets. Devastating to unarmored targets.

Rifled Shotgun Slug: +2 to Acc for shotguns equipped with rifle sights (optional; +$50), 1/2D ×3, Max ×5, LC4. Double the damage that penetrates. Apply the total damage to DR, not each die separately.
Note: These rounds fire big solid single bullets (p. HT76).

Shotgun Slug: 1/2D ×3, Max ×5, LC4. Double the damage that penetrates. Apply the total damage to DR, not each die separately.
Note: Rifled shotgun slugs are more accurate if used in shotguns equipped with rifle sights.

Shot Shell: LC5, +1 to skill , maximum Acc is 5. Each die of damage is rolled individually and applied separately vs. armor, as per the shotgun rules p. B119. When firing shot load at a range of one yard or less treat the shot as one normal bullet and roll only once for damage (p. HT17).
Note: The usual standard rounds for shotguns. This is 00 Buckshot for use in combat and on big game. At very close range of one yard or less it is good for to blowing out most hinges and locks.

Custom Weapon Modifications and Accessories for Shotguns

[l] Laser sight (p. HT100, CII31): Acc +2, SS -1. An infrared laser may project a line only visible with IR viewer capability (e.g. Night Sights or Night-Vision Goggles). The length of the line gives away the distance. Visible-light laser sights, projecting a red dot, are also available. +$200. Both have some disadvantages. First, if more than one shooter uses them multiple dots may appear on different parts of a target and on non-targets, like hostages. Then nobody can fire before they have sorted out their dots. Second, lasers activated in smoke (e.g. from distraction devices) make a nice red line that leads right back to the operator. This shows the position of the user even to those outside his field of vision.

[n] Night Sight, a.k.a. Low-Light Sight (using electronic intensification of ambient light; p. CII31): +8 to cancel darkness modifiers if not in total darkness. -1 to holdout, +3 lbs., +$4,000. Infrared Night Sights (using thermal-imaging; use the rules for Infravision; CI58) function also in total darkness (+10 to cancel darkness modifiers), but are larger: -2 to holdout, +4 lbs., +$6,000. A more simple and reasonably fast solution are "Dot Sights" like those from Aimpoint, useable in low-light conditions. SS -1, +$200.

[f] Flashlight or IR-Flashlight (p. CII31): A strong flashlight mounted coaxial to the barrel of the gun. It is used for searches and final target illumination. Eliminates the darkness penalty. +0.5 lb., +$60. Infrared flashlights are only visible to someone with IR viewer capability (e.g. Night Sights or Night-Vision Goggles). -1 to holdout, +1.5 lbs., +$1,500. [See a picture of shotgun with flashlight.]

Internal Tactical Shotgun Choking System: The current GURPS rules limit Acc with shot shells to 5. State-of-the-art late TL7 internal tactical shotgun choking systems improve this significantly. Extra cost: +$100. When firing shot shells with an improved shotgun add +2 to Acc, with maximum Acc 7, and raise 1/2D by 50%. Performance with other ammunition is unchanged.

On gun spare ammunition carrier: The low number of shots in most shotguns make it desirable to carry some extra rounds attached to the outside of the gun. The Tac-Star Sidesaddle holds six rounds for fast reloading. +1 on Speed-Load skill; +$25. [See a picture of an on gun spare ammunition carrier for shotguns. ]

Shotgun Rifle Sights: These sights give +2 to Acc when firing slugs. +$50. [See a picture of a shotgun with rifle sights.]