The shotgun has always been a niche weapon in military forces, and it has a ton of notable weaknesses in combat. It’s a close-range-only weapon that’s highly ineffective outside of 50 yards. It doesn’t offer troops capable suppression capability, and it’s generally more of a tool than a weapon. It’s great for breaching and as a less-lethal tool for crowd control.
However, the shotgun also has its strengths. In the Vietnam War and the Pacific Campaign, shotguns proved useful for scoring hits in dense jungles. They wouldn’t replace an infantry rifle by any means, but were excellent tools in low-visibility, close quarters. In current wars, they’ve proven to be capable defensive platforms for dealing with drones.
Military Shotguns in the Modern Age
The military currently fields four very different shotguns that are exceptionally interesting guns. These are still niche tools, and most “Joes” won’t ever be issued one. However, if you’re a soldier, Marine, Airman, or Sailor, you might find yourself with one of these four tools for the box.
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Mossberg M500
The Mossberg M500 is the Mossberg 590. The military does odd things with designations, and the M500 isn’t a Mossberg 500, but a 590 or most likely a 590A1. I’m willing to bet some of those original 590s are still floating around. The M500 is a pump-action, 12-gauge shotgun with a barrel length somewhere between 14 and 18 inches.
I was issued a 14-inch model, but 18-inch models were just as common. The most common capacity appears to be a five-round tube, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see six and eight-round capacities available somewhere in military armories. There are variants of this gun, including the M500A2, which offers modularity in the form of various stocks and pistol grips, as well as a breaching-type barrel.
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The Mossberg M500 series is still likely the most common shotgun anyone in the military will run into. It’s fairly bombproof and reliable thanks to the pump-action design. Various shotguns have attempted to replace the M500, but they seem to keep sticking around, likely due to the niche nature of shotguns.
Remington 870 MCS
The Remington 870 entered military service in Vietnam and stuck around in several different forms. The current crop of 870s in the armory is likely an 870 MCS. MCS stands for Modular Combat Shotgun. It’s not just a shotgun; it’s a package designed for end-user modularity to fit various mission profiles.
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The MCS can be converted into numerous configurations. This includes being able to swap the 18-inch barrel for a 14- or 10-inch barrel. Users can swap the stocks for a standard fixed stock with a pistol grip, a collapsing M4-style stock, and a pistol grip-only version. The magazine tube can be extended to contain up to six rounds. The shortest configuration can hold three rounds.
The 870 MCS shotgun can be turned from a fighting shotgun to a breaching gun, or a close-quarter in-between. It’s an awesome system, and I wish Remington had produced these kits for the civilian market.
The M1014
In 1999, the U.S military wanted to finally move toward a semi-automatic fighting shotgun. The Marine Corps famously led the program and chose the Benelli M4. They designated it the M1014 Joint Service Shotgun. This gas-operated semi-auto shotgun used an ARGO gas piston system with dual piston rods for incredible reliability.
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The M1014 features ghost ring iron sights and a Picatinny rail for optics. A big part of the Marine Corps requirement was the ability to use night vision optics, and that’s a big reason why the gun is gas-operated instead of inertia-operated. The M1014 features a three-position stock, but only two positions are usable for the average troop.
The M1014 saw its trial by fire in the GWOT, particularly in Iraq. It proved to be a reliable tool for urban fighting and successfully resisted the Iraqi dust. I got to fire about three rounds from an M1014 one time while I was in the service, and it gave me the Benelli bug that my wallet still regrets to this day.
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The M26 MASS
The M26 MASS is most assuredly the most bizarre shotgun in military service. It’s a magazine-fed, straight-pull bolt-action 12-gauge. MASS stands for Modular Accessory Shotgun System, and much like an M203, it mounts beneath the barrel of an assault rifle. This gun and the idea can trace its roots back to the KAC Masterkey of the 1980s.
Optics company C-More produced the M26 MASS for the U.S. Military, and while some have made it to the civilian market, it doesn’t seem like they are keen to make it widely available. The Army intends to replace the M500 with the M26. The M26 can mount to an independent stock system and be used as a primary weapon if desired.
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The idea behind the M26 is to be largely used attached to a rifle for breaching capabilities. The platform is odd, but could certainly be effective at the cost of having a fairly off-balanced rifle. While the idea is interesting, this makes the M26 more of a tool than a dedicated weapon.
Shotguns Now, and Forever
More and more countries are adopting shotguns for anti-drone roles. I think that’s where the shotgun will likely reside for the time being. Sadly, the benefits of a shotgun and its capability in certain environments will likely continue to be ignored. However, if we fight the Chinese in an island-hopping campaign, military shotguns might make their jungle comeback.
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