Shotgun

A shotgun is a weapon designed chiefly to fire rounds loaded with multiple small metal projectiles at once, although a number of other types of ammunition have been adapted and manufactured for them, including solid slugs, sub-caliber saboted projectiles, flechettes, and a slew of 'less-lethal' rounds loaded with rubber projectiles or chemical projectiles.

Most shotguns in the Battlefield series are of the pump-action variety, with the occasional semi-auto or automatic modern variant. Shotguns are also seen as underslung attachments for assault rifles, often using special 40mm cartridges to achieve commonality with grenades and other devices also designed for the attachment. In the pre-BF2 era, shotguns had unusable iron sights. Then from BF2 to BF2142, shotguns' iron sights became usable. In the Bad Company series, shotguns once again had unusable iron sights until Battlefield 3, which made iron sights usable again.

Tactics

 * Shotguns are very effective at close range, and can repel melee attackers in one hit. Only submachine guns challenge the shotgun at close range.
 * A skilled shotgun user can quickly eliminate an enemy squad at close range, a feat only matched by machine guns at long range, and grenades.
 * An underslung shotgun attachment can help assault rifle users conserve ammo for more distant engagements.
 * As with other weapons, the shotgun receives a damage bonus for headshots.
 * Shotguns can still inflict serious damage at mid range, though many weapons ramp down significantly.

Trivia

 * In Battlefield: Bad Company 2, the amount of shots fired in the weapon stats are counted by the pellets shot, not the actual shots.