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SHOTGUNS
If you’re looking for a shotgun, you’ll certainly find what you need in the vast assortment at Krale. We offer the two most common types:
- Double barrel
- Single barrel
A double-barrel shotgun is of course the one that is best known by the public, but traditionally is also the most used type of shotgun. Normally double-barrel shotguns are of the break-action type, meaning there’s a hinge that allows you to keep the stock and action level and fold the barrels down for loading and ejecting cartridges. You can get two shots with this setup and the advantage is that everyone can clearly notice when a shotgun is unloaded. Shotguns can have the barrels stacked (over-and-under) or next to each other (side-by-side).
The single barrel shotgun can stock three (or more) cartridges; two in the magazine and one in the chamber. Most of these shotguns are semi-automatic, but a small number is pump-action, meaning you have to slide the front stock backwards in order to reload. One could argue a single barrel semi-automatic shotgun would be the most logical choice as you get at least one extra shot, but tradition and the fact that others can clearly see your shotgun is unloaded are the reasons in most cases the double barrel is the shotgun of choice.
Gauge
When it comes to shotguns, you don’t talk calibre, but gauge. Most popular gauges are 12, 16 and 20 and of those, 12 has the biggest barrel bore. In this case, 12 will indicate how much lead from an English pound of lead (454 grams) has to be used to make one round ball that will fit perfectly inside the barrel. For a 12 gauge barrel, this 1/12 of an English pound. A gauge 20 barrel is smaller as just 1/20 of a British pound is needed for the smaller ball of lead.
Chokes
A shotgun often has changeable chokes. The choke is an insert at the end of the barrel providing a taper that will influence the spread or pattern of the shot. The bigger the spread, the greater the chance of a hit. However, a smaller spread keeps the shot closer together, making for a far bigger impact on the target.
Lead and steel
Environmental consciousness makes for an increasing use of steel shot instead of lead these days. Besides that, steel shot is significantly less harmful when found on your plate in a piece of game. However, steel is harder than lead and with that causing more wear on barrels that are not built to cope with steel. When a barrel features a fleur-de-lis mark (French lily), it’s suitable to withstand steel shot and take higher pressures.
Hunting and sports
Shotguns can be used for both hunting as sport shooting. When hunting, a shotgun is most suitable for game and when used in sport shooting a shotgun is used for clay. Most shotguns are suitable for both hunting and sport. In theory sport shotguns more often feature ventilated ribs as they will need to dispose of more heat caused by rapid firing, but lots of hunting shotguns also feature ventilated ribs.