Break Shotgun
Specifications
- Type
- Shotgun
- Origin
- Europe
- Era
- 17th century – present
- Notable Users
- Hunters, sportsmen, rural landowners
- Epoch
- Modern Age
History
The break-action shotgun — single-barrel or double-barrel, opened at a hinge for loading — is the simplest and oldest repeating shotgun design. Side-by-side and over-under configurations dominate sporting use. The double-barrel shotgun has been a fixture of rural life for centuries: defense, hunting, and pest control. Its simplicity means extreme reliability — there is almost nothing to malfunction. Break-action shotguns remain the most common firearms in many parts of the world, valued for their versatility and ease of maintenance.
Significance
There is almost nothing to break in a break-action shotgun, which is why it's found on every inhabited continent. Farmers in rural England, ranchers in Australia, and villagers in sub-Saharan Africa all rely on essentially the same design. No other firearm has spread so widely.
More from the Modern Age
12 weapons
54 Weapons. Five Epochs. One Poster.
The Break Shotgun is one of 13 weapons from the Modern Age featured on the poster.
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