Shotgun, a smooth-bore weapon designed to fire a number of pellets, or rounds, that scatter in a contrasting pattern after they leave the muzzle. It is used mainly against small moving targets, especially birds.

The earliest smooth-bore bullet-loaded firearms were the "bird cut", which appeared in the 16th century in Europe. In the early 17th century, barrels were made 6 feet (1.8 m) long in an effort to gain maximum accuracy.