Quote:
Originally Posted by OldSam
Or is it really assumed that there is no significant spread at all?
Anybody knows how the official perspective is on this?
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The "official" viewpoint is in line with reality: Shotgun blasts spread enough to improve your odds of connecting with something when engaging a point target, explaining why shotguns are used in rapid-engagement situations. Blasts of shot don't spread sufficiently to strike multiple targets, although shot that misses the primary target might hit others along the imaginary line defined by the shooter and that target . . . just like any other stray. It's true that out at ranges where shot has lost most of its effectiveness, there might be enough spread to hit two people. In general, though, the idea that shotguns can usefully engage multiple targets within their effective range is a mix of mythology and wishful thinking – neither of which are things to which skilled shooters and combat vets are immune.