A Shotgun is a type of weapon featured in the Call of Duty series. Unlike other firearms, shotguns fire a volley of multiple pellets at a time, but have a limited range. These traits make shotguns more powerful than any other type of firearm at close range, when a large amount of the pellets will connect with the target, allowing for an instant kill. Pellets disappear after reaching a certain range. Shotguns can be pump-action, lever-action (where the user must pump/cycle the lever between shots), semi-automatic, fully automatic or break-action. Pump-action/lever-action shotguns usually have a lower rate of fire, but more damage and range, while semi-automatic/fully automatic/break-action shotguns usually have a higher rate of fire, but lower range. In nearly all Call of Duty multiplayer modes, shotguns are primary weapons. In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, however, they are secondary weapons.
