When you think of long guns, the two types that immediately come to mind are rifles and shotguns. Each has its own distinct utility and purpose, making them essential for different shooting disciplines.
On the one hand, shotguns are known for their versatility, ballistic power, and the ability to fire multiple projectiles in one shot. On the other hand, you have the many different rifle platforms, designed to fire a single projectile that maintains accuracy over longer distances.
Understanding the core differences in each firearm type is crucial in picking out the best long gun for your purpose. Below, we’re breaking down the fundamental differences of both platforms.
Shotgun vs. Rifle: Understanding the Basics
What is a Shotgun?
Put simply, a shotgun is a type of firearm that’s characterized by its smooth bore and ability to shoot multiple projectiles at once. Instead of using standard cartridges, they take shotshells, which can either be loaded with a single slug, or several pellets known as ‘shot’. These shells are available in assorted sizes, or gauges, like how rifle ammunition is available in different calibers. The three most common shell gauges are 12-, 20-, and .410-gauge, but there are other less common ones to choose from too such as 10-, 16-, and 28-gauge.
Of the many shell gauges, 12- and 20-gauge are among the most popular, so much so that there’re often debates amongst enthusiasts as to which is better. If you’re curious about how they stack up against each other, our guide on 12-gauge vs. 20-gauge shotguns breaks both down.
Depending on the model and type of shotgun you look at, they can load anywhere from 1 to 10+ shells at a time. Shotshells are much larger than most common rifle caliber cartridges, so comparatively, shotguns don’t have the same ammo capacities as most modern rifles. However, their ability to shoot a variety of projectiles makes them a popular firearm choice for sport shooting, hunting, and home defense.
What is a Rifle?
Rifles are designed for precise shots across varying distances. While shotguns have smoothbores designed to fire multiple projectiles, rifles have spiral grooves in their barrels called rifling. This rifling gives the projectile a spiral, maintaining its stability during flight for greater accuracy. Depending on the rifle, they can chamber a wide array of calibers from smaller rimfire rifle options like .22LR all the way to anti-material cartridges like .50 BMG.
The accuracy afforded by rifles has made them the go-to choice for many applications, ranging from hunting to competition and duty applications.
Exploring Shotguns
There are multiple types of shotguns to choose from, and each one has its own unique set of features. Aside from the dozens of manufacturers producing them, you can opt for either a semi-automatic, pump-action, lever-action, or a break-action shotgun.
Semi-Automatic Shotguns
Semi-automatic shotguns are some of the most popular shotguns available. They fire once per trigger pull, using inertia or a piston system to cycle the action and allowing for quick follow up shots when necessary. This makes semi-auto shotguns incredibly popular for all purposes, from bird hunting and competitive shooting to home defense and recreation as well.
Depending on how you plan to use your shotgun, they can be configured differently. Most shotguns designed for duty and defense, such as the Beretta 1301 Tactical, come with extended magazine tubes, and shorter 18.5- to 20-inch barrels, making them ideal for use in close quarters. For sport shooting and hunting, the shell capacity often needs to be limited to be following different regulations, so they’ll usually be capable of storing 3 to 5 shells and have longer barrels for added muzzle velocity. Three-gun shotguns typically look the same, but they come with larger shell tubes to store more ammunition.
These shotguns are available from multiple manufacturers, with some popular ones being Benelli, Browning, Beretta, and Winchester. However, there are dozens of quality manufacturers making semi-auto shotguns in a variety of configurations.
Pump-Action Shotguns
Pump-action shotguns are like semi-auto ones, but they require the user to manually eject and load ammunition by pumping the forend. As such, they’re much more affordable comparatively, and they’re also incredibly reliable.
Though they aren’t as practical for high-speed uses like competitions, they’re perfect for hunting and home defense. The simplicity and reliability of these firearms make them a staple addition in anyone’s collection. Just like with semi-autos, there are hundreds of pump-action shotguns available from dozens of manufacturers. Some of the most popular pump-action shotgun manufacturers are Remington and Mossberg. At the end of the day if you’re looking for an affordable and reliable shotgun, a pump-action is the way to go.
Lever Action Shotguns
A less common option, lever action shotguns are remarkably like pump-actions, however instead of having to pump the action with the forend, they instead use a lever. These shotguns were much more prominent in the past, offering some of the same benefits as pump-actions, but due to mechanical limitations, they aren’t as practical or popular. Most commonly, these shotguns are used for either hunting or recreation. There are select circumstances where they can be used for competition, specifically western themed or cowboy-action shooting, but for the most part, they’re more of a recreational tool.
There aren’t many manufacturers continuing to produce lever action shotguns in larger shell gauges like 12- and 20-gauge, but companies like Taylors and Company still produce modern replicas of historic designs. Today, most, if not all, of the lever action shotguns you’ll see available are going to be more akin to lever action rifles and chambered in .410. Manufacturers like Henry, Taylors and Company, and Rock Island are some of the most prominent producers of lever action shotguns.
Break-Action Shotguns
Break-action shotguns are an absolute classic. Available in single shot, side-by-side, and over-under configurations, they’re renowned for their simplicity and accuracy. Of the three types, over-under shotguns are by far the most popular. Commonly used in sport shooting and hunting, they’re required in select competitive leagues.
These shotguns don’t use any magazines or other ammo storage methods. Instead, they’re loaded manually, storing as many shells as they have barrels. After firing, you ‘break’ open the firearm, ejecting the spent shells so you can load in fresh ones. As we mentioned, these are excellent shotgun options, with manufacturers such as Benelli, Browning, Beretta, CZ USA, and Weatherby being just a few of the many high-quality options available.
If you’re looking to get into competitive sport shooting, want a simpler hunting gun, or just want something simple for some fun at the range, break-action shotguns are an option you can’t go wrong with.
Exploring Rifles
Compared to shotguns, rifles are much more nuanced, with there being several distinct types of rifle classifications. Below are some of the most popular rifle options available, but keep in mind that these are only some of the most common you’ll see.
Semi-Auto Rifles: AR-15s, AR-10s, etc.
There are a lot of semi-automatic rifle variants on the market, but of all the options, rifles like the AR-15 and AR-10 are by far the most common. If you aren’t already familiar with them, the AR-15 is one of the most popular rifles available. Their modularity makes them adaptable for multiple applications like home-defense, competitive shooting, duty, and hunting. Plus, they can chamber a vast array of calibers with some common ones being .223/5.56 and .300 Blackout. Standard AR-15 magazines can store 30 rounds, with both smaller and larger magazines being available too.
The AR-10 is essentially the AR-15’s big brother. They share many of the same features and have a similar degree of modularity as well as slight parts interchangeability. What sets it apart from the AR-15 is that the AR-10 is a larger frame rifle, capable of chambering full power rifle cartridges like .308 Winchester and 6.5 Creedmoor, making it much better suited for long-range shooting. With the right setup, they can land shots on targets up to and beyond 1,000 yards, depending on how it’s set up.
Like we said before, there are a lot of semi-automatic rifle variants available, ranging from other rifles like the SCAR and AK-47, to semi-auto hunting rifles more akin to bolt actions like the Browning BAR Mark III.
Bolt-Action Rifles
Bolt-action rifles are a type of rifle where the user manually ejects and loads the ammunition by directly operating its bolt. They’re used for all sorts of scenarios that require pinpoint accuracy over vast distances. Bolt-actions are rather simple in their design, and aside from the bolt, they don’t have many other moving parts. This gives the rifle much better barrel harmonics, allowing for highly accurate shots. This, of course, comes with the caveat of having a slower firing rate, but in their defense, that’s not what they’re designed for.
Bolt-actions are some of the most popular rifle variants on the market, particularly for hunters and long-range marksmen. Savage, Remington, Ruger, Tikka, and Bergara are just a few of the notable manufacturers in the space. Regardless of which one you go for; you can rest assured knowing you’ll have a durable and accurate rifle. Additionally, since these rifles use a manual action to chamber and eject rounds, they’re capable of chambering much larger calibers including magnum and anti-material cartridges like .300 Win-Mag and .50 BMG.
Pistol Caliber Carbines (PCCs)
Pistol caliber carbines are a unique subset of semi-automatic rifles. Instead of chambering intermediate and full power rifle cartridges, they instead use pistol caliber ammunition like 9mm and .45ACP.
The designs of these rifles can vary, with models like the AR-9 sharing a similar design and controls to the AR-15, and others, like the HK SP5 and B&T APC9, being completely unique. These rifles are most often used in competitions, recreation, and home defense. They offer a similar degree of versatility to rifles like the AR-15, but since they use smaller pistol ammo, they usually have much lower recoil impulses, are easier to control, and ammo costs less, in most cases.
Conclusion
Understanding the fundamental differences and distinctions between different types of firearms is the best way to narrow down which options are best for your purpose. Although both firearms are considered long guns, shotguns and rifles are incredibly different, designed for different purposes.
At the end of the day, deciding on whether you should get a shotgun or a rifle comes down to your needs and personal preferences. You can benefit from either firearm type, but if you’re intent on using it for bird hunting, a shotgun would be preferred over a bolt-action. In the same vein, for long-range precision, a shotgun firing slugs will top out around 200 to 250 yards, making a rifle much more capable.
Either way, so long as you’ve thoroughly researched all your options and considered your needs, you’ll make the right choice. If you’re leaning towards an AR platform but aren’t sure which is the best one for you, our AR-15 and AR-10 functionality breakdown goes over everything you’ll need to know before buying one.
