A shotgun (also known as a scattergun, peppergun, or historically as a fowling piece) is a long-barreled firearm designed to shoot a straight-walled cartridge known as a shot-shell, which discharges numerous small spherical projectiles called shot, or a single solid projectile called a slug. Shotguns are most commonly used as smooth-bore firearms, meaning that their gun barrels have no rifling on the inner wall, but rifled barrels for shooting sabot slugs (slug barrels) are also available.
ATTENTION: As of 10/2/2024 with the passing of H.4885 the following now applies:
Since all firearms sold in MA must now be on approved rosters, and there are none available for long guns, The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security has stated that under the Act and 501 CMR 7.00, dealers may continue to sell shotguns and rifles so long as they are not otherwise prohibited in Massachusetts, pending further guidance from the Firearms Control Advisory Board.
