TRADITIONALLY, THE PEACE OFFICER WAS ARMED with a sidearm and shoulder arm. Depending on the circumstances the shoulder arm was a scattergun or carbine. So called because of its multiple projectiles, the scattergun, or shotgun, fired 6 or more .32 caliber lead balls in a pattern with a maximum accurate range of 25 yards or so. The shotgun also had an effective range out to perhaps twice that far in case one or more of the balls hit someone that (hopefully) needed to be shot.

Where accuracy was the rule of the day, the carbine was king out to perhaps 200 yards in pistol calibers and out to 300 yards or more when a rifle round was used. However, if necessary, the carbine and even the rifle could fill the role for which the shotgun was usually chosen. This is in no way a condemnation of the shotgun, as this weapon has its own piece of the pie in special circumstances that may be particular to it.