History Main / SawedOffShotgun

** In ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoITheLostAndDamned'', your character can use a double-barreled sawed-off one-handed while riding a motorcycle.

** In ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'' "The Lost and Damned", your character can use a double-barreled sawed-off one-handed while riding a motorcycle.

** Another addition to turn the SLR into "The Bitch" was the addtion of a matchstick (or similar) to the working parts, rednering the semi-automatic weapon fully automatic.

** Another addition to turn the LSR into "The Bitch" was the addtion of a matchstick (or similar) to the working parts, rednering the semi-automatic weapon fully automatic.

** New Vegas also has the Big Boomer, a sawed off that's barely the size of a lengthened pistol. It has even more spread, but for those who like to get up REALLY close to their enemies and use VATS, this is a must have.
* Dante of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'' has used, along with his trademark guns Ebony and Ivory, a double barreled sawed-off shotgun in every game, finally given the name Coyote-A in 4. And because he's a badass, Dante does not reload it at all, AND it's a break action shotgun.

** The same shotgun returned in ''VideoGame/ModernWarfare 2'', with the added bonus of allowing the player to [[GunsAkimbo carry two at once]] (that is, of course, if [[AwesomeButImpractical accuracy]] doesn't concern you much...).
*** Modern Warfare 2 also sports a [[Franchise/{{Terminator}} sawed-off lever action shotgun]], complete with flip-to-reload if you dual wield. [[GameBreaker For the longest time, these sawed-off Model 1887s were horribly broken, and they're STILL a surefire sign of an]] [[Webcomic/PennyArcade unrepentant puppy rapist.]] There's also the KAC "Masterkey" shotgun (see Real Life), which can be unlocked to attach to your assault rifles. [[AwesomeButImpractical Not that anyone ever uses the Masterkey.]]
* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'' has the Hydra, a ''three barreled'' sawed-off ''break action'' shotgun. Little magazine and long reload time, yes, but also the power to ''shred'' anything in front of it. Characters hold it with one extended arm (except Sheva, who holds it with both hands), though it's understandable considering the sheer bulk of Chris and the SuperStrength of Wesker.

* ''RedDeadRedemption'' features the sawed-off shotgun as the first shotgun type weapon you can get. It has pretty horrible range, but against marauding ninja kitties, there's no better weapon. Well, until you get the coachgun (aka the non-sawed-off shotgun).

* The Near-Sighted Assassin from ''VideoGame/GhostTrick'' uses one. Lynne even comments on how he's probably just trying to enforce the RuleOfCool by doing so.

* ''VideoGame/PAYDAYTheHeist'' also features the Serbu Super-Shorty [[AKA47 as the Locomotive 12G.]] Compared to the game's other shotgun, it has paltry range but a very fast fire rate, and its puny magazine size (four shells) can be upgraded by two.
* The ''TwistedMetal'' reboot has this as a sidearm and a bigger one as a weapon pickup. The former is near useless when not used in [[IJustShotMarvinInTheFace extreme close range]] and can either unload both shells at once ForMassiveDamage or just one shell and use the other when appropriate. Did I mention that you have [[BottomlessMagazines unlimited ammo]] for it? On the other, there's [[BoringButPractical nothing special for the latter]], except being a lot stronger obviously. Both weapons are potentially among the strongest weapons in the game.

* In ''{{SSDD}}'' Norman owns a sawn-off double-barrel, when his partner in crime insists on standing behind him when he shoots that thong he assures him that it's loaded with slugs, not shot.

** When Mr. Burns takes on Bart as his heir, Homer tries to get him back. In a deleted scene, shown on a clip show special, instead of releasing the hounds (or the bees, or the hounds with bees in their mouths so when the bark they shoot bees at you) Burns chooses to release the Robotic Richard Simmons. It chases off Homer, but continues to antagonize Mr. Burns. Smithers attempts to take it out with a sawed-off shotgun blast to the face, but it reforms ''a la'' {{Terminator}} T-1000. The shotgun itself, and Smithers hiding it in his jacket, is a reference to ''TheTerminator''.

Some law enforcement agencies use compact shotguns for breaching -- that is, [[ShootOutTheLock shooting hinges and locks off doors for expedient entry]]. There's even shotguns designed for this that can be mounted underneath the barrel of an assault rifle, like an M203 GrenadeLauncher. A sawed-off shotgun is also more easily concealed than the full-sized variety, so they are often used by criminals ([[BankRobbery bank robbers]] are a common example), especially in countries where normal handguns may be difficult to procure but hunting shotguns are relatively easy to buy.

In real life, sawed-off shotguns aren't very practical. Contrary to popular belief, shortening the barrel of a shotgun has little effect on the spread of the shot. Spread of shot is actually purposely limited with a 'choke' inside the very tip of the barrel. Sawing off 2 inches or 20 inches has basically the same effect. Shortening the barrel has different effects depending on the era. Until the advent of high quality smokeless gunpowder, longer barrels on shotguns allowed for more velocity, and a sawed-off shotgun would have reduced power because of the reduced velocity. Modern powders lose extremely little velocity even when the barrel is cut down to a foot long. However the biggest problem with sawed-off shotguns is when the stock is cut down to a pistol grip, making the weapon either extremely hard to aim, or, if aimed properly, likely to recoil straight into the shooter's teeth.

* OdaNobunaga in ''SengokuBasara'' uses one in conjunction with a longsword as part of a SwordAndGun combo.

* In ''The Big Gun'' episode of the 60's revival of ''Franchise/{{Dragnet}}'', the title object is a SawedOffShotgun with a spoon attached to the butt so it can be hooked into the armpit of a coat or jacket and quickly swing into firing position.

* Sawed-off shotguns were used extensively in trench warfare during the first World War by the United States; according to the other wiki, one Sergeant in particular managed to [[OneManArmy single-handedly retake a French town from German control]] using only such a shotgun. The Germans, who deployed gas weapons and flamethrowers, considered the use of shotguns a war crime, even declaring that they'd execute any soldiers captured who used one (America responded that they'd do the same to any POW's that were issued submachine guns).

* Sawed-off shotguns were used extensively in trench warfare during the first World War by the United States.
** Aye, and much like the Australian example below, they were considered by the opposition to be illegal. The Germans, who deployed gas weapons and flamethrowers, considered shotguns to be too much.

* Taken directly from TheOtherWiki: "During the trench warfare of the Gallipoli Campaign, Major Stephen Midgley of the Australian 5th Light Horse Regiment was widely known to use a sawn-off double barrelled shotgun while leading his troops, the weapon's effectiveness resulting in Turkish officers complaining that it was not a 'weapon of war' under international law after Midgley took one Turkish soldier's head "clean off his shoulders". Midgley was ordered by an Australian general to cease using his shotgun and switch to a conventional rifle and bayonet, to wit the Major was "bitterly peeved"." Don't fuck with Australia.
* Thanks to the highly vegetated jungle environment during the VietnamWar, pretty much everything from shotguns to grenade launchers have had their barrel sawed off at some point to ease maneuvers. Special mention goes to the "[[ThisIsForEmphasisBitch Bitch Gun]]", a weapon used by the [[AussiesWithArtillery SASR]], which is basically an SLR (that's a FAL for those uninformed) with everything in front of the gas block sawed off and the bipod detached to make room for an under-barrel [=XM148=] grenade launcher.

** Played straight and subverted in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPeaceWalker'', the double barrel starts off as a normal shotgun and gets the barrel shortened and the stock removed through research. However, the M37 starts as a sawed-off; research actually ADDS a longer barrel and a stock.

* ''VideoGmme/YouAreEmpty'' suffers from a similar problem: the sawn-off is damn useful - for the first enemy or two. Then, the slow reload causes everybody who ''hasn't'' croaked from the first two shots to demonstrate their extreme displeasure about the player's presence by severely increasing the amount of lead in his bloodstream. The game, however, has no other shotguns, so most players prefer to use the more universal machine gun or nailgun.

* ''ShadowWarrior'' has the Riot Gun, a weapon that looks like a cross between a rotary chaingun and a shotgun, but behaves just like your average shotgun in primary mode, with the four barrels rotating every shot but not actually granting a much higher rate of fire than a normal shotgun. And then there's the alternate firing mode, which allows all four barrels to be fired in succession. Much like ''Blood'' above, despite the barrels being rather short, the gun is very accurate.

** The more recently released Soda Popper is sawed off ''[[SerialEscalation even farther than that]]''; its barely longer than the soda can that replaced its foregrip.
** Also, the Engineer, Soldier, Heavy and Pyro classes have shotguns that are slightly sawed off, much like the picture on top of this page.
* ''VideoGame/{{Doom}} 2'' has the super shotgun, which is a sawed-off shotgun with a big punch. It can deal even more damage than a rocket and deals the damage of three regular shotgun shells while only consuming two, but is much less precise.

*** When a super-mutant DOES get in your face, however, it's much more convenient than the long-barrel variety for blowing THEIRS clean off. And if you can get close enough for a sneak attack it will ruin their day rather thoroughly. Additionally, in New Vegas, it's a holdout weapon, which you can sneak into most casinos, just in case you really need to kill dudes in there.
** Played straight in ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 1}}'' and [[VideoGame/{{Fallout2}} 2]] as well. The first game even gives you a sawed-off ''rifle'' as a quest reward, although the sawing is just one of the modifications - the result is to all effects a revolver firing .223 cartridges, and is the most powerful small arm in the game, even more than the [[RareGuns Desert Eagle]]. (Amusingly, it also appears completely unchanged in the sequel as a RandomDrop from raiders - meaning that you can accumulate several of these "One-of-a-kind weapon(s), obviously made with care and skill.") The sequel also starts recruitable character [[spoiler: Cassidy]] off with a sawed-off double barrel shotgun. Played straight in that it somehow deals more damage than a regular shotgun, though the range is reduced.
* Dante of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'' has used, along with his trademark guns Ebony and Ivory, a double barreled sawed-off shotgun in every game, finally given the name Coyote-A in 4. And because he's a badass, Dante [[strike:can reload it with one hand]] does not reload it at all, AND it's a break action shotgun.

* In ''VideoGame/BloodRayne'', a sawed-off shotgun is used in the Louisiana levels. Interestingly, for a Dhampir who is super humanly strong and can duel wield '''assault rifles''', she fires the sawed-off realistically.

* The ''GearsOfWar'' series has always involved [[ComplacentGamingSyndrome heavy abuse]] of its shotgun, and now the trailer for the upcoming third game has revealed a new sawed-off, double-barreled variety.
** Played straight. The sawn-off is obscenely powerful but has an insane spread and abysmal range and a long reload, even when active reloading. It's effectively a melee weapon, hence its nickname the "Bad Touch".
* ''{{Killzone}} 3'' brings us the VC8 shotgun pistol, which as its name suggests, is a tri-barrelled shotgun shrunken down to pistol size.
* {{Mafia}}, a game heavily inspired by gangster films, features this weapon prominently. Especially in the mission where you are given the ''lupara'' to take out the traitorous informant.
* The Near-Sighted Assassin from ''GhostTrick'' uses one. Lynne even comments on how he's probably just trying to enforce the RuleOfCool by doing so.

* ''JaggedAlliance 2'' features the pump-action [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:My_Serbu.jpg Serbu Super-Shorty]], which comes factory-manufactured as a super-sized handgun. The description [[InvokedTrope invokes the trope]] by noting that it saves time-consuming hacksaw work. They are usually regarded as AwesomeButImpractical as backup weapons since smaller, lighter handguns like the [=FN Five-SeveN=] are much faster to draw and fire, and most players instead load them with a clip of [[ShootOutTheLock lockbuster rounds]] as an instant lockpick.
* ''PAYDAYTheHeist'' features the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:My_Serbu.jpg Serbu Super-Shorty]] [[AKA47 as the Locomotive 12G.]] Compared to the game's other shotgun, it has paltry range but a very fast fire rate, and it's puny magazine size (four shells) can be upgraded by two.

* [[VideoGame/TheDarkness The Darkness II]] has a few shotgun types, one of which being a "Sawn-Off", a pump-action with a cut down barrel (which somehow holds more shells than the full-length Defender shotgun?). A more archetypal example comes in the Vendetta campaign, where gunslinger Shoshanna, who's [[UnholyHolyWeapons Dark weapon]] double barreled sawed-off shotgun with unlimited ammo and can hold up to 6 shots, which can be changed into a huge cannon blast. Under most circumstances, however, she wields it on her left hand as a shotgun, along with any sidearm in her right hand.

--> Gary: ''So what's that good for shooting?''
--> Norm: ''Cars.''

If you're a {{Badass}} and you want your firearm to represent how awesome you are, there's only one choice for you - the Hillbilly Dueling Pistol, AKA the sawed-off shotgun. It is a standard weapon for anyone in the middle of a ZombieApocalypse. In the hands of a suitable badass, it can take out anyone in a single blast. The sound of chambering a round in a pump-action sawed-off is like a CatchPhrase showing how awesome you are -- for extra badassitude, you hold it by the slide and sort of wave it in the air, allowing the weapon's own weight to do the chambering (this is a great way to ruin your shotgun in real life, FYI). And if you have a sawed-off double barrel shotgun with dual triggers, you have the option of either unloading one barrel at a time at an opponent, or "giving 'em both barrels," as it were (also an excellent way to destroy it).[[note]]Only with modern shotguns with light barrels and heavy loads of long-burning smokeless powders. When using old shotguns, with heavy barrels designed to withstand short and powerful pressure bursts of black powder, hunters, in fact, ''preferred'' to fire "doublets", as it greatly reduced the chances to leave the game only wounded. Which is always good, especially when the said game is the {{bear|sAreBadNews}} -- hence the related phrase "[[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill loaded for bear]]."[[/note]]

If you're a {{Badass}} and you want your firearm to represent how awesome you are, there's only one choice for you - the Hillbilly Dueling Pistol, AKA the sawed-off shotgun. It is a standard weapon for anyone in the middle of a ZombieApocalypse. In the hands of a suitable badass, it can take out anyone in a single blast. The sound of chambering a round in a pump-action sawed-off is like a CatchPhrase showing how awesome you are -- for extra badassitude, you hold it by the slide and sort of wave it in the air, allowing the weapon's own weight to do the chambering (this is a great way to ruin your shotgun in real life, FYI). And if you have a sawed-off double barrel shotgun with dual triggers, you have the option of either unloading one barrel at a time at an opponent, or "giving 'em both barrels," as it were (also an excellent way to destroy it).[[note]]Only with modern shotguns with light barrels and heavy loads of long-burning smokeless powders. When using old shotguns, with heavy barrels designed to withstand short and powerful pressure bursts of black powder, hunters, in fact, ''preferred'' to fire "doublets", as it greatly reduced the chances to leave the game only wounded. Which is always good, especially when the said game is the {{bear|sAreBadNews}}.[[/note]]

* In AndrewVachss's ''{{Burke}}'' books, the Prof favours one of these.

->''"All right, you primitive screwheads, listen up! You see this? ThisIsMyBoomstick! The 12-gauge double-barreled Remington. S-Mart's top of the line. You can find this in the sporting goods department. That's right, this sweet baby was made in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Retails for about $109.95. It's got a walnut stock, cobalt blue steel, and a hair trigger. That's right. Shop smart. Shop S-Mart. YOU GOT THAT?!"''
-> -- '''Ash''', ''[[Franchise/EvilDead Army of Darkness]]''

* The [[NerfBrand NERF N-Strike]] [=Barrel Break IX-2=] is a reverse-plunger'd double-barreled breech-action short-barreled shotgun of a dart blaster. It even has a [[GunAccessories Tactical Rail-mounted dart rack]] to hold more ammo! Some modders merely shorten the barrel a little more, while others [[http://nerfornothing.blogspot.com/2010/08/heavily-modified-barrel-break.html go [[SerialEscalation farther and minimize it extensively]].

This trope is prominent in British shows, where the sawed off shotgun remains the weapon of choice for the LondonGangster, or the villains in any police procedural, particularly if it involves an ArmedBlag. This is mainly due to the difficulty of obtaining handguns in the UK, while shotguns are still legally available. Incidentally, British English prefers "sawn-off" (the past participle) and American English "sawed-off" (the past preterite, which, [[DidNotDoTheBloodyResearch while sounding perfectly fine to American ears]], sounds like [[TheProblemWithPenIsland something else]] to British ones - though it still works pretty well, considering the context).

!!Examples:

[[folder: Anime And Manga ]]

[[folder:Comics]]

[[folder: Fan Fic ]]

* ''MadMax'' used one as his main weapon during his RoaringRampageOfRevenge, which he modified himself.

* Several Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, most notably ''{{Terminator}} II'', in which he fires and cocks a lever-action shotgun single-handed ''while riding a motorcycle''. [[JustifiedTrope Of course, he is a terminator]].
** Slight variation in Terminator II as he is using slugs rather than the more commonly seen shot. Additionally, the gun is a 10 gauge, rather than the more popular 12 gauge (though because the model in question was no longer available in 12 gauge). The larger slug, with the lack of a spread effect, effectively turns a shotgun into a {{BFG}}.

** Kyle Reese saws off the stock of his shotgun for concealment purposes in the first movie, finishing with a nice DramaticGunCock.

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

[[folder: Tabletop Games ]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

[[folder: Web Comics ]]

[[folder: Web Original ]]

[[folder: Western Animation]]

[[folder: Real Life ]]

In popular media, the sawed-off shotgun combines the power of a shotgun with the profile of a large handgun. It's so easy to make - all you need is a regular shotgun and a hacksaw, it seems. Its popularity easily eclipses all guns aside from the most famous, like the Desert Eagle.

If you're a BadAss and you want your firearm to represent how awesome you are, there's only one choice for you - the Hillbilly Dueling Pistol, AKA the sawed-off shotgun. It is a standard weapon for anyone in the middle of a ZombieApocalypse. In the hands of a suitable badass, it can take out anyone in a single blast. The sound of chambering a round in a pump-action sawed-off is like a CatchPhrase showing how awesome you are -- for extra badassitude, you hold it by the slide and sort of wave it in the air, allowing the weapon's own weight to do the chambering (this is a great way to ruin your shotgun in real life, FYI). And if you have a sawed-off double barrel shotgun with dual triggers, you have the option of either unloading one barrel at a time at an opponent, or "giving 'em both barrels," as it were (also an excellent way to destroy it).[[note]]Only with modern shotguns with light barrels and heavy loads of long-burning smokeless powders. When using old shotguns, with heavy barrels designed to withstand short and powerful pressure bursts of black powder, hunters, in fact, ''preferred'' to fire "doublets", as it greatly reduced the chances to leave the game only wounded. Which is always good, especially when the said game is the {{bear|sAreBadNews}}.[[/note]]

If you're a BadassLongcoat, and you want your firearm to represent how BadAss you are, there's only one choice for you - the Hillbilly Dueling Pistol, AKA the sawed-off shotgun. It is a standard weapon for anyone in the middle of a ZombieApocalypse. In the hands of a suitable badass, it can take out anyone in a single blast. The sound of chambering a round in a pump-action sawed-off is like a CatchPhrase showing how awesome you are -- for extra badassitude, you hold it by the slide and sort of wave it in the air, allowing the weapon's own weight to do the chambering (this is a great way to ruin your shotgun in real life, FYI). And if you have a sawed-off double barrel shotgun with dual triggers, you have the option of either unloading one barrel at a time at an opponent, or "giving 'em both barrels," as it were (also an excellent way to destroy it).[[note]]Only with modern shotguns with light barrels and heavy loads of long-burning smokeless powders. When using old shotguns, with heavy barrels designed to withstand short and powerful pressure bursts of black powder, hunters, in fact, ''preferred'' to fire "doublets", as it greatly reduced the chances to leave the game only wounded. Which is always good, especially when the said game is the {{bear|sAreBadNews}}.[[/note]]

* In the ''Comicbook/{{Batman}}'' comics, Detective (later Sheriff) Steve 'Shotgun' Smith carries one of these as his standard weapon.

This trope is prominent in British shows, where the sawed off shotgun remains the weapon of choice for the LondonGangster, or the villains in any police procedural, particularly if it involves an ArmedBlag. This is mainly due to the difficulty of obtaining handguns in the UK, while shotguns are still legally available. Incidentally, British English prefers "sawn-off" (the past participle) and American English "sawed-off" (the past preterit, which,[[DidNotDoTheBloodyResearch while sounding perfectly fine to American ears]], sounds like [[TheProblemWithPenIsland something else]] to British ones - though it still works pretty well, considering the context).