USA - USMC Shotgun Teams

The USMC Shotgun Teams were small groups of Marines equipped with combat shotguns, used primarily for close-quarters fighting during the Pacific War. The most common weapons were the Winchester Model 1897, Model 1912, and later the Remington Model 870-type predecessors, all pump-action shotguns firing 12-gauge shells. These weapons were highly effective at short range, making them ideal for clearing trenches, bunkers, dense jungle, and cave positions where engagements happened at only a few metres. Shotgun teams were usually attached to rifle squads or assault groups rather than forming large independent units.

Shotgun-armed Marines were especially valuable during battles such as Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, where Japanese defensive tactics relied on hidden positions and sudden close-range attacks. The wide spread of buckshot made the shotgun devastating in confined spaces, and it became a feared weapon in jungle combat. Although limited in range and ammunition capacity, shotgun teams provided important support during assaults, helping Marine units clear fortified positions quickly and reduce the risk of ambush in close terrain.

4 Models Supplied.

Printed by Imperator Models on License from 3D Breed.