In a discussion the subject of a Duck Bill shotgun setup for the military in WWII. As described, would make a horizontal shot pattern. New to me. Anyone else heard of it?
"Duck Bill" shotgun
- Thread starter TOM BECKWITH
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Interesting! I never knew that before today. I was issued a 37 in the Army during Vietnam and we (at least, I) had nothing like that..... This continues to be a place where I learn something almost every time I drop in!
Double-O-Dave
US Veteran
If I recall correctly, the "duck bill" shotgun was an experimental item and used by the Army (Green Berets) and Navy Seals. I remember talking to one guy I worked with in the service that said he used one in Viet Nam, and that it worked well. He said you could hold the shotgun in the conventional (correct) manner and shoot it, and then rotate the piece 90 degrees and shoot it at the same aiming spot and get a "cross" shaped pattern.
Regards,
Dave
elpac3
Member
As an LEO there was a horizontal spreader tube you used to be able to get to create a " flat" shot spread you could use to skip the pellets off the hard ( cement) pavement in front of a perp to take his legs out
kwill1911
SWCA Member
This one is in the SEAL museum in Florida and was carried by Patches Watson in VN. The duckbill actually wasn't very effective, often cracked and did not see wider adoption.
I did a Google search and saw a few cracked ones from scrap piles. Also found an interesting write up by The American Rifleman available online at:
American Rifleman | The Ithaca Model 37 in U.S. Military Service
American Rifleman | The Ithaca Model 37 in U.S. Military Service
DWalt
Member
I believe the duckbill "Spreader" was a Vietnam invention. I remember reading about it back then, but never saw one.
I wish I had one for dove hunting now. lee
They're still made, I run across them on the auction sites now and then.
One manufacturer is Paradigm SRP >> Gator Shotgun Spreader
One manufacturer is Paradigm SRP >> Gator Shotgun Spreader
It's just a deformed shot pattern as a result of a deformed bore/muzzle. In this case the result is calculated and desired.
You can only go so far in disrupting the shot volume as it goes down the bore and hits the choke section of the bbl w/o damaging that choke/constricted area.
Shot size, type of wad, velocity has a lot to do with the pattern results and with any damage the bbl may incur from such severe crunching of the shot column.
Sometimes called 'shot diverters'.
Some very interesting results can be had.., oval, square, narrow straight lines, ect
You can only go so far in disrupting the shot volume as it goes down the bore and hits the choke section of the bbl w/o damaging that choke/constricted area.
Shot size, type of wad, velocity has a lot to do with the pattern results and with any damage the bbl may incur from such severe crunching of the shot column.
Sometimes called 'shot diverters'.
Some very interesting results can be had.., oval, square, narrow straight lines, ect
I saw one of the Duck bills in RVn. A officers jeep driver had one.
At the time I thought it was part of some kind of launcher. The
guy that had it didn't know anymore about it than I did. Never
realized what it was until years later when I saw one in a book.
Then again I was one of the few guys that wasn't some kind of
special ops commando. Shotguns were in short supply, guys
going on R&R were buying them and bringing them back in
country.
At the time I thought it was part of some kind of launcher. The
guy that had it didn't know anymore about it than I did. Never
realized what it was until years later when I saw one in a book.
Then again I was one of the few guys that wasn't some kind of
special ops commando. Shotguns were in short supply, guys
going on R&R were buying them and bringing them back in
country.
DWalt
Member
Shotguns were used a lot more during the VN affair than most suspect. They are pretty good for jungle warfare use. Uncle Sam provided quite a few to the Vietnamese, mostly the Stevens Model 77E, as they were cheap and effective.
IIRC (?) Border Patrol Officer Bill Jordon or Skeeter Skelton used one.((Remington M11 ?)
OP
Thanks to all for the inputs on what apparently is a somewhat unusual and unknown accessory for serious work. I know several VN vets and none of them ever mentioned the "Duckbill".
....Charles Askins jr.......
AJ
US Veteran
Center mass is where I was taught to aim. I taught the same to my students military and law enforcement. Shooting to wound left the target still able to fight back. In my book that is not a good thing and silly to do so. If I am going to shoot someone then I am going to incapacitate them and if their demise results.........then my thoughts are they started it and got what they deserved. Like I taught my students, they were being taught to stop the gun fight.
elpac3
Member
MCorps0311
US Veteran
I'm going to look around and see if I can fine one to buy,I had never heard of a duckbill shotgun before now.I learn something new all the time on these forum's i'm in these days.
