Some shotguns are built for practicality, reliability, and raw firepower. Others? They’re pure madness in steel and polymer. Over the years, weapons designers have pushed the boundaries of what a shotgun could be – full-auto destruction machines, futuristic bullpups, and even guns designed to shoot fin-stabilized projectiles like something out of a sci-fi movie.
The problem? Most of these wild ideas didn’t survive past the prototype stage. They were too complex, too expensive, or just plain impractical. But that doesn’t mean they weren’t awesome. Here are five of the craziest shotguns that never made it to widespread use.
1. AA-12 – The Shotgun Straight Out of an Action Movie
The AA-12 is the ultimate Hollywood shotgun. It’s been featured in countless action films and video games, and for good reason – it looks like something straight out of a military sci-fi flick. This fully automatic, drum-fed 12-gauge shotgun was built to deliver relentless firepower with minimal recoil, thanks to its gas-operated API blowback system.
Designed for urban combat, the AA-12 could fire explosive frag rounds, essentially turning it into a mini grenade launcher. Despite its firepower, the weapon was surprisingly controllable, with a low 300-round-per-minute cyclic rate. It had potential, but like many of the weapons on this list, it never made it into mass production. While it remains a fan favorite in media, its real-world use is almost non-existent.
2. HK CAWS – The Bullpup Beast That Never Was
Developed in the 1980s as part of a military close-assault weapons program, the HK CAWS was a bullpup 12-gauge shotgun that looked like it belonged on a battlefield of the future. It was magazine-fed, semi-automatic, and capable of firing high-penetration tungsten pellet shells designed to punch through light armor.
One of the most interesting aspects of the HK CAWS was its selective-fire capability, allowing operators to switch between different firing modes. It could handle various types of specialty ammunition, including buckshot and flechette rounds. But despite its futuristic appeal and impressive design, the shotgun never saw active service. It was simply too ahead of its time, and the military never found a need for it.
3. Remington 7188 – A Full-Auto Shotgun for Vietnam
During the Vietnam War, close-quarters combat was brutal, and shotguns were highly effective in jungle environments. The Remington 7188 was an attempt to take that concept even further, creating a fully automatic 12-gauge shotgun based on the Remington 1100 design.
It featured an extended magazine tube, a bayonet mount, and semi/full-auto select-fire capability. In theory, it was supposed to dominate in close-range combat, cutting down enemy troops with devastating bursts of shotgun fire. The problem? Firing 12-gauge rounds in full-auto was nearly impossible to control. The gun’s recoil made it wildly impractical, and its eight-round magazine was emptied almost instantly. Reliability issues in the humid jungle environment sealed its fate, and the project was scrapped.
4. Special Operations Weapon (SOW) – A Belt-Fed Monster That Never Saw Action
The SOW was a shotgun with one goal: overwhelming firepower. It was built from the iconic Remington 870 but reworked into a full-auto, magazine-fed beast designed for hip-firing in jungle warfare.
The magazine held 20 rounds of 12-gauge shells, and the gun fired at a reduced 200 rounds per minute to make it controllable. The idea was to give special operations troops a weapon that could clear rooms and cut through thick foliage in an instant. However, full-auto shotguns are inherently hard to handle, and shooting from the hip is wildly inaccurate. While the concept was cool, it never made it past the prototype stage.
5. AAI CAWS – Flechette-Firing Madness
AAI Corporation, known for its work on the M203 grenade launcher, took a shot (literally) at designing an advanced combat shotgun. Their entry into the Close Assault Weapons System (CAWS) program was unique – it was designed to fire special flechette-loaded 12-gauge rounds.
Flechettes are tiny, dart-like projectiles that fly faster and hit harder than traditional buckshot. In theory, they were supposed to offer longer-range lethality while keeping a tight shot pattern. In practice, they didn’t work as well as expected. While the shotgun could punch through thin steel plates, it was too specialized and expensive to replace standard shotguns. When the CAWS program was shut down, so was the AAI shotgun.
The Problem with Wild Shotguns
Shotguns are already powerful, effective weapons. When designers try to push them beyond their natural capabilities, they run into issues. Full-auto fire? Hard to control. Exotic ammo? Expensive and unnecessary. High-capacity magazines? Heavy and awkward.
While these designs were ambitious, none of them made it to widespread adoption because they simply weren’t practical. When it comes to shotguns, sometimes simplicity is best.
Why Military Shotguns Haven’t Changed Much
Unlike rifles, which have evolved dramatically over the past century, shotguns have remained relatively unchanged. The reason? They already do their job well.
Pump-action and semi-automatic shotguns are reliable, easy to use, and devastating in close quarters. Adding selective fire, belt-fed systems, or exotic ammo just complicates things. Military and law enforcement agencies tend to stick with proven designs like the Mossberg 500, Remington 870, and Benelli M4 – because they work.
The Shotgun’s Niche Role in Combat
One of the biggest reasons these experimental shotguns never made it is because shotguns already serve a very specific role in combat. Unlike rifles, which are effective at a variety of ranges, shotguns are best suited for close-quarters fighting, breaching doors, and riot control.
The military doesn’t need a shotgun that can fire hundreds of rounds per minute or shoot at long distances – because that’s what rifles and machine guns are for. Many of these designs tried to turn the shotgun into something it wasn’t meant to be, which is why they ultimately failed. A shotgun’s greatest strength is its devastating power at close range, and when you overcomplicate that, you often lose what makes it effective in the first place.
Could Any of These Make a Comeback?
With modern advancements in recoil reduction, polymer construction, and new ammunition types, some of these shotgun concepts could potentially be revisited. However, the biggest hurdle is cost. Militaries and police forces have limited budgets, and they tend to invest in weapons that are battle-proven rather than experimental.
That said, the AA-12 still has a cult following, and with the right updates, we might see a modernized version hit the market someday. Until then, these shotguns remain fascinating relics of a time when weapons designers dared to dream big – sometimes too big.
What Could Have Been
The world of firearms is full of incredible ideas that never made it past the drawing board, and shotguns are no exception. While these designs were innovative and, in some cases, downright intimidating, they all suffered from the same fate: impracticality.
Still, it’s fun to imagine what could have been. If any of these wild shotguns had actually been adopted, they might have changed the way we think about combat firearms today. Instead, they remain part of a long history of ambitious experiments that never quite made it.
Mark grew up in the heart of Texas, where tornadoes and extreme weather were a part of life. His early experiences sparked a fascination with emergency preparedness and homesteading. A father of three, Mark is dedicated to teaching families how to be self-sufficient, with a focus on food storage, DIY projects, and energy independence. His writing empowers everyday people to take small steps toward greater self-reliance without feeling overwhelmed.