Effective range of a shotgun?

[GRoXERs]

Snipers does one-shot-kills in the foot5?

If you were shot with a sniper rifle bullet anywhere you'd either die instantly or bleed out in seconds. The bullet's are super-sonic, they rip internal organs to shreds.

There are no organs to shred in the FOOT!

Skin? Largest organ in the body? It gets pretty shredded when you get shot.
Okay, sorry, yes, getting shot in the foot would not kill you instantly. This applies especially when you consider that most sniper rifles use the 7.62x51 mm NATO round - the same one used by most LMGs. They really should be doing roughly the same damage.

 

[Ancientgamer]

Snipers does one-shot-kills in the foot5?

If you were shot with a sniper rifle bullet anywhere you'd either die instantly or bleed out in seconds. The bullet's are super-sonic, they rip internal organs to shreds.

There are no organs to shred in the FOOT!

Take a 50Cal sniper rifle, and shoot yourself in the foot.

Now put in 60lbs of gear and run on your stump through your downtown area while having all your friends pop out of windows and around corners and shoot paintballs at you. Try not to get hit, also, effectivly try to shoot back at them.

Oh what? You couldn't do it?

You see, if you get shot in the foot with high powered rifle, whether or not you die instantly is immaterial. Whether or not your foot gets blown off or is just dysfunctional is immaterial. The fact is, you'll be going down, and you're not getting back up until the medics fly in.

 

[Aleate]

See, what i find amazing is that in gears of war 2 the shotgun has apparently better bullets than anything in the game. as an example, a guy starts charging me, and i empty and entire clip of machine gun ammo into his head (50 bullets) and while im reloading he shoots me once with the shotgun and i die. :/
also, if the game makers did everything like real life, then every gun would be a 1 or 2 shot kill. So then everyone would just use machine guns and call it a day, meaning that millions of people would yell at the developers.

 

[iron codpiece]

I've been playing cod 4 allot! And in my countless ours of playing i found out that reality has been altered, snipers does one-shot-kills in the foot, claymores will go off if you jump over them, helis wont fall after a couple of shots to the cockpit and most of all... Shotguns only have an effective range of 5 meters, i mean, sure the shotgun is overpowered but should be so much shortened just to even it out. I mean youd still die from a shotgun from 75 meters, so why will the bullets stop doing damage in just 5?

the shotgun has apparently better bullets than anything in the game.

As a duck hunter i can explain this. That is actually very realistic. Shot Guns do not fire bullets they fire shells. Which explode and scatter hot hot rocksalt everywhere. They are not effective at range the idea is that they scatter and hit a large area with rocksalt. So if you're very close to the target they get a whole mess of rocksalt which with enough force could rip you to shreds.

 

[implodingMan]

Halo 1's shotgun had decent range compared to most videogame shotguns, plus you could carry a ridiculous amount of ammo for it (I think it was 12 shells in the gun and around 70 spare). They nerfed it for the second and third games though, which always makes me sad when I have to use that popgun when I remember the alien shredding beast we used to get.

 

[Anarchemitis]

In the real world, shotguns are extremely capable short-range weapons. A shotgun cartridge is typically loaded with a number of small pellets, which then spread out upon firing, making it easier to hit smaller, fast-moving targets. Against non-moving targets, a shotgun has tremendous stopping power ? being hit by several pellets is exceptionally deadly. Shotguns are favored by law enforcement and home defense because of this incredible stopping power, as well as low penetration (minimizing collateral damage), and the spread of pellets makes it easier to hit than with a handgun or rifle. The ability to quickly and effectively enter a room and disable targets at short ranges makes the shotgun unparalleled at close range (within 30m) combat.

Shotguns may be loaded with slugs, which don't break apart upon firing, but these are increasingly uncommon.

In video games, and occasionally movies, the strengths and weaknesses of shotguns are greatly exaggerated. In the video game world, where enemies are either alive and fully functional or dead (for most games anyway), and simply "disabling" an enemy isn't an option, shotguns used at longer ranges basically tickle the enemy. In order to be useful, you have to move closer to the target and reach the maximum effectiveness range. In reality, this range is anywhere from 10 to 30 meters, depending on barrel length. In video games, this range is invariably about ten feet ? but when you're in that range, the shotgun is almost always extremely lethal and often kills enemies in just one shot.

The end result is that shotguns are situational weapons at best (even more so than in reality), and that using one, even in close quarters, is a risky proposition and can quickly leave the user exposed to counter-attacks from other enemies. The user will invariably be chasing enemies around the room, trying to get close enough to kill them in one or two shots, because this instant-kill nature is usually balanced by fairly rare ammo and/or slow reload, even if the use is limited to begin with.

In many cases, the shotgun has its own niche in a game's Tactical Rock Paper Scissors, outclassing all other weapons at point-blank range but losing everywhere else. Some games have your choice between a weak shotgun blast that has better range, and a more powerful attack that has virtually no range.

With "realistic" shooters being something of a current trend, this trope is on the way out, but is still seen often enough to remain relevant.

 

[Zykon TheLich]

Take a 50Cal sniper rifle, and shoot yourself in the foot.

Now put in 60lbs of gear and run on your stump through your downtown area while having all your friends pop out of windows and around corners and shoot paintballs at you. Try not to get hit, also, effectivly try to shoot back at them.

Oh what? You couldn't do it?

You see, if you get shot in the foot with high powered rifle, whether or not you die instantly is immaterial. Whether or not your foot gets blown off or is just dysfunctional is immaterial. The fact is, you'll be going down, and you're not getting back up until the medics fly in.

Take a .45 and shoot yourself in the foot...

I believe the point OP was making was 'why the hell is the sniper rifle a golden gun?'. A 7.62 round from a G3...chips off a bit of health, 7.62 round from an M21 or whatever to exactly the same spot and it's instadeath. I could be wrong, I haven't played CoD4 online so maybe it's instadeath from being shot in the foot from whatever high powered rifle round, but I'm going to take a leap and assume it's not.

 

[roarbut]

If anything, the friction from the longer barrel would REDUCE the kinetic energy transfered, so the sniper bullet would do less damage, but fly straighter. .50BMG rounds are a different matter, though, but a 5.56 or 7.62 should be basically the same for their respective calibre regardless of the gun.

Edit: Would the number of grooves in the barrel affect the bullet's penetration in any notable way?

A longer barrel does allow more energy transfer from the propellant to the bullet. All that gas exploding out of the end of the barrel when you fire a handgun could have been used to transfer more energy to the bullet. There's probably some length at which the energy transfer from the propellant is complete (or remaining energy transfer is offset by friction) and any additional barrel length would slow it down.

I have no idea how the grooves affect it. Increases accuracy but allows more gas to escape round the sides so lowers muzzle energy? Just a guess.

This is true, and exactly why an m4 for example is less powerful than an m16. The grooves in a gun barrel cause the bullet to spin and greatly increases accuracy.

The shotgun in Crysis is probably my favourite, in it's "narrow spread" mode it's quite realistic.

 

[slipknot4]

If anything, the friction from the longer barrel would REDUCE the kinetic energy transfered, so the sniper bullet would do less damage, but fly straighter. .50BMG rounds are a different matter, though, but a 5.56 or 7.62 should be basically the same for their respective calibre regardless of the gun.

Edit: Would the number of grooves in the barrel affect the bullet's penetration in any notable way?

A longer barrel does allow more energy transfer from the propellant to the bullet. All that gas exploding out of the end of the barrel when you fire a handgun could have been used to transfer more energy to the bullet. There's probably some length at which the energy transfer from the propellant is complete (or remaining energy transfer is offset by friction) and any additional barrel length would slow it down.

I have no idea how the grooves affect it. Increases accuracy but allows more gas to escape round the sides so lowers muzzle energy? Just a guess.

The grooves will make the bullet more accurate and increase the stopping power.

Snipers does one-shot-kills in the foot5?

If you were shot with a sniper rifle bullet anywhere you'd either die instantly or bleed out in seconds. The bullet's are super-sonic, they rip internal organs to shreds.

There are no organs to shred in the FOOT!

Take a 50Cal sniper rifle, and shoot yourself in the foot.

Now put in 60lbs of gear and run on your stump through your downtown area while having all your friends pop out of windows and around corners and shoot paintballs at you. Try not to get hit, also, effectivly try to shoot back at them.

Oh what? You couldn't do it?

You see, if you get shot in the foot with high powered rifle, whether or not you die instantly is immaterial. Whether or not your foot gets blown off or is just dysfunctional is immaterial. The fact is, you'll be going down, and you're not getting back up until the medics fly in.

If you shoot yourself in the foot with a Barrett you'd rip your leg to shreds.

 

[AlexTheBucket2112]

The reason the game is not like real life is because it's a GAME. If you got shot could you just stand in the corner for a few seconds and be right as rain after a few breathing exercises? If they made shotguns like real ones I'd never win a game!

 

[GloatingSwine]

If anything, the friction from the longer barrel would REDUCE the kinetic energy transfered, so the sniper bullet would do less damage, but fly straighter. .50BMG rounds are a different matter, though, but a 5.56 or 7.62 should be basically the same for their respective calibre regardless of the gun.

Edit: Would the number of grooves in the barrel affect the bullet's penetration in any notable way?

Actually, a longer barrel contains the charge longer and gives it longer to combust and expand, increasing the round's muzzle velocity significantly.

 

[Wicky_42]

If anything, the friction from the longer barrel would REDUCE the kinetic energy transfered, so the sniper bullet would do less damage, but fly straighter. .50BMG rounds are a different matter, though, but a 5.56 or 7.62 should be basically the same for their respective calibre regardless of the gun.

Edit: Would the number of grooves in the barrel affect the bullet's penetration in any notable way?

A longer barrel does allow more energy transfer from the propellant to the bullet. All that gas exploding out of the end of the barrel when you fire a handgun could have been used to transfer more energy to the bullet. There's probably some length at which the energy transfer from the propellant is complete (or remaining energy transfer is offset by friction) and any additional barrel length would slow it down.

I have no idea how the grooves affect it. Increases accuracy but allows more gas to escape round the sides so lowers muzzle energy? Just a guess.

The grooves will make the bullet more accurate and increase the stopping power.

Bold bit is wrong. The grooves apply a little friction to the bullet, guiding it into a spin as it travels down the barrel. The more spin on the bullet, the less velocity it has, which is why carbines/assault rifles, essentially shortened battle rifles, are less powerful than their larger brethren - they have the same amount if rifling (the 'grooves') but over a shorter barrel length, so more of the energy from the shot is lost as friction to spin the bullet. Less energy/velocity, lower stopping power/maximum range. With assault rifles, the trade-off is for better handling in close environments whilst retaining the accuracy of a full battle rifle.

 

[Nutcase]

For a multitude of reasons, assault rifles are better for combat, even if it's indoors.

 

[Altorin]

Snipers does one-shot-kills in the foot5?

If you were shot with a sniper rifle bullet anywhere you'd either die instantly or bleed out in seconds. The bullet's are super-sonic, they rip internal organs to shreds.

all bullets, fired from any gun, are super-sonic.

and no, in a lot of cases, non-vital extremities shot at range with rifles in real life are not typically life threatening in and of themselves.. the bullets do not lodge themselves in the flesh, so with a bit of luck (IE, bullet not striking any major blood vessels), a quick application of bandage and pressure, non-vital extremities are dead targets for snipers - that's why police and military train to aim for the center of the body.. easiest to hit, easiest to get a kill with, most stopping power. Snipers don't even typically train for headshots - shooting someone in the chest can be just as effective at neutralizing the threat.

 

[Andre8191]

It takes as long as it needs to?