Washington State Hunters Ed Practice Exam

Which feature is common to all shotguns?

1. Fired by a trigger

2. Smooth barrel

3. Can use multiple types of ammunition

4. Has a magazine

The correct answer is: Fired by a trigger

The feature that is common to all shotguns is that they are fired by a trigger. This is a fundamental characteristic of firearms; the trigger mechanism is what allows the shooter to release the firing pin or strike the primer of the cartridge, thus igniting the powder and propelling the projectile. This feature is standard across various types of firearms, including rifles and handguns, making it essential to the operation of shotguns as well. While shotguns typically have a smooth barrel, some may have rifled barrels designed for specific types of ammunition, such as slugs, which distinguishes them from being universally smooth. Shotguns are not limited to a specific type of ammunition; they primarily use shotshells, but some shotguns can handle different types, which leads to the misconception that they can use 'multiple types' universally. Additionally, while many shotguns do have magazines or are capable of holding multiple shells, there are single-shot shotguns that do not include this feature. Therefore, the characteristic of being fired by a trigger remains universally applicable to all shotguns.