How the shotgun is fired
A shotgun used for shotshells features a smoothbore barrel, meaning there is no rifling. When a shotshell is fired, the tiny round pellets travel down this smooth bore to the target. The consistency of roundness of each pellet determines how the pellets fly.
![Cutaway: Shell inserted in chamber](https://ke-courses-production.s3.amazonaws.com/asset_files/production/4567/attachments/original/HEX-shotshell-firing-1.jpg?1592422846)
Step 1: Shell is loaded into chamber.
![Cutaway: Firing pin strikes the primer and produces sparks](https://ke-courses-production.s3.amazonaws.com/asset_files/production/4566/attachments/original/HEX-shotshell-firing-2.jpg?1592422845)
Step 2: Action is closed, and the shell is ready to be fired.
![Cutaway: Expanding gas forces the wad and shot out of the plastic body of the shell](https://ke-courses-production.s3.amazonaws.com/asset_files/production/4562/attachments/original/HEX-shotshell-firing-3.jpg?1592422845)
Step 3: Firing pin makes contact with primer and causes primer mix to explode in the shell.
![Cutaway: Projectile leaving the barrel](https://ke-courses-production.s3.amazonaws.com/asset_files/production/4563/attachments/original/HEX-shotshell-firing-4.jpg?1592422845)
Step 4: Rapidly accumulating high pressure from the burning gunpowder pushes projectile out of the barrel.