What Are the Differences Between Rifles, Shotguns and Handguns?

Last Updated : September 8, 2025 1184 view(s)

Everyone can look at shotguns, handguns and rifles and tell they're different guns.

They all look visibly different and are clearly different firearms.

But have you ever thought about what makes them different?

When you really break them down, the differences go beyond the surface level observations and can be interesting to learn about and consider.

The Firearm Barrel

The first thing most people notice about the different types of guns is their barrels.

Shotgun barrels, for example, are noticeably different from rifles and handguns.

Even the smallest shotgun, something like a .410 Gauge, is clearly identifiable as a shotgun at a glance.

Obviously, they’re much larger than handguns in length, but the barrel on a shotgun is also noticeably thinner.

Handguns and rifles have much thicker barrels than shotguns due in large part to the ammunition they fire.

Handgun and rifle ammunition create tremendous pressure within the chamber of the firearm.

Because of this, the barrels for these guns must be thicker to maintain their structural integrity.

The design of ammunition for shotguns makes this unnecessary, which dramatically changes the overall look of the gun.

Also, the barrels on rifles and handguns are rifled to create a twist in the rounds they fire.

This means they have grooves that span the length of the barrel and rotate as they go down the barrel.

This is done to create a spin in the round — much like a spiral on a football pass.

The spin helps stabilize bullets so they're more accurate over the distance traveled and less encumbered by air and wind resistance.

Shotguns, on the other hand, are smoothbores.

They don’t have rifling in their barrels.

This is because the shotgun was intended to fire shot, and the smooth barrel reduces friction.

A shot flies out of the barrel in a group and spreads outward in a pattern, so the issue of accuracy is less important.

With a shotgun, the intent is essentially to deliver as much power across the area of the target as possible.

Before someone tries to correct this: Yes, there are shotguns with rifled barrels.

The vast majority are smoothbores, though.

Ammunition Type

As we’ve mentioned, shotguns fire shot, which is a group of small BBs held together in a shell.

This shell construction is markedly different than that of handgun and rifle rounds.

Since rifles and handguns create tremendous chamber pressure, the ammunition meant for these guns must be able to withstand that pressure.

This is why rifles and handgun cartridges are made of brass, and shotgun shells are made of plastic.

Even with shotgun slugs, the casing is comprised of the same material.

Slugs represent another difference in ammunition.

They are essentially bullets designed to be fired from a shotgun.

But with slugs, the rifling is put on the round itself, since the barrels are smooth.

Handguns and rifles do not use this type of ammo.

But handgun and rifle ammo aren't exactly the same, either. Rifle rounds are more powerful with more muzzle velocity.

This is mainly due to the fact that the barrels are longer and can have more twist, allowing for better stabilization to handle that power and direct it to its intended target.

Also, in general, most handgun bullets are rounded, while most rifle rounds tend to taper to a point.

*For more information, check our Ammo Blog Article on the Most Common Ammunition Types for more information.

Lastly, many people probably think that rifle ammo is larger than handgun ammunition.

This is only partially true.

Most cartridges for rifles are considered larger because they often have longer rounds and more powder charge than handgun ammo.

But this doesn't mean rifles shoot larger calibers.

Many handgun rounds can be large in terms of caliber — looking at you, .50 AE Caliber.

Firearm Action / Operation

Shotguns generally fall into one of the following categories:

Pistols fall into one of the following categories:

Revolvers
Striker Fired
Hammer Fired
Double-Action
Single-Action
Semi-Automatic

Rifles fall into one of the following categories:

Each type of gun also has some differences in the way it cycles.

The Firearms Usage

On top of all that, each style of firearm also differs in its usage.

Each tends to fit a certain kind of situation better than the others.

There can be some overlap or even interchangeability, but for the most part, each plays its part in such a way that you wouldn’t want to use the other to handle certain situations.

The shotgun, for example, is excellent at shooting smaller, fast-moving targets.

Thanks to the smoothbore and shot spread pattern, it can cover an area to help you hit something that you might miss with traditional bullets.

Plus, the power generated to disperse those BBs in their pattern can be quite a devastating blow if used in close proximity.

This makes shotguns a solid choice for home defense in many people’s minds.

Speaking of defense, handguns are often a good choice for this purpose.

They're easily carried and are light — even when you account for extra ammunition.

Small and concealable, they make for a great tool to have on your person in case you must defend yourself.

Plus, there are numerous calibers from the very small to the very large, providing you with multiple options for defensive use.

Rifles, on the other hand, can fill the gaps the other two options leave open.

Rifles are accurate, especially over distances the other two styles cannot claim.

They can be used with precision for hunting everything from small game to large wild beasts.

While they might not be easily concealed, they can be used in self-defense situations as well as home defense.

They are very utilitarian, serving multiple purposes simultaneously, and that is largely the reason behind the rifle being the primary firearm of every army in the world.