Was the Blunderbuss the first shotgun? Is a Blunderbuss a rifle or shotgun?

A blunderbuss is a firearm with a short, large calibre barrel that is flared at the muzzle and frequently throughout the bore, and it is used with shot and other projectiles of appropriate quantity or calibre.

The blunderbuss is widely regarded as the ancestor of the modern shotgun, with similar military and defensive applications. It was only effective at close range and lacked accuracy at longer ranges.

Blunderbusses were especially popular from the 17th to the 19th centuries as self-defence weapons for wagon drivers and postmen against highway robbers and wild animals, as they were easy to handle due to their small size and their impact was almost certain when shooting at close range.

At a time when a typical musket barrel was over 90 cm (3 ft) long, blunderbusses were typically short, with barrels under 60 centimetres (2 ft) in length.

While various old accounts describe the blunderbuss being loaded with various scrap iron, rocks, or wood, resulting in bore damage, it was usually loaded with several lead balls smaller than the bore diameter. Steel or brass barrels were used.