There are many firearms that symbolize America. There certainly would be quite a few on that list and somewhere on that list, would be a double-barreled sawed-off shotgun. Now, I’m not saying there aren’t other countries that don’t have sawed-off shotguns, it’s just that when we think of a sawed-off shotgun, we just tend to think of ‘America’. My grandfather used to keep one in a closet by the front door of his house and when I asked him why, he just said “It’s there ‘just in case'”.
But where did it originate from?
Here’s the answer: ‘The sawed-off shotgun was invented by shepherds in Sicily to protect their livestock, hence the Italian name “lupara”, which means “for the wolf”. It was introduced in the United States by Sicilian immigrants in the 19th century and instantly gained popularity among gangsters. It was powerful weapon and very easy to conceal. Sawed off shotguns can be especially deadly because the ammunition is propelled faster than it would be if the barrel was complete’.
According to Wikipedia:
A sawed-off shotgun (also called a sawn-off shotgun, short-barreled shotgun, shorty or a boom stick) is a type of shotgun with a shorter gun barrel—typically under 18 inches (46 cm)—and often a shortened or absent stock. Despite the colloquial term, barrels do not, strictly speaking, have to be shortened with a saw. Barrels can be manufactured at shorter lengths as an alternative to traditional, longer barrels. This makes them easier to transport due to their smaller profile and lighter weight.
The design also makes the weapon easy to maneuver in cramped spaces, a feature sought by military close-quarters combat units, law enforcement SWAT team users, and home-defense purposes. As a result of the shorter barrel length, any sawed-off shotgun with a magazine tube will have its capacity reduced.
In the 1930s, the United States, Britain and Canada mandated that a permit be required to own these firearms. They are subject to legal restrictions depending upon jurisdiction. They are used by military forces and police agencies worldwide.
