Few weapons are as effective or intimidating in close range war games as and Airsoft shotgun. Shot guns are beloved by war gamers for their appearance, their ability to spray a target, thus making up for inaccuracy by the shooter, and their ability to carry more rounds than common hand guns. Some spring shot guns only have an effective range of fifty feet while others, such as the UTG M87LA Spring Airsoft Shotgun Full Stock have an effective range of over one hundred and twenty feet.

Airsoft shotguns come only in spring mechanisms because all shotguns need to be cocked before they are fired. This does not mean, however, that there is limited selection among shotguns. There are UTG shotguns, shotguns by other makers, and shotguns of various. Some smaller, lighter weight shotguns, such as the Neonfire SPAS 12 V2.0 AS Spring Shot Gun, are effective at a range of eighty feet and have a muzzle velocity of around two hundred feet per second (fps). Larger, heavier guns, such as the UTG M87LA Spring Airsoft Shotgun Full Stock, are capable of firing up to one hundred and thirty feet and have a muzzle velocity of three hundred and eighteen fps.

The difference in the weights of the guns determines their uses. The lighter models, such as the aforementioned Neonfire SPAS 12 V2.0 Airsoft Spring Shot Gun can weigh less than three pounds, while others, such as the more heavy duty UTG M87LA Spring Airsoft Shotgun Full Stock, can weigh over four and a half pounds. Lighter guns can be worn on a harness and carried as back-up where as the larger, heavier guns, demand to be used as primary weapons.