Abstract: A short length shotgun barrel exhibiting high accuracy and reduced felt recoil, and providing for interchangeability of loads containing shot pellets and slugs. The barrel includes an elongated and tapered forcing cone, a backbored region between the muzzle and the forcing cone, and a muzzle region of smaller diameter than the backbored region. The nominal inside diameter of the barrel from the forcing cone to a point adjacent the muzzle is greater than the muzzle diameter, and the backbored region is roughened at the in proximity to the muzzle. The forcing cone is elongated and tapered down from the chamber toward the muzzle end of the barrel.