Abstract: In the embodiment of the invention described in the specification, a shotgun includes a trigger housing having a rotatably mounted hammer, a pivotally mounted trigger and a slidably and rotatably mounted disconnect member. The disconnect member links the trigger and the hammer in the cocked position, but is disconnected from the trigger when the hammer is released.

Abstract: The charging handle in the gun includes a body having a non-round cross-section which slides into a corresponding non-round transversely extending opening in the slide block. An upstanding vane fits into a recess in the slide block on the inside of the bolt to prevent the charging handle from sliding laterally out of the receiver. To remove the charging handle, it is necessary merely to remove the barrel which permits the bolt to cock upwardly at its forward end, thereby clearing the top end of the vane and permitting the charging handle to be simply slid out of the receiver.

Abstract: A gas-operated, magazine fed firearm includes a shell carrier for receiving shells from the magazine and lifting them into chambering position. An integral shell stop and carrier latch lever pivotally mounted in the receiver latches the shell carrier in its lowered, shell-receiving position and releases a single shell from the magazine to be moved onto the shell carrier by the magazine spring. The shell stop lever blocks the following shell from moving onto the shell carrier and releases the shell carrier for transferring the shell to chambering position. The shell stop lever shifts laterally to permit shells to be loaded past the carrier into the magazine from the feeding end.