Artillery used to be the biggest threat to foot soldiers, now most casualties are caused by drones. One big difference is that FPVs can be shot down, giving troops a chance to save themselves in the last second before impact.
There are plenty of videos showing soldiers shooting down drones targeting them–or failing to. Real life is much tougher than fictional TV representations of drone warfare like this exciting but unrealistic sequence in Lioness.
Hitting drones is challenging–normal ammunition gives extremely little chance of a kill–and troops carry shotguns for FPV protection. There’s a detailed analysis of one extended shotguns vs drones action here. Now anti-drone shotshells for assault rifles are now being issued at scale. How well do these work, and what is the best personal anti-drone weapon?
The Shotgun Revival
A spread of pellets gives greater chance of hitting a small, elusive target than a single bullet, which is why shotguns are now so common. Previously they were used mainly for breaching, blasting doors open, but demand has surged.
“We need to give the end users as much chance as possible to connect with a target,” Paul Bradley, Ballistician at Beretta Group, told me. “Currently the best way to do this in terms of affordable kinetics is a shotgun.”
These weapons are widely seen in the hands of ordinary foot soldiers as well as specialists protecting sites from drones. 12-guage semi-auto is the preferred type; the big question is over ammunition.
The 1st Marine Division’s Counter-Drone Handbook says that in tests, tiny No.9 bird shot (typically 600 pellets) scored a 45% hit rate against targets flying in a straight line, while OO Shot (8 or 9 pellets) only scored 5%. But they also found that several No. 9 cartridges might be needed , as small perforations did not always stop a drone. There is a balance between the chance of a hit, and the effectiveness of that hit.
In November 2024, Hexagon, a Beretta company specializing in ammunition, carried out their own tests with Olympic trap shooter Aaron Heading taking on a variety of representative FPVs using different types of shot. They settled on Size 6 shot, with a one-meter grouping at 50 meters.
But while plastic Mavic-type drones are relatively easy to take down carbon-fiber FPVs proved much tougher against standard lead shot.
“The pellet material is important,” says Bradley. “Drones absorb a lot of kinetic energy as they have very little inertia. They are moved by the impact. Rather like punching a guy in zero gravity. Therefore lead loads are largely ineffective.”
Bradley says the preferred ammunition is something like the ADL-ER 120 cartridge which features tungsten shot. This is both harder and denser than lead, and more effective at bringing down FPVs. The payload is 34 grams of shot, or about 180 pellets.
The Russians seem to have come to the same conclusion, with state arms maker Rostec producing “super-hard” Igla 100 12-Guage anti-drone ammunition made from a tungsten-nickel-iron alloy. This is loaded with 42 grams of No 5 Buckshot which indicates around 150 pellets. The alloy is described 1.5 times denser than lead and is claimed to have proven effective against drones in action.
These loads give a reasonable chance of hitting and downing an incoming FPV. Bradley says that while there are no official statistics from Ukraine, there is no doubt about the preference for shotguns.
“We know from feedback that all the troops would rather carry one than not,” says Bradley.
It may take several shots to hit a drone, raising questions over why some armies, notably the French and the British have been seen training with pump-action shotguns. The British Army has adopted the L351A1, a Mossberg 12-gauge pump-action with a box magazine, for counter-drone use.
A shooter with a pump-action shotgun can take 400 milliseconds between aimed shots, and often more. Working the pump action moves the barrel so the shooter has to take aim again. A semi-automatic cuts this to 300 milliseconds, with experts firing even faster. The semi-auto gives a better chance of a second shot before impact, but realistic testing is needed to confirm how significant the difference is.
Kalashnikov went the other way, recently unveiling a lightweight single-shot, counter drone shotgun which was widely mocked. The idea seems to be that it could be easily carried in addition to a main weapon, but Russian bloggers said nobody wanted it. One remarked it would only be useful for shooting yourself.
Beretta have an equally unlikely solution, going to the other extreme to put as many pellets in the air as possible: a vehicle mount for no less than eight 12-guage shotguns firing together. It is not clear how well this set-up will work in practice.
The Shotshell Option
While only a few troops have shotguns, all are issued with assault rifles. Some Ukrainian commentators even advocate these rather than shotguns for drone defence.
“We, at 151NT, are consistent advocates and ‘sectarians’ of using personal weapons against FPV first and foremost. Because this weapon is always with the infantryman and the drone operator….it’s always available,” stated one in a discussion on counter-drone practice on X.
Special ammunition converts the rifle into a shotgun. There are plenty of options with improvised solutions in the field used alongside manufactured specialty rounds.
On the Russian side Tula’s Central Design and Research Bureau of Sporting and Hunting Weapons (TsKIB SOO) produces three-element anti-drone bullets in 5.45 mm assault rifle and 7.62 mm rifle/machine-gun calibers. From the weights given, these correspond approximately to No. 6 buckshot and 00 Buckshot. Rostec produce a similar three-pellet design.
The Ukrainian 5.56mm Horoshok (”Pea”) cartridge has been codified, meaning it is available as a standard military item. It releases 5 lead pellets, corresponding to No. 2 Buckshot. Defence source Militarnyi warns that multiple hits may be needed to stop a drone, suggesting again that denser metal would be preferable.
The U.S, XVIII Airborne Corps have tested ammunition made by Drone Rounds. This comes in 5.56mm and 7.62mm, with more calibers expected soon. There are two variants, the K which comprises 8 projectiles and the long-range L with 5 projectiles and an effective range of 100 metres.
“Shotguns simply aren’t designed for that range,” a Drone Round spokesperson told me.
Pellets fired from assault rifles have around 60% greater muzzle velocity and strike with greater energy. And on full auto the weapon can put a stream of aimed projectiles into the air.
“Against a fast-moving drone, the ability to put multiple rounds on target quickly is critical. A shotgun’s cycling speed and 5 to 8 round capacity fall well short of what a 30-round magazine and semi-automatic fire can deliver,” said the spokesperson.
Battlefield Experience In Ukraine
The commander of the Typhoon drone unit of the National Guard of Ukraine. callsign ‘Michael,‘ told me that the concept of anti-drone ammunition for assault rifles was sound and simply carrying an extra magazine is easier. But shotguns are still the most popular choice.
“The 12-gauge semi-automatic is currently the most reliable personal weapon for close-in drone interception,” says Michael.
And while shotshells with their added velocity and range have theoretical benefits, in practice there are situations where the weapon makes little difference.
“The main practical constraint isn’t range, it’s geometry: a head-on diving drone is a near-impossible shot regardless of weapon,” says Michael.
Michael says that shooting drones is inherently dangerous. The safest best it always to head for cover – if there is any available. Then the drone can be engaged from relatively safety and a stable shooting position. In open terrain, an FPV moving at speed is likely to catch anyone on foot running for cover. That is the only time shooting starts to become the best choice.
“In the absence of any cover, engaging is the only option – but it should be treated as a last resort, not a primary tactic,” said Michael.
Anti-drone small arms are not a solution to the FPV problem. But, like body armor, a shotgun or the right ammunition might give you a better chance of survival.