Sam drove to nearby Canton, where he visited a sporting-goods store and purchased a twelve-gauge shotgun.

NEWYORKER: A Loaded Gun

Twelve-gauge shotguns often fire five shells, and sometimes more, before needing to be reloaded.

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He had discovered a U.S. Army report suggesting that a military version of the Mossberg twelve-gauge, when dropped on its muzzle, can occasionally misfire.

NEWYORKER: A Loaded Gun