Boomstick vs. Shotgun — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 29, 2023
Boomstick is slang for a shotgun, a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder with a wide spread of shot.
Difference Between Boomstick and Shotgun
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Boomstick, a colloquial term, has become synonymous with shotguns primarily through pop culture references. It is not a technical term but rather a casual, sometimes humorous, moniker that refers to the loud, booming noise shotguns make when fired. When someone refers to a boomstick, in the context of firearms, they are informally denoting what is typically understood to be a shotgun.
Shotgun is the formal term for a category of firearm designed to discharge a multitude of small pellets, known as shot, from a smoothbore barrel. Shotguns are used for various activities, including hunting, sport shooting, and law enforcement. Unlike the term boomstick, shotgun is recognized in legal, military, and sporting terminologies.
The term boomstick can carry connotations beyond just firearms. It can be used metaphorically to refer to something powerful or impactful in different contexts, albeit less commonly. When someone uses the term outside of firearms discussion, it often requires contextual clues to interpret the meaning correctly.
In contrast, shotgun remains a specific and unambiguous term that clearly communicates the type of firearm being discussed. Its use is widespread and understood in technical, legislative, and recreational discussions without the need for additional context.
Using the term boomstick might be considered informal or irreverent in serious discussions about firearms, as it lacks the precision and formality associated with the term shotgun. In literature, media, or casual speech, however, boomstick may be preferred for its stylistic and evocative flair.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Slang for a shotgun.
A firearm with a smoothbore barrel.
Usage
Informal, colloquial.
Formal, technical.
Connotation
Often humorous or pop culture-referenced.
Serious, associated with law and sport.
Variety
Typically one type referred to.
Comes in various types and models.
Cultural Reference
Popularized by media, like movies.
Used across various cultural contexts.
Compare with Definitions
Boomstick
Slang for shotgun
He loaded his boomstick before heading out for the hunt.
Shotgun
Sporting firearm
She broke two clay pigeons with her shotgun.
Boomstick
A symbol of power
In the game, the boomstick is the ultimate weapon.
Shotgun
Method of wide distribution
The marketing campaign used a shotgun approach.
Boomstick
Pop culture reference
The hero wielded his boomstick against the zombies.
Shotgun
A shotgun (also known as a scattergun, or historically as a fowling piece) is a long-barreled firearm designed to shoot a straight-walled cartridge known as a shotshell, which usually discharges numerous small pellet-like spherical sub-projectiles called shot, or sometimes a single solid projectile called a slug. Shotguns are most commonly smoothbore firearms, meaning that their gun barrels have no rifling on the inner wall, but rifled barrels for shooting slugs (slug barrels) are also available.
Boomstick
A loud, attention-grabbing thing
The new sound system is a real boomstick.
Shotgun
A smooth-bore gun for firing small shot at short range.
Boomstick
Metaphorically, something impactful
His speech was a boomstick that left the crowd in awe.
Shotgun
The front passenger seat in a vehicle
I took the shotgun seat
Boomstick
In logging, any of the larger logs chained together to create a floating boom.
Shotgun
Aimed at a wide range of things; having no specific target
Many companies use the shotgun approach, aiming advertising at the widest possible audience
Boomstick
(slang) Any shotgun, especially a sawn-off version.
Shotgun
Denoting a long, narrow single-storey house whose rooms are arranged one behind another
His family lived in a shotgun shack in South Memphis
Shotgun
Shoot at or kill with a shotgun
He had been shotgunned by drug dealers
Shotgun
Consume (a canned drink) in one go by puncturing the can, putting one’s mouth over the resulting hole, and then opening the can by means of the ring pull to produce a rapid flow
A group of us shotgunned beers
Shotgun
A smoothbore gun that fires shot over short ranges. Also called scattergun.
Shotgun
(Football) An offensive formation, used especially for passing, in which the quarterback receives the snap several yards behind the line of scrimmage.
Shotgun
Of, relating to, or using a shotgun.
Shotgun
Obtained by or involving coercion
A shotgun compromise.
Shotgun
Covering a wide range in a haphazard or ineffective manner
Shotgun methods of testing the hypothesis that wasted time and money.
Shotgun
Having the rooms joined in a line from front to back
A shotgun house, a shotgun apartment.
Shotgun
To shoot at with a shotgun.
Shotgun
To drink (a can of beer or other beverage) quickly through a hole punched near the bottom of the can.
Shotgun
Used to claim the front passenger seat of a vehicle before a trip has started.
Shotgun
(firearms) A gun which fires loads typically consisting of small metal balls, called shot, from a cartridge.
Meat was cooked up within hours after the hunter killed the deer with his shotgun.
Shotgun
(slang) The front passenger seat in a vehicle, next to the driver; so called because the position of the shotgun-armed guard on a horse-drawn stage-coach, wagon train, or gold transport was next to the driver on a forward-mounted bench seat. Can also be used in situations of claiming other resources such as bedrooms.
Shotgun
A one-story dwelling with no hallways or corridors, with the rooms arranged in a straight line.
Elvis Presley was born in a two-bedroom shotgun in Tupelo, Mississippi.
Shotgun
(American football) An offensive formation in which the quarterback receives the snap at a distance behind the center, often with a running back set to one or both sides of him.
Shotgun
Relating to shotguns, either in a present or past sense.
Shotgun cartridges
Shotgun seat
Shotgun
Relating to the threat of force or dubious means.
Shotgun wedding
Shotgun diplomacy
Shotgun
Relating to the use of numerous, diverse or indiscriminate means to achieve a particular result.
Shotgun marketing
Shotgun approach
Shotgun
To inhale from a pipe or other smoking device, followed shortly by an exhalation into someone else’s mouth.
Shotgun
To verbally lay claim to (something)
I got a day off because I shotgunned it.
Shotgun
To hit the ball directly back at the pitcher.
Shotgun
To rapidly drink a beverage from a can by making a hole in the bottom of the can, placing the hole above one's mouth, and opening the top.
Shotgun
To send out many (requests, answers to a question, etc), especially in the hope that one obtains a positive result (i.e. reveals useful information, is correct, etc), in the manner of a shotgun firing many balls of shot such that one may hit a target.
Shotgun
To employ the technique of shotgun debugging.
Shotgun
A light, smooth-bored gun, often double-barreled, especially designed for firing small shot at short range, and killing small game.
Shotgun
Firearm that is a double-barreled smoothbore shoulder weapon for firing shot at short ranges
Shotgun
Firearm with a smooth bore
He aimed the shotgun at the flying ducks.
Shotgun
Used for shooting at short ranges
The officer carried a shotgun for close-quarters defense.
Shotgun
A seat in a vehicle, informally
I called shotgun to sit in the front seat.
Common Curiosities
What exactly does boomstick mean?
Boomstick is slang for a shotgun, emphasizing its loud discharge.
Is boomstick a technical term?
No, it’s a colloquial term, not used in technical contexts.
Why is a shotgun called a boomstick in popular culture?
It's called a boomstick for its distinctive, booming sound when fired.
Are all boomsticks shotguns?
In firearm context, yes, but the term can have other metaphorical meanings.
Can the term boomstick be used officially?
It's typically not used in official or technical documentation.
Is a boomstick always a weapon?
It usually refers to a shotgun but can be metaphorical for other impactful things.
What is the origin of the term shotgun?
It comes from the fact that the gun fires shot pellets.
Can boomstick be used in legal language?
It is not recommended due to its informal nature.
Are boomsticks legal to own?
As shotguns, they are legal with the appropriate licensing in many regions.
How is a shotgun different from a rifle?
A shotgun fires shot that spreads, while a rifle fires a single bullet with precision.
Can the term shotgun refer to anything other than a firearm?
Informally, it can refer to the front passenger seat in a vehicle.
What's the cultural significance of the term boomstick?
It gained popularity from its use in movies and television.
What types of ammunition can a shotgun use?
Shotguns can fire shells filled with shot or a single projectile called a slug.
Do all shotguns make a booming sound?
Most do, which is why the term boomstick can be an appropriate nickname.
Is it appropriate to use boomstick in educational materials?
It is generally more appropriate to use the term shotgun in educational contexts.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
