Ukraine’s Defense Ministry Approves Safari HG-105M Shotgun for Drone Warfare

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has codified and authorized the use of the Safari HG-105M semi-automatic shotgun in the units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

This was stated by the Defense Ministry.

This rifle can be used as a small arms weapon in confined combat spaces, such as during assaults on enemy trenches and occupied buildings.

With the use of hunting ammunition with shotgun pellets, the HG-105M can be used as a tool to combat enemy FPV drones.

The Safari HG-105M is a semi-automatic shotgun with a gas-piston mechanism and a detachable magazine. It is manufactured using bullpup technology.

It refers to a weapon design that shortens its overall length without decreasing the length of the barrel.

The use of bullpup technology allows the center of gravity to be shifted to the center of the weapon, which reduces the load on the shooter during prolonged use.

The weapon is designed to use 12-gauge ammunition with a magazine capacity of 5 or 10 rounds. The rifle weighs a bit over 4 kilograms.

Shotguns in the Russian-Ukrainian war

Previously, in April 2024, Militarnyi reported that soldiers of the 68th Ranger Brigade were training to shoot accurately with Hatsan Escort semi-automatic shotguns to combat enemy drones.

At that time, the military said that they had experimentally identified the most effective type of ammunition and rifle for this purpose. This approach proved successful, becoming essential in the context of the active use of drones.

Russians also use guns to counter drones. In March 2024, a Russian infantryman was reported to be armed with a TOZ-34M double-barreled hunting rifle.

The Russian “drone hunter” was carrying a Bulat drone signal detector and a portable electronic warfare system.