riot gun


noun

a gun, especially a shotgun with a short barrel, for quelling riots rather than inflicting serious injury.

Origin of riot gun

First recorded in 1925–30

Example sentences from the Web for riot gun

  • The Colonel ejected his words with the decisive click of a riot-gun.

    'Me-Smith' |Caroline Lockhart
  • Then he went in and got his riot-gun, well loaded with duck-shot.

    Following the Color Line |Ray Stannard Baker
  • So they raged all night, firing at the jail, but not daring to come too near the man with the riot-gun.

    Following the Color Line |Ray Stannard Baker