Sometimes, when the only gun you can find in the beginning of a game is a pistol or shotgun, knowing how to properly use it might be your only chance of surviving. Later in the game, assault rifles and snipers reign supreme, but right after dropping, shotguns and pistols can definitely hold their own in the hands of a competent player.
Pistols
There are a total of five pistols in the game, several of which are map exclusive. The pistols available on both Miramar and Erangel are the P92, P1911, and the P18C. The P92 is the well-rounded pistol of the three with a 15 round magazine without an extended magazine. It does average damage compared to the other two pistols putting it squarely in the middle in terms of damage. The P1911 does the most damage of the three pistols, but the cost is an extremely small clip that holds only 7 bullets. On the other side of the spectrum, the P18C does the least damage but boasts the highest magazine at 17 and an automatic fire mode that the other two pistols don’t have. The final two pistols in the game are the R1895 and R45 revolvers. Both deal high damage at the cost of a slow fire and reload rate.
Shotguns
In PUBG, there are four different types of shotguns, each with their unique qualities. The S1897 is a pump action shotgun that holds 5 shots. Players who use this shotgun are able to have a decent ammo count, but each shot requires a pump which could be enough time for the enemy to finish you off. The S686 is a double barrel shotgun that can fire twice quickly, but takes a long time to reload. The S12K is a rifle like shotgun with a semi-automatic firing mode for its 5 bullets. However, it does slightly less damage than its shotgun counterparts. Finally, the Sawed-Off is a Miramar exclusive shotgun that behaves like an eco-version of the S686. It has extremely short range and should be only used as a last resort.