Knight,
You're talking about the flechette rounds. Basically they're fin-stabilized darts. "Flechette-loaded shotgun ammunition was developed about 1950 by Irwin R. Barr formulated the concept of employing high-velocity, low-drag, finned projectiles for increased range and reduced time of flight in small-caliber, distribution-type ammunition. He proposed to employ the concept in rounds for the 50 machine gun, for 12 gauge shotguns and for .45 caliber pistols and submachine guns." Quote from page 464 of The World's Fighting Shotguns by Thomas F. Swearengen. This book is generally considered the text on fighting shotguns and related developments.
Chapter Ten of this volume deals with shotgun ammunition types including multilpe-projectile, buckshot, flechette, single-projectile, the U.S. Navy Silent Shotgun Shell, tear gas, explosive, flares and nonlethal riot-control ammunition.
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