Canister shot is a type of ammunition which fires out a number of smaller projectiles at the cannon's muzzle. Though greatly reducing range, the sheer number of potential impacts across a wide area makes it a formidable anti-personnel weapon. These have been used since the era of muzzle loaded cannons, but gained renewed interest in the mid-1960s with the advent of smoothbore tank guns (rifling is easily damaged and makes these types of shells spread out their projectiles in a chaotic fashion).
