Oh yes, and how big, heavy, and what shape sword are we talking about? Is it throwable?

And, most important of all, what are the winning conditions?

If it's gun vs sword, neither (or both) will win. I think the chances the either can destroy the other is quite slim. Although it would probably be harder to 'destroy' a sword (even if bend or blunt it can still inflict quite a bit of harm), if the (shot)gun would no longer be able to fire (out of rounds or disabled) then it would just become a club (also decently harmful, but would at that point cease to be a 'gun').

Of course, if the survival of the wielder is important it all becomes a matter of skill and environment.

There are far to many variable to be able to tell who would win. The skill level of the wielders, weather, where it is happening, are they alone or are ther other people around, that sort of thing. Shot gun would have a slightly higher percentage of winning but it also has a higher percentage of failure then a sword.

When they fight will it be a staright out battle or an ambush? The one with the element of surprise tips the scale in there favour.

Quote from Sonia

Have you ever seen Indiana Jones?

this.

gun > sword in the real world

well...
since nobody specifically said the shotgun has ammo, im guessing that the sword will win unless the wielder of the shotgun is skilled enough to parry the sword and maul him to death.

Quote from AliceinAmestris

There are far to many variable to be able to tell who would win. The skill level of the wielders, weather, where it is happening, are they alone or are ther other people around, that sort of thing. Shot gun would have a slightly higher percentage of winning but it also has a higher percentage of failure then a sword.

When they fight will it be a staright out battle or an ambush? The one with the element of surprise tips the scale in there favour.

Actually, a sword has a much higher chance of "failure" than a shotgun. For the simple reason that human's make mistakes a lot more often than technology. A well-made shotgun will misfire rarely, and at any moderately close range it's virtually impossible to miss. Even a good swordsman will fail to cut a moving target with any degree of lethality pretty damn often.

"It is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science."

swords both lose in close and ranged battle against a shotgun.

1. a shotgun is a lot more effective in closed range, because of the spread shot.
2. a shotgun is a gun, so you can't beat it in ranged either.

the only way a sword can win are either the shotgun has no bullets or the weilder of the sword is faster than the eye could see.

Already a pretty long thread about this here.

Quote from BossKado

swords both lose in close and ranged battle against a shotgun.

1. a shotgun is a lot more effective in closed range, because of the spread shot.

2. a shotgun is a gun, so you can't beat it in ranged either.

the only way a sword can win are either the shotgun has no bullets or the weilder of the sword is faster than the eye could see.

Bull,
A shotgun is less effective in close-range since the spread is much less (sure, IF you get hit - you get hit hard). If you are close enough it's not that hard to push a barrel out of you way or just stab the guy and be done with it.
'a shotgun is a gun, so you can't beat it in ranged either.'... Of course you can't beat a gun in range with a sword... which has no range except it's own length and the length of the wielders arm (if not thrown).
But something being a gun does not make it unbeatable in ranged.
The wielder of the sword wouldn't need to be faster than the eye could see, especially so if the wielder of any type of gun can't aim (fast).

When both are used in mêlée combat, the sword has the edge (no pun intended).
But come on, comparison is pointless because both are completely different weapon classes.
What's next? chariot vs tank, chopper vs kukri?

Quote from Joentjuh

A shotgun is less effective in close-range since the spread is much less (sure, IF you get hit - you get hit hard). If you are close enough it's not that hard to push a barrel out of you way or just stab the guy and be done with it.

wrong, before you've pushed the barrel out of the way some part of yourself would have already been blown off. just by touching the barrel would have prompt the weilder to pull the trigger. the only way that would work is inattentiveness, which would be the weilder fault not the weapon.

Quote from Joentjuh

'a shotgun is a gun, so you can't beat it in ranged either.'... Of course you can't beat a gun in range with a sword... which has no range except it's own length and the length of the wielders arm (if not thrown).
But something being a gun does not make it unbeatable in ranged.
The wielder of the sword wouldn't need to be faster than the eye could see, especially so if the wielder of any type of gun can't aim (fast).

even if he can't aim that fast the shotgun would still be in advantage since it is a gun. unless he goes trigger happy on him which would be stupid..

Quote from Joentjuh

Bull,
A shotgun is less effective in close-range since the spread is much less (sure, IF you get hit - you get hit hard). If you are close enough it's not that hard to push a barrel out of you way or just stab the guy and be done with it.

Are you serious?

This might work if the gunman was completely stationary and was slower than a turtle. In a real life situation, if you try to grab a gun, you are dead. If you are so close that he can't aim at you effectively, you are too close to swing a sword with any kind of force. And if you could just "stab the guy", he could just as easily "pull the trigger". It's a lot easier to dodge a sword swing or thrust than it is to keep each of your body parts away from the point of a barrel.

Your suggestion of throwing a sword is even more laughable. Once again, this is reality, not a movie. Even assuming you have half-decent aim, a sword being thrown is slow and easy to dodge at 20 feet+. Not to mention that there's a high chance that a direct hit won't even be blade-side-first.

And if you're trying to close the distance on a gunman without a ton of cover between you and him, you will get shot, repeatedly, assuming the gunman can lead the target in any capacity. On the off-chance that you do avoid getting shot even once, you'll still be a lot more tired than he is.

the sniper wins 😉

Quote from BossKado

Quote from Joentjuh

A shotgun is less effective in close-range since the spread is much less (sure, IF you get hit - you get hit hard). If you are close enough it's not that hard to push a barrel out of you way or just stab the guy and be done with it.

wrong, before you've pushed the barrel out of the way some part of yourself would have already been blown off. just by touching the barrel would have prompt the weilder to pull the trigger. the only way that would work is inattentiveness, which would be the weilder fault not the weapon.

Quote from Joentjuh

'a shotgun is a gun, so you can't beat it in ranged either.'... Of course you can't beat a gun in range with a sword... which has no range except it's own length and the length of the wielders arm (if not thrown).
But something being a gun does not make it unbeatable in ranged.
The wielder of the sword wouldn't need to be faster than the eye could see, especially so if the wielder of any type of gun can't aim (fast).

even if he can't aim that fast the shotgun would still be in advantage since it is a gun. unless he goes trigger happy on him which would be stupid..

That is assuming the barrel is already pointed at you... Which is not a pre-existing condition.

Sure I admit, in most situations a gun is 'better' (at killing), but not always.
In fact, it's not even stated that the winning condition is incapacitating the other party.... Actually, nothing is stated and everything is possible.

That, and the sword just has more class, history, and functionality than a (shot)gun.

not really even if its not, it will still end up that way. no matter how fast the guy(unless he moves faster than the eye could see) shooting a close range would be a cinch, you don't even need to aim anymore. unless by close range you mean just 1 or 2 ft apart, then they both die.

agree with more class and history, but functionality? not so sure about that.

Quote from BossKado

agree with more class and history, but functionality? not so sure about that.

Well, I don't know about that. I mean, you can't make a sandwich with a gun, can you? 😮

Sarcasm just doesn't work over the internet.

well, seeing as how most swords in anime are magical and real guns are not. I'll have to say that the sword wins 😁