this invention provides a handgun assembly such as a rifle which has a barrel assembly including a cluster of barrels each supporting a longitudinal arrangement of aerodynamically shaped , directional projectiles and interposed propellant charges whereby the barrel assembly has longitudinal arrays or layers or projectiles and interposed propellant charges . ignition means is provided for selectively igniting the propellant charges including for simultaneously igniting the propellant charges in the leading layer of projectiles to provide a shotgun - like blast .