An upper receiver and barrel assembly includes an upper receiver, a barrel assembly and a gas piston assembly. An upper receiver housing receives a shotgun shell cartridge and the bolt carrier group includes a bolt carrier, a bolt within the bolt carrier, a firing pin and an ejector pin to expel fired shells. The barrel assembly includes a barrel, a barrel extension and a barrel nut to secure the barrel and barrel extension to the upper receiver housing. The gas piston assembly includes a piston body, a piston end cap and a piston bonnet configured to slidably receive the piston end cap therein. A piston gap is defined between the piston end cap and the bonnet end wall. The barrel defines a gas port fluidly connecting the open bore of the barrel with the piston gap. A biasing member urges the piston toward the bonnet.