Derrek Sigler 05.12.21
Just about all of us have a shotgun or three in the gun safe. These versatile firearms work well for many situations and are a great tool for hunting. We all have our favorite shotguns and the reasons why we like them are even more varied. While there are plenty of specialized shotguns on the market, including competition and home-defense shotguns, I’m sticking just to hunting guns, because they can work for just about any situation. What makes the best shotgun for hunting is an opinion as diverse as who makes the best pickup truck. I’ll touch on this again in a moment. Just know that the shotguns I’m including below are ones I have had a lot of experience with, and if your shotgun doesn’t make the cut, it’s not because it’s a bad gun. It just means it didn’t fit me well, or I haven’t spent enough time with it to feel I know it. With that in mind, these are the best shotguns for hunting and home that you can buy.
Please note that the shotguns listed below are currently available online, which means, like all online firearm sales, they will have to ship to your local FFL dealer for the transfer paperwork and NICS background check. If you are unfamiliar with how this works, please feel free to drop us a line, or contact the online firearm dealer, who will happily walk you through the process of becoming a legal firearm owner.
Cover image: Realtree/Konway
Table of Contents
1. Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus KO – Editor’s Pick
I’ll admit, I struggled deciding between two shotguns as my top pick.I’ll get to the other one in just a moment, but at the top of the list, I ultimately went with the Beretta A400 because the majority of the time, it is the shotgun I grab when heading out to the goose or duck blinds. This is a gas-operated semi-auto that chambers up to 3-½ inch shells. It is outfitted with all kinds of goodness that increase accuracy and durability, while also reducing felt recoil – something worth noting when shooting heavy loads for geese and turkey. The stock has both synthetic material designed to slide across your skin smoothly, allowing you to not feel as much shock from the gun, and a specially-designed hydraulic dampening reduction system that reduces felt recoil as much as 44%. The new Steelium barrels are more durable and consistent than ever before, with a design that increases pattern uniformity and even more recoil reduction. I’ve been shooting a version of this shotgun for years now and even though the price is up there, I am most comfortable with it and it makes me a better shooter. That’s worth a lot to me.
Pros/Recoil reduction is huge, quality of construction and it feels great
Cons/Price and it takes a little extra cleaning
Bottom Line/This is a price-is-no-object kinda shotgun, but it’s worth it in my opinion
2. Benelli Super Black Eagle II – Editor’s Pick Part II
Yes, I know there is a Super Black Eagle III on the market. I’ve shot it and REALLY like it, but I haven’t spent as much time with it as I have the SBEII, and the SBEII is around $400-500 less. Contrary to the Beretta, the Benelli is an inertia driven system, meaning the recoil of the spent shell is what cycles the gun’s action. This does a few things. One, it creates fewer internal parts inside the gun. It also helps reduce the felt recoil and on a shotgun that cycles 3-½ inch shells, that helps. Does it reduce it as much as the Beretta KO system? No, at least not for me. However, recoil doesn’t bother me much, especially in a hunting situation. If I have a flock of geese dropping in over my head in the cut cornfield, I can guarantee I won’t feel the shots.
Durability is a key selling point to the Benelli. I’ve seen them dropped in the mud, and into the water, and still work flawlessly. Benelli adds some gel-tech material to the stock for recoil, and the barrels are crio-treated for consistency and accuracy. Are the SBEIII’s worth the added cost? I honestly can’t say yet. I’m looking forward to trying out one this fall, so I will let you know for sure.
Pros/It shoots – every time!
Cons/More felt recoil and doesn’t cycle lighter shells as well
Bottom Line/If you want a shotgun you can paddle your boat with and still hunt, try a Benelli
3. Stoeger M3000 – Budget Pick
Stoeger is basically Benelli’s little brother. They get the hand-me-downs and don’t even get to play on the same ballfield. Truth be told, Stoegers are made to similar designs as its Benelli parentage, just made by Turkish craftsmen instead of Italian. This is really good news for someone in the market for a budget-friendly semi-auto. The M3000 is an inertia-driven (where have we seen this before) shotgun that shares basic designs with the Benelli M2 and SBE. Is it the same? No, but it is similar enough that you’ll appreciate how well these guns work.
The biggest difference is the break-in time. You grab a Benelli and you’re shooting right out of the box with a smooth action. Stoegers tend to need a box or two of shells run through them, and a good cleaning or two before you’ll see your best performance. Don’t overlook SToeger if you’re in the market for an affordable shotgun.
Pros/Works great and shares many Benelli parts
Cons/Needs a good break-in period for optimal performance
Bottom Line/This is one of the best shotguns in this price range
4. Savage Renegauge – New Pick
Fans of the Stevens line of shotguns know that Savage had it in them to make really nice, functional shotguns, so when they dropped the American-made Renegauge on us, it really hit home just how well the company is at making high-quality firearms. Built around Savage’s patented D.R.I.V. (Dual Regulating Inline Valve) gas system, the Renegauge quick hit the ground running with a reputation for being able to handle any load up to 3 inches and cycle it remarkably smooth and fast. Its the fast cycle speed that really hit home with me, as well as how the gun felt in my hands. It is unlike any hunting semi-auto shotgun I’ve tried with how it fits and feels, but it really works. This is one of those times you can definitely believe the hype.
Pros/Super fast cycling and great feel
Cons/New enough that finding aftermarket choke is harder right now
Bottom Line/If you’re thinking of buying one, do it.
5. Weatherby Orion – Over/Under Pick
Over and under shotguns are where the money is. You can find them costing over $10,000, and for as little as $400 or less. O/U are versatile shotguns and are a personal favorite for upland birds and competition shooting. These are also, in my opinion, the most visually appealing shotguns. How do you find the balance of aesthetics, functionality, quality and value? A great place to go is by looking at the Weatherby Orion. It has a forged steel receiver and Grade A walnut is used for the stock. The walnut is a big deal for me. I love the look and feel of walnut regardless of what it is used for, and on my “pretty” guns, it’s a must. This shotgun comes with spare choke tubes and is just a fun gun to shoot. The price tag is quite reasonable, too. It’s not the cheapest, but it won’t hurt much either.
Pros/Grade A walnut stocks, points great
Cons/I’d like to have seen more choke tubes included for more uses
Bottom Line/A great example of a quality O/U shotgun that shoots great and you’d be proud to own
Missing shotguns
I guarantee that some of you are scoffing at this article right now because there are several extremely popular shotguns missing from the list. Trust me, I get it. As you know, there has been a run on firearms and ammunition in recent months, to the point that finding what you want in stock can be tough. That’s where I started when I went to make up this list. I went through and picked out 15 shotguns I would include on my best shotguns list, and then went to see how many of them were readily available. The list dwindled quickly.
You would definitely find a couple of Mossbergs, a Browning or two, at least one Winchester, Franchi and more on my best shotguns list, and when those start showing back up in stock for more than a few minutes, I’ll update and add them. I don’t want you to read this and say, “He’s full of it for not including the Mossberg 500!” I just didn’t want to tell you to get one and for you to not be able to. I’m not that mean!
Fitting your shotgun
Fit is vital to shotgun performance. If it doesn’t fit you right, you won’t hit nearly as much as you’d like. Let’s look at some common areas. Length of pull is the measurement between the apex of the trigger and the middle of the butt. If the length is too long, the shotgun won’t come to your shoulder pocket, or the balance of the shotgun will be too far forward to accurately shoot. Many shotguns come with a spacer set to perfect the length of pull, and it really works well to have someone watch you mount the shotgun to your shoulder to tell if it’s going to work.
Drop is another element of fit. To figure out drop, you need to shoot a bunch, preferably at a consistent target. If you’re shooting high, your shotgun mount, where your cheek rests on the stock (comb), is also too high. If you’re consistently low, you need to raise the comb. One way to figure this out is to see how your eye lines up with the bead at the end of the barrel. Sounds daunting, but to fit everything right, it just takes time and patience. If you need help, a quality gunsmith can have you busting birds in no time.
How much should I spend on a shotgun?
Spend as much as you want, but make sure the shotgun you buy has a decent track record for operation and safety.
Can I shoot slugs through any shotgun?
No. You need to make sure the barrel of your shotgun is rated for slugs, and then follow the manufacturer’s rules for chokes and slug type. You’ll get the best performance out of a slug-specific barrel.
Can I have too many shotguns?
Silly question. No, of course not, You can never own too many.
About the Author
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