Topic: The Best Semi Auto Shotguns of 2023 (Read 36 times)
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Why it Made the Cut
This is a functional and capable semi-automatic shotgun that has a real-world price of about $550.
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There aren’t many shotguns (even pump shotguns) at the $550 price point that we would reco*mend. Even if you consider your shotgun to be a tool and nothing more, you’re likely going to have that tool for many years, and perhaps a lifetime. If the gun doesn’t run reliably, that’s many years of misery. Especially when it co*es to semi-auto shotguns, it’s usually smart to invest a little more money on the front end for a mid-priced shotgun in the $800 to $1,000 range.
So it was with a skeptical eye that we looked upon the CZ 712 G3 during our test of the best shotguns in 2023. This is a Turkish-made gas gun with a design that requires the shooter to swap pistons when switching from light target loads to heavier game loads. Cause for skepticism abounded.
But we began to warm to the shotgun as we started breaking clays with it. The action is snappy and stiff (though not in a bad way). It certainly wasn’t the smoothest handling shotgun in our test but it wasn’t a total clunker either. After our initial testing I also took the shotgun teal hunting and it felt right at home in the marsh.
Most importantly, the gun ran. We had only a few minor cycling issues with light target loads when the CZ got dirty. But that problem was easily solved with a quick wipe down and some lube. I did notice that the CZ’s gas system gets dirty rather quickly. If you chose it as your go-to do-it-all shotgun you’ll want to strip and clean it regularly.
The only real downside is that we found it patterned to the right. On the patterning board it impacted about 8 inches off center (a full pattern more or less) at 13 yards with a variety of different target loads. That might have been an issue with our individual sample, but in any case, it shouldn’t be a deal breaker since the shotgun co*es with a shim kit to help you get it on target. —AR
Why It Made the Cut
The SBE platform is the most popular shotgun among duck hunters because it’s reliable, durable, and low maintenance.
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Product Description
Benelli’s Super Black Eagle 3 is one of the most recognizable shotguns in duck blinds across the four flyways because hunters have found the SBE to be so reliable. The inertia operating system is much simpler than the systems of gas guns. And since the gun blows most of the gasses created by the shotshell propellant out the end of the muzzle, you don’t have to field strip a Benelli as often, though you should keep it clean so that it’s in good working order. The rotating bolt head has a detent that ensures the shotshell is sent into battery no matter how softly you slide the bolt forward. Previous SBEs and other Benellis did not have this feature and the shell sometimes remained (unknowingly) out of battery—a major inconvenience when you’re ready to fire the gun.
SBE3s produce more recoil than most gas guns, but it’s made manageable by the co*fortech system, which is a series of synthetic chevrons located inside the stock. When the trigger is pulled, the chevrons flex, so that the shooter experiences less recoil. Some Benellis tend to shoot high—100 percent above center of target—on the pattern board, but I have never found that to be an issue when making kill shots on ducks. The SBE 3 includes a shim kit which shooters can use to easily lower their point of impact if needed. Available in 3- and 3½-inch chambers, and three different gauges—28, 20, and 12—the SBE is outfitted with a 26- or 28-inch barrel (there is a 24-inch barrel on the turkey model). Finish options include: black synthetic, walnut, Gore-Optifade, Realtree, and Moss Oak.
Why it Made the Cut
This light 12 gauge carries easily, mounts quickly, and swings wonderfully
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Benelli updated its Montefeltro line in 2023 with an improved bolt system (no more “Benelli Click”) and slimmer ergonomics. Our team loved the way the gun handled and swung through targets during our 2023 shotgun test. In fact, the Montefeltro earned the highest value score for top-end shotguns.
It’s an ideal semi-auto for upland bird hunting. At 6.63 pounds it’s plenty light for carrying through the fields all day. Despite its light weight and its inertia driven system, the shotgun mitigates recoil fairly well. We attributed this to stock good geometry and its cushy recoil pad. So if you want to shoot heavy 3-inch loads at late-season roosters, the Montefeltro won’t punish you too badly. During our testing it threw a 70/30 pattern, which is about perfect for flushing-away birds.
Plus, it looks nice, which is important for an upland bird gun. As Shooting Editor John B. Snow wrote in his review: “The finish on the barrel and receiver is rich and attractive, and the chrome bolt co*pletes the gun’s pleasing aesthetic.”
Just remember that while that gloss-blue finish might look se*y out of the box, you’ll have to keep it oiled to prevent rusting after a day of hunting in the wet and snow. And don’t get discouraged when you start to see knicks and dings in the satin walnut stock, those add character to a hardworking bird gun.—AR
Why It Made the Cut
There are more turkey shotguns on the market now than ever, mainly due to the fact that Mossberg set the trend by building specialized repeaters, like the 940 Pro, at a reasonable price.
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Red dot sights are popular on turkey guns these days and Mossberg has leaned into that trend by making two cuts in the top of the receiver where a low-profile RSMc red dot (sold separately) can be added. This means that you can mount an optic low on the receiver and maintain a good cheek weld on the stock.
The clean-running gas system is another co*ponent that makes the 940 such an attractive choice for turkey hunters. There’s a gold buffer tube that slides over the magazine to cut down on carbon buildup, so you don’t have to strip and clean it as often. Gas guns typically tame recoil more than inertia-driven semi autos, and that is certainly the case with the Mossberg. It’s also a 7½ pound gun, not overly heavy to carry in the turkey woods, but enough weight to soak up recoil (in conjunction with the operating system).
Mossberg designed the 3-inch gun, which costs under $1,000, with an oversized bolt handle and load port to make the semi auto shotgun easier to manipulate in the dark or when you run and gun and need to load and unload ammo for safety. It also co*es with an XX-Full .670 choke and Hiviz red, green, and white front sights. The length of pull is adjustable from 13 to 14¼ inches, and the 940 is finished in Mossy Oak Greenleaf camouflage. During pattern work with Federal Heavyweight TSS 1¾-ounce No. 9s, the 940 averaged 161 pellets inside a 10-inch circle at 40 yards and 68 pellets at 60 yards (10-shot average for both yardages).
Beyond pattern testing, Outdoor Life editors killed three turkeys in two states with the Mossberg 940 Pro Turkey last spring. It proved to be a handy shotgun in heavy cover and on run-and-gun hunts (Read our full review on the Mossberg 940 Turkey Pro here).
Read Next: Red Dots for Turkey Hunting
Why It Made the Cut
Unlike many other slug guns, the cantilever scope base is attached to the barrel of the SX4, not the receiver, which makes for superior accuracy.
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Finding a moderately-priced, gas-driven semi auto slug gun that functions reliably and is also accurate can be a challenge. But Winchester’s SX4 Cantilever Buck checks all the boxes. The shotgun costs under $1,000, and uses an active-valve, self-regulating gas system that is nearly fail-proof—I have had the base model SX4 for four years and it has shot slugs, turkey, and waterfowl loads flawlessly. You will also experience less felt recoil thanks to the gun’s gas operation. A spring inside the gas piston co*presses when a round is fired, supplying the auto-loader with the right amount of gas to function; the rest is bled off through vents in the forearm. An Inflex recoil pad on the buttstock also deflects felt recoil away from your face. The cantilever mounting system is affixed to the barrel, which allows you to mount an optic farther forward than if you were using scope rings or a Picatinny rail mounted to the receiver. This gives the shooter more eye relief when they are trying to find a deer in the scope or reflex sight.
READ NEXT: The Best Shotguns for Deer Hunting
Available in 20- or 12-gauge, the SX4 has a 22-inch rifled barrel, capable of shooting sabots and Foster-style (rifled) slugs. A 3-inch semi auto, it weighs 7.8 pounds. The gun has a matte black finish, and swivel studs so you can attach a sling. The trigger is on the heavy side (5.9 pounds) for a shotgun that you need to shoot like a rifle. But since it’s a gas gun, the trigger can be lightened significantly more than if you were shooting an inertia-driven auto (it’s dangerous to remove too much weight from an inertia trigger because of the way the trigger resets after the first shot). I had a trained gunsmith take the trigger pull on my SX4 down to 3.5 pounds. It breaks clean with zero creep.
Why It Made the Cut
The M4 is the civilian version of the shotgun relied upon by the United States Marine Corps. The only difference is ammo capacity (military M4s hold eight 2¾-inch rounds; civilian variants hold six).
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Benellis are inertia guns right? Well, not the M4 Tactical. In 1998 the Italian gunmaker developed the A.R.G.O. (Auto-Regulating Gas-Operated) system, which uses dual pistons that push directly against the bolt to work the action, so the 12-gauge auto-loader can reliably cycle lighter ⅞- or 1-ounce defense loads. It’s a self-cleaning platform Benelli says can churn through 25,000 rounds before the semi auto needs to be maintenanced. A.R.G.O. is so reliable—it contains no heavy gas piston or action bar linkage—that the U.S. Marine Corps and Department of Defense adopted the M4 as their co*bat shotgun. The civilian M4 co*es in four models—two pistol grip and two standard grip variants—with a rear ghost-ring sight and front post sight. It’s drilled and tapped, but also outfitted with a Picatinny rail for mounting optics. If you want to mount a light to the barrel or front of the shotgun, there are aftermarket options available.
The M4 can hold six rounds (5+1), though you can buy an extension magazine for more capacity. It includes a flush-fitting modified choke that screws into the muzzle of the 18-inch barrel. The Benelli is 40 inches long overall and weighs 7.8 pounds.
Read Next: Best Home Defense Shotguns
Why It Made the Cut
Weatherby’s shotguns aren’t widely popular, but the SA-08 should be. It’s a well-built semi auto that’s a steal for the price.
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Weatherby’s SA-08 Deluxe is a shotgun that should have stayed in production forever—it was discontinued in 2019, though the synthetic co*pact variant is still being sold. The gas-driven semi auto is soft-shooting, cycles reliably, and you can often find one for under $800. It’s also light for a gas gun—the 12-gauge weighs just 6 pounds, though I’d lobby for the 20- or 28-gauge for small game. The receiver is aluminum, which is how Weatherby was able to cut weight from the gun. Even though it’s a Turkish import, the wood stock and fore-end of the SA-08 are well done. Sometimes manufacturers will skimp on price-point semi auto shotguns, but the Deluxe harkens to a bygone era when you didn’t have to over pay for a wood and steel shotgun. There are no glaring gaps from steel to wood.
The dual-valve gas-system uses a piston to drive an action bar that is connected to the bolt and a steel cylinder that slides over the magazine tube. When a shot is fired, the piston pushes the tube backward