Topic: New Shotguns from Shot Show 2023 (Read 52 times)
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Key Features
One of the best gas-operated semi-automatic shotguns ever built is now being offered in a sub-gauge. But Beretta’s A400 Xtreme Plus 20-gauge has a few upgrades you won’t find on the 12 (which was the winner in our test of the best duck hunting shotguns). It’s easier to load the 20 versus the 12 because Beretta incorporated the same pro series lifter used by the co*pany’s 1301 tactical shotgun. Once you chamber a 2¾- or 3-inch shotshell, the carrier stays lifted, so no more snagging your thumb between the magazine tube and lifter or difficulty loading if you’re wearing gloves. Beretta also designed the bore of the steelium plus barrel (used mainly for the Italian gunmaker’s expensive over/unders) with 12½-inch forcing cones to maximize pattern density. There is quite a bit of debate as to whether extending forcing cones past five inches actually improves patterns. Once I get a chance to shoot the A400 on paper, I’ll report back.
Offered in Realtree, Mossy Oak, and True Timber camo, the A400 weighs just under seven pounds. It has the same Kick-Off recoil system as the 12-gauge, which includes hydraulic shock absorbers near the buttstock and pistol grip. There is also a micro-core recoil pad and soft co*b that dampen felt recoil. A 28-inch stepped rib barrel leads into a fiber-optic front sight. You get five extended choke tubes (C, IC, M, IM, F) as well. Included shims allow for adjustment of the 14¼-inch stock. The crossbolt safety is reversible and rubberized grips are integrated into the fore-end and pistol grip. One inconvenient difference you will find on the 20 is the fore-end cap does not have the same half-turn quick-release feature the 12 does.
Read Next: Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus Review
Key Features
Most well-built 12-gauge over/unders weigh at least seven pounds, but Beretta decided to change that this year with the Ultraleggero—which translates to “ultralight” in English—by skeletonizing the steel receiver. Depending on the barrel length you choose—26- or 28-inch—this break-action weighs between 6.4 to 6.6 pounds. There is quite a bit of steel that was removed from the pockets of the action and filled with techno-polymer inserts. If you remove the recoil pad from the buttstock you will also notice that the wood walls of the stock are thinner than normal, another way weight was taken out of the gun. A boxlock action, the Ultraleggero uses the similar mechanics found on Beretta’s 690 series. Two fellow shotgun writers put this gun to the test after it debuted in 2022, and reported trigger pull weights between 5 and 5½ pounds, pretty standard (and on point) for a field gun. The same writers found that the Ultraleggero shot 50/50 patterns from both barrels. Since this gun is lighter, recoil may be an issue with heavier loads. A pheasant hunting friend took this gun afield in the fall and reported that 2¾-inch, 1-ounce lead loads were quite manageable, but once he stepped up to 1⅛-ounce payloads, there was definitely an unpleasant difference in felt recoil. That’s been my experience with most break-action shotguns unless it weighs over 8 pounds.
The safety is automatic, so when you open the action the gun goes back on safe. This is a nice feature for hunters, but you may not want it if you use this over/under for clays too. A gunsmith can easily convert the safety to manual for you. There are no side ribs on the barrels—again to decrease weight—and Beretta provides five flush-fitting Optima HP chokes (C, IC, M, IM, F). The balance point of the Ultraleggero is weight forward, which I think is best for a lighter gun like this because it allows you to keep the barrels moving more easily than if the weight was placed in the stock.
Key Features
RemArms discontinued the 870 Express last year and replaced it with the FieldMaster, which has an upgraded rust-resistant finish on the barrel and receiver, three chokes (instead of one), smooth metal finishes inside the chamber and on the action bars for improved cycling, and it’s drilled and tapped for an optic. In 2023, RemArms is adding a synthetic variant to the 870 FieldMaster platform. The stock has a co*b insert that is interchangeable with the 870 Tactical side folder and Versa Max. There will be a co*pact 20-gauge version as well. It co*es with a 21-inch barrel and length-of-pull kit so you can add inches as your young shooter grows into the 870. The standard FieldMaster has 26- or 28-inch barrel options and weighs 7½ pounds. I torture tested the walnut and steel FieldMaster last year and it performed wonderfully.
Key Features
Benelli’s M2 has been in production since the late 1980s, but the Field variant was overhauled for 2023. The changes are mainly ergonomic. Benelli replaced the triangular crossbolt safety with a circle and made the bolt-release button long and skinny to match the shape of the release used on the Super Black Eagle 3. There were some small changes made to the stock and receiver, but you can’t tell much of a difference other than the gun fits a little better—at least it did for me on the SHOT Show floor in Las Vegas. The major upgrade is on the fore-end. Benelli tapered it, starting at the fore-end cap back toward the receiver. This allows shooters of various hand sizes to find a more co*fortable hold on the M2, though it lost that sleek feel Benelli shooters are used to. Mechanically, the 2023 version of the M2 adopted the same bolt as the SBE3 and Ethos. It uses a small spring to rotate the bolt head shut and drive the shotshell into battery. This lessens the chance of a misfire when the trigger is pulled, often referred to as the “Benelli click.” Turkey hunters should note that the inertia-driven semi-auto will also be available with a 24-inch barrel in 20- and 12-gauge in Mossy Oak Bottomland. The only way to get that co*bination before in the M2 was to buy the Performance Shop model, which is double the price.
Read Next: Best Duck Hunting Shotguns
Key Features
Benelli’s Montefeltro also underwent a redesign this year. Like the M2 Field, the stock and pistol grip have been slimmed down, crossbolt safety switched from triangle to circle, and the bolt-release button made long and thin. One modification you should notice when loading the Montefeltro is the new two-piece shell latch. It’s a part typically built into 3-gun co*petition shotguns (some shooters buy it as an aftermarket upgrade) for a faster, smoother loading experience. The latch, which is connected to your bolt-release button, is a nice feature when running through multiple boxes of ammo, though that’s not something most American hunters need. But if you like to regularly shoot clays with a Montefeltro, or you’re a high-volume dove or pigeon shooter, you will find it useful. The fore-end of the 3-inch inertia auto-loader is more shapely than the last iteration, and the Benelli sports swivel studs if you want to add a gun strap. That hasn’t been available on the Montefeltro since the synthetic variant was introduced in 2013.
Key Features
Stoeger, Benelli’s introductory shotgun brand, underwent a face-lift as well. The M series (3500, 3000, and 3020) semi-autos were slimmed down, giving the Turkish-made auto-loaders a fit and feel closer to that of Benelli shotguns. They also have a lower profile and aren’t as boxy as the old models. Shooters will find that the fore-end conforms better to their hand. Previous models had a fairly flat-sided fore-end with machine-checkered grips. New M series semi-autos are shapely and give you more to hold onto. An oversized bolt handle, bolt-release button, and beveled loading port co*e standard. Stoeger also upgraded the recoil pad from a stiff piece of plastic to a softer, flexible pad. They carried over the recoil reducer, a long spring/piston inside the stock that lessens felt recoil, from the original M series. There is also a removable rubber cheek piece that allows you to fit the gun to your body type. The feature will co*e in handy if you deer or turkey hunt and want to add an optic to the 3500, which is drilled and tapped for Weaver-style scope bases.
Key Features
The third generation of CZ’s 712 has a slightly larger bore diameter than the G2 (.735 versus .730), five extended choke tubes, shims for a customized stock fit, and includes a new Mossy Oak Terra Elements camo finish. CZ made the 712 G3 available in a Turkish walnut and steel variant as well as a matte black Utility model that sports a 20-inch barrel. Gas-operated, the 3-inch 712 includes two gas pistons, one for magnum loads and another for light target shotshells. There is also an oversized bolt handle and bolt-release button. The bolt lock is located on the right side of the trigger group, not the carrier, so you don’t have to reach under the gun before opening the bolt. A cross bolt safety is positioned at the front right of the trigger guard. It is not reversible for left-handers, but southpaws will find it easier to manipulate than safeties located at the rear of the guard. As a lefty, I am all too familiar with guns that have a rear guard safety, which I end up accidentally clicking back on to safe after I fire the first shot because my trigger finger inadvertently slides it back to the right.
Key Features
Most of us will never be able to afford a bespoke shotgun from one of the historic shooting houses in London. But there are plenty of attainable guns that can be custom-fit to your body type and shooting style for far less money. Caesar Guerini’s Summit Impact Trap co*bo isn’t an inexpensive over/under. But if you’ve been saving up for a fine break-action double, this 12-gauge offers an adjustable stock, co*b, and you can raise and lower the height of the rib for optimal patterns. A kinetic balancer inside the Monte Carlo stock allows shooters to change the balance of the gun by adding or removing three 1.41-ounce weights. That will make the Summit Impact weigh between 8.6 and 9.4 pounds. To access the balancer, simply remove the recoil pad from the buttsock. Two barrel sets—doubles for skeet, sporting clays, and five stand and a unisingle for trap—have a rib that’s 17mm in height. The double barrels have an adjustable point of impact range from 50/50 to 80/20. The unisinlge barrel can be shot as low as 60/40 to 110 percent above the centerline of the target. A socket head wrench is included to properly fit the rib height. The higher the rib, the lower the gun will shoot. Lower the rib and the gun shoots higher. The trigger has two weight options and can be tuned for takeup, overtravel, and length of pull.
Key Features
Affordable Turkish gas-driven autoloaders have begun to flood the American shotgun market. Savage, which has had success with its own dual-valve gas-driven Renegauge platform, is importing the Stevens 560 Field from Kofs, a Turkish shotgun maker. A 3-inch auto-loader that costs under $500, the 560 will also be available in a co*pact model (four inches shorter than the standard 560, which is 48¾ inches long). Two ventilated rib barrel options are offered in 26 or 28 inches, plus the 560 includes three flush-fitting screw-in chokes (IC, M, F). The bolt handle and bolt-release button are both oversized with the bolt lock located on the right side of the trigger group. You will notice the carrier is a solid piece of steel and the grips on the fore-end and stock are textured like a synthetic shotgun, instead of checkered. This was done in part to keep costs down.
Stevens has mainly kept their shotgun lineup to over/unders and pumps, but this is not their first foray into semi-autos. About a decade ago, when Vista Outdoor owned Savage and Stevens, they brought a Turkish-made inertia prototype to the U.S, which was eventually sold as the S1200. Editor-in-chief Alex Robsinson and I were two of the first gun writers to put that auto-loader to the test on depredation crow hunts. It patterned phenomenally that week, but struggled to cycle 3-inch shotshells. That issue continued once the gun hit store shelves and it was dropped in short order. Hopefully the 560, which has an inline gas system that pushes a metal sleeve and rods rearward to work the bolt, has more success. Because at that price, it’s a hell of a deal for a modern gas-driven semi-auto.
Key Features
Known as garden guns—because they are so adept at dispatching the pests and small game that invade your lettuce patch—.410-bore lever-actions are built for speed and offer more ammo capacity than many conventional shotguns. Tristar’s LR94 is the co*pany’s first .410 lever gun. It has a five-round magazine and weighs just 6.4 pounds. Open rear and front rifle sights make target acquisition a breeze. The LR94 co*es in nickel-plated and case-hardened receiver options, and is chambered for 2½-inch shotshells. A straight grip walnut stock caters to left- and right-handed shooters. There is also a thin recoil pad affixed to the buttstock, plus a screw-in Benelli/Beretta mobil modified choke.
Key Features
Tristar imports some of the best gas-driven semi-autos to the U.S. from Turkish gun-maker Armsan. The G2 Pro is an upgrade of one of my favorite affordable repeaters, the G2. These auto-loaders handle and shoot much like Berettas, but cost considerably less. The new Pro variant has a slimmed down stock and receiver. It’s a sleek gun, especially for a gas-driven auto, which typically have some bulk to them because of the operating system co*ponents. Loading is made simple thanks to the oversized bolt handle, bolt release button, and spacious loading port. It’s also available in every gauge except 16 for under $1,000. The 12-gauge weighs only 6.8 pounds. G2 Pros should make great all-purpose shotguns because they rarely fail to cycle and are not overly expensive, which means you can abuse them and not feel bad about it. The new G2 Pro is available in Bronze, Silver, Camo, and TT-Viper Snow models.
Key Features
There is no difference in the frame of Retay’s 20-gauge Gordion co*pact versus the standard model. It just has a shorter 24-inch barrel option (it also is available in 26 inches) and a shorter 12½-inch stock. The stock can be replaced with a standard sized one, which allows the gun to grow with the shooter. An adult hunter could buy the Gordion co*pact for their son or daughter and use the gun as well by swapping stocks. Retay shotguns are inertia-driven and feature a similar looking rotating-bolthead that most inertia auto-loaders operate on. But the design is slightly different. Retay bolts have an interior torsion spring that makes it nearly impossible for a shotshell to remain out of battery after the bolt closes. The co*pact has an oversized bolt handle, bolt-release button, and cross-bolt safety. It does not have the push-button trigger group release like the Masa Mara, but there is a co*fort recoil pad to help manage the felt recoil of the six-pound gun. The Gordion will be available in black synthetic, Realtree, and Mossy Oak camo options.
Key Features
Pointer, operated by Legacy Sports International, is carving out a niche for itself by importing inexpensive Turkish over/unders and semi-autos. Now they are adding a side-by-side to the lineup with the Pointer Field Grade. Initially it will be available in 12-gauge, with a 20 soon to follow. The walnut and steel break-action has a matte black finish on the receiver and barrels, but it’s likely a nickel-plated receiver variant is co*ing. Barrel options are available in 26 or 28 inches with a traditional flat rib. You also get five flush-fitting screw-in chokes, an incredible standard option for a $700 shotgun. There is checking on the pistol grip stock and the splinter-style fore-end. A single selective trigger gives you the option to choose which barrel shoots first.
Key Features
SDS Imports is a new Tennessee-based co*pany, importing this Turkish over/under (among other guns) to the U.S. The Spandau Arms Premiere Target has an adjustable cheek piece so that you can custom-fit the shotgun to your body. There is a small wrench included with the choke kit so you can make adjustments. I had the opportunity to shoot this gun at SHOT Show range day and was pleased with the feel of the gun. The pistol grip and fore-end have some bulk to them, so you can really take hold of the Premiere Target. It’s also a beautiful break-action with an oil-finished walnut and a case-colored receiver. If the over/under proves to be reliable, it could rival many break-action target guns at this price-point. There are two vent barrel options for the Premiere Target—28 and 30 inches—and it also includes a single-selective trigger. SDS is offering a field version of the Premier as well, available in 12-, 20, and 28-gauge, plus .410-bore.
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