Top 10 Best Shotguns of All Time
When you absolutely need to make a statement, nothing speaks louder than a 12-gauge. Shotguns are the undisputed heavyweights of the firearms world. Bringing one to a close-quarters engagement is like bringing a sledgehammer to a thumb war. They offer devastating short-range power that commands immediate respect. Whether you are breaching a reinforced door or simply hunting waterfowl on a crisp autumn morning, these weapons deliver a payload that simply cannot be ignored.
The beauty of the platform lies in its sheer versatility. Renowned firearms instructors frequently point out that the sheer variety of available ammunition makes the shotgun the Swiss Army knife of modern ballistics. You can load these beasts with anything from tiny birdshot pellets to massive solid lead slugs. The operating systems driving these guns are just as wonderfully varied. From the rugged and almost foolproof reliability of a classic pump to the blistering speed of a gas-operated semi-automatic, there is a specialized design for every possible application.
Now it is time to decide which of these boomsticks actually reigns supreme. Do you favor the old-school charm of a traditional tube-fed classic or the space-age wizardry of a bullpup tactical marvel? Every shooter has their own distinct preference when it comes to managing recoil and handling ergonomics. Review the heavy hitters we have gathered together and cast your vote for the absolute best scattergun on the market.
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Atchisson AA-12
Maxwell Atchisson developed this automatic weapon in 1972. The fully automatic combat shotgun utilizes a unique recoil-reducing system where the bolt travels further back than normal. It fires 12-gauge shells from either an eight-round box magazine or a twenty-round drum.
The AA-12 is fully auto and is almost invincible in construction. With a big drum and stainless insides, who could want more.
This gun also has reduced recoil compared to a standard pump-action 12-gauge. It fires at about 300 RPM.
A semi-automatic shotgun. Powerful.
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Franchi SPAS-12
The Italian firearms company Franchi manufactured this dual-mode shotgun from 1979 to 2000. Operators can switch between a pump-action mechanism for low-pressure rounds and a semi-automatic mode for standard ammunition. It features a distinctive folding stock with a hook designed to aid one-handed firing.
Good solid gun. It can be either pump action or semi-auto. Either way, it's a powerful 12-gauge shotgun that's going to do a lot of damage to its target, regardless of where it hits.
Semi-auto, easy to control, and surprisingly accurate.
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Remington 870
Remington Arms introduced this model to the market in 1950. The bottom-loading pump-action shotgun features a tubular magazine under the barrel and dual action bars. Millions of these firearms have been produced for civilian hunting and military applications worldwide.
Simple, rugged, and inexpensive. It has proven itself in military and law enforcement agencies across the world. It is the AK-47 of shotguns.
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Benelli M4 Super 90
The United States Marine Corps adopted this Italian semi-automatic shotgun in 1999 under the designation M1014. It operates using an Auto-Regulating Gas-Operated system that eliminates the need for complex mechanisms found in older designs. The standard configuration includes a Picatinny rail for mounting optics and a collapsible stock.
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Ithaca Model 37
This firearm is based on a 1915 patent by John Browning. The pump-action shotgun ejects spent shells from the bottom of the receiver rather than the side. This ambidextrous ejection port prevents debris from entering the action during harsh weather conditions.
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Metal Storm MAUL
The Multi-shot Accessory Underbarrel Launcher is a lightweight weapon designed by the Australian company Metal Storm. It utilizes electronically fired stacked projectiles pre-loaded into interchangeable tubes instead of a traditional magazine. This compact device can be mounted to an assault rifle or fitted with a standalone stock.
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Remington 1100
Remington introduced this gas-operated semi-automatic shotgun in 1963 as a successor to the Sportsman 58. It utilizes gas tapped from the barrel to cycle the action and reduce felt recoil for the shooter. The firearm quickly became a staple in trap and skeet shooting competitions due to its reliable cycling.
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Mossberg 590A1 Tactical Tri-Rail
O.F. Mossberg and Sons designed this pump-action variant specifically to meet United States military specifications. It includes a heavy-walled barrel and a metal trigger guard alongside an aluminum safety button. The forend features three integrated rails to accommodate accessories like tactical lights and laser sights.
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Remington 11-87
This semi-automatic shotgun entered the market in 1987 as an evolution of the earlier Model 1100. It features a self-compensating gas system mechanism that allows the weapon to cycle different lengths of 12-gauge shells without user adjustment. Hunters frequently utilize this firearm for waterfowl and upland game.
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Armsel DAO-12
The Armsel Striker is a 12-gauge combat shotgun designed in South Africa during the early 1980s. It features a massive rotating cylinder that holds twelve rounds and requires a winding key to tension the spring for advancement. An integrated folding stock and a prominent front grip complete the distinct profile of this weapon.
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Winchester Model 1897
This pump-action shotgun features a distinctive exposed hammer and a tubular magazine situated beneath the barrel. It gained significant notoriety during World War I, where American soldiers utilized shorter "trench gun" variants equipped with heat shields and bayonet lugs. The absence of a trigger disconnector allows the operator to slam-fire the weapon by holding the trigger down and rapidly pumping the action.
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Benelli M3 Super 90
This hybrid combat shotgun features a proprietary mechanism allowing the user to switch between semi-automatic and pump-action firing modes. The inertia-driven semi-automatic system handles standard tactical loads, while the pump-action setting allows operators to cycle low-pressure less-lethal ammunition. Numerous military and law enforcement agencies globally employ this versatile Italian firearm for tactical operations.
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Izhmash Saiga-12
Russian manufacturer Izhmash patterned this semi-automatic shotgun after the Kalashnikov series of assault rifles. It utilizes a rotating bolt and gas-piston system scaled up to accommodate 12-gauge ammunition. Users load the firearm using detachable box magazines or large-capacity drums.
The best for what can be bought right now. But if you could buy the AA-12, then that would be my choice.
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TsKIB SOO MTs-255
This Russian firearm operates as a double-action revolving shotgun. It feeds ammunition from a five-round cylinder that swings out to the left for reloading. The weapon is available in several calibers including 12-gauge and .410 bore.
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Winchester Super X3
Winchester Repeating Arms markets this gas-operated semi-automatic shotgun primarily for hunting and sport shooting. It employs an Active Valve system that automatically adjusts gas pressure to reliably cycle a wide variety of loads. The alloy receiver and lightweight barrel help reduce the overall weight of the firearm.
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UTAS UTS-15
This Turkish 12-gauge pump-action shotgun features a bullpup layout to maintain a short overall length. It incorporates twin tubular magazines located above the barrel that can hold a combined total of fourteen rounds. The operator can select which tube feeds the chamber or set the weapon to alternate between them automatically.
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Hawk Industries Type 97-2
The Hawk Group in China manufactures this pump-action shotgun based loosely on the Remington 870 platform. It utilizes a detachable box magazine instead of a traditional under-barrel tube. Chinese law enforcement agencies actively issue this weapon to their personnel.
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Beretta ASE
The Italian firearms manufacturer Beretta originally produced this over-and-under shotgun for competitive clay shooting. It features a boxlock action fitted with a cross-bolt fastener and barrels made from high-quality Boehler Antinit steel. These competition models are recognized for their gold-inlaid receiver markings and hand-finished construction.
How can they build so much for so little money?
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Browning Auto-5
John Browning designed this recoil-operated semi-automatic shotgun in 1898. The firearm earns its famous "Humpback" nickname from the distinctive high rear end of its receiver profile. It remained in continuous mass production for nearly a century before being discontinued by the manufacturer in 1998.
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Benelli SuperNova
This pump-action shotgun from Italy utilizes a lightweight steel skeletal framework over-molded with a high-tech polymer. The weapon's modular design features a separate stock and receiver, allowing shooters to easily swap between different configurations. Operators can safely cycle 3.5-inch magnum shells using the redesigned forend, while the enlarged trigger guard easily accommodates gloved hands.
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Winchester Model 1887
This lever-action shotgun stands as one of the earliest successful repeating scatterguns in firearms history. It was originally chambered for black powder 10-gauge and 12-gauge shells before later variants were adapted for smokeless powder. John Browning developed the rolling block mechanism specifically to meet the Winchester Repeating Arms Company's request for a lever-operated design.
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Serbu Super-Shorty
Mark Serbu created this compact firearm by heavily modifying existing pump-action receiver platforms like the Mossberg 500 or Remington 870. The weapon features a shortened barrel, a spring-loaded folding forward grip, and the complete removal of a shoulder stock. Under United States federal law, this extremely short configuration classifies the item as an "Any Other Weapon" requiring a specialized tax stamp.
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Stoeger P350
Stoeger Industries developed this pump-action shotgun primarily to handle heavy 3.5-inch magnum loads for waterfowl and turkey hunting. The firearm features a rotary bolt with dual locking lugs that securely engage the barrel extension during firing. Its ergonomic design includes an extended forend that allows shooters with shorter arms to operate the action comfortably.
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Remington SPR
The Remington Arms Company imported this line of shotguns from the Russian manufacturer Izhevsk Mechanical Plant during the early 2000s. These firearms, originally branded under the Baikal name, were marketed in the United States as the Spartan Gunworks series. The collection included single-shot, side-by-side, and over-and-under configurations constructed with rugged hammer-forged barrels and simple actions.
Best double-barrel shotgun, like a handgun.
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Daewoo USAS-12
South Korean manufacturer Daewoo Precision Industries developed this fully automatic 12-gauge combat shotgun in the 1980s. The gas-operated weapon feeds from either a 10-round box magazine or a larger 20-round drum. Due to its size, weight, and extreme firepower, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives classifies it as a destructive device.
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Mossberg Over/Under
O.F. Mossberg & Sons expanded their traditional pump-action catalog by introducing a line of break-action double-barreled shotguns. These firearms, often branded under the Silver Reserve or Gold Reserve monikers, cater to upland bird hunters and target shooters. They typically feature walnut stocks, shell extractors or ejectors, and interchangeable choke tubes for versatile pattern adjustment.
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Perazzi Over/Under
The Italian company Armi Perazzi specializes in manufacturing premium break-action shotguns utilized primarily in Olympic trap and skeet events. Models like the renowned MX8 feature a detachable trigger group powered by V-springs that provide a remarkably crisp let-off. Shooters can custom order these firearms with precise stock dimensions and barrel weights tailored specifically to their individual physical requirements.
More Info
What is the difference between pump-action and semi-automatic shotguns?
Pump-action shotguns require the shooter to manually slide the forend back and forth after every single shot. This physical motion ejects the spent shell casing and pushes a fresh round into the chamber. It is an incredibly reliable mechanical system that rarely jams because the user provides all the force necessary to cycle the weapon.
Semi-automatic models take a completely different approach by using the energy from the fired round to cycle the action. Expanding gas or rearward recoil automatically forces the bolt back to eject the shell and load the next one. This brilliant bit of engineering allows for much faster follow-up shots but requires more frequent cleaning and maintenance to keep the internal parts running smoothly.
How does shotgun gauge work?
The gauge system can seem entirely backwards at first glance. Unlike standard rifle calibers that simply measure the actual diameter of the bullet, gauge is an archaic system determined by weight. Specifically it measures how many solid lead spheres the exact size of the barrel bore it takes to weigh exactly one pound.
This means a smaller number actually translates to a significantly larger barrel. A 12-gauge is much wider and packs a substantially bigger punch than a 20-gauge. It is a bizarre historical quirk from the days of black powder muskets that has stubbornly stuck around for centuries.
What are chokes and why do they matter?
A choke is a slightly tapered constriction located right at the muzzle end of a shotgun barrel. Think of it exactly like the adjustable nozzle on your backyard garden hose. By tightening or widening the opening at the very end of the tube, you can actively control how quickly the shot spreads out after it leaves the barrel.
Different chokes are utilized for vastly different targeting purposes. A cylinder choke offers a wide open spread that is absolutely perfect for hitting fast-moving targets at very close range. Conversely, a full choke keeps the flying pellets tightly packed together for striking targets that are much further away. Hunters and competitive clay shooters rely heavily on swapping out these simple metal tubes to ensure they always hit their mark.