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Really new shotgun introductions at SHOT Present have at all times been a boom-or-bust proposition, with new weapons in every single place one 12 months and scarcely a semi-auto the following. At SHOT Present 2024, corporations appear to be responding to buyer suggestions with more and more area of interest merchandise. To this point noteworthy shotgun introductions embody enjoyable subgauges for sporting clays, light-weight upland weapons, optic-ready autoloaders for waterfowlers, and a centuries-old firm’s first crack at a snow goose gun. Listed below are the brand new shotguns of SHOT Present 2024 which have caught my eye, in no explicit order.
Stevens 555 Sporting
Highlights
- 30- and 28-inch ported barrels (20 gauge and .410, respectively)
- Light-weight aluminum alloy receiver
- Guide extractors
- Adjustable cheek piece
- Turkish walnut inventory and fore-end
- MSRP: $989
Savage launched the Stevens 555 Sporting in 12 gauge final 12 months, and now the corporate is including a 20 gauge and .410 bore. I shot clays with the .410 and located it laborious to overlook, partly as a result of the little gun was so nimble. The Stevens 555 Sporting has an adjustable cheek piece and is accessible in a compact mannequin for smaller-frame and youthful shooters. Savage reps reported their clients notably loved dove looking with this mannequin, which they credit score, partly, to the ported barrels taking the sting out of high-volume opening days. These Turkish-made over/unders must be accessible on the finish of February.
Browning A5 Hunter 20
Highlights
- Smaller body dimension than the A5 12-gauge
- Weight: 5 kilos, 11 ounces
- Out there in 26- and 28-inch barrels
- Excessive-gloss Turkish walnut fore-end and inventory
- Anodized black receiver
- MSRP: $1,980
After lugging my 12-gauge duck gun round all pheasant season, I discovered the brand new A5 Hunter in 20 gauge from Browning notably interesting. At below six kilos and with a body scaled-down from the bigger A5 gauges, the A5 Hunter 20 is definitely useful. The mannequin I shot this week cycled goal masses with out a hitch or any noticeable recoil, though I’ll be curious to see the way it handles heavier subject masses. The 20 gauge has a high-gloss end on each the Turkish walnut and black anodized receiver. At practically $2,000 it’s not an inexpensive shotgun, however the worth is probably going value it for those who’re one of many hunters who’s been ready years to get your arms on this subgauge.
Beretta A300 Ultima Snow Goose Arctic Fox
Highlights
- Prolonged journal tube
- Pic rail for mounting a digicam
- Receiver minimize for a red-dot
- Particular gloved-finger groove minimize within the receiver
- Weight: Not but accessible
- MSRP: Estimated at $1,350
Though Beretta has beforehand provided its A400 Xtreme Plus in a snow camo, this Snow Goose Arctic Fox is the Italian shotgun maker’s first true snow goose gun. Beretta selected the A300 Ultima platform for the job, a mannequin identified for its Kick-Off recoil reduction system, outsized controls, and enlarged loading port. Aside from the plain white end and prolonged journal tube, this shotgun is purpose-built with a specifically grooved grip for cumbersome gloved fingers, a Pic rail below the fore-end for mounting a digicam, and a receiver minimize for an optic. Further particulars are skinny because the gun is new for 2024, and it received’t be prepared in time for this spring conservation order, both; Beretta expects it to be accessible for order by mid-summer.
Beretta made extra beauty updates to the A300 Ultima, together with an A300 Ultima Upland with an engraved receiver and bronze Cerakote end (not pictured). To fulfill the rising demand for solid-colored duck weapons, Beretta added two flat finishes for waterfowlers in Marsh (a coyote bronze) and Timber (which one Beretta rep known as grey, however seems nearly black).
Beretta Ultraleggero KO
Highlights
- Recoil-reduction additions
- Shim package included
- Weight: Not but accessible
- MSRP: Estimated about $3,000
In 2023 Beretta delivered on the eponymous promise of Ultraleggero (which implies “ultralight” in Italian) with a trim 12-gauge designed for all-day upland looking. Our 2023 shotgun test workforce panel was unanimous in our appreciation for its aesthetics and its innovation; Beretta managed to rigorously strip weight from its 690 motion with out hindering dealing with. These modifications got here at a price, nevertheless, because the recoil from the 6.4-pound 12-gauge made taking pictures even gentle goal masses lower than nice.
That’s precisely why, says Beretta shotgun product supervisor Logan Killam, they launched the Ultraleggero KO for 2024. This model of the Ultraleggero is designed to honor the aim of the gun and keep its light-weight profile, but in addition mitigate felt recoil. These wiggly strains snaking by the inventory are a part of the corporate’s Kick-Off system, which contains three shock absorbers contained in the inventory. Capturing editor John B. Snow spent a while taking pictures this gun on 5-stand this week and was impressed by how properly the system appears to work.
Beretta took the Ultraleggero KO’s post-modern look a bit additional by incorporating a shim system; the concept, it appears, is {that a} correctly fitted gun leads to a smoother taking pictures expertise. That is, Killam confirmed, the primary time Beretta has ever shimmed one in all its break-action shotguns.
The MSRP isn’t but finalized however Killiam says clients ought to anticipate to pay about $100 extra for the Ultraleggero KO than its predecessor; any weight achieve from the recoil changes is equally unavailable. You may definitely argue the ultimate product detracts from the modern black-velvet impact of the unique Ultraleggero, however it might not matter to loyal Beretta followers who need a light-weight pheasant gun with out the bruises to go along with it.
Benelli Montefeltro Extremely Mild
Highlights
- Blued barrel, anodized receiver
- A-grade satin walnut
- Weight: 6.3 kilos (12 gauge); 5.3 kilos (20 gauge)
- MSRP: $1,599
Talking of light-weight hen weapons, Benelli has launched the Montefeltro Extremely Mild by shaving the 6.6-pound Montefeltro down to six.3 kilos within the 12 gauge and simply 5.3 kilos within the 20 gauge. Benelli managed the load financial savings with a carbon-fiber rib, shortened journal tube, and by chopping the barrels from 28 inches to 26 inches (12 gauge), and 24 inches (20 gauge). Our testers loved taking pictures the Montefeltro at our shotgun check this previous summer time, noting affordable recoil administration for the already light-weight 12-gauge. I’ll have an interest to shoot this up to date mannequin and see how a lot the load discount impacts the expertise.
Benelli has additionally introduced additions to its different in style shotgun strains, together with compact Super Black Eagle 3 models designed for shooters with a shorter size of pull, in addition to a metal receiver within the firm’s 828U over/under to assist handle recoil.
Mossberg 940 Professional Optic-Prepared Fashions
Highlights
- Receiver minimize for Defend RMSc-pattern micro dot sights
- Out there in waterfowl, snow goose fashions (the latter accessible in each 4+1 and 12+1)
- Turkey mannequin comes with a Holosun Micro-Dot Combo
- MSRP: Begins at $1,246
Mossberg has taken its 940 Professional, which was designed with enter from professional shooter Jerry Miculek for multi-gun competitors, and added optic-ready variations for duck and snow goose hunters. There’s additionally a mannequin for turkey hunters that features a Holosun red-dot already mounted to the pre-cut receiver. Our shotgun check workforce gave blended evaluations to the 940 Professional Area, a mannequin designed for wingshooting that we examined final summer time. Personally, I shot the 940 Professional Area properly however different testers discovered it clunky; in the end all of us agreed the worth felt steep for the efficiency. Nonetheless, these up to date configurations could ship higher outcomes for his or her area of interest clients.
Extra Shotgun Introductions
Remington 870 FieldMaster Artificial
RemArms isn’t exhibiting at SHOT Present 2024, however the firm has introduced an replace to its in style pump. The corporate is now providing a Mannequin 870 FieldMaster in an artificial end, which ought to increase the sturdiness of the already-versatile walnut-stocked mannequin that we awarded a Nice Purchase to in our pump shotgun test final 12 months. You’ll be able to read more about the FieldMaster line here.
Learn Subsequent: Best Shotguns of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
Keep tuned for updates to this story as we overview new merchandise. Within the meantime, try our different SHOT Present protection of new rifles, new handguns, and new knives.
