Types of Shotguns: A Guide to Actions, Gauges, and Designs

The shotgun world is massive and various. It’s full of various motion sorts, gauges, and designs meant for particular functions. So how, precisely, ought to a brand new shooter begin to be taught concerning the various kinds of shotguns? Consider this story as a primer.

On this overview we’ll cowl well-liked shotgun actions, gauges, and designs. For the sake of brevity, we’ll focus solely on widespread and trendy sorts of shotguns. 

Shotgun Actions

A firearm’s motion is the mechanism by which the gun masses shells into its breech. First, that you must know that there are three most important shotgun motion sorts: the pump motion, semi auto, and break motion. A pump-action shotgun capabilities by the shooter sliding the forend rearward to eject a spent shell after which sliding the forend ahead to chamber a brand new spherical. A semi-auto shotgun (or autoloader) makes use of the power of the spherical as it’s fired to eject a spent shell and cycle in a brand new shell, routinely with each pull of the set off. A break-action shotgun works on a hinge to reveal its breech and permit loading and unloading. 

Right here’s a deeper look into the completely different motion kinds and their deserves. 

Pump Motion Shotguns

Most pump shotguns (typically known as slide actions) have an ejection port on the facet of the receiver, a loading port on the underside of the receiver and a tubular journal beneath the barrel. In addition they have an motion launch or motion bar lock close to the set off guard. Right here’s a cool video illustrating how an 870 pump shotgun works.

Pump Shotgun Execs

• Reliability. As a result of pump shotguns are cycled manually, there’s little or no to trigger the gun to jam. The pump is well-liked for waterfowl looking and residential protection for that reason.
• Affordability. The typical pump is extra inexpensive than a semi-auto or over/below shotgun. This makes them a superb starter gun for a lot of shooters. 
• Versatility.  A pump-action shotgun is the last word do-it-all platform. The 2 hottest pumps of all time, the Remington 870 and Mossberg 500, have innumerable after-market modification choices. 
• Simplicity. Most pumps are simple to run, assemble, disassemble, and clear.   

Pump Shotgun Cons

• Decrease high quality. These days most pump shotguns are manufactured in Turkey. Although there are some exceptions, most are missing by way of match, end, and aesthetics. 
• Heavier weight. Pump shotguns are sometimes a bit cumbersome. In our overview of the best pump shotguns, the highest weapons weighed between 7.5 and eight kilos, which is a half-pound to a pound greater than what a svelte semi-auto or O/U will weigh.
• Slower price of fireplace. As a result of it’s important to manually work the motion, pumps are slower to fireplace second pictures in comparison with different sorts of shotguns. With that mentioned, skilled pump shooters can cycle shells lots quick sufficient for doubles on clays or reside birds.

Standard Pump Shotguns

• Rem Arms 870 Fieldmaster. The 870 is the most well-liked pump of all time and the most recent iteration, the Fieldmaster, is an improve over the outdated Specific.
• Browning BPS. This bottom-eject shotgun is without doubt one of the slickest and highest high quality pumps in manufacturing right this moment. As a result of shells eject from the underside of the receiver, it’s an incredible possibility for lefties. 
• Mossberg 500 and 835. Mossberg makes inexpensive and dependable pump shotguns. Their turkey looking variations in these two strains are the very best available in the market. 
• Benelli Nova. This tank of shotgun runs reliably and has a futuristic look. I like to recommend the 3-inch model of the gun. 

Who Ought to Get a Pump Shotgun?

If you need a workhorse repeater at an inexpensive worth, the pump shotgun is the platform for you. They received’t jam in frigid climate and also you received’t need to really feel dangerous whenever you by accident scratch up the gun. There are all kinds of synthetic-stock fashions on the market, that are unlovely however they get the job completed. Pumps are additionally a strong alternative for a no-fuss home defense shotgun.

Lever-Motion Shotguns, the Different Manually-Operated Smoothbore

Shotguns that function with a lever-action symbolize a small share of smoothbore manufacturing, however they do exist. Henry makes plenty of lever-actions chambered in .410 which can be designed for small-game looking. And different corporations, like Chiappa and Taylor’s & Co., make reproductions of the traditional Winchester 1887 for cowboy-action taking pictures.

Semi-Auto Shotguns

Like pumps, semi-auto shotguns sometimes have an ejection port on the facet of the receiver and a loading port on the underside. Not like pumps, additionally they have a charging deal with for pulling again the bolt, and a bolt launch which permits the bolt to snap ahead into battery. Some semi-auto shotguns (often those who function on inertia relatively than gasoline) even have a service launch, which releases a shell from the journal. On shotguns geared up with one it additionally must be depressed so as to lock the bolt again.

Autoloading shotguns use both the recoil generated from firing a shell or high-pressure gasoline from ignition to eject the spent hull and cycle a brand new shell into the chamber. Each of those designs routinely hearth with every pull of the set off.

Recoil Pushed Semi-Autos

This video beneath explains how a recoil or inertia pushed system works. Benelli might be the best-known shotgun maker using a recoil pushed system, however Franchi, Stoeger, Retay, and others use an analogous idea.

Recoil semi-autos are usually lighter than gas-operated weapons, and so they even have slimmer forends and extra slender designs total. The commerce off is that they sometimes produce extra felt recoil than gasoline weapons. Some fashions can get gummed up in opposed climate, particularly sub-zero temps. 

Gasoline-Operated Semi-Autos

The video beneath illustrates how Beretta’s B-Link gasoline operated system works. Browning, Mossberg, and others use related ideas of their gas-operated shotguns. Within the video, you may how the system bleeds off extra gasoline, utilizing solely sufficient to cycle the motion.

Gasoline-operated shotguns have a tendency to supply much less felt recoil as a result of they use pressurized gasoline from the shell to energise the motion and since they’re sometimes heavier. On the draw back, these weapons sometimes have bulkier forends (which home the gasoline methods) and so they run dirtier than inertia weapons. Nonetheless with common cleansing, they’re recognized to run reliably in all situations. 

Semi Auto Shotgun Execs

• Firepower. In comparison with a pump shotgun, an autoloader is less complicated to run rapidly. That is helpful for following up missed pictures or for taking pictures doubles on the clays vary or within the area. Like pump-actions, semi-autos use tubular magazines, which means they’ll maintain extra masses than side-by-side and over-under shotguns.  
• Diminished Recoil. Semi-autos, even recoil-driven fashions, produce much less felt recoil than different sorts of shotguns. It is because they use power from ignition to energy the motion. As well as,many top-end autoloaders incorporate recoil-reduction methods of their shares. Minimizing recoil helps shooters keep on track or decide up a second goal extra rapidly. 
• High quality. The very best semi-auto shotguns are well designed, stunning instruments (a minimum of to a duck hunter like me). They boast options like cerakoted barrels and carbon fiber ribs. Many of the nicer fashions are made in Italy. These weapons sometimes value $1,500 to $2,000.
• Affordability. Lately, much more discount priced semi-autos have confirmed area worthy. For $600 to $900 you may have a reliable shotgun from Winchester, Retay, Franchi, CZ, or a base mannequin A300 from Beretta. These extra inexpensive semi-autos will do exactly positive for looking and informal clays taking pictures. The cheaper fashions are sometimes made in Turkey. 

Semi Auto Shotgun Cons

• Unreliability. Whereas all the highest semi-auto shotguns cycle reliably below regular situations, these weapons usually tend to get finicky throughout excessive climate or after they get particularly soiled. They’re additionally extra liable to person error. You’re prone to have a misfire in case you don’t slam the bolt dwelling absolutely or perhaps you enable the bolt charging deal with to catch on a department. This isn’t a purpose to keep away from semi-autos, it’s merely a reminder to present them a bit extra care. 
• Complexity. Semi-autos—particularly gas-operated ones—have extra shifting components, which requires extra time for disassembly and cleansing. Simply hearth up a superb YouTube when it’s time to take your gun aside (and put it again collectively).    

Standard Semi Auto Shotguns

• Benelli SBE 3. The Tremendous Black Eagle 3 is without doubt one of the most revered duck looking shotguns available on the market for good purpose. It’s earned a fame as a dependable, candy taking pictures autoloader. 

• Beretta A400. Using its B-Hyperlink gas-operated system, Beretta has constructed an empire of nice shotguns below its A400 household. It provides all kinds of choices for clays shooters, waterfowlers, and upland hunters. 

• Browning Maxus 2. Browning’s flagship gas-operated semi-auto has grippy rubber over molds on its forend and it factors and swings naturally. At 7 kilos, it’s good and lightweight for a gasoline gun. 

• Winchester SX4. The SX4 is a gasoline gun made out of Portugal that is without doubt one of the finest values on the semi-auto market. Everybody appears to shoot an SX4 properly. They run with out fail. You will get one for about $900. 

Who Ought to Get a Semi-Auto Shotgun?

All the intense duck hunters I do know shoot autoloaders. A whole lot of sporting clays shooters additionally go for semi-autos. Realistically, a semi-auto is an effective match for anybody who needs a fast-firing shotgun that may mitigate felt recoil. 

Break Motion Shotguns

This conventional shotgun design “breaks” open on the breech, the place shells are loaded and unloaded. There are single shot, over/below, and side-by-side break-action shotguns, however right here we’ll concentrate on the latter two as a result of they’re the most well-liked. Break motion shotguns sometimes have a gap lever or “prime lever” situated on prime of the gun. Behind the highest lever you’ll discover a tang security, usually with barrel selectors that let you decide which barrel fires first.  

Over/Underneath Shotguns

An O/U shotgun has two barrels paired vertically with one above the opposite. At present, O/Us are rather more well-liked for looking and clays taking pictures. Their benefits embody a cleaner sight image (with a side-by-side you see each barrels whereas pointing the gun), and extra pure pointability, a minimum of for many shooters. 

Facet-by-Facet Shotguns

Whereas side-by-sides are now not the most well-liked shotgun platform, they’re seeing a little bit of a renaissance in bird hunting. As their title suggests, the barrels are set alongside one another horizontally. SxS shotguns are sometimes lighter and extra compact than different shotgun platforms, making them a favourite amongst nostalgic upland fowl hunters. On the draw back, properly made side-by-sides are costly.  Plus, their recoil impulse and the sight image they provide can take some getting used to. 

Extra About Break Motion Shotguns

Single Set off vs Double Triggers

Double weapons could have both one trigger or two. A shotgun with double triggers (one for every barrel) provides you the choice to rapidly choose which barrel fires first. In the event you’re used to taking pictures a shotgun with a single set off, studying a double set off takes a bit time.

Single triggers will both be mechanical or inertial. Inertial triggers require recoil to arrange the shot with the second hammer. This design is supposed to stop doubling (by accident firing each barrels almost concurrently) nonetheless, if for some purpose the primary spherical doesn’t hearth, neither will the second. Mechanical triggers don’t require recoil to set and each hammers fall independently. Double-barrels with one set off sometimes have a barrel selector tab which permits the shooter to resolve which barrel they wish to hearth first.  

Boxlock vs Sidelock

There are a ton of nuances with regards to the actions of SxS and O/U shotguns. Nonetheless two essential motion designs to find out about are boxlocks and sidelocks. With the boxlock design, linkages sit inside a field within the motion. Boxlocks have far fewer components than sidelocks and are recognized for his or her reliability. 

The locks of a sidelock sit on the perimeters of the motion, which permits for extra strong metal to be constructed into the motion, offering added power. Sidelocks have many extra pins and screws, so they’re time-consuming to fabricate. 

The extractor in a break-action shotgun is the mechanism that lifts the shell out of the breech as you break the gun open. It does this whether or not the shell is fired or not, nevertheless it doesn’t kick shells out of the gun. Ejectors work identical to extractors besides they fling spent shells filter of the breech whenever you break the gun open. Ejector weapons are sooner to reload, because you don’t need to take the step of plucking out the spent shells. Nonetheless extractor weapons make it simpler to gather spent hulls since they aren’t popping them within the air. Under you may see how Benelli’s 828U ejector system works.

Break Motion Shotgun Execs

• High quality and workmanship. If you need your shotgun to be practical artwork, you’re going to finish up taking pictures a break-action shotgun. The best shotguns on the planet are double weapons made in Italy, Germany, the UK, and the U.S. Excessive-end doubles are recognized for stunning checkering, inlays, and becoming. They’re heirloom weapons that you just’ll shoot for a lifetime after which give to your children. 
• Customization. It’s important that your shotgun matches you properly. There are a number of choices on the market for getting a gun becoming (consider it like getting fitted for a go well with). For instance, the Upland Gun Firm, primarily based in Minnesota, is making a reputation for itself by turning out semi-custom shotguns at affordable costs.  

• Reliability. There’s actually nothing that may jam up a SxS or O/U shotgun. Outdoors of a real disaster, mud and snow can’t foul the closed motion. 
• Range in weight and size. Break-action looking weapons might be made to be extremely gentle and compact. For instance the Beretta Ultraleggero weighs solely 6.4 kilos as a 12 gauge with 28-inch barrels. On the flip facet, goal weapons might be very heavy for easily monitoring quick targets. For instance, gold medalist Vincent Hancock’s Beretta DT11 weighs greater than 8 kilos. 
• Two choke choices without delay. As a result of a SxS or O/U has two barrels, it additionally has two chokes. This enables a shooter to pick out a extra open choke for his or her first barrel and a tighter choke for his or her second barrel (the idea being that your second shot might be at a farther goal). Some people like this selection a lot that they select an O/U as their turkey gun. Utilizing the barrel selector, you may shoot your open choke at an in depth gobbler and your tight choke at lengthy vary.  
• Straightforward to gather spent hulls. One of many causes devoted clays shooters like break-action shotguns is as a result of they don’t spray empty hulls all around the course. Even with ejectors it’s simple to throw the hulls proper into the station’s trash can. This may not look like an enormous deal till it’s important to decide a couple of hundred hulls out of the weeds after a morning of taking pictures a semi-auto on a clays course. 
• Security. It’s simple to interrupt the gun open and disable its capability to fireplace. Whenever you’re on a clays course that is required whenever you’re not taking pictures. Whenever you’re within the area, you break the gun open everytime you cross a fence, cease to present your canine a drink of water, or simply take a pause from the hunt to talk.  

Break Motion Shotgun Cons

• Restricted firepower. You solely get two pictures earlier than having to reload, and for a few of us, that’s simply not sufficient. 
• Dear. Keep in mind all that inlay work and {custom} becoming I discussed? Effectively, that’s going to value you. Really high-end weapons run $20,000 or extra. For the peasantry, there’s all kinds of area and goal weapons within the $2,500 to $6,000 vary. Even bargain-priced Over/Unders will value a couple of grand (and also you’re giving up all these niceties).   

Who Ought to Get a Break Motion Shotgun

In the event you’re decided to grow to be a critical clays competitor, it’s best to think about one of many many sporting over/unders. Likewise, in case you’re a devoted upland fowl hunter, an easy-to-carry O/U is a superb alternative. In the event you’re the nostalgic sort or desire a compact shotgun for chasing grouse within the Northwoods, think about a traditional side-by-side. Or, in case you’ve simply bought an excessive amount of damned cash and also you want a solution to spend it, growing a style for positive shotguns is a superb answer. 

Standard Over Unders

• Browning Citori. This is without doubt one of the hottest upland fowl looking weapons available on the market right this moment and it is available in a ton of different variations. 
• Beretta Silver Pigeon. With a worth level of round $2,500 this is without doubt one of the finest choices for somebody searching for a pleasant O/U with out breaking the financial institution. 
• Beretta DT11. It is a critical clays gun that may set you again about 10 massive.
• Caesar Guerini Revenant. This was the Editor’s Selection winner of our 2020 shotgun check, successful us over with gorgeous seems and glorious efficiency on the clays vary. 
• Franchi Instinct. It is a workaday looking gun that appears nicer than most in its worth vary. 

Standard Facet by Sides

• Fabarm Autumn. There aren’t a ton of latest mid-priced SXS shotguns in manufacturing right this moment, however the Autumn is a contented exception. Learn our full review here.
• RFM Zeus. That is the flagship shotgun of the Upland Gun Firm and it may be had in all kinds of build-your-own configurations. 
• CZ Bobwhite. In the event you simply desire a starter SXS to get within the sport, this inexpensive (beginning at $690) turkish-made gun is a strong alternative. 

Shotgun Gauges

A shotgun’s gauge is the measurement of the bore. How we got here up with the numeric system for describing any given gauge is outdated and requires math however in case you should know, it’s the variety of lead balls of the given bore diameter that it takes to weigh a pound. In different phrases, it might take 12 balls of lead of the identical dimension as a 12 gauge shotgun’s inside bore diameter to weigh 1 pound.

This isn’t essential to know. What’s essential is that the bigger the quantity, the smaller the bore (a 20 gauge has a smaller bore diameter than a 12 gauge). One exception right here is the little .410 bore, which is a measurement of the bore in inches. Under is an inventory of the six hottest gauges, their bore diameter, and the place they stand within the looking and taking pictures world.

10 gauge

Bore diameter: .775 inches. The ten gauge is basically on life help on the planet of American wingshooting. Few corporations make weapons or masses for this gauge anymore. You may nonetheless discover a couple diehard duck hunters and turkey hunters who stubbornly shoot hefty 10 gauges for the large payloads they ship.

12 gauge

Bore diameter: .729 inches. The 12 gauge is the most well-liked gauge within the U.S. (and worldwide) by an extended shot. There’s a enormous number of shells accessible for the 12 gauge, starting from gentle goal masses to magnum turkey masses and self protection rounds. The important thing to the 12 gauge’s success is its capability to shoot all these completely different masses, which provides it nice versatility. If I had been to have just one shotgun, it might be a 12 gauge. 

16 gauge

Bore diameter: .665 inches. The 16 gauge is barely chambered for two ¾-inch shells which hurts its versatility a bit. Nonetheless, it’s a beloved gauge by some upland fowl hunters, particularly because of Browning’s well-liked Candy 16 A5. 

20 gauge

Bore diameter: .615 inches. With the recognition of denser-than-steel shot supplies like bismuth and tungsten, some hunters are claiming that the 20 gauge is the brand new 12. It’s true {that a} 3-inch, 20-gauge shell delivering a 1 ⅛-ounce payload of bismuth or Hevi-Shot is lots efficient for killing geese and upland birds cleanly. A 3-inch 20-gauge load stuffed with TSS is all you’ll ever want for gobblers close to and much. Plus, usually 20 gauges are considerably lighter than the identical fashions in 12 gauge. For instance the 20 gauge SBE 3 is a pound lighter than its massive brother, even with the identical barrel size. 

28 gauge

Bore diameter: .550 inches. The 28 gauge is fashionable amongst sure circles of diehard wingshooters. It’s a superb possibility for hunters who desire a gentle gun and lightweight recoil. Extra 28 gauge shotguns at the moment are being turned out with 3-inch chambers and extra ammo makers are providing 3-inch masses, turning the 28 right into a professional alternative for looking geese and upland birds. We’re additionally seeing new turkey weapons and TSS masses being made in 28 gauge. On the draw back, it does take a bit apply to shoot these dainty 28s properly. Plus, bismuth and tungsten 28 gauge masses are dear. 

.410 bore

Bore diameter: .410 inches. Because of Tungsten Tremendous Shot pellets, the .410 is seeing actual recognition as a turkey gun (see our overview of the best .410 turkey guns right here and the best .410 turkey loads right here). In any other case, the .410 is a positive alternative for small sport and yard plinking. It’s additionally an oddball favourite amongst knowledgeable clay shooters who don’t wish to cope with recoil however do need the problem of tiny payloads and patterns. 

Area of interest Shotguns

There are particular shotgun designs meant for particular jobs. Right here’s a fast overview of the most well-liked sorts of shotguns primarily based on task. 

Turkey Weapons

Turkey looking shotguns have shorter barrels for simpler maneuvering within the woods. Many have pistol grips to make for higher aiming from a sitting place. A great turkey gun ought to include a rail for simply mounting red dots. These days all of them have full or extra-full turkey chokes screwed in. Learn our overview of the best shotguns for turkey hunting. 

Duck Weapons

Duck looking shotguns get used and abused within the hardest situations possible. Due to this, most have artificial shares and protecting coatings on their receivers and barrels. Many semi-auto duck weapons have extra-large controls to be used with gloves. Learn our overview of the best shotguns for duck hunting. 

Dwelling Protection and Tactical Shotguns

Like turkey weapons, defensive shotguns have shorter barrels for maneuvering in shut quarters and pistol grips for management. In addition they sometimes have prolonged tubular magazines for extra spherical capability. And like duck weapons, semi-auto tactical weapons sometimes have bigger controls. Most defensive shotguns embody rails for mounting optics and lights. Learn our overview of the best home defense shotguns.

Shotguns for Multi-Gun Competitors

These shotguns are a distinct segment offshoot of dwelling protection and tactical shotguns and are utilized in video games like 3 Gun and different multi-gun sports activities. They incessantly have custom-made add-ons together with prolonged journal tubes that may settle for as many as 12 shells, hogged out receivers for fast reloads, outsized controls, and sights for putting slugs on small and typically distant metal targets. One of the crucial well-liked out-of-the-box multi-gun shotguns is the Mossberg 940 JM Pro. 

Sporting Weapons

Sporting and goal shotguns are hefty and have lengthy barrels. (It’d look like a really gentle shotgun could be higher for taking pictures quick clay targets, however this isn’t the case). Past that, many sporting weapons have changes within the inventory to assist with correct gun match. Aesthetically, they’re often flashier and infrequently extra colourful than area weapons. Consider them because the F1 race automobiles of the shotgun world. Learn our overview of the best shotguns for sporting clays.

Slug Weapons

Slug weapons have rifled barrels and are principally used for big-game looking. They both include open sights or have choices for simply mounting an optic (some have each). Although the slug gun has fallen from recognition a bit with the rise of straightwall rifle hunting opportunities, there’s nonetheless a superb roster of them nonetheless being manufactured. Learn our overview of the best shotguns for deer hunting. 

Closing Ideas on Kinds of Shotguns

There may be rather more to find out about shotguns than any single story can supply, and most of it will possibly solely be really discovered on the vary. So in case you’re hungry for extra, e book your self a taking pictures lesson and expertise the great things firsthand. In the event you take something from this story I hope it’s this: simply because you may personal just one shotgun to do all of it, that doesn’t imply that it’s best to. All actions, gauges, and designs have their place, and every deserves a spot within the gun cupboard.