One of the best semi-auto shotguns fireplace rounds reliably and cycle rapidly. Even in lighter platforms, they absorb recoil and swing to birds and clays naturally. It’s no surprise that so many waterfowlers, upland chook hunters, and clays shooters go for the trendy semi-auto shotgun.
At Out of doors Life we’ve run by a ton of semi autos throughout our annual shotgun tests. Some have wowed us with their efficiency. Others … not a lot. So that can assist you resolve which is the perfect match for you, I’ve picked my 10 favourite semi-auto shotguns in the marketplace proper now. Our crew has shot all of those weapons extensively on the vary and within the subject. Right here I’ll distill our in-depth notes and observations into some easy takeaways. Additionally, the listing under was made with value as an vital consideration. There are actually dearer fashions on the market with extra bells and whistles, however the entire weapons I’ve chosen right here convey a ton of efficiency for the worth.
Finest All-Round: Benelli SBE 3
- Motion: Inertia
- Chamber: 3-inch
- General Size: 49.5 inches
- Barrel Size: 28 inches
- Weight: 6.9 kilos
- Worth: $1,800
The Super Black Eagle 3 has been my go-to duck looking shotgun for a number of years now. It patterns nicely, capabilities reliably, and, most significantly, it mounts and swings naturally. This can be a slender semi-auto which many shooters (myself included) appear to favor. Put an SBE 3 in nearly any wingshooters’ palms they usually’ll begin dropping birds or busting clays with it.
At just below 7 kilos, it’s loads gentle sufficient to hold within the uplands. The SBE 3s I’ve shot over time have had no difficulty biking goal hundreds, so it will make a fantastic choice for informal clays capturing as nicely. Throw an aftermarket turkey choke in it (and safe a crimson dot to the drilled and tapped receiver for good measure) and also you’ve received a succesful gobbler gun.
There are solely two downsides to the SBE 3 platform that I’ve observed. First, they have a tendency to sample fairly excessive for a lot of shooters. So it would be best to sample your gun and use the included shims to shift level of impression if wanted. Second, the recoil is fairly stout with heavier payloads. In the event you’re recoil delicate, then I’d counsel a fuel gun (see under).
And whereas there are variations of this gun with more features (and higher price tags) I feel the essential 3-inch mannequin brings probably the most worth for the all-around hunter and wingshooter.
Finest for Duck Looking: Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus
- Motion: Fuel
- Chamber: 3.5 inches
- General Size: 49.5 inches
- Barrel Size: 28 inches
- Weight: 7.8 kilos
- Worth: $1,940
Just a few years in the past a pair different editors and I did a large overview of the best shotguns for duck hunting at a membership in Texas. When all of the weapons had been shot and the feathers settled, the Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus stood out above the remainder. This gun was extraordinarily gentle recoiling and comfy to shoot.
Due to its fuel system, it’s a bit heavier and beefier than the SBE 3, however that’s not essentially a nasty factor in most duck looking conditions. Plus, the Beretta B-Link system is thought for working reliably by the nasty circumstances and frigid climate that normally make for one of the best duck looking.
Beretta AX800 Suprema Assessment: Is This the New High Duck Gun?
For years, the A400 Xtreme Plus was Beretta’s flagship duck gun, however late in 2025 the gunmaker launched the AX800 Suprema, which has much more options and a value to match. I hunted with the AX800 for the second half of my 2025 season and completely cherished it (you’ll be able to see my full overview within the video above). However it takes greater than a half season to win the title. So for now I’m conserving the A400 on the high of my favourite duck gun listing for its confirmed reliability and extra reasonably priced value. However the AX800 is a promising contender.
Finest for Upland Looking: Benelli Montefeltro
- Motion: Inertia
- Chamber: 3 inch
- General Size: 47.5 inches
- Barrel Size: 26 inches
- Weight: 6.5 kilos
- Worth: $1,500
Benelli up to date its Montefeltro line in 2023 with an improved bolt system (no extra “Benelli Click on”) and slimmer ergonomics. Our crew cherished the way in which the gun dealt with and swung by targets throughout our 2023 shotgun take a look at. In reality, the Montefeltro earned the best worth rating for top-end shotguns.
It’s a great semi auto for upland chook looking. At simply over 6.5 kilos it’s loads gentle for carrying by the fields all day. Regardless of its minimal weight and its inertia pushed system, the shotgun mitigates recoil pretty nicely. We attributed this to the inventory’s good geometry and its comfortable recoil pad. So if you wish to shoot heavy 3-inch hundreds at late-season roosters, the Montefeltro gained’t punish you too badly. Throughout our testing it threw a 70/30 sample, which is about excellent for flushing-away birds. I’ve carried a Montefeltro on many profitable pheasant hunts over time and if I’m being completely trustworthy, I like carrying it greater than an over/beneath shotgun (typically you simply want that third shell).
Learn Subsequent: Best Shotguns for Bird Hunting
Finest Mid-Priced: Retay Ace
- Motion: Inertia
- Chamber: 3.5 inches
- General Size: 49.75 inches
- Barrel Size: 28 inches
- Weight: 7.22 kilos
- Worth: $999
Over the previous few years I’ve grow to be a fan of the reasonably priced Turkish-made semi-auto shotguns from Retay. They run reliably, shoot spectacular patterns, and supply a ton of worth. In the event you fancy Benelli shotguns, however don’t wish to pay Benelli costs, the Retay Ace is a superb choice to think about. We examined the usual model (there’s additionally a model with a humpback-style receiver) in our 2025 shotgun take a look at and granted it a unanimous Nice Purchase award.
Our Capturing editor John B. Snow wrote, “We discovered it to be extremely intuitive to make use of. All of us are skilled Benelli shooters, besides, we expect this gun deserves excessive marks for its simplicity. As a do-it-all chook gun few others match it for worth. You possibly can take this gun just about anyplace birds are hunted and never be handicapped.”
Finest Low-cost: CZ 712 G3
- Motion: Fuel
- Chamber: 3 inches
- General Size: 49.75 inches
- Barrel Size: 28 inches
- Weight: 7.3 kilos
- Worth: $593
There aren’t many semi-auto shotguns on the $600 value level that we might advocate. It’s normally good to speculate just a little extra money on the entrance finish for a mid-priced shotgun within the $1,000 vary.
Even in case you contemplate your shotgun to be a instrument and nothing extra, you’re seemingly going to have that instrument for a few years, and maybe a lifetime. If the gun doesn’t run reliably, that’s a few years of distress.
So it was with a skeptical eye that we regarded upon the CZ 712 G3 throughout our take a look at in 2023. This can be a Turkish-made fuel gun with a design that requires the shooter to swap pistons when switching from gentle goal hundreds to heavier sport hundreds. Trigger for skepticism abounded.
However we started to heat to the shotgun as we began breaking clays with it. The motion is snappy and stiff (although not in a nasty method). It actually wasn’t the smoothest dealing with shotgun in our take a look at but it surely wasn’t a complete clunker both. After our preliminary testing I additionally took the shotgun teal looking and it felt proper at house within the marsh.
Most significantly, the gun ran. We had only some minor biking points with gentle goal hundreds when the CZ received soiled. However that drawback was simply solved with a fast wipe down and a few lube. I did discover that the CZ’s fuel system will get soiled moderately rapidly. In the event you selected it as your go-to do-it-all shotgun you’ll wish to strip and clear it usually.
The one actual draw back is that we discovered it patterned to the precise. On the patterning board it impacted about 8 inches off heart at 13 yards with quite a lot of totally different goal hundreds, however that would have been a problem with solely our pattern.
Finest Tactical: Beretta 1301 Tactical C
- Motion: Fuel
- Chamber: 3 inches
- General Size: 37 inches
- Barrel Size: 18.5 inches
- Weight: 7.28 kilos
- Worth: $1,999
The Tactical C has the identical bones because the earlier Mod 2, however our take a look at model swaps the Chisel Machine folding inventory for the fastened inventory. Additionally, there’s a model that has capability knocked again to five+1 (nonetheless the one we examined had a 7+1 capability).
The gun comes with sturdy and efficient ghost-ring sights, has M-Lok slots on the fore-end to mount equipment, and an adjustable comb to tune cheek piece peak. With its 18.5-inch barrel, the shotgun is maneuverable. For the heck of it, I ran it on flying clays the place it held its personal, however the gun’s candy spot is on a flat vary smacking metal and punching paper.
It’s a confidence-boosting gun that’s enjoyable to shoot and is a superb choice for house protection, competitors, and basic coaching.
Inexpensive Tactical: Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical Holosun Combo
- Motion: Fuel
- Chamber: 3 inches
- General Size: 37 inches
- Barrel Size: 18.5 inches
- Weight: 7.25 kilos
- Worth: $1,371 (contains crimson dot)
This tactical shotgun comes able to exit of the field. Merely sight within the included Holosun crimson dot, connect equipment (like a sling and light-weight) and also you’ve received an especially succesful and dependable shotgun for self protection. In addition to the crimson dot, the SPX model of this shotgun comes filled with options, together with a cool-looking warmth protect, a number of M-Lok slots, QD ports, a Vang Comp 6-shell service, and adjustable size of pull. Even in case you don’t get the mannequin with the Holosun included, the gun nonetheless has an optic cutout within the receiver for straightforward mounting (we ran a Trijicon dot on ours).
Tactical Shotgun Showdown: Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol vs Mossberg 940 Professional Tactical
In our testing, the comparable Beretta A300 Patrol ran extra rapidly and easily than the Mossberg, however the Mossberg shotgun supplied extra options for the worth.
Finest for Clays: Beretta A400 Xcel Sporting
- Motion: Fuel
- Chamber: 3 inch
- General Size: 51.2 inches
- Barrel Size: 30 inches
- Weight: 7.75 kilos
- Worth: $2,420
You possibly can go wild on the earth of high-end clays weapons, however for a practical, feature-rich choice, look no additional than the A400 Xcel Sporting. This fuel gun contains Beretta’s glorious Kick-Off system for lowering felt recoil, a Steelium plus barrel for higher patterning, and elective weights for balancing the gun to your wants.
In our overview of the best sporting clays shotguns, Phil Bourjaily describes it as “a target-breaking machine. A soft-kicking, fast-cycling fuel gun with or with out its elective Kick-Off recoil reducer, the A400 runs perpetually between cleanings, handles the lightest to the most popular goal hundreds, and infrequently malfunctions.”
Finest for Turkey Looking: Retay Gordion Turkey
- Motion: Inertia
- Chamber: 3 inch
- General Size: 43.5 inches
- Barrel Size: 22 inches
- Weight: 6.5 kilos
- Worth: $900
You don’t want (and even really need) a flowery shotgun for turkey looking. In reality, the proper turkey gun might be easy, it can sample nicely, and deal with properly within the woods. It must also have a straightforward mounting system for a crimson dot. The Retay Gordion Turkey delivers all of this for beneath a grand.
I’ve hunted with a 20-gauge Gordion Turkey for 2 seasons now and it’s grow to be my go-to gobbler gun merely for the way nicely it patterns. In reality, 20-gauge Gordion with a Jebs Headhunter choke (.565) places extra pellets in a 10-inch circle than many 12-gauge turkey weapons with turkey chokes. (See all of my patterning data here).
So what’s the key? In the event you ask Retay, it’s all concerning the barrel. The corporate makes use of a drilling course of for producing barrels (versus cold hammer forging).
Together with the stellar patterns, the shotgun additionally boasts a pistol grip, pic rail for optics mounting, and a surprisingly gentle set off (just a little over 3 kilos). Try my full overview of the Gordion turkey, right here.
Finest 16 Gauge: Browning A5 Sweet 16
- Motion: Inertia
- Chamber: 2.75 inches
- General Size: 28 inches
- Barrel Size: 49.25 inches
- Weight: 6.8 kilos
- Worth: $2,100
This listing merely wouldn’t be full with out Browning’s A5 shotgun, which I like greatest within the walnut inventory model. There aren’t many shotgun firms nonetheless making a 16 gauge, which makes this gentle, Candy 16 much more fascinating. This shotgun handles splendidly and its snappy “Kinematic Drive” motion is a pleasure to shoot. The Invector DS chokes promise strong patterning efficiency.
Weighing lower than seven kilos, this is a perfect upland chook gun. And certain, you could possibly purchase the A5 in a 20-gauge or 12-gauge, however the 16 is exclusive and lots versatile. And fortunately, there are a bunch of fine 16 gauge loads accessible.
Understanding Fuel vs Inertia Methods
Virtually all autoloaders are at the moment constructed utilizing certainly one of two totally different platforms: fuel or inertia. Fuel-operated semi autos use a certain amount of fuel (any remaining fuel is bled off, sometimes by ports within the barrel) generated by the shotshell propellant to function a piston housed contained in the fore-end. The piston drives the bolt backward with the intention to eject the spent hull. The service then picks up a recent shotshell from the journal tube and lifts it into the chamber because the return spring sends the bolt ahead, putting the shotshell into battery.
Inertia-driven weapons use recoil to function the bolt. The explosion of the shell creates recoil, forcing the gun backward. Inertia weapons briefly lock up the bolt with a good spring, after which ship it backward so the spent shell could be ejected. An inertia spring returns the bolt ahead and a brand new shell is collected.
With any shotgun working system there are trade-offs. Fuel weapons sometimes generate much less felt recoil, however may also get dirtier as a result of they use scorching, carbon-rich fuel to operate, which may trigger carbon buildup on the piston and motion. You should be diligent about cleansing a fuel gun. They’re normally heavier than inertia-driven weapons as a result of there are extra parts to fuel weapons. Inertia autos are sometimes slimmer and lighter so they’re nicer to hold, however generate extra felt recoil. They run cleaner than fuel weapons, however you should ensure that filth and moisture don’t discover their method into the motion, otherwise you may expertise malfunctions. ——Joe Genzel
Ultimate Ideas on Semi-Auto Shotguns
There are a number of nice semi-auto shotguns on the market and extra fashions hit the market yearly. However the ones that made our listing have confirmed to be dependable over years of testing on the vary and within the subject. And once you’re deciding on a semi auto, reliability is absolutely what it’s all about. As we take a look at extra shotguns this yr, we’ll maintain including to the listing.
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