Shotguns

Winchester and John Moses Browning were tightly connected. Winchester helped Browning write patents and purchased nearly every design he’d produce, even if they were never going to produce it.

Winchester produced single—and double-barrel shotguns, lever-action shotguns, and a few semi-auto shotguns, but their main claim to fame was pump-action shotguns. 

There’s a certain magic in pump-action shotguns. They don’t share the elegance of over-under or the raw efficiency of a good semi-auto. There’s still a reason why they outnumber both in America.

Teaming up with champ shooter Jerry Miculek, Mossberg just improved upon these 12-gauge beasts by including optic-ready models in the existing lineup.

There are plenty of upgrades for the 870 out there, but these are my favorites. I think they give the old warhorse a welcome facelift. 

Arguably, the most important feature of a firearm is to be reliable. We want a firearm that will work as soon as you press the trigger and keep working as you continue to press the trigger.

Retay recently introduced the Masai Mara Cerakote lineup of hunting shotguns. Designed to be durable, these shotguns are engineered to ensure consistent performance in even the harshest environments.

The Winchester 1300 Defender has an old-world charm to it. It’s something we don’t see much these days, but it shouldn’t be a surprise coming from the Winchester Repeating Arms company.

These guns might not be the best option compared to a custom, built-for-you rifle, but they give you a great place to start and make easing into competition easy.