In the Mossberg 940 vs Beretta A300 matchup, both are excellent tactical semi-autos, and the right pick depends on what you value. The A300 Ultima Patrol is $1,199 MSRP (2026). Mossberg has discontinued the 940 Pro Tactical we tested, and its current version, the 940 Pro Tactical SPX, is $1,190 MSRP (2026). The Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical has the biggest controls and a factory optics cut that sits a red dot low enough to co-witness with the bead. The Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol is a touch lighter, recoils slightly less, has ghost ring sights and aggressive texture, and turned in the fastest double tap in our testing. The Savage Renegauge Security, $1,339 MSRP (2026), recoiled the least and never malfunctioned, but its long stock held it back. Our reviewer’s personal pick was the 940. For more choices, see our best home defense shotguns guide.
Table of contents
Mossberg 940 vs Beretta A300 vs Savage Renegauge at a Glance
- Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical: 18.5 inch barrel, 37.5 inches long, 7.5 pounds, 12.5 to 14.25 inch length of pull, 7 round capacity, fiber optic bead, RMSc optics cut. Now discontinued by Mossberg, with a last known price of $1,225 MSRP from a 2026 cached mossberg.com listing. The current 940 Pro Tactical SPX is $1,190 MSRP (2026).
- Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol: 19.1 inch barrel, 38 inches long, 7.1 pounds, 13 inch length of pull, 7 round capacity, B-Link gas system, ghost ring sights, short Picatinny rail section, $1,199 MSRP (2026).
- Savage Renegauge Security: 18.5 inch barrel, 40 inches long, 7 pounds, 14.25 to 15.07 inch length of pull, 6 round capacity, D.R.I.V. gas system with rotating bolt, ghost ring sights, drilled and tapped, $1,339 MSRP (2026).
- Least recoil: Renegauge, then A300, then 940.
- Fastest double tap: A300 at 0.85 second, 940 at 0.88, Renegauge at 0.90.
- Reliability: Renegauge had zero issues. The A300 had two failures to fire on port reloads. The 940 would not extract one brand of unfired buckshot.
The Three Shotguns
All three are modern, gas-operated semi-auto shotguns that feed from tube magazines. Beretta is an Italian company, but the A300 series is made in America, so you could call this an American shotgun shootout.
Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical
The 940 Pro Tactical is an evolution of Mossberg’s 930. Mossberg worked with Jerry Miculek on the 940 series to improve reliability, and Mossberg says it is designed to run 1,500 rounds between cleanings. It has a heavier-walled barrel than the other two guns, which makes it the heaviest here and a bit front-heavy. For a deeper look at a 940 variant, see our Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical SPX review.
Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol
The A300 Ultima Patrol was Beretta’s effort to build a serious tactical shotgun for less than $1,000 when we tested it in 2025. It is now $1,199 MSRP (2026). It shares the fast-cycling, recoil-reducing B-Link gas system with the more expensive 1301 but skips the 1301’s rotating bolt and dual op rods. Our first review is meet the Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol.
Savage Renegauge Security
The Renegauge started as a field gun and evolved into the Security model. Its self-regulating D.R.I.V. gas system vents excess gas out the front, which reduces recoil, and it pairs that system with a rotating bolt. See our Savage Renegauge full review for the field version.
Ergonomics
All three use spacer systems to adjust length of pull, with stocks influenced by Magpul’s SGA. The 940 and A300 start short and adjust to a little over 14 inches. The Renegauge starts at 14.25 inches and goes to 15.07. Our reviewer is six feet five inches tall and still found 14.25 inches too long for modern, squared-up tactical shooting.
All three have oversized controls, charging handles, bolt releases and safeties, plus enlarged loading and ejection ports. The Mossberg has the largest controls, which made port reloads and malfunction clearances slightly easier. The A300 has aggressively textured grip and forend panels that lock the gun in your hands for push-pull recoil control, even with sweaty hands.
Sights and Optics
The 940 has a simple fiber optic bead, so it lags in iron sights. It leads in red dots. The receiver is milled for RMSc footprint optics, which sit low enough to co-witness with the bead, and it is also drilled and tapped for a rail.
The A300 and Renegauge use ghost ring sights, which are slower than a bead but more precise, a good match for tight-patterning buckshot like Federal Flitecontrol. The A300 has a short section of Picatinny rail for an optic, and aftermarket mounts can set a dot lower. The Renegauge is drilled and tapped, but you have to buy the rail separately.
Recoil and Speed
The Renegauge had the least recoil, thanks to the D.R.I.V. system venting gas forward. The A300 came in a close second, and the 940 had a little more recoil, though its front-heavy barrel reduced muzzle rise.
After a warm-up, our reviewer could put two rounds on target in under a second with all three. His best double tap times were 0.85 second with the A300, 0.88 with the 940 and 0.90 with the Renegauge. The A300 was consistently a hair faster. The Renegauge’s long stock made it hard to mount from low ready and to square up for push-pull, which likely cost it time despite the light recoil.
Reliability
All three proved reliable, with a few notes from our testing.
- Mossberg 940: with Monarch buckshot, an unfired shell would not come out of the chamber without firing it or using a cleaning rod. No other load did this, and fired cases ejected normally.
- Beretta A300: two failures to fire, both during port reloads. The bolt apparently did not fully go into battery, since there was no primer strike.
- Savage Renegauge: zero problems. It even cycled light reduced-recoil trap loads, and the rotating bolt gave very positive ejection.
Which Tactical Shotgun Should You Buy?
Buy the Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical if you want the best controls and a low, factory optics cut. It was our reviewer’s personal favorite.
Buy the Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol if you want the lighter recoiling of the two similarly priced guns, plus ghost rings and grippy texture. It is $1,199 MSRP (2026). It was the fastest gun in our split testing.
Buy the Savage Renegauge Security if you want the softest shooting and most reliable gun of the three and you are tall enough, or willing to modify the stock, to make its length of pull work. At $1,339 MSRP (2026), it costs about $140 more than the A300 Ultima Patrol.
Prices change, so check current listings. For more options, see our best semi-auto tactical shotguns, best Mossberg shotguns, best Beretta shotguns and best mag-fed shotguns guides.
Mossberg 940 vs Beretta A300 FAQ
Is the Mossberg 940 or Beretta A300 better?
Both are excellent. The 940 has bigger controls and a low factory optics cut. The A300 recoils slightly less, has ghost rings and better texture, and was a bit faster in our double tap testing.
Which tactical shotgun has the least recoil?
The Savage Renegauge Security, thanks to its D.R.I.V. gas system. The A300 was a close second.
How much do the 940 Pro Tactical and A300 Ultima Patrol cost?
Both sold for about $1,000 when we tested them in 2025. Today the A300 Ultima Patrol is $1,199 MSRP (2026). Mossberg has discontinued the 940 Pro Tactical we tested (last known price $1,225 MSRP, from a 2026 cached listing), and the current 940 Pro Tactical SPX is $1,190 MSRP (2026). The Renegauge Security is $1,339 MSRP (2026).
Can you mount a red dot on the Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical?
Yes. The receiver is cut for RMSc footprint optics, which sit low enough to co-witness with the bead, and it is also drilled and tapped for a rail.
How many rounds do these shotguns hold?
The 940 Pro Tactical and A300 Ultima Patrol hold 7 rounds in the tube. The Renegauge Security holds 6.
Did any of the shotguns malfunction?
The Renegauge had no issues. The A300 had two failures to fire during port reloads, and the 940 would not extract unfired Monarch buckshot.
Travis Pike is a dedicated firearms writer, a Second Amendment Advocate, and a subject matter enthusiast for all things firearms. He is an amateur competitor with dreams of one day not coming in 4th place at a local defensive match. If he’s not putting text to word processor, he’s likely spending time with family, enjoying Florida’s Nature Coast, or drinking hipster beer. As the resident Florida man he has a preference for obscure guns and calibers.
Experience
- Hunter – Long time deer and hog hunter in the swamps of Florida
- Instructor – Volunteers to teach basic firearm safety classes to kids, adults, and cats
- Wannabe Competitor – Has recently dipped his toes into competitive shooting and has happily discovered an expensive hobby.
- Marine – Served five years with the infantry before transferring to the First Civ Div.
Do any of them allow you to change the choke? Personally, I’d prefer one more along the line of a serrated impact “Breecher” style,…
wwoww
I currently own the 930 tactical and would not hesitate to purchase the 940 if the need arises.
Mossberg has always been my choice, mostly because of the tang safety, due to me being a south paw. Mossberg has made a big move up over the years and I would have no issue defending my family with it. And they all cost too much.
Do any of the 3 semi-autos have the ability to fire the shorty shells from Federal or Aguila?
I love my Mossberg 590S with 12 1 ounce slugs at 1200fps up the pipe.
A good semiauto with that kind of capacity would really change the game!!
I hope some mfg. is working on that!
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I’ve watched many videos of the Beretta A300 and I lean toward it. I was initially interested in the Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical. But I had a couple of friends in the know that recommended the Beretta. I wasn’t even aware of the Savage until now. I like the 7 plus one rounds in the Beretta and the Mossberg. I’ve yet to shoot any of them. After reading this article. I believe that any of them would be fine. I. Have picked up the Beretta a few times at gun stores and I like the way it feels especially with a shorter LOP!! The Savage would be too long for me I think. Until I pick up the Mossberg and see how it feels I would probably opt for the Beretta A300.
As normal the expert has pick several shotguns in the price point that most can’t afford. I would like to see a comparison of simulation auto tactal under 300.00?