Hunting birds with firearms isn’t necessarily new; in fact, historians trace it back to early in the 17th century. A number of accounts of bird hunting with firearms of the day date back to the first half of the 1600s, with “fowling pieces” dating clear back to the latter half of the same century. More modern firearms, including shotguns as we understand them, began to emerge at the end of the 1700s, namely flintlock shotguns complete with Damascus barrels. Soon after, innovation and product development led to even more instantaneous firing systems. By the end of the 1800s, pump-action shotguns had entered production with major manufacturers, with Winchester rising as a major contributor to shotgun innovation, especially with the Model 1897 and the iconic Model 1912.
With such rich scattergun hunting history stretching over roughly 250 years, it’s no wonder enthusiasts continue to pursue the tradition-rich connection shotgunning holds with our heritage. In many states and within the hearts of countless hunters from coast to coast, shotgun hunting for turkeys, waterfowl, upland game and even big game with shotgun slugs is as much a component of our hunting heritage and acquisition of table fare as giving chase with rifles, bows and muzzleloaders. Shotguns certainly hold their own with respect to hunting, and most avid hunters own at least one or are looking for that one they simply can’t walk away from. This simple truth can be a boon for retailers. Thus, offering a solid assortment of shotguns certainly can increase sales. Of course, deciding what to carry can be a daunting task. Here are 10 shotguns worth gauging for increased customer traffic and sales.
Winchester SX4 Universal Hunter
While Winchester grew legs in 1866 with the iconic lever-action rifles we know and love today, including the Gun that Won the West — the Model 1873 — the company continues its American tradition of producing innovative handguns, rifles and shotguns; case in point, 2022 Winchester SX4 Universal Hunter Shotgun.
Winchester’s new-for-2022 SX4 Universal Hunter in Mossy Oak DNA camouflage, chambered in 20-gauge and 12-gauge, features a chrome-plated, 3 1/2-inch chamber; semi-automatic active-valve gas system; steel barrel; composite stock; drop-out trigger; ambidextrous drop-bolt safety; Inflex 1 recoil pad; length-of-pull spacers and Invector chokes. The SX4 comes ready for the hunt; however, waterfowlers should note the SX4’s 4+1 shell capacity and use a plug accordingly. www.winchesterguns.com
Browning Maxus II Wicked Wing
It would be a discredit to this shortlist of ultra-popular shotguns to ignore models I have used for epic adventures over the past two seasons, the Browning Maxus II Wicked Wing counted among them. The only shotgun I ever regretted selling was my original Browning Maxus 12-gauge model. It was light, comfortable and the fastest-shooting shotgun I had owned. Last year, I set out to reclaim my Maxus experiences; however, I could no longer find one available — people simply refused to let them go, at least for a reasonable price. My search finally led me to the Browning Maxus II Wicked Wing, and I am so glad it did!
Like its predecessor, but better, the Browning Maxus II Wicked Wing offers your customers an ultra-comfortable, ridiculously reliable, lightning-quick shooting experience over long, active hunts, season after season. The gas-operated, autoloading Browning Maxus II Wicked Wing shotgun boasts a Power Drive gas system; burnt-bronze Cerakote finish on the receiver and barrel; composite stock with black or camouflage finish — my personal model is dressed out in Mossy Oak Bottomland; rubber-overmolded, SoftFlex cheek pad; 1.5-inch Inflex recoil pad; oversized controls; Lightning Trigger with a ramped trigger guard for easier loading; Speed Load Plus patented feeding system; nickel-teflon coated bolt, bolt slide, shell carrier, cocking handle and release button; chrome bore and chamber; steel magazine tube with a Turnkey Magazine Plug and Invector-Plus choke tubes. Your customers are sure to be as giddy as I was after the first shot. This Maxus II Wicked Wing is a keeper. www.browning.com.
Retay GPS-XL
My first experience with Retay Shotguns took place just last year at the inaugural DUX (Ducks Unlimited Expo) event at Texas Motor Speedway. As they say, the first impression is a lasting one, and I was quite impressed. I was fortunate to send shot downrange with a GPS pump-action model and, for 2022, was happy to see Retay introduce the GPS-XL. As a newer shotgun manufacturer, headquartered in Turkey, Retay has quickly established itself as a value-focused brand with premium shotgun performance — in my world, a perfect storm.
The GPS-XL incorporates a “short-action” floating-forend pump system for shorter, faster cycling, rather than the longer traditional tube platform. Additional Retay GPS-XL features include a 28-inch, deep-bore drilled, steel barrel; 3.5-inch chamber; lengthened forcing cone; composite stock with black or camouflage finishes; flat rib with fiber-optic sight; aluminum alloy receiver complete with a dovetail groove for easy optic mounting and a shotshell capacity of 4+1, or 3+1 using 3.5-inch shells. As a side note, a 24-inch GPS-XL turkey hunting model is scheduled to release in 2023. www.retayusa.com
Mossberg 940 Pro Turkey
One of my greatest passions is turkey hunting, and it began with a Mossberg pump-action, 12-gauge 835 Ulti-Mag with a 24-inch barrel. All told, I took a number of turkeys and yes, even ducks, with the shorter-barreled turkey gun. Years later, I stepped into a Mossberg 935 Pro and took more turkeys, and scores of ducks. Mossberg ranks among the most popular hunting shotgun producers worldwide. This undebatable fact translates well for customers looking for an affordable, proven shotgun they can trust, and for 2022, Mossberg’s 940 Pro Turkey Shotgun emphasizes exactly that for spring hunters.
The 2022 Mossberg 940 Pro Turkey comes stock with all the creature comforts die-hard turkey hunters have come to expect, including an 18- or 24-inch VR barrel; 4+1 shell capacity; 2 ¾- to 3-inch chambering; synthetic, textured forend and stock with Mossy Oak Greenleaf camouflage finish, and adjustable length of pull (13 to 14.25 inches); enlarged, beveled loading port; nickel-boron coated gas piston, tube-magazine, hammer and sear; oversized controls and a HiViz CompSight fiber-optic sight. The 940 Pro Turkey Shotgun also is RMSc cut to accept a compact reflex-style optic and includes an X-Factor ported choke tube. www.mossberg.com
Weatherby 18i
For as long as I can remember, in our home, Weatherby has been a household name. My grandfather trusted his Weatherbys for decades of hunting and they were passed on to us in the late 70s. Since then, I have hunted with Mark V models, Vanguards, CarbonMark rifles and recently, a season with Weatherby’s latest shotgun offering, the 18i.
The Weatherby 18i Shotgun is a bird hunter’s dream, a premium-quality, semi-automatic shotgun built (and proven) to rival the likes of top performers like the Benelli SBE 3 or Browning Maxus II. Weatherby offers the 18i in three models: 18i Deluxe 12-gauge (pictured) with 26- or 28-inch barrel, walnut stock and laser engraved receiver; Waterfowler (four Mossy Oak and Realtree camouflage patterns) with 28-inch barrel; and Synthetic 12-gauge (black) with 28-inch barrel. Even better, the Weatherby 18i’s pricing certainly begins at a more palatable range than many other top hunting shotguns. The 18i features an inertia-driven system, chrome-lined bore, Elastomer butt pad, ventilated top rib, 4+1 capacity (2+1 with the plug); fiber-optic sight and a 3.5-inch chamber. www.weatherby.com
CZ-USA Field Sports Series 1012
Founded in the Czech Republic in 1936, CZ (Česká zbrojovka) has built a solid reputation around military weaponry and heirloom-quality firearms. A personal favorite in my safe, manufactured here in the United States by CZ-USA, is a Model 3 .300 WSM with a Montana Rifle Company barreled action. It took six months to find a private seller welling to let it go, and I have been pretty giddy about since the day I picked it up. While countless shooting and hunting enthusiasts are familiar with CZ and CZ-USA’s pistols and rifles, the company’s shotguns also are well worth retail space and range from value-priced premium performance to downright stunning works of art. Fortunately for today’s customers, the Field Sports Series 1012 looks great and packs a ton of bang for the buck.
I have been fortunate to hunt waterfowl with the CZ-USA for a couple of seasons now, and its performance has been no less dependable than other shotguns I have used costing more than twice the 1012’s price. This suggests that customers looking for exceptional reliability, great aesthetics and a comfortable shooting experience have the 1012 as a truly affordable option. The 1012 is offered in varnished, checkered Turkish walnut or in synthetic versions with black or camouflage finishes. CZ-USA’s 1012 boasts gasless inertia operation; 3-inch chamber; 28-inch steel barrel; crossbolt safety and a five-choke set, perfect for multiple hunting applications and all experience levels. www.cz-usa.com
Remington 870 FieldMaster
Remington, now officially RemArms, has certainly endured dramatic changes, yet the brand remains in business, through transitions, and continues hold fast to the quality and reliable values that has kept the company operating, in one form or another, for 205 years. A cornerstone of Remington’s success for more than 70 years, with more than 11 million sold, has been the 870. For 2022, Remington has shifted gears from Express models to the FieldMaster, and there is a lot to like.
The Remington 870 FieldMaster pump-action shotgun features a receiver precision-machined from a single block of steel; 28-inch steel barrel; ventilated rib; walnut field-style stock with heirloom-quality laser-checkering, bead front sight; 3-inch chamber and 4+1 capacity (ensure waterfowling customers use plugs). The 870 FieldMaster also includes four chokes, and the receiver is tapped and drilled to accommodate an optic. www.remarms.com
Browning Sweet 16 A5 Wicked Wing 16-Gauge
Back are the days of the 16-gauge, often referred to as the “gentleman’s gauge” — enter the Browning Sweet 16 A5 Wicked Wing Shotgun. True to the A5 standards serious shotgun hunters have come to love about the platform, the Sweet 16 hits A-grade comfort, reliability and terminal marks between 12- and 20-gauge models. The Sweet 16 Wicked Wing’s most notable feature is the A5’s famed humpback receiver, designed to lengthen the sight plane and enhance Browning’s Kinematic Drive short-recoil autoloading system, a proven action warrantied for up to five years or 100,000 rounds.
The Browning Sweet 16 A5 Wicked Wing Shotgun boasts a steel action and barrel finished in burnt-bronze Cerakote; chrome-plated bore; composite stock with close radius grip, finished in Mossy Oak camouflage; shim-adjustable length of pull and Briley oversized controls. For enhanced accuracy and tighter patterns, the Sweet 16 A5 Wicked Wing Shotgun includes four Invector chokes and also employs Browning’s Total Barrel Dynamics (TBD) system. TBD enhancements may include improved chambering and forcing cone design, barrel contour, bore diameter, choke tube constriction and more. www.browning.com
Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 28-Gauge
The Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 remains a top choice for demanding, die-hard waterfowlers nationwide and is a great offering for bird hunting in general; however, ultra-popular 12- and 20-gauge shotguns are not always the most appropriate caliber. For small game and upland birds, a 28-gauge is a perfect complement, most notably dove and quail, and the recoil is quite manageable. That said, the combination of shooting comfort, reliability and Benelli SBE 3 overall performance in a 28-gauge package is definitely worth sharing with your customers.
Like other SBE 3 models in the lineup, the new 28-gauge offering boasts Benelli’s Inertia Driven operating system, ComfortTech 3 recoil reduction, shock-absorbing Combtech technology and QuadraFit drop-and-cast adjustment. The SBE 3 28-gauge also features oversized bolt handle and bolt-release controls, carbon-fiber stepped rib, fiber optic sight and Crio Choke Tubes. The 28-gauge also scales down the chamber size to 3 inches without compromising top-shelf Benelli Super Black Eagle performance. www.benelliusa.com
TriStar Bristol SxS 16-Gauge
TriStar found the firearm industry’s sweet spot, aka value, back in 1996 and is recognized for offering value-priced shotguns with premium performance on par with firearms costing exponentially more. Obviously, this combination has been a winning strategy for TriStar, and the company continues to add to its buzzworthy line. Most recently, TriStar unveiled the Bristol SxS 16-Gauge Shotgun.
Packing serious bang for your customers’ bucks, TriStar’s Bristol 16-gauge side-by-side shotgun comes standard with an heirloom-worthy English-style Turkish walnut stock, case-hardened receiver with laser engraving, auto ejectors, top tang safety, single-selective trigger, chrome-lined chamber and 28-inch barrel, brass front sight and five Beretta Mobil chokes. While the 16-gauge offering is new for 2022, the TriStar Bristol SxS also is available in 12, 20, 28 and .410-gauges, as well as a Bristol Silver line boasting more robust laser engraving on a nickel-finished receiver, complete with a 24k gold inlay. www.tristararms.com
