When it comes to hunting shotguns, there’s just something special about a lightweight over-and-under double gun that has special appeal. For many hunters, there’s no other type of shotgun they’d rather take to the field in pursuit of everything from ruffed grouse and woodcocks in the northeast to bobwhites and ringnecks in the Midwest.

Sure, semi-autos have their fans—as they should. Their quick follow-up shots combined with higher capacity than double guns make them appealing to many hunters and sport shooters. Pump-action shotguns are the same, as there are those who would rather head to the duck or goose blind empty-handed than take a gun other than their trusty pump. Their simple operation and super tough action are also great in inclement weather or bad conditions like mud and sand.

Still, there’s something special about a well-balanced, smooth-swinging over-and-under. To an aging sentimental hunter like me, a good over-and-under provides a feeling of everything being right with the world and brings to mind special times when I’ve shouldered one and dropped a grouse or pheasant, then watched as my gun dog retrieved the prize to hand. That’s a picture most hunters can envision without even trying too hard. 

One thing about over-and-unders that leave some hunters sour is the typically high price tag. But it’s a good idea to remind your customers that the old saying, “You get what you pay for,” applies to shotguns just as much as any other commodity. In fact, it’s hard for many hunters to put a price tag on the feeling of approaching a setter on staunch point, then flushing a wily, cackling rooster pheasant and dropping it with a well-placed shot from a double gun.

When it comes to high-quality over-and-under shotguns, there are lots of companies out there that make outstanding products. But hunters — and, consequently, retailers — usually can’t miss when they choose a scattergun manufactured and marketed by one of the “Three Bs.”

Let’s take a look at three new over-and-under models offered this year by Benelli, Beretta and Browning.

Benelli 828U Steel 

Benelli’s 828U series of over-and-under shotguns melds classical styling with advanced engineering. As a result, it has been a great hit among hunters and sport shooters alike.

This year’s new 828U Steel model is likely to match that popularity among gun buyers in the upcoming year or so. The 828U series made its mark on the shotgun scene due largely to its innovative and patented steel lock plate, which locks to the back of the barrel to contain shotshell pressure and prevent its transfer to the receiver, eliminating the wear and tear on the receiver and hinge that traditional over-and-under platforms sometimes suffer.

The 828U Steel is made with a steel receiver instead of the aluminum used in the other models in the series. This adds a slight amount of weight to the gun to help mitigate recoil when using heavier loads and offers a subtle balance shift for smoother swings — even on fast-moving game birds or clays.

The new 828U Steel is available in 12- and 20-gauge. Barrel lengths in 12-gauge include 26, 28 and 30 inches, and in 20-gauge, barrels are available in lengths of 26 and 28 inches. Weights are 7.55 to 7.75 pounds for the 12-gauge models and 6.85 to 6.95 for 20-gauges. The vent rib barrel features a fiber-optic front sight with red insert. The stock and forearm feature AA-grade walnut with a satin finish, making the 828U Steel a very fine-looking scattergun.

Note that the new Benelli won’t be for all customers. With an MSRP of $3,399, some might not give it a second look, but discerning gun buyers will realize the value of the gun. 

Beretta Ultraleggero 

Bird hunters looking for a lightweight shotgun that swings with the best of them might find their new bird gun in the new Beretta Ultraleggero. Designed specifically to be the lightest steel-receiver shotgun on the market, the Ultraleggero delivers the same strength and balance characteristic of other Beretta shotguns with a lighter steel receiver and techno-polymer receiver inserts.

Available in 12-gauge, the attractive over-and-under shotgun features an wood stock and rounded, Schnabel forearm with distinctive checkering. The stock uses the company’s extra light recoil pad for recoil absorption, comfort and stability when shouldered. With its closed-cell structure, the pad is also abrasion and weather resistant.

The gun’s side plates feature a cutting-edge floral motif that adds greatly to its aesthetics. And according to the company, side plates can be customized and 3D printed with personal designs for those who want to make their gun one of a kind. The double’s 3-inch chambers ensure that those who wish to shoot magnum cartridges loaded with lead, steel and HP steel can do so.

The Ultraleggero’s Steelium Optima-Bore HP barrels ensure superior quality performance and consistent shot patterns. Available barrel lengths are 26 and 28 inches, and the barrels accept Beretta’s OCHP choke tubes. 

The gun’s light weight is likely to appeal to lots of upland hunters, with the 26-inch model weighing 6.4 pounds and the model with 28-inch barrels tipping the scales at only 6.6 pounds. MSRP for the Ultraleggero is $2,999.

Browning Citori Composite 

I first shot Browning’s Citori shotgun when the company sent me a 28-gauge model to take on a grouse and woodcock hunt in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan some 25 years ago. That experience found me falling in love with the gun, and I’ve never shot a Citori since then that I didn’t enjoy immensely.

This year Browning has introduced the brand new Citori Composite. This over-and-under is basically the legendary Citori shotgun trusted by hunters and target shooters for the last 50 years, but with the advantages of a composite stock and forearm.

For those asking why Browning would make a Composite Citori, the company is more than happy to provide an answer: “In addition to being tough and weather-resistant, composite also allows for the shape of the stock to be manipulated. The dimensions of the grip areas can be made thinner to better fit shooters of all sizes. The addition of rubber over molds also improves grip.”

The Citori Composite is available in 12-gauge with 26-, 28- or 30-inch barrels. Barrels are blued and polished, and the stock and forearm have a non-glare composite finish. Weight of the 26-inch-barreled model is 7.4 pounds.

The MSRP of the Citori Composite is $2,199, making it $1,200 less than the Benelli and $800 less than the Beretta, which puts it in the price range of more customers hunting for a new bird gun. 

Wrapping It Up

There you have it—three fantastic new over-and-under shotguns that your customers can count on to put birds in the bag and also do the job at the sporting clays range. None are cheap, but none will let your customers down at the moment of truth on his or her next trip to the field. And they are examples of the quality type of firearms we’d all like to leave to our children and grandchildren someday.