The feature-packed Benelli Model 828U Sport is designed for sporting clays.
July 16, 2019
By Steve Gash
Shotguns of all kinds are available this year in various price and aesthetic ranges, from tactical bullpups to .410 Bore turkey guns. We dedicated scattergunners shall not be deterred from our appointed rounds at skeet, sporting clays, and birds of a feather. Here are brief synopses of some of the most interesting new shotguns that caught my eye at this year’s SHOT Show.
Benelli Model 828U Sport, M2, Super Black Eagle The feature-packed Benelli Model 828U Sport is designed for sporting clays. Its 30-inch barrels come with five extended choke tubes, an anti-glare matte-finish, and a channeled top rib. The anatomically shaped stock is AA walnut, and the Model 828U Sport comes with weights, a trigger tool, and a shim kit to adjust drop and cast, all in a sturdy hard case.
MSRP: $4,399 The M2 semiauto from Benelli’s Performance Shop is now offered in 20 gauge in waterfowl and turkey configurations. Both are chambered for 3-inch magnums, weigh a hair under 6 pounds, and are available in various camo finishes. The turkey version has a 24-inch barrel and five flush-fitting Benelli choke tubes, plus a Roberts extended XTF turkey tube. The waterfowl version has a 28-inch barrel and comes with a Burris FastFire sight and a HiViz CompSight.
MSRP: $3,339 (Turkey), $2,799 (Waterfowl) Not to be outdone, the Super Black Eagle is also available in new turkey and waterfowl models.
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MSRP: $3,399 (Turkey), $3,199 (Waterfowl) Browning Cynergy Wicked Wing Browning extends the “Wicked Wing” concept to its Cynergy over-under shotgun with a new finish that is sure to tempt the waterfowler. The Cynergy Wicked Wing wears Mossy Oak Bottomland camo on the composite buttstock and forearm and Burnt Bronze Cerakote on the receiver and barrels. It’s an attractive package. The 12-gauge barrels have 3.5-inch chambers, and they utilize the Banded Invector-Plus Extended choke system. Barrel lengths offered are 26, 28, and 30 inches. The trigger is gold-plated, and the front sight is an ivory-colored bead. The gun comes with a Cynergy Inflex recoil pad.
MSRP: $2,339.99 CZ-USA Model 1012, Bobwhite The folks at CZ have a new autoloader this year called the Model 1012. It uses a “spring action” that operates on the principle of inertia. The receiver is available in black, gray, or bronze Cerakote finish. A Mossy Oak Blades camo finish is also available. Barrels are 28 inches long, come with five choke tubes, and shoot all loads from light-recoiling target loads to 3-inch magnums without adjustment. The safety is in front of the trigger, so if you are used to the safety in that position, you are good to go.
MSRP: $659 (black, bronze, and gray); $749 (camo) CZ has reintroduced the Bobwhite in 12, 20, and 28 gauges, and it also comes with five choke tubes. This traditional side-by-side has double triggers, a splinter forearm, and a straight grip. Traditionalists will love it, and so do I.
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MSRP: $655 (12 and 20 gauges), $702 (28 gauge) F.A.I.R. Carrera One The Italian Firearms Group imports a bevy of fine guns, including the Carrera One made by Fabbrica Armi Isidoro Rizinni (F.A.I.R.). New for 2019 is a high-rib (15mm) version designed for the competition shooter. This elegant O-U weighs 7.9 pounds; features a Monte Carlo buttstock of nicely figured wood; and has 30-inch chrome-lined barrels with a high-polish blued finish, 3-inch chambers, and the X-Cone system to reduce recoil. The single trigger is selective, the ejectors are automatic, and the receiver is embellished with gold engraving.
MSRP: Not available at press time Franchi Affinity, Instinct LX Over-Under Lots of good things come from Italy, and the Franchi Affinity autoloader is one of them. It is available with walnut stocks and blued steel and synthetic stocks with various camo finishes. Both the 12 and 20 gauges are available with 3-inch chambers; the 12 can be had with a 3.5-inch chamber. Like the original Affinity, the new Elite is based on the Inertia Driven system. It has oversized bolt controls and loading port, and the receiver is drilled and tapped for mounting an optics base. The ventilated-rib barrel is 28 inches long; has a TruGlo front sight; and comes with “close-, mid-, and long-range” choke tubes.
MSRP: $1,249 (12 and 20 gauge, 3 inch), $1,419 (12 gauge, 3.5 inch) Franchi’s new version of the Instinct LX O-U combines improved ergonomics with upgraded features and AA-grade wood. The buttstock has the graceful Prince of Wales round knob, and the forearm has the slightest hint of a schnabel. It’s available in 12 or 20 gauge. The receiver is inlaid with gold birds, and the trigger is gold plated. A single trigger and automatic ejectors are standard.
MSRP: $1,699 Kel-Tec KS7 Bullpup Kel-Tec’s KS7 bullpup 12-gauge pump-action defense shotgun is only 26.1 inches long with an 18.5-inch barrel and a 13-inch length of pull. The single tubular magazine below the barrel holds seven rounds. It has a fiber-optic front sight and ambidextrous controls, and it is bottom-ejecting. It looks like a bad guy’s worst nightmare.
MSRP: $495 Mossberg Model 930, Model 835, Model 500 Pump O.F. Mossberg just keeps churning out value-packed new products for specific tasks. The Model 930 autoloader and Model 835 Ulti-Mag pump guns are chambered for 3.5-inch shells, and each is now available in black and Mossy Oak Bottomland camo versions for duck and turkey hunters. The black model has a 26-inch barrel, and the camo gun has a 28-inch barrel. Both have Mossberg’s Accu-Choke tubes. The black version also includes an XX-Full turkey choke tube.
MSRP: $640 (Model 930 camo), $560 (Model 930 black), $606 (Model 835 camo), $518 (Model 835 black) The Model 500 pump decked out in Mossy Oak Bottomland camo is now offered as a turkey gun in .410 Bore. The 26-inch barrel has a fixed Full choke and should be deadly with Federal’s new .410 turkey load with 13/16 ounce of #9 TSS Heavyweight shot. Now any recoil-sensitive shooter can go after turkeys without getting kicked into next week. It’s a great idea.
MSRP: $500 Remington V3 Field Sport Compact Remington made a big splash this year with new editions of the popular V3 autoloader that rely on the proven VersaPort gas-regulating system. The Waterfowl version is available in either Realtree Max 5 or Mossy Oak Shadow Grass Blades camo. The turkey gun has Realtree Edge camo. The V3s have light-contour 28-inch barrels and feature fiber-optic front sights, slings, and shim kits to alter the drop and cast. The waterfowl gun has three black extended Rem Choke tubes. The turkey version comes with a TruGlo Headbanger extended tube and a factory-installed TruGlo Red Dot sight zeroed at 40 yards. They have oversized operating handles, bolt releases, safety buttons, and redesigned loading ports that make for faster and easier loading. The V3 Field Sport Compact 12-gauge gun offers the VersaPort system in a compact package chambered for 3-inch shells. It has a 22-inch, light-contour barrel, and the metal has a black oxide finish. The stock and forearm are black synthetic.
MSRP: $995 Rock Island Armory VR80 Rock Island Armory’s VR80 is a semiautomatic 12-gauge shotgun with a 3-inch chamber. Its 20-inch barrel comes with Cylinder, Modified, and Full choke tubes. What sets it apart is that it looks like an AR-15. The lower and upper receivers are 7075 T6 aluminum, and the charging handle can be moved from the right side to the left side. The forearm/handguard has M-LOK cuts at the 3-, 6-, and 9-o’clock positions. There are M1913 Picatinny rail sections on the receiver and at the end of the forearm. The gun comes with iron sights that can be folded down for optics use. The stock and forearm can be removed and replaced with aftermarket stocks. Two five-round box magazines come with the gun, and nine- and 19-round magazines are also available.
MSRP: $699 Stevens Model 301, Model 555 Over-Under, Model 320 Stevens by Savage has several interesting new products for 2019, including a .410 Bore turkey gun. The Stevens Model 301 has a 26-inch barrel, an Extra-Full choke tube, a Picatinny rail for mounting an optic, and a Mossy Oak Bottomland camo synthetic stock. It ought to be perfect for youngsters on their first gobbler-getting safari, and it’s very affordable.
MSRP: $199 The Model 555 O-U has been improved with the addition of an Imperial walnut stock and forearm, a single trigger with ejectors, and a silver scroll-engraved “filigree” ornamentation on the receiver. Featuring 28-inch chrome-lined barrels, it is offered in 16 gauge.
MSRP: $692 The sturdy Model 320 pump now comes in several versions, with the Field Grade represented in 12 gauge by the Field/Security Combo and two camo finishes. In 20 gauge, there is the 320 Compact and a Muddy Girl camo stock.
MSRP: $239 to $275 Stoeger M3500, M3000, M3020 Stoeger’s flagship M3500 autoloader has been upgraded to enhance its aesthetics and performance. The 28-inch barrel, receiver, buttstock, and forearm of this year’s new Waterfowl model have a Realtree Max-5 camo finish. The gun is chambered for 3.5-inch shells but cycles with 2.75- and 3-inch ammo without adjustment. The ventilated rib has a fiber-optic front sight, and the receiver is drilled and tapped for optics. It comes with five extended choke tubes, including an “XFT.” The oversized controls make operation with heavy gloves easier, and a paracord sling is provided.
MSRP: $849 The solidly constructed, rugged, and practical M3000 (12 gauge) and M3020 (20 gauge) autoloaders have updated styling with walnut stocks and a Cerakote Burnt Bronze finish on the receivers and barrels. These shotguns also use the Inertia Driven action, and the 28-inch barrels have ventilated ribs, come with three choke tubes, and are chambered for 3-inch shells. A shim kit for stock adjustments is also included.
MSRP: $649 TriStar TT-15 Field TriStar makes a bunch of neat scatterguns, and the new TT-15 Field is the latest. This impressive Turkish-made O-U is available in 12, 20, and 28 gauges and .410 Bore. The 12, 20, and .410 have 3-inch chambers; the 28 has a 2.75-inch chamber. All barrels are 28 inches long and come with five color-coded Benelli Mobil extended choke tubes, from Skeet to Full. The gun has a single selective trigger, a top-tang safety with barrel selector, auto ejectors, and a fiber-optic front sight.
MSRP: $840 (12 and 20), $870 (28 and .410) The Element Upland from Weatherby is made in Turkey and is available in 12 and 20 gauges with either 26- or 28-inch barrels with 3-inch chambers and three choke tubes. This semiauto features an inertia action. The bolt is chrome plated, and the barrel is chrome lined. The aluminum-alloy receiver has an anodized finish, and the ventilated-rib barrel has a “High Lustre” finish. The stock and forearm are Grade A Turkish walnut and have a matte oil finish.
MSRP: $999 Winchester SX4 The Winchester SX4 is now available in 20 gauge. Its light weight, fast cycling, and several finish options make it an appealing choice for bird hunters.
MSRP: $1,069.99
