Restocked! Top 5 Shotguns Available at PSA

Just over a month ago, there were no weapons on the shelf at any business due to the uncertainty of COVID-19 and the civil unrest our nation has experienced. Fortunately, those times are behind us and many businesses are getting back their inventories. Palmetto State Armory (PSA) is one of those companies that have slowly returned to offer more products from guns to ammo. One of the biggest things I appreciate most from PSA is how they’re avoiding major price gouging on their firearms. Today’s blog is focused on the 5 shotguns that have been restocked at PSA.

CZ Swamp Magnum Over/Under Shotgun

CZ is a great company that is probably more known for its pistols and the famed Scorpion EVO.  However, I don’t believe they make a bad gun in any platform. This speaks true with its Swamp Magnum Over/Under shotgun. Similar to the historic lever-action rifles, the over/under action is nostalgic and a lot of fun to shoot. The CZ Swamp magnum shoots the largest shells made for commercial shotguns with the 3 1/2″ shells. As a hunting shotgun, a 3 1/2 shell will give the best possible chance at bringing down your target because it holds more pellets and is typically more powerful.

The CZ Swamp Magnum features an automatic safety, instead of the manual safety were all used to with Remington and Mossberg shotguns. The safety engages once the action is opened to prevent any misfires while transitioning in tight quarters such as blinds or vehicles. Many waterfowl hunters might ask why would I use an over/under-style shotgun to hunt birds? The answer for this shotgun is due to the controlled swing of the shotgun and the magnum loads available to load in the shotgun. Using an over/under shotgun limits your capacity for sure, but the CZ Swamp Magnum provides incredible control while swinging, recoil control, and power.

Specs

Winchester Model 101 Pigeon Trap

As far as an over/under hunting shotgun goes, there isn’t one better than the Winchester Model 101 Pigeon Trap. The only knock on the CZ Swamp magnum is the front sight is only a bead sight and be difficult to quickly swing on target. The Winchester 101 Pigeon Trap knocked it out of the park with its mid-bead sight and Truglo Tru-Bead interchangeable fiber-optic front sight.

The mid bead sight is just another way to help line your bird up with the bright fiber optic as you swing with the flight of the bird. The stock is made of 100% walnut, instead of polymer ( I always prefer polymer for recoil control), but I haven’t read one complaint about the practicality of the stock. The White Line Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad does a phenomenal job of reducing the felt recoil on your cheek for consistently accurate shots on target.

The Winchester Model 101 Pigeon Trap comes with 3 separate chokes (Extra-Full, Full, and Improved Modified chokes) for added versatility in the field. Although it doesn’t provide the power of the CZ Swamp Magnum, it has a lighter felt recoil and shorter frame to allow each shooter to swing faster and gain faster target acquisition. I really like the manual safety on top of the stock, much in the same way as the Mossberg system (don’t fix something that’s not broke, right…).

The Winchester Model 101 also features a ported barrel to reduce muzzle flip and felt recoil. Added with the White Line Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad and you have a shotgun with a significantly reduced felt recoil. This shotgun comes with all the bells and whistles you look for in a hunting shotgun, but also the price tag of a premier shotgun, as well.

Buy Here

Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon

If I’m going to be honest, I’ve never been a fan of Beretta firearms because of my experience with the Beretta 92F. I love the durability of Beretta firearms, but they can be clunky and not as practical as the other major gun manufacturers. However, the Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon is far and above anything they give us in the military. One thing that has never been in question with Beretta is the incredible durability of its guns. The Silver Pigeon features a cold hammer-forged barrel and the Monoblock upper receiver for an impenetrable lock-up. These features ensure the shotgun will always fire true and remain accurate during any environmental condition you could face.

The Beretta Silver Pigeon uses two conical locking lugs at mid-action to ensure a positive lock-up is always maintained and the chamber and barrel stay clean from outside debris. This also improves the ergonomics and accuracy of the shotgun because your eye remains closer to the sights. This ensures you have faster target acquisition and an easier point of aim. Another great feature is the overall weight of the shotgun is less than most other shotguns on the list (6.8 lbs.), which makes it easier to hold up longer, swing faster, and carry across rough terrain for long distances.

Specs

Buy Here

Maxus Wicked Wing

If there was any shotgun that I’d use for hunting waterfowl on this list, it would be the Browning Maxus Wicked Wing. As much as I love over/under style shotguns, an autoloading shotgun is simply easier to use. The gas-operated Wicked Wing makes hunting easier by speeding up the operation and reducing the felt recoil through its patented Power Drive gas piston. This shotgun shoots 2 3/4″ and 3 1/2″ shells so the load is lighter and allows the weight of the recoil to be expelled through the exhaust ports on the receiver. It’s difficult to really grasp how big of a difference the Maxus Wicked Wing gas piston makes in shootability. If you ever get a chance to shoot one of these guns, you’ll never want to put it down, I promise you that.

The other huge difference-maker in this shotgun is the lightning trigger that is exclusive to the Maxus Wicked Wing. If you’ve read my Mossberg blogs, you know how much I love a good autoloader. However, many autoloaders have a longer trigger pull that doesn’t feel as smooth as pump-action due to the semi-auto action of the gun. The Lightning Trigger is 24% faster than the nearest competing autoloader. The crisp trigger pull in this shotgun is so fun and smooth that you’ll end up going through a box of ammo without thinking twice.

The Speed Lock Forearm on the Maxus Wicked WIng is designed to allow you to remove the forearm in less than 3 seconds. You can easily attach or remove a sling in the same time period, as well. This feature is perfect for hunting in marshes, riverbanks, woodlands, and farms because you can easily clean the bore and guts of the gun without any added work or tools. As with any gas-operated gun, they can get dirty and foul up due to the carbon and grit from a long day in the dirt. However, if you clean them like you’re supposed to, this shotgun will last decades and perform like new every time you shoot.

The final reason I love this shotgun more than the others is the reduction in muzzle flip is a feature Browning made sure to attack. The combination of the Inflex Technology recoil pad, gas piston, and exhaust ports, provide a reduction in muzzle flip by 44% compared to the competition. This shotgun is very expensive, but as with most things in life, you get what you pay for.

Buy Here