Top 5 Semi Auto Shotguns for Hunting

Hunting with a shotgun has been one of our nation’s most storied pastimes since the early 1800s. Until the past decade or so, all hunting has been done with pump-action shotguns from the legendary giants of Mossberg and Winchester.

This blog is going to focus on the auto-loading shotguns that many hunters are transitioning to over the more traditional pump-action. You’ll find the Mossberg 935 Magnum, the Benelli M2, Benelli Montefeltro, Remington V3 Field Sport, and the Beretta A300.

Hunting with an auto-loading shotgun will make it easier to hunt because you only need to pull the trigger instead of bringing your gun down to reload a shell.

Mossberg 935 Magnum Waterfowl Shotgun

The Mossberg 935 Magnum is specifically designed to hunt birds, such as Duck, Goose, Mallards, and Grouse. The shotgun is chambered for 3" and 3.5" shells to offer unmatched power and effectiveness. The barrel is overbored and built with a dual gas vent system to ensure your shoulder doesn’t fly off as you fire the gun. The very first thing you’ll notice is how quick, accurate, and soft this gun feels as you fire it. The receiver is drilled and tapped for the addition of an optic or scope and comes with a fiber optic front sight for turkey hunting or hunting in low-light conditions. I know Mossberg states that it will fire 2 3/4" shells, but I don’t recommend using them because they’re too light and small for the extended Magnum bolt to cycle out the spent shell casing. Stick with 3" or 3.5" shells, and this shotgun will give you the most comfortable, effective, and accurate autoloader you could ever ask for under $700.

Specs

Why Should I Buy The Mossberg 935 Magnum?

The 935 Magnum barrel is bored to 10 dimensions to ensure you’ll never have an issue with pellet deformation. This will produce dense patterns and ensure you hit your target and bring it down in the most effective manner. I believe this is the best auto-loader because it’s affordable, durable, has the least amount of felt-recoil, and has the power to bring down any bird you’re hunting with incredible ease. If you’re a duck hunter, this is the option for you because you can shoot all 5 rounds in rapid succession without pulling yourself off target with the recoil. This shotgun will give you all the confidence you’ll ever need to ensure you always come home with the meat.

Where Can I Buy The Mossberg 935 Magnum?

Benelli Montefeltro Sporting

The Benelli Montefeltro is made in Italy, but it’s known as one of the most beautiful and effective shotguns in the world. It will handle shells up to the 3.5" Magnum and down to 2 3/4" for optimal versatility. Benelli took a page out of the Glock playbook with only 3 parts of the entire gun; bolt body, inertia spring, and rotating bolt head.

These 3 parts make up the inertia-driven operating system that significantly reduces the felt-recoil, keeps the gun cleaner than gas, and dramatically increases the longevity of the shotgun. The simplicity of the inertia system and limited parts inside of the gun also reduce the overall weight of the shotgun, so you can hold and shoulder fire for an entire day without hurting your shoulder. Benelli boasts the ability to fire 500,000 shells through this shotgun without failing or malfunctions in the operating system.

Specs

Why Should I Buy The Benelli Montefeltro Sporting?

The Benelli Montefeltro is incredibly expensive and is meant for experienced hunters or sportsmen who want an advanced technological shotgun that will last decades. This shotgun has a little more kick than the Mossberg 935 Magnum and is almost double the price. The Montefeltro is lighter, aesthetically better, and is easier to clean the Mossberg, however. If I had a choice, I’d go with the Mossberg, since it’s half the price, made in America, and is easier to find spare parts for. However, buying a Benelli is like buying a Mercedes or BMW; you’ll never regret your purchase.

Where Can I Buy The Benelli Montefeltro Sporting?

Remington V3 Field Sport

The Remington V3 Field Sport is my favorite shotgun behind the Mossberg because of the reduced felt-recoil created by the VersaPort Gas System. This gas system is described in more detail in the video below. The V3 Sport comes with 3 chokes for added versatility (IC, Mod, Full) in hunting either waterfowl or turkey. Remington completely revamped the loading port to decrease the load times and ensure safety is paramount. I love the large safety and bolt handle because it ensures if I’m wearing gloves, I can set my shotgun on safe without worrying about my gloves being too bulky. It’s built with a high-quality fiber optic front sight for hunting in low-light environments, such as sunrise for those Spring turkey hunts.

Specs

Why Should I Buy The Remington V3 Field Sport?

Remington built the Gas system in front of the receiver with the recoil springs designed to absorb the force before it gets to the stock. This feature ensures that you can spend hundreds of rounds at the range and not worry about having a bruised shoulder for weeks. Although this shotgun is expensive, the versatility with multiple chokes, the recoil-reduction system built into it, and the comfort of the synthetic stock ensures you get exactly what you want. This shotgun is perfect for hunting either turkeys or waterfowl with ease and confidence.

Where Can I Buy The Remington V3 Field Sport?

Benelli M2 Field

The Benelli M2 is one of the original auto-loading shotguns made with the patented inertia-driven system that produces no gas. The barrel is unique with the Crio System treatment that is designed to relieve the stress from hammer forging. The barrel is frozen to -300 degrees Ferenhight to create an even-grained and slick surface to prevent pellet deformation and accuracy issues. The Benelli barrels are cryogenically frozen to enhance the longevity of the barrel and make it easier to clean for a more dependable experience. The Benelli M2 has a little more recoil than the Montefeltro and Mossberg 935. The Benelli M2 is expensive, but you’ll get what you pay for with all the technological advancements they put into the M2.

Specs

Why Should I Buy The Benelli M2?

The M2 is great for hunting any sized bird, including turkeys with its heavy 3" shell. The ComforTech stock ensures your felt-recoil is reduced and your face doesn’t absorb the shock from each shell fired. The Benelli M2 is equipped with the AirTouch technology that provides a great grip in all weather environments. Whether its rain, snow, humidity, or sweat, the Air Touch grip repels all of it with ease to maintain an absolute grip. With a 21" barrel length, the M2 is perfect for increasing the mobility in tree stands, ground blinds, and dense forests on the East Coast.

Where Can I Buy The Benelli M2?

Beretta A300 Outlander

Beretta has one of the most trusted gun companies by the United State Military, since Vietnam. The safety features, such as the reversible ambidextrous cross-bolt safety mechanism and the simplistic design ensure the shotgun is safe and easy to use for all levels of experience. The Beretta A300 is built with interchangeable choke tubes to give you the versatility for hunting, sport shooting, or self-defense situations. The coolest feature in the A300 is the self-cleaning gas piston that breaks down the dirt, carbon, and gases in your barrel to prevent anything stopping the shotgun from cycling and firing accurately. The Mobile-choke system is built to reduce the overall weight of the shotgun without compromising the purpose of the shotgun.

Specs

Why Should I Buy The Beretta A300?

The A300 is durable, relatively lighter than a lot of its competition, and very easy to maintain. The self-cleaning gas piston really helps keep your barrel and bolt assembly clean with minimal CLP and a quick wipe from a cloth. As you can see in the video below, the A300 is incredibly accurate and is great for waterfowl, such as ducks and geese. You can use either 3" or 2.75" shells inside this shotgun, depending on the bird you’re trying to hunt for.

Where Can I Buy The Beretta A300?

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