We tested the Stoeger P3000 Freedom Series pump shotgun with the side-folding, telescoping stock. While the shotgun performed very well, I think most of us would have preferred the straight stock. The hinge on the folder pushed our hand down low on the pistol grip. Other than that, it...
Like the Stoeger P3000, the Winchester SXP Defender turned out to be a reasonably priced, great-functioning shotgun. It ran great, was a joy to shoot and quickly became a group favorite. I liked the safety placement in front of the triggerguard. It has a hard, chrome-plated bolt, chamber and...
Benelli’s long reputation for top-of-the-line shotguns isn’t going away anytime soon. The M2 is a lightweight, inertia driven, semi-auto that was an absolute joy to shoot. It had surprisingly little recoil. It has a cryo-treated barrel and is drilled and tapped for a Picatinny if you want to add...
The M&P12 is another gun that I have tested recently so it again had a small advantage. This dual-magazine pump bullpup is built like a little tank. It has an ambidextrous safety, an ambidextrous pump release, ejects out of the bottom, has a full-length Picatinny rail for sights, push-button...
This was the second time the KelTec KS7 has made it to Best of the Best’s Tactical Shotguns. To me, this was the perfect backpacker shotgun. I believe it was the smallest, lightest shotgun of the day, but it still holds 7+1 shells. Our tallest shooter felt it was...
The gun closest to “conventional” was the 590M. At first, it looks like a regular Mossberg pump shotgun until you realize it is magazine fed. The magazines are enormous polymer constructions that hold anywhere from five to a mind-blowing 20 shells, and they all worked great. However, I will...
KelTec enjoys a cult following and the KS7 has the iconic KelTec look. Most of us have seen the KSG with its dual magazines and bullpup design. A couple of years ago KelTec decided to keep the bullpup design but go with a more traditional single magazine tube for...
The Silver Eagle RZ17 Tactical is as exotic looking as its name. With a raised carry handle, full-length barrel shroud and five-position collapsible stock with adjustable cheek rest, it definitely catches your eye. A screw-on barrel extension makes the whole package look more like an M16 rifle than a...
We all agreed this felt like the lightest shotgun that we tested. Perhaps due to the lightness, it also felt like the hardest recoiling. There is definitely something to be said for light shotguns when you have to carry them a lot but you rarely have to shoot them....
The 301 Pump Tactical was another economically priced shotgun that came packed with features. It has a folding, telescoping stock with adjustable cheek piece, a Picatinny rail with a groove down the center to act as a rear sight, a fiber-optic front sight and a Picatinny rail molded into...
