The second AR-style shotgun we tested was the RIA VR80. Last year we tested the VR82 in 20 gauge, which came in second overall, so we had high expectations for the same gun in 12 gauge. Unfortunately, at the start of the testing we switched the charging handle to...
CZ fields a number of models of the 712, and this one is the Utility. To me, it was less a tactical gun and more of an all-around, do-everything shotgun. If you only had one shotgun for shooting birds, hunting deer, breaking sporting clays and using it for home...
People either tend to love AR-style shotguns or hate them. The biggest complaint inevitably is the magazine. 12-gauge AR style magazines do not load quickly. They take a little practice and technique. But if you have several of them loaded, switching them out is super-fast. I loved the ergonomics...
When the folks at Mossberg introduced the 940 series, they focused on doing everything right. They clearly wanted to address any and all critiques of the 930 series. With help from Jerry Miculek in design features, the 940 Pro Tactical easily weighed in as one of the top shotguns...
I have long been a fan of Savage Arms because the quality of the weapons they put out often exceeds similar weapons in the same price point. They work hard to make a better gun. The Renegauge Security impressed everyone. It clearly was designed to compete with the very...
Ultimately, the Beretta 1301 was the hands-down winner. It was also the most expensive, but we had to look hard to find anything that wasn’t nearly perfect on the gun. Light recoil. Incredibly fast cycling. Reliable with any ammo. Oversize charging handle, safety and bolt release. Non-finger pinching lift...
Our last shotgun was the HALO Battle Rifle—I mean the Compact Tactical, but it looks just like the HALO BR. It is a semi-automatic, gas-operated, magazine-fed bullpup with an AK-style safety. Basically, it is a clone of a Saiga 12 gauge dropped into a bullpup chassis. It feels solid...
Our second bullpup of the day had a carry handle reminiscent of the HK G36. But it is removable and it comes with Magpul-style flip-up front and rear sights if you want a more compact look. Besides looking very sharp, it handled really well. “This gun was a joy...
The FD12 Bullpup was our first bullpup of the day and another very sharp-looking shotgun, especially in FDE. Most of us were not overly experienced bullpup shooters so the bolt catch and magazine release seemed awkward. The gun is advertised as weighing 7.4 pounds, but it felt even lighter....
The VR82 is the 20-gauge version of the VR80. It was the only 20-gauge we tested this year and that definitely gave it an advantage in recoil reduction. The evaluators all liked the AR-15-style controls, but the small safety lever was difficult to put back onto safe without repositioning...
