A dependable shotgun doesn’t have to cost a month’s pay. That’s the point of a new Field & Stream guide by longtime shotgun writer Phil Bourjaily, published October 14, which sorts budget shotguns into three price tiers: under $500, under $1,000 and under $2,500. With deer, dove, duck and rabbit seasons all underway or close across the South, it’s a useful map for families buying a first shotgun or a second one for a growing hunter.
Under $500: pumps and a few surprises
Field & Stream starts with two familiar pumps. The Mossberg Maverick 88 is essentially a Mossberg 500 with a crossbolt safety. Bourjaily put its price at a little over $200 and said he once ran 25 straight at skeet with one. Its limit is that it comes only in 12 gauge.
The Remington 870 Express is the other veteran pump. Field & Stream praised its steel receiver and twin action bars but warned that the finish rusts quickly, which waterfowlers in particular should keep in mind. The guide pointed readers to used listings rather than giving a new price.
Two Turkish-made semi-autos also make this tier. Field & Stream described the Stoeger M3000 as a Benelli-style inertia gun at roughly half a Benelli’s price, with some give in fit and finish. The Weatherby SA-08 is a light gas gun, about 6.5 pounds in 3-inch 12 gauge, but the guide noted that you have to swap pistons between light and heavy loads and that a light gun kicks more.
Under $1,000: where most families will land
The middle tier gets the most attention. Bourjaily’s first recommendation for a new shooter is the U.S.-made Beretta A300 Outlander, a simplified version of Beretta’s well-known 391. Its gas system handles a range of loads without adjustment, and the basic synthetic model has spacers to change the length of pull by up to an inch. That’s a real plus when a young hunter is still growing.
Also in this tier:
- Winchester Super X4: Field & Stream called it the best value in waterfowl guns, starting around $800, with bigger controls that are easier to work with cold hands.
- Remington V3: Light, soft-shooting and reliable in cold weather, around $800 new. The guide flagged that production is uncertain under the brand’s newer ownership.
- CZ Drake: A plain over/under under $800 in 12, 20, 28 and .410. It comes with five chokes and a hard case, and it uses extractors rather than ejectors.
Under $2,500: target guns that hunt
The top tier covers guns that do double duty on clays. The Beretta A400 Xcel, the semi-auto many sporting clays shooters call the “blue gun,” costs over $1,500. The Browning Cynergy CX, an over/under, runs about $1,600 with 30- or 32-inch barrels. Bourjaily’s one complaint was a matte finish that shows dings easily.
GUN Crusade’s take: buying smart on a budget
Field & Stream’s guide closes with solid advice on buying used, and it’s worth following. Look up fair value in the Blue Book of Gun Values. Buy from a dealer who offers an inspection period. Work the safety and action, and make sure the choke tubes actually come out, because a rusted-in tube is a headache. Watch for buggered screws, refinished wood or shortened barrels and stocks.
We’d add a few things. Match the gun to the job you’ll do most. Have the shooter, not the buyer, shoulder it before you pay. And set aside money for shells, a case and a lesson or two. If you sell or trade a gun along the way, know your state’s rules on private transfers.
