You’ll see DT11s in the hands of Olympic champions like, Kim Rhode and Vincent Hancock, and other top shooters. There are many high-end shotguns I could have profiled, but I’ve chosen the Beretta DT11, which is available in skeet, sporting clay, and trap configurations. The best shotguns are designed for handling and performance when it counts. Comparing a $300 pump gun and a high-end over/under is like pitting a Prius against a NASCAR track burner. Why spend $8,000 on a shotgun? Performance, of course. Joe Genzel For Comparison: What Does an $8,000 Shotgun Get You? It’s available in 20- and 12-gauge, and there is a Turkey model in addition to the Field. It’s a damn reliable pump built by a company that caters to the average hunter (MSRP is $315). The Cobra III doesn’t have the high-end feel of a Remington 870 Wingmaster, but the wood and steel Field model competes with the quality of an Express. 410, and came away with the same opinion. I’ve shot a few of their over/unders and the auto-loading. One thing I consistently hear from TriStar shooters is the incredible fit on these guns. Owner Gus Bader will often just snag a random gun off the production line at TriStar and put it through the ringer to make sure it shoots straight and functions properly. If you do find one, you’ll be treated to some of the sexiest wood you’ll find on a gun in this price point, complete with 22 lines-per-inch checkering.The Upland model is $449, while the synthetic version is $399. My personal favorite is the PA-08 Upland with its walnut stock, but it’s difficult to find these days. This Turkish-made gun comes in a handful of finishes, including black and camo. In fact, everything in the gun is designed for longevity: chrome-lined barrels, a dual-bar action (like the Remington 870), a black-anodized receiver machined from a solid billet of alloy material, and a drop-out trigger mechanism that won’t frustrate you when it’s time to clean. Why 6000 rounds? That’s what the company equates to 10 to 20 years of normal field use-without a failure. The company continued this process until it ended up with a gun that fired more than 6,000 rounds. Weatherby’s product development procedure for the SA-08 pump shotgun went something like this: Shoot it until something breaks, fix the problem and repeat. Look for these models used, now that times are changing at Remington and for Remington shotguns. Dual bars prevent racking and promote smooth operation. When you pump the gun, parallel steel bars connected to the forend slide back into the action to operate the mechanisms that eject the spent shell and load the next one. One of the key features of the 870 that make it so durable and reliable is the double action bar design. But at its price, why bother, when you can buy one for each task and still have cash left over for ammo.
You can buy one action, a couple barrels and an extra stock and change the gun from a clay buster to a turkey killer to a home-defense firearm. Ultra-reliable, the 870 can be configured thousands of ways thanks to myriad aftermarket accessories and the gun’s simple breakdown design. And while higher-grade versions of the 870, such as the Wingmaster, are available, it’s the Express that continues to make the 870 the first and last choice among legions of outdoorsmen. The Remington 870 is the greatest shotgun of all time. Remington 870 Express and Express Super Magnum Many of these guns can also be purchased used for hundreds less, but if you’re headed to the local gun shop, here’s what $500 will get you. To give you a better idea of just how much you can get, we put together this list of the best pump shotguns for less than $500. Yes, you get a lot for your money when you buy a pump shotgun. But that’s sort of like putting chrome rims on your johnboat trailer. On the subject of price, you could pay a lot of money for a pump with glossy walnut and gold inlay. A pump is simple, reliable, holds more shells than a break-action, and can be had at a reasonable price. That’s why many hunters have chosen a pump shotgun as their first shotgun, and it’s why many have chosen one as their only shotgun. They’re reliable hunting tools that can be used for just about every season. But when you turn the key, it always gets the job done. A pump shotgun is like your old hunting truck.