Hunting shotguns: New products, tests, experience reports

Benelli unveils a limited version of the 828U Steel BE.S.T. over-and-under shotgun – only 500 pieces will be made. A tribute to not only fans of hunting, but of guns with a special and unique aesthetic as well.

With its sporty total black look, recognizable by the shine of the BE.S.T. treatment, the 828 U over-and-under comes in a version with a one-piece steel receiver, thus heavier and protected in its mechanical parts by BE.S.T. coating, for those hunters who seek a shotgun that is stable when shooting, tame in recoil and durable.

The Italian company begins the new year by introducing a restyled version of a great classic, the Parallelo 486 model chambered in 12- and 20-ga, which reintroduces the timeless appeal of the side-by-side shotgun in a contemporary key. Among the most noticeable aesthetic changes is a new engraving on the body receiver.

With the XLight version featuring a light alloy receiver, F.A.I.R. gives hunters the opportunity to choose the Pathos model best suited for walked-up hunting in addition to the classic model with a solid steel receiver. We tell you about the shotgun straight from the field after our test.

Available in all the most commonly used hunting gauges, we tested the Fausti Class SLX over-and-under in the pleasant, lightweight and high-performance .410 bore version: small-gauge hunting at its finest, with many customization options.

Beretta's popular A400 Xtreme Plus series of semiautomatic shotguns is now also available in 20-gauge, with new technical features that improve ergonomics and ease of use. Aesthetics also offer several options, such as Realtree MAX-7 camo or gray anodized finish, combined with a synthetic stock.

With the model N-100, the Turkish gun manufacturer Derya Arms, which specializes in shotguns, offers a particularly short and handy semi-automatic shotgun in its catalog. The compact dimensions of the gas-operated autoloader are thanks to the bullpup design used here: the complete bolt assembly and magazine well are not located in front of the trigger guard, as is usually the case, but integrated …

The latest generation of CZ 712 autoloaders includes three versions (Wood Stock, Utility or Synthetic Camo Terra) in different barrel lengths, all chambered in 12 ga. Designed for target shooting, hunting and home defense, the CZ 712 G3 series comes at an interesting price too.

The charm of a typically European hunting gun combined with the Italian gunmaking tradition: this is how the billing produced by Sabatti could be defined. The smoothbore barrel comes in either 12- or 20-gauge; the rifled barrel is available in an even wider range of options.

We take you with us inside an exclusive event that Benelli has reserved in Urbino for the international press. A journey to discover the Magnifico Set of Five, the first set of fine guns in Benelli history made entirely in Italy – an ambassador of art and hunting in the world.

Silver Pigeon is the name of this ever-evolving hunting over-and-under shotgun. Now in its fifth iteration, it features state-of-the-art construction solutions and high-level finishes. It is also available in a dedicated Sporting version and in 20 gauge.

Let's discover together a series of extraordinary side-by-side shotguns: unique and numbered pieces that blend the historical experience of the two companies, Fratelli Poli and Bernardelli, to create truly exceptional products in terms of quality and beauty of the whole – at very attractive prices.

We have used the 28-gauge Fausti Class SLX over-and-under in the field on several occasions. A well-known classic for the fans of break-action guns, that in this small gauge version allowed us to have fun during our outings with dogs and on the shooting range during the ballistic tests that we are showing you in the video.

Extremely lightweight 12-ga shotguns have only been available with an aluminum receiver. With the Ultraleggero model, Beretta now claims to bring the lightest shotgun of this type with a steel action to the market. We tested the performance in practice.

One of Fausti's iconic shotguns, the Dea, was delivered to us in the 20 gauge version with a classic old silver finish and 71 cm barrels to evaluate its characteristics in the field. It's available in the Fausti catalog in all gauges and with different barrel lengths for those who are passionate about walked-up hunting.

It has been the star of the last trips of this hunting season – we are talking about the Fausti Class SLX over-and-under manufactured by the Italian company in all the main gauges, but we wanted to try it in the 28-gauge version, designed for walked-up hunting.