Benelli 828U Steel Shotgun

The Benelli 828U Steel comes with a sleek steel receiver that adds the right amount of weight to reduce the recoil of hot upland loads and leverage a smooth, even swing on fast crossing late-season roosters. Benelli’s BE.S.T. finish on the exterior of the receiver, barrels and interior parts is the real game-changer. This makes them essentially immune to rust and corrosion, so you can safely bring this beautiful gun to all of mother nature’s worst conditions in pursuit of the next flush. 

$3,400 | benelliusa.com

Browning A5 Lightning Sweet 16 Shotgun

The Browning A5 shotgun just keeps getting better. The “Lightning Style” stock design is noted by the rounded knob at the bottom of the grip. Looks aside, this grip angle offers a quick, instinctive grasp and trigger find—making it ideal for wary public land birds. The trademark A5 humpback brings you right down the barrel, so you are pointing naturally and quickly, while the Kinematic Drive System will have it cycling clean and reducing recoil to marginal levels. 

$1,929 | browning.com

CZ 1012 Shotgun

The latest evolution of CZ’s semi-automatic shotgun line, the 1012, uses a gas-less inertia operating system. The biggest advantage of an inertia system is the lack of maintenance, so you can spend more time scouting and less time cleaning. Unlike gas guns that need periodic cleaning of the piston and magazine tube, the CZ 1012 shotgun has needs that are vastly less demanding. During CZ’s product testing, they pushed 1012s to 5,000 rounds without a drop of oil or cleaning of any sort. In normal field use in and out of CRP, the occasional cleaning and oiling should be more than enough.

$679 | cz-usa.com

Mossberg 940 Pro Field Shotgun

The Mossberg 940 Pro Field shotgun is an absolute workhorse for any upland hunter. It is equipped to keep you on target consistently with a durable gas system, corrosion-resistant internal parts for nasty snowstorms, and fully user adjustable stock design. The gas system of the 940 keeps recoil next to nothing, which can be a downside of some inertia-based guns. The dark walnut stock is striking yet practical, and the fiber-optic front sight will get you on birds fast. 

$1,061 | mossberg.com

Weatherby Orion I Shotgun

With gloss-finished metalwork and a striking glossy Turkish walnut stock, the Weatherby Orion I shotgun fits in just about anywhere with a price point that won’t break the bank. The Orion is equipped with automatic ejectors that throw empty hulls clear of the chamber so you can keep smashing clays this off-season. The Orion also has a slim action that employs a set of sliding locking bars nestled in above those ejectors that result in less bulk and clumsiness than many similar over/unders. The design is smooth, handles well and gives the gun a broken-in feel that is crisp and reliable on any fall morning.  

$1,049 | weatherby.com