New Guns and Gear for 2025: Shotguns
Each year brings a fresh lineup of new and improved shotguns built for waterfowlers. These are the standout models for 2025
July 01, 2025 •
5
min read
By Phil Bourjaily and Chris Jennings
DU’s Shotgun of the Year: Beretta A400 Upland 28-Gauge
Beretta’s special DU edition of their A400 Upland shotgun in 28-gauge features a glossy Turkish walnut stock and forearm, and its nickel-finished receiver is adorned with intricate artwork, including gold inlays and the DU logo. It includes a polymer case with the DU logo, unique DU serial numbers, and a gun lock. The 28-inch barrel comes with five choke tubes. This gorgeous shotgun is available exclusively at DU events. To find an event in your area, visit ducks.org/events.
1. Browning Maxus II Black Gold
The Maxus II, Browning’s premier gas-operated semiauto, is now available in a dressed-up Black Gold version. This 3-inch 12-gauge shotgun has a striking oil-finished Turkish walnut stock. Gold ducks and pheasants decorate the black anodized receiver, and the bolt is jeweled for an extra touch of class. Underneath the fancy finish, it’s the same soft-shooting and reliable Maxus II you already know. browning.com
2. Fabarm Infinite RS Sporting
This year, Fabarm steps outside the box to offer a full-race side-by-side 12-gauge. The Infinite RS Sporting has a high rib and a Monte Carlo stock with an adjustable comb and trigger. It also features 32-inch barrels bored to Fabarm’s TRIBORE specs, extended Exis choke tubes, the solid Fabarm four-lug action, and a hefty 8 1/4-pound weight. fabarmusa.com
3. Benelli Nova 3
Benelli totally remade its Nova pump for 2025. The original Nova had a one-piece polymer stock and receiver with a reinforced steel frame underneath the plastic. The new Nova 3 loses the steel frame and has a polymer-only stock and receiver, which reduces the gun’s weight by a full pound. It has the same smooth rotary-bolt action as the original, plus a shortened cycling stroke that will make follow-up shots even faster. An enlarged trigger guard makes the gun easier to handle with cold fingers. It comes in 3-inch 12-gauge with 26- or 28-inch barrels. benelliusa.com
4. Benelli A.I.
Benelli’s Advanced Impact (A.I.) barrels and chokes improve patterns and, according to Benelli, increase downrange energy and penetration. This year, A.I. is available on several SBE3 and Ethos models in 12- and 20-gauge configurations and a variety of stock and finish options. benelliusa.com
5. Weatherby Element II
Weatherby restyled the Element inertia gun as the Element II with sleeker lines, enlarged bolt handles and closer buttons, and a cutaway loading port. The Element II offers tool-free removal of the recoil spring for cleaning, and it now features Benelli’s Crio-choke system. It’s available in 3-inch 12- and 20-gauge with a choice of black synthetic, camo synthetic and Cerakote, or walnut and blued steel, all with 28-inch barrels. weatherby.com
6. Beretta A400 L Sporting
The A400 L Sporting is a higher-grade version of the A400 Xcel target gun, which is by far the most popular semiauto among sporting clays competitors due to its reliability, easy care, and soft recoil. It has a fully engraved silver receiver and a grade 2.5 walnut stock. Performance features include an ambidextrous palm swell, 30-inch Steelium Plus barrel, and Optima-Bore chokes for better patterns. beretta.com
7. Heritage Badlander
A no-frills double gun, the Badlander comes in short-barreled cylinder-choked models for cowboy action shooting, as well as 28-inch choke-tubed versions suitable for the field. The guns have very dark wood and a black matte metal finish. They are simple and functional, with a manual safety, two triggers, and extractors. The Badlander comes in 12-, 20-, and 28-gauge as well as .410. heritagemfg.com
8. Franchi Affinity Waterfowl Elite
Franchi’s Affinity inertia semiauto comes in a Waterfowl Elite model featuring a stock and forend that have been dipped in Marsh or Timber Optifade camo. The Marsh option has burnt-bronze Cerakote metal while the Timber has cobalt Cerakote. The guns are configured in 3- or 3 1/2-inch 12-gauge with 28-inch barrels, and in 3-inch 20-gauge with a 26-inch barrel. They have extended chokes, stepped ribs, and fiber-optic sights, as well as oversized bolt controls and Franchi’s effective TSA recoil pad. The Elite Series also includes turkey and upland models. franchiusa.com
9. Syren L4S Elevate
Syren, the Caesar Guerini/Fabarm women’s gun brand, offers the gas L4S semiauto configured as a gun for all clay disciplines. It comes with two interchangeable ribs: one has a 50/50 point of impact for skeet and sporting clays, while the other has a 65/35 point of impact for trapshooting. The Syren also features an adjustable comb on the stock, which is designed to fit a woman’s body. It comes with extended Exis choke tubes that pair with a 28-inch version of Fabarm’s proprietary TRIBORE barrel to produce clay-busting patterns. syrenusa.com
10. Spandau S2
The Turkish-made Spandau S2 is an inertia semiauto that comes in 3-inch 12-gauge with a choice of 24- or 28-inch barrels. Previously available in black synthetic or Realtree camo, it now also comes in Mossy Oak Original Bottomland and Obsession. It features an enlarged safety and bolt handle and has lines very reminiscent of the old Benelli M2. spandauarms.com
11. Winchester SXP High Grade Trap
The SXP Trap has proven to be a very affordable trap gun for league and scholastic clay target shooters. It has all the features of a higher-priced model: raised rib, Monte Carlo stock, soft Inflex recoil pad, Invector-Plus choke tubes, and fiber-optic bead. Now it comes in a high-grade model, with a satin-finished Turkish walnut stock and glossy metal. The High Grade comes in 12-gauge only, with a 30- or 32-inch barrel. winchesterguns.com
12. Mossberg 500 Slugster
Mossberg offers its Model 500 Slugster this year in 12- and 20-gauge as well as in .410. The guns have black synthetic furniture and drilled and tapped receivers. All Slugsters come standard with iron sights. The 12- and 20-gauge versions have rifled barrels, and the .410 barrel is smooth-bored. mossberg.com
13. Stoeger 3000 and 3020 Turkey Guns
Stoeger’s 3000 3-inch 12-gauge inertia gun and its scaled-down 3020 20-gauge cousin come in dedicated turkey versions this year. The guns have 22-inch barrels and extended turkey chokes. The receiver on the 12-gauge is cut for RMR or Burris sights, while the 20-gauge sports a Picatinny rail. Both have Mossy Oak Bottomland finish and come with paracord slings. stoegerindustries.com
14. Rossi ST12
The ST12, a short-barreled 12-gauge pump from Rossi, would make a very affordable home-defense or camp gun. It features a 4+1 capacity, a plain 18.25-inch barrel with a cylinder choke and bead sight, a black synthetic stock, and a molded rear swivel stud. rossiusa.com
Taurus Expedition
Taurus breaks new ground this year with its first-ever bolt-action rifle. The Expedition is a hunting rifle chambered for .308 WIN. It accepts easy-to-find AICS magazines, giving it a 5-round capacity. It’s built on the proven, accurate Model 700 action and has an 18-inch barrel. The synthetic stock is compatible with rifle saddles and has both MLOK and Spartan Precision integrated attachment points. taurususa.com
