An estimated 42% of American adults have a firearm in their household — and virtually all of them do so for at least one of three specific reasons. A recent survey from the Pew Research Center found that among all gun owners in the U.S., 91% choose to have a firearm for protection, 59% for sport shooting, and 53% for hunting. While there are any number of firearms tailor-made for some variation of each of these purposes, perhaps none are as well-suited to all three as a shotgun.
The most versatile firearm available on the consumer market, shotguns can be loaded with ammunition that fire either a spray of shot or a single slug. Depending on what they are loaded with, shotguns can be effective against the most common North American game. For many gun owners, shotguns also make ideal home defense weapons. They are also widely used recreationally for trap and skeet shooting.
Over the 10 years ending in 2020, an estimated 15.8 million shotguns were sold in the United States, according to data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. While there are dozens of shotgun manufacturers in the U.S. and many more worldwide, the latest sales report from the largest online firearm and ammunition marketplace shows that Americans have some clear preferences.
Using a report from Gun Genius, which analyzed sales data from the online firearm marketplace GunBroker.com, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 10 most popular shotguns in America. Shotguns are ranked on sales volume in the 2023 calendar year, though exact sales figures were not provided. Supplemental data on domestic manufacturing locations and production volume in 2021 are from the ATF.
Of the 10 shotgun models on this list, five are semi-automatic and five are pump-action — including the three most popular. These 10 firearms are manufactured by only four gunmakers, including four models from O. F. Mossberg & Sons and another four from Beretta Holding, which owns both the Beretta and Benelli brand names. (Here is a look at America’s 24 biggest gun makers.)
All but one of the four companies on this list has at least one U.S. based manufacturing plant. Still, several of the shotguns on this list are manufactured overseas. In all but two years between 1986 and 2016, most shotguns sold in the U.S. were produced in American factories. However, between 2017 and 2020, the U.S. imported nearly 2 million more shotguns than it produced for domestic retail sale. (Here is a look at the company making the most guns in every state.)
It is important to note that this list was compiled using online gun sales only. Unlike most items purchased online, firearms are generally not shipped directly to your door. Typically, the process requires buyers to have their gun shipped to a Federally Licensed Firearm Dealer – usually a local gun store – which will run a background check before transferring the gun to the customer. Additionally, while the estimated base price of many of these firearms can be as low as a few hundred dollars, higher-end variations can sell for many times that amount.
10. Winchester Super X Pump
- Approx. base retail price: $360
- Action type: Pump
- Available chamberings include: 12 ga, 20 ga
- Parent company: Herstal Group
- Winchester U.S. shotgun production in 2021: None
- U.S. manufacturing location(s) in 2021: None
9. Beretta Model 1301
- Approx. base retail price: $1380
- Action type: Semi-automatic
- Available chamberings include: 12 ga
- Parent company: Beretta Holding
- Beretta U.S. shotgun production in 2021: 24,210 (3.6% of all U.S. made rifles)
- U.S. manufacturing location(s) in 2021: Gallatin, TN
8. Benelli Super Black Eagle
Source: 2012 Getty Images / Getty Images News via Getty Images
- Approx. base retail price: $1620
- Action type: Semi-automatic
- Available chamberings include: 12 ga, 20 ga, 28 ga
- Parent company: Beretta Holding
- Beretta U.S. shotgun production in 2021: 24,210 (3.6% of all U.S. made rifles)
- U.S. manufacturing location(s) in 2021: Gallatin, TN
7. Mossberg Model 940
Source: 2018 Getty Images / Getty Images News via Getty Images
- Approx. base retail price: $800
- Action type: Semi-automatic
- Available chamberings include: 12 ga
- Parent company: O. F. Mossberg & Sons, Maverick Arms
- Mossberg and Maverick U.S. shotgun production in 2021: 293,089 (43.4% of all U.S. made rifles)
- U.S. manufacturing location(s) in 2021: North Haven, CT and Eagle Pass, TX
6. Benelli M4
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Approx. base retail price: $1900
- Action type: Semi-automatic
- Available chamberings include: 12 ga
- Parent company: Beretta Holding
- Beretta U.S. shotgun production in 2021: 24,210 (3.6% of all U.S. made rifles)
- U.S. manufacturing location(s) in 2021: Gallatin, TN
5. Mossberg Maverick 88
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Approx. base retail price: $230
- Action type: Pump
- Available chamberings include: 12 ga, 20 ga
- Parent company: O. F. Mossberg & Sons, Maverick Arms
- Mossberg and Maverick U.S. shotgun production in 2021: 293,089 (43.4% of all U.S. made rifles)
- U.S. manufacturing location(s) in 2021: North Haven, CT and Eagle Pass, TX
4. Beretta A300
Source: 2023 Getty Images / Getty Images News via Getty Images
- Approx. base retail price: $900
- Action type: Semi-automatic
- Available chamberings include: 12 ga, 20 ga
- Parent company: Beretta Holding
- Beretta U.S. shotgun production in 2021: 24,210 (3.6% of all U.S. made rifles)
- U.S. manufacturing location(s) in 2021: Gallatin, TN
3. Mossberg Model 500
- Approx. base retail price: $330
- Action type: Pump
- Available chamberings include: 12 ga, 20 ga, .410
- Parent company: O. F. Mossberg & Sons, Maverick Arms
- Mossberg and Maverick U.S. shotgun production in 2021: 293,089 (43.4% of all U.S. made rifles)
- U.S. manufacturing location(s) in 2021: North Haven, CT and Eagle Pass, TX
2. Remington Model 870
- Approx. base retail price: $410
- Action type: Pump
- Available chamberings include: 12 ga, 20 ga, .410
- Parent company: RemArms
- Remington U.S. shotgun production in 2021: 45,277 (6.7% of all U.S. made rifles)
- U.S. manufacturing location(s) in 2021: Ilion, NY
1. Mossberg Model 590
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Approx. base retail price: $410
- Action type: Pump
- Available chamberings include: 12 ga, 20 ga, .410
- Parent company: O. F. Mossberg & Sons, Maverick Arms
- Mossberg and Maverick U.S. shotgun production in 2021: 293,089 (43.4% of all U.S. made rifles)
- U.S. manufacturing location(s) in 2021: North Haven, CT and Eagle Pass, TX
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