Best New Shotguns of 2023

As another year falls into the rearview mirror, we look back at the most popular new shotguns released this year. From budget to high-end, hunting, sporting, defense, and range, there’s a gun for every buyer, application, and price point. Here are the scatterguns that define 2023.

Mossberg SA-28/SA-20 Tactical Turkey

The phrase “tactical turkey” may sound like an oxymoron, but the autoloading sub-gauge shotgun from Mossberg just plain works. The gas driven semi-automatic, or SA, can be had in either the SA-28 or SA-20, in 28 gauge and 20 gauge, respectively. While the Tactical Turkeys are new, the company’s SA family of International Series Turkish-built repeating shotguns can be had in multiple variants.

Built specifically for gobbler chasers, the Tactical Turkeys are covered in full Mossy Oak Greenleaf camouflage and come fitted with fiber-optic ghost ring sights in addition to a Picatinny rail for easy optics mounting. Weighing in under 6 pounds and measuring 39 inches overall, the SA-28 is the lightest, softest recoiling of the bunch. Hunters seeking a tad more firepower – along with greater ammunition offerings – can turn to Mossberg’s SA-20 for the same desirable features.

Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 28-Gauge

The Benelli Super Black Eagle’s reputation as a premier inertia-driven autoloading hunting companion has been cemented for years. So, what’s new here, you might ask? The SBE3 houses a new shell for 2023: the “Magnum” 3-inch 28 gauge. Though it’s certainly not the only shotgun now built around the lengthier 28-gauge shells, the SBE3 makes an ideal home for the round with the gauge’s expansion into the waterfowl market with specialty shots.

The shotgun is lightweight, fast-swinging, and purpose-built for hunters. If that’s not enough, the 5.5-pound repeater is sleek and incredibly low-recoiling, making it a pleasure to both carry all day and fire high volumes of rounds. For hunters seeking a bigger bore than the 28 affords, Benelli’s SBE3 can be had in a laundry list of 12- and 20- options, barrel lengths, finishes, and specialty styles from Waterfowl to Turkey, Rifled Slug and Performance Shop selections.

KelTec KSG410

Though heavy on sporting and hunting shotguns, there’s still room for bullpups in 2023. KelTec gives its pump-action KSG family a downsized look with the KSG410. Known as the “sidekick with no kick,” the light-shooting baby bore is marketed as a training, plinking, and hunting option.

The pint-sized shotty measures just 1.7 inches wide, wears an 18.5-inch barrel, and sports two magazine tubes with a 5+5+1 round capacity. That’s quite the firepower for a pup with metrics of only 26.1 inches overall and a scant 5.4 pounds empty. The hardest part will be finding enough .410 ammo to keep this little beast fed, because it’s a pleasure to shoot.

TriStar LR94

Lever-action shotguns used to be few and far between, yet 2023 saw multiple launches in the lever-driven baby bore market. The most readily available and easily recognizable name comes from TriStar with the LR94. The Turkish-built cowboy-action .410s can be had in a trio of finish options: Matte Blue; Case Color; and Nickel metalwork, each with Turkish walnut furniture.

There’s an oversized top dial safety, leather-wrapped loop, and half-length magazine tube. The rifle-style sights are boxy, and the gun only ships with one interchangeable choke, but cycling rounds through the 22- or 24-inch barreled repeater reminds shooters of the low-recoiling joy of .410s.

Stoeger M3000 Freedom Defense

Known as parent company Beretta's budget-priced brand, Stoeger Industries has been beefing up its M3000 family of Inertia Driven semi-automatic shotguns. The Freedom Defense marks the latest addition. A blued receiver finish and black synthetic stocks are utilitarian, but that 18.5-inch barrel paired with the extended magazine tube’s 7+1 round capacity means serious business. The 3-inch chambered 12-gauge is available with either a standard or pistol grip buttstock.

With a fixed cylinder choke, the Freedom Defense is built for its name: home defense and close quarters work. There are ghost ring sights, an oversized bolt release, Weaver scope base, and an included shim kit allowing shooters to adjust for drop and cast. At a fraction of the price of a new Benelli M2 – also under the same ownership umbrella – Stoeger’s M3000 Freedom Defense earns its place in the conversation.

Stevens 560 Field

Finding affordable, reliable, semi-automatic shotguns has always been a tricky affair, as quality can be hit-and-miss. The Stevens by Savage Model 560 Field line of gas-driven semi-automatics sets out to check those boxes. Not only is the gun a budget-buy, but it comes dressed in walnut stocks seldom seen on cost-effective options.

There are interchangeable chokes, laser-cut checkering, a ventilated rib, a fiber-optic front sight, and basic practical features. Though built in Turkey, we expect the backing of Savage quality. In addition, the fledgling 560 line includes not only the standard model, but a pair of Compacts touting a shorter length of pull for smaller-framed shooters.

Browning Citori Composite

Not much needs to be written about Browning’s long-proven Citori family of over-under shotguns. They dominate on the clays courses and make themselves at home in the upland fields. However, hunters taking them out in rough conditions – looking at you, waterfowlers – find themselves worried about marring those handsomely appointed walnut lookers.

Browning answered those calls in 2023 by offering a weather-friendly Composite variant. The synthetic buttstock and forend use rubber overmolding to improve grip and ergonomics while maintaining traditional Citori balance. There’s still the same attractive engraved steel receiver, blued metalwork, an adjustable comb, and Inflex II recoil pad. All those features speak to the practicality and class of a quality Citori.