There are few sports as iconic as duck hunting. If you’re not sure about this, think back to the old video game that shipped on the original Mario Brothers cartridge. There’s a reason Nintendo didn’t choose “deer hunt” or “rabbit hunt”.
Now, we can’t help you improve your high score, or get that little cartoon dog to stop laughing at you when you miss, but we can help you find the best duck hunting gun on the market.
We’ve looked primarily at 12-gauge shotguns. Not only is this the most popular shotgun bore around, but it’s the best one for waterfowl shotguns. That’s because it has a wider spread than smaller-bore guns, making it easier to hit those pesky moving targets.
That said, we’ve also reviewed a few smaller bore guns, mostly in youth models for people with smaller frames. After all, a big spread isn’t much good if your gun is too unwieldly to shoot.
Best Duck Hunting Guns Available Online
1. Remington 870 Classic Trap
The Remington 870 Classic Trap has a 30-inch barrel, the longest on our list.
Key features:
- 12 gauge bore
- Pump action
- 30-inch barrel
- 3-inch chamber
- 4-round tube magazine
- Weighs 8.25 pounds
- Classic walnut stock and fore grip
- Includes 3 choke tubes
Remington’s 870 has been in the duck hunting game since our grandparents were hunting. The Classic Trap is a special, 30-inch version of this iconic gun. It has a 4-round magazine, a smooth double-rail pump. The stock and the fore grip are both solid walnut, providing plenty of weight and stability.
The primary attraction of this gun is its accuracy. With a 30-inch barrel, you get the best possible, with all the quality machine work that Remington is known for. They also include three of their custom Trap Rem choke tubes: the Singles, the Mid Handicap, and the Long Handicap. Which one is best for you depends on how far of a lead you prefer.
This gun is a little pricey for a pump action, but very well-manufactured.
Pros:
- Time-proven design
- Exceptionally accurate
- Three choke options included
- Good recoil reduction
Cons:
- Pricey
This 30-inch variant of Remington’s venerable 870 shotgun is purpose-built for bird hunting.
2. Winchester SX3 Waterfowl Realtree Max-5
The Winchester SX3 Waterfowl Realtree Max-5 supports powerful, 3 ½-inch shells.
Key features:
- 12 gauge bore
- Semi-automatic
- 28-inch barrel
- 3 ½-inch chamber
- 4-round tube magazine
- Weighs 7.25 pounds
- Realtree camo polymer stock and fore grip
The Winchester SX3 Waterfowl Realtree Max-5 is designed to sling as much lead as possible as quickly as possible. It does this with a lightning fast, gas-powered semi-automatic action and large, 3 ½-inch shells that can really put the hurt on some birds.
The tube magazine holds up to 4 rounds, and the barrel itself is 28 inches long, allowing for plenty of accuracy. It features a solid, Realtree camo polymer stock and fore grip, which provide enough weight for good stability and recoil absorption.
The sights on this gun are a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, the front sight is a fiber optic TRUGLO, which is very easy to see. On the other hand, you’ll need to provide your own rear sight.
Pros:
- Very fast action
- Large, 3 ½-inch chamber
- Great for follow-up shots
- Good recoil absorption
Cons:
- No rear sight
This shotgun is fast, reliable, and heavy enough to stay on target.
3. Browning A5 Stalker
The Browning A5 Stalker has the most reliable semi-auto shotgun action on the market.
Key features:
- 12 gauge bore
- Semi-automatic
- 28-inch barrel
- 3-inch chamber
- 4-round tube magazine
- Weighs 7.25 pounds
- Black polymer stock and fore grip
The Browning A5 Stalker is a recoil-operated semi-automatic shotgun. The upside of the recoil operation is that it’s simpler than gas operation. And in the world of firearms, “simpler” always means “more reliable”. For this reason, the original Auto-5 was the most successful duck shotgun on the market for years. The downside of recoil-operation is that there’s no gas bleed-off, and the barrel actually slides back to chamber your next round. This leads to some serious kickback.
Not only is the A5 Stalker reliable, it’s also accurate. The grip is easy to hold and pivot, so you can draw a bead on a duck quickly and easily. This gun has a fairly steep price tag. But if a reliable semi-automatic is what you crave, the juice is well worth the squeeze.
Pros:
- Very reliable
- Accurate
Cons:
- Hard recoil
- Pricey
This is an updated take on Browning’s original Auto-5.
4. Benelli Montefeltro Tro Left Hand
The Benelli Montefeltro Tro Left Hand is a quality semi-automatic with walnut furniture.
Key features:
- 12 gauge bore
- Semi-automatic
- 28-inch barrel
- 3-inch chamber
- 4-round tube magazine
- Weighs 7.1 pounds
- Solid walnut stock and fore grip
- Left-handed ejection port
The Benelli Montefeltro Tro Left Hand features a 4-round tube magazine, and its gas-operated, semi-automatic action ejects spent cartridges from the left side, rather than the right. This is a real life saver if you shoot left-handed, since you won’t have hot brass smacking you in your arm every other shot.
This shotgun has solid walnut furniture, which gives the back end a little extra heft for stability and recoil absorption. A thick, rubberized butt pad further cuts down on kick, and rests comfortably against your shoulder as you fire.
The Montefeltro has a tall, red bar front sight, but no rear sight. It’s also on the pricey side, but it’s still cheaper than most semi-auto shotguns on the market. All in all, it’s a good buy, especially for left-handed individuals.
Pros:
- Good recoil absorption
- Accurate
- Great choice for southpaws
Cons:
- No rear sight
- Pricey
This is one of the few readily-available left-handed shotguns on the market.
5. Benelli Super Black Eagle III
The Benelli Super Black Eagle III comes with five different choke options to customize your duck gun.
Key features:
- 12 gauge bore
- Semi-automatic
- 28-inch barrel
- 3 ½-inch chamber
- 3-round tube magazine
- Weighs 7 pounds
- Realtree camo polymer stock and fore grip
- Realtree camo finish
- Includes 5 choke tubes
The Benelli Super Black Eagle III is a gas-operated, semi-automatic shotgun. It uses the same action as the original Super Black Eagle, which has been famous among hunters for years for its reliability. Pull the trigger, and it will go boom, and it will cycle.
This shotgun sports a 28-inch barrel, which can be customized with any one of five of the choke options Benelli ships with the gun. This includes a flush fit Cylinder, Improved Modified, and Full, and extended Improved Modified and Full.
The polymer stock are dense and durable, with enough weight to provide good balance and recoil absorption. The only downside was the steep price, but the Super Black Eagle is worth the money considering what you get.
Pros:
- Good recoil absorption
- Reliable
- Accurate
- 5 choke options
Cons:
- Expensive
Benelli’s Black Eagle shotgun is famous for having one of the most reliable actions on the market.