Finest Over/Underneath Shotguns of 2026, from Funds to Excessive Finish

In case you shut your eyes and picture your self following a well-trained chicken canine by an autumn subject, there’s an excellent probability the shotgun you’re carrying on this daydream is a fine-looking over/beneath. However you’ll additionally discover O/Us on clays ranges in all places from the native membership to the Olympics. The over/beneath is a confirmed platform that’s used to provide high-end competitors weapons and lovely subject weapons alike. 

Sadly, magnificence comes at a value. Although a majority of recent O/Us are made by CNC machines, they’re typically dearer than pumps or auto-loaders. The excellent news is there are all kinds of O/Us at a number of value factors. One of the best over/beneath shotguns are pricey, however there are additionally cheap choices that may get the job carried out all the identical, simply with a bit much less fashion. For this story I’m focusing, together with my fellow Outside Life editors, on extra attainable O/Us — although we’ve additionally included just a few high-end choices as properly.

Finest Over/Underneath Shotguns

Finest Total: Browning Citori 825

The 825 is our favourite iteration of the Citori but. It’s supplied in a wide range of lure, sporting clays, and subject configurations and in 2026 it is going to be supplied in sub-gauges as properly. We examined the usual subject model in our 2025 Shotgun Check and it wowed the take a look at staff, taking house our Editor’s Alternative award.

“In comparison with the Citori 725, one other gun we like, it has a modernized look and extra elegant and refined elements, particularly the highest lever and security/barrel choose. The 825’s inventory has a softer, extra rounded profile, the place the 725 traces are extra angular and outlined. Which seems higher is solely a matter of private style,” OL taking pictures editor John B. Snow wrote concerning the gun in our 2025 shotgun take a look at. “We additionally appreciated the 825’s easy adornment, with a grouse on one facet and pheasant on the opposite.”

I later hunted with the shotgun and located that it carried and swung simply as superbly because it seemed. When it comes to value, efficiency, and aesthetics, it is going to be powerful to discover a trendy over/beneath that’s higher than the Citori 825.

Finest Sporting: Beretta DT11 

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Execs

• Wonderful patterns
• Championship pedigree
• Very good efficiency on the vary

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Key Specs

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  Gauges: 12

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  Weight: 8 kilos, 9 ounces

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  Total size: 49.5 inches (32-inch barrel)

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  Barrel size: 30 and 32 inches

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  Inventory: Left-hand choices out there

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  Chokes: F, IM, M, IC, C

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  Value: $11,420

American skeet shooter Vincent Hancock has gained a file 4 gold medals with Beretta shotguns, together with the DT11 Black. And because it’s the shotgun of selection for the very best skeet shooter of all time, it will get the nod as the very best over/beneath gun for clays. A carbon-fiber rib permits shooters so as to add size to the barrels with out including weight. Hancock used to shoot 28-inch barrels, however bumped as much as 30s within the DT11. An extended barrel set can assist preserve your swing on observe, and should you like extra weight within the entrance of your over/beneath, you should use the included rib weights to search out the correct stability. Beretta’s Steelium Professional barrels, used within the Italian gunmakers’ high-end double weapons, come customary as do 5 Optima chokes.

DT stands for “removable set off.” You may drop the set off out by opening the motion, aligning the lever with the protection, pushing the protection ahead to reveal a black dot, and transferring the lever to the appropriate. Removable triggers have crisper set off pulls—the DT11 breaks at 3½ kilos—and it’s simpler to wash and alter set off weight. The cross-bolt motion of the DT11 is 3mm wider than its predecessor, the DT10, giving it a stronger lock up so it may maintain up even after tens of hundreds of shotshell ignitions. Beretta provides a wide range of completely different shares for the DT11 in order that shooters can expertise a extra customized match. —Joe Genzel

Finest Mid-Priced Sporting: Fabarm Elos N2

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Execs

• Nice worth
• Wonderful barrels and chokes
• Adjustable comb

Cons

• Some might not like enamel ornament

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• 
  Gauges: 12

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  Weight: 8 kilos, 4 ounces

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  Total size: 49.5 inches (32-inch barrel)

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  Barrel size: 30 and 32 inches

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  Inventory: Oil-finished walnut with an adjustable comb

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  Chokes: IM, M, IC, SK

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  Value: $3,680

If the DT11 is a bit too wealthy to your blood, take into account the Fabarm Elos N2. Longtime gun author Phil Bourjaily picked this shotgun as his high O/U for sporting clays. “The gun has TriBore barrels and Fabarm’s house-made Exis choke tubes with a singular curved interior geometry rather than the same old conical/parallel choke design,” Bourjaily wrote. “From a completely anecdotal standpoint, I can say that this gun hits targets onerous, and that Fabarm has lengthy been identified for its barrels and chokes. The N2 RS is an offshoot of the N2, with weight added through denser wooden, a stable mid-rib and a bulkier forend. It’s made for shooters preferring extra heft to their sporting gun, the place the usual N2 is for individuals who choose their gun to be extra nimble.”

Finest for Upland Birds: Ruger Crimson Label III

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Execs

• Made in America
• Very gentle and nimble
• Handles splendidly

Cons

• No engravings on receiver

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Key Specs

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  Gauge: 20

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  Barrel Size: 28 and 30 inches (examined)

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  Total Size: 47.5 inches

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  Weight: 6.59 kilos (measured)

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  Inventory: Walnut

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  5 screw in Tru-Choke fashion chokes included (SK, IC, M, IM and F)

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  Value: $2,720

In 2026 Ruger is resurrecting its in style Crimson Label line with the III. This slender O/U is being made for Ruger by Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing Firm and, for my part, it’s the very best Crimson Label but. This model of the Crimson Label has easy but considerate options. The darkish inventory (black American walnut and Turkish walnut) is enticing, however not so fancy that you simply’ll really feel dangerous about placing scratches in it. The wooden sits proudly above the receiver, because it ought to. The inventory has a impartial solid and a splendidly slender Prince of Wales fashion grip.

I’ve hunted geese and pheasants with the gun and I’ve discovered that it’s completely balanced for carrying on lengthy hunts within the uplands. The longer 30-inch barrels assist you swing by targets. And true to the Crimson Label historical past, it’s chambered in 20 gauge and made in America. Learn my full evaluate of the Crimson Label III right here.  

Most Versatile:  Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon

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Execs

• Comparatively reasonably priced
• Wonderful do-it-all shotgun

Cons

• Security requires adjustment

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Key Specs

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  Gauges: 12, 20

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  Weight: 7 kilos, 2 ounces (12 ga)

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  Total size: 46 to 48 inches

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  Barrel size: 26, 28, 30 inches

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  Inventory: B Quick, European Walnut

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  Chokes: F, IM, M, IC, C

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  Value: $2,449

The Silver Pigeon is taken into account to be Beretta’s working man’s over/beneath. It’s a stable competitor to the Browning Citori and whether or not you favor one or the opposite actually comes down to non-public tastes. The trendy model of the gun comes with a silver (after all) receiver that has good laser engraved floral patterns. It’s a fairly, trendy O/U with options like Beretta’s Steelium barrels and B-FAst inventory system in-built. 

Govt editor Natalie Krebs carried the 686 Silver Pigeon throughout sage flats and up rugged plateaus out West this season with good outcomes. “Previously, I’ve opted for lighter weapons which are simpler to hold at altitude, however whose whippiness proved pricey when it got here time to shoot,” she says. “I a lot choose the simple swinging and fast dealing with of the Silver Pigeon, which got here by for me on more durable pictures, together with a tough left-to-right crossing hun and one other that pulled a U-turn, forcing me to spin and shoot on a steep slope.

My solely critique is that the tang security is simply too stiff out of the field and its ergonomics — a bulge moderately than a groove — don’t assist issues, gloves or no. It was high quality if I had superior discover of impending taking pictures over some extent, however it value me a chukar when my Lab flushed a shock single that flew right away — a uncommon chip shot. Too dangerous I used to be combating the protection and by no means received the shot off. Thankfully, it’s one thing a fast journey to the gunsmith ought to resolve, which I’ve carried out up to now for one more Beretta with the identical difficulty.”

Finest Mid-Priced: Franchi Intuition Sideplate

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Execs

• Enticing but sturdy over/beneath suited to onerous use within the subject
• Cheaper than the Citori and Silver Pigeon

Cons

• Ejectors didn’t at all times work as anticipated on our take a look at pattern

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Key Specs

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  Gauges: 12, 20

• 
  Weight: 7 kilos, 7 ounces (12 ga)

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  Total size: 46 to 48 inches

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  Barrel size: 28 inches

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  Inventory: AA grade satin walnut

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  Chokes: IC, M, F

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  Value: $2,149

That is a gorgeous Italian over/beneath that represents a stable worth. Its wooden is darkish and wealthy, the colour case-hardening on the motion is properly executed, interesting gold-inlay searching scenes on both facet are augmented with engraved scrollwork and borders, and the highest lever is sculpted with high quality cuts.

It shoots properly, too. The Sideplate has an computerized security that additionally capabilities as a barrel selector that operates easily with no slop or uncertainty. It comes with prolonged choke tubes to tune the diploma of constriction to the shooter’s preferences, and our pattern (chambered in 12 gauge with 3-inch chambers and 28-inch barrels) did an excellent job breaking clays.

The one actual difficulty we had with the shotgun was inconsistent ejection. At occasions it wouldn’t pop empties free from their chambers, which is a little bit of a nuisance if not a deadly flaw. Even so, for a shotgun at this value, that value it factors within the reliability class.

Finest for Duck Looking: Mossberg Silver Reserve Eventide

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Execs

• Dependable duck gun
• Swings properly
• Handles recoil surprisingly properly

Cons

• Has extractors not ejectors

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Key Specs

• 
  Gauges: 12

• 
  Weight: 7 kilos, 5 ounces (12 ga)

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  Total size: 45.5 inches

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  Barrel size: 28 inches

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  Inventory: Artificial, camo

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  Chokes: C, IC, M, IM, F

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  Value: $846

I shot the Mossberg Eventide on a duck hunt in Maine and located that it shines brightest beneath the very worst situations.

On these frigid, salty mornings the semi-autos that different hunters had been utilizing began to jam up, however my over/beneath simply stored working. This Turkish-made shotgun’s hefty weight and good stability helped me swing on passing sea geese, dropping chicken after chicken. This shotgun was at house among the many rocks and saltwater, however I wouldn’t thoughts utilizing it as a late-season goose gun or a delegated boat gun (which are supposed to be beat to hell). It dealt with the recoil of heavy duckloads surprisingly properly. The sling studs on the barrel and inventory are a pleasant characteristic for duck hunters. 

Throughout vary testing we did have one glitch with the gun that affected its reliability rating. When opening the gun, it’s doable to unlock the lugs with out pushing the highest lever over absolutely. When this occurs, the highest lever is not going to click on into its open locked place, that means the locking bars within the receiver will stop the motion from closing.

My solely different difficulty with the shotgun is that it has extractors as an alternative of ejectors. This makes reloading slower, which is a flaw in a duck gun once you’ve received a downed diver swimming off into the waves. On the upside, it makes it simpler to gather your spent hulls after the hunt.

See It

Execs

• Nice worth
• Good dealing with for a finances gun

Cons

• Made in Turkey
• Finicky security

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Key Specs

• 
  Gauges: 12, 20 gauge

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  Weight: 7 kilos (12 ga)

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  Total size: 45.75 inches

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  Barrel size: 26 and 28 inches

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  Inventory: Turkish walnut

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  Chokes: F, M, IC

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  Value: $989

OL’s information editor Dac Collins has been searching upland birds virtually solely with the Weatherby Orion for the previous couple seasons. This Turkish-made O/U is an all-around stable worth and a confirmed subject gun.

“The Orion I’ve been taking pictures is a 20-gauge with 28-inch barrels, and it’s killed a lot of pheasants in Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming,” Collins says. “I’ve additionally carried it within the mountains fairly a bit to hunt blue grouse. These walks are usually lengthy, steep, and brutal, so that they actually name for a lighter gun which you could mount and swing rapidly within the timber.

“My solely knock on the Orion is the protection, which isn’t straightforward to function with thicker gloves. Though not often, I’ve had it get caught within the center place, which retains the protection engaged and is irritating when a chicken is already within the air. I additionally just like the plain end and fundamental inventory. This gun has taken a beating towards bushes and rocks, so there’s no must child it now.”

Ultimate Ideas on the Finest Over/Underneath Shotguns

What’s nice about at this time’s over/beneath shotguns is which you could spend $12,000 or $900 and nonetheless go house with a useful firearm. The over/beneath market is so aggressive these days that it has pressured gun makers to construct extra dependable shotguns with higher options. So resolve how a lot you might be prepared to spend, which options matter most to you, after which decide a gun (or perhaps two) from our checklist.