Hunting Guide: The Best Guns for Duck Hunting

Having the proper gear with you is essential for making your duck-hunting trips a success. One of the most important pieces of that gear is, of course, the gun you will shoot with. Just taking any gun with you isn’t a wise option as not only will it not land you an easy kill, but may even break down in the harsh outdoor conditions it comes to face with. Reliability, ruggedness, range, and load are just a few of the factors you should take into account when selecting the best gun for duck hunting. 

This may sound like a tall order, but there are plenty of guns on the market that do fit the bill and more. Here we list down the best of the best that you can buy:  

Remington 870

Few will be surprised to see the Remington 870 on the list. Thanks to its incredible reliability, smoothness, and ruggedness, this slick and ubiquitous shotgun has remained one of the most popular guns for duck-hunting since the 50s, with over 11 million copies sold till date. 

Maintenance on the gun is easy and with tons of aftermarket accessories available, you can customize the gun to your specific shooting needs. The stock is one component of this gun that we particularly appreciated. It’s so well-designed – managing to be comfortable to virtually every hunter’s shoulder and aids in proper aiming of the target. 

Overall, the gun has a solid-build with no compromise on quality, and its highly affordable price is a nice cherry on the top. 

Pros 

• Highly reliable 
• Affordable 
• Great value for money
• Tons of aftermarket accessories 
• Great entry option

Cons 

• The regret of not buying it sooner 

Final Verdict 

It’s the most shotgunest shotgun that ever shotgunned. Despite its old design, the gun hasn’t aged a bit and can still hold up easily against newer entrants. For the money, you won’t get a better option out there on the market.  

Benelli Super Black Eagle

Now in its third iteration, this semi-automatic shotgun from Italy is expensive, but backs its high demand price with plenty of awesomeness. It has a very low-recoil, is silky-smooth to operate and reliable as a semi-auto can ever be. 

The gun is inertia-driven rather than gas-operated, translating to a cleaner shooting operation. Maintenance is negligible in this hardy specimen and the whole thing can be easily dissembled in under a minute. We also particularly liked the overall design aesthetic. 

Before you consider buying this gun, it is important to remember that it tends to shoot high rather than at point of aim like other hunting guns. This was a deliberate design on the part of the company to allow hunters to not lose track of their targets behind the barrel when trying to aim. 

Pros 

• Highly reliable 
• Cleaner gun operation 
• Value for money 

Cons 

• Expensive 

Final Verdict 

You can use and abuse it to your heart’s content and it will still function like it’s brand new. While pricy, it’s still a value buy as it will last you a lifetime. 

Beretta A400

The design of the Beretta A400 incorporates respect for the past with the best modernity has to offer. This gas-operated shotgun is built to operate even in the harshest of conditions but also packs plenty of high-tech features that add to its refinement. Shooting is well-balanced and thanks to its ergonomics, the gun is impressively comfortable to hold and aim with.  

The most distinct feature of the A400 is its surprisingly soft recoil; in fact, it is one of the softest of any hunting shotgun. This is achieved thanks to its spring-loaded shock absorbers that absorb much of the impact from the recoil. 

Another great feature is the Beretta’s patented “Blink” working system, which allows for faster shooting while reducing fouling. The gun is quite versatile, allowing you to use any kind of ammunition, with any type of load, without accuracy, performance and reliability being compromised.

The obvious drawbacks are its price and it’s rather complicated built.  

Pros 

• A host of high-tech features
• Comfortable 
• Highly reliable 
• Very soft recoil 

Cons 

• Expensive
• Complicated  

Final Verdict

This shotgun certainly lives up to its hype. Despite its more complex design, the gun will give you a trouble-free shooting experience for years to come.

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