Updated on 5/03/2022What are your best bets for upland shotguns?Browning Citori White LightningCZ–USA Bobwhite G2F.A.I.R. SLX 600 BlackBenelli 828U Performance Shop UplandSavage 555 16–GaugeTriStar TT-15 fieldThe days of one shotgun being sufficient for all purposes are long gone. The times have changed. Your grandfather or uncle might have owned a Browning Auto 5 and a Model 12 Winchester, and used it for feathers and fur. Hunters today need specialized tools to bag their quarry. We’re going to be looking at the best upland bird hunting shotguns today. These smoothbores are light and quick in the brush and can knock flushing roosters out the sky. The Citori was created by Browning in 1973 as an affordable alternative to the superposed shotgun, which was the last project of John Moses Browning, a firearms legend. We now have a “white” Citori. This means that the receiver is not color case-hardened or blued, and the trigger guard and natural-colored steel receiver are protected from corrosion by a durable coating process called “nitrided”. This provides similar protection as bluing. It has been a popular choice among upland hunters. A 16-gauge version is new for this year’s White Lightning model. The White Lightning Citori is a beautiful devil with its polished-steel receiver, pretty walnut wood, and extended choke tubes.
MSRP: $2839.99; Browning.comCZ USA Bobwhite G2Upland hunters love side-by-side shotguns. Every shotgunner should have at least one double-barrel. The Bobwhite G2 could be that gun. The original Bobwhite was improved by CZ in many ways. It has an improved finish, internal coil springs rather than leaf springs, and a CNC-cut receiver that works slicker and faster than a greased Lizard. This gun is only 5 1/2 pounds. The Bobwhite G2 comes with five interchangeable chokes, 28-inch barrels, and a remarkable price.
MSRP: $709; www.CZ-usa.comOn the Mark With More Shotgun Information:F.A.I.R. SLX 600 Black. Established in 2010, the Italian Firearms Group is the importer for four well-respected Italian firearms manufacturers: F.A.I.R. Sabatti, Tanfoglio, Tanfoglio, and Pedersoli. Fabbrica Armi Isodoro Rizzini, F.A.I.R., manufactures the SLX 600 Black in Italy’s Lombardy area. The SLX 600 Black upland hunting shotgun is a surprise. First, the gun is lighter than 7 pounds, even in the 30-inch barrel model. F.A.I.R. is known for its bright-black bluing on barrels. The European walnut stock and forend are also impressive. They are also adorned with fine-pitch, 25 lpi laser checkering. This is old-world Italian craftsmanship… it shows. The SLX600 Black can be purchased with multiple barrel sets. Hunters can change barrel gauges according to their needs. For 12-gauge frames, a 20-gauge set can be purchased. For 20-gauge frames, a 20-gauge, 28 -gauge, and.410 bore set are available. All barrel sets include complete choke tube sets to match the model. The F.A.I.R. is for you if you, like me, are drawn to shotguns whose names you don’t know. The SLX 600 Black may be right for you.
MSRP: $1,675; ItalianFirearmsGroup.comBenelli 828U Performance Shop UplandUpland bird hunters want a shotgun to be light and fast–as in light to carry in the field and fast to point and get on target. The Performance Shop Upland is based on the 828U and features upgrades from Benelli’s Performance Shop to make it a lighter, faster-swinging gun. Benelli reduced the length of the pull on this shotgun from 14 1/4 inches to 24 inches, and the barrels to 24 inch. It weighs only 6.4 pounds. This gun was designed for brush use. The Progressive Comfort stock with Quadra Fit customizing technology offers less felt recoil. It also allows for easy adjustment of drop, cast, height, comb height, and pull length to create a custom fit. The stock and forend are made of AA-grade satin-wolk. They also have an anodized bronze/matte blue receiver and a carbon-fiber steppedrib. The 828U Upland keeps the original breech design with a steel locking system.
MSRP: $3.499; BenelliUSA.comSavage.555 16-Gauge. As mentioned earlier, the 16 is back on the market mainly because of the demands from woodcock hunters and grouse hunters. Savage has responded to the call with a nice, little over-under in its line of 555 that doesn’t require a bank co-signer. An aluminum receiver is scaled to size and includes a steel insert that strengthens the breech. This reduces weight and maximizes strength. The enhanced version of the 5555 has an imperial walnut stock, forend, autoshell ejector, and a silver scroll-engraved filigree receiver. Standard features include a manual safety, and a single, select mechanical trigger. The package includes chrome-lined barrels as well as a tang-mounted safety. The shotgun is 6 1/2 pounds in weight.
MSRP: $768 (standard model); $937 (enhanced version); SavageArms.comTriStar TT-15 FieldAvailable in 12-, 20- and 28-gauge as well as .410 bore, this shotgun features a top tang barrel selector and safety, steel mono-block barrel construction and Turkish walnut stock and forearm. The TT-15 Field includes five interchangeable Beretta/Benelli Mobil style choke tubes (SK. IC. M. IM. F), choke box, and choke wrench. The safety engages to prevent the trigger, hammer lever, and hammer from moving. This shotgun has strong ejectors, which are uncommon on economy-priced guns. They’re also covered by TriStar’s five year mechanical warranty.
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