Best Semi-Automatic Shotgun [Buyer’s Guide] By: Matthew Collins

Have you ever wanted to empty a half dozen rounds of 12-gauge in just a couple of seconds?

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If you’ve been involved with firearms for any length of time, you’ve probably shot break-action or pump-action shotguns, but what about semi-automatic shotguns?

For many of us, shotguns are some of the first firearms we were introduced to.

Indeed they make excellent guns for everything from training beginners to providing the ultimate home defense protection.

They even see a good bit of use in modern militaries (and games).

We’re going to dig into just why you would want a semi-automatic shotgun, the pitfalls, and how to choose the best one for your needs.

Summary of Our Top Picks

1. 

   Editor’s Pick

   Benelli M4

   A do-it-all shotgun: can be used for home defense, competition, and hunting.

   $1999 at Gunprime
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2. 

   Best for Home Defense

   Mossberg 930 SPX Tactical

   8+1 capacity, shoots great, looks good too.

   $909 at Kygunco
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3. 

   Best Value

   Weatherby SA-08 Deluxe

   Looks great, feels great, and a good option for those that want a Turkish style gun

   $769 at Brownells
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4. 

   OG Style

   Browning A5

   Classic look, great for those that want a traditional shotgun

   $1599 at Brownells
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5. 

   Best Combat Shotgun

   Beretta 1301 Tactical Semi-Auto Shotgun

   Great for tactical or home defense applications, dependable and good ergonomics

   $1499 at Palmetto State Armory
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6. 

   Most Modern Semi-Auto

   Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical

   Modern features like M-LOK and red dot compatibility

   $1120 at Brownells
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7. 

   Best for 3-Gun

   Benelli M2 Tactical

   Great in competition, lightweight

   $1199 at Guns.com
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The Birth of the Semi-Auto Shotty

Before we go into modern semi-automatic shotguns, let’s have a look at the prototype, the grandpappy, the Godfather of all modern semi-automatic shotguns: the Browning Auto-5.

While it would eventually go on to revolutionize the shooting world, it was about as reliable as a broken clock when it was first released, and no one really trusted it.

Eventually, though, Browning ironed out the kinks, and soon the public fell in love with it. And for good reason.

It turns out that having several rounds of 12-gauge buckshot on tap can be a really useful thing.

The Auto-5 is a recoil-operated shotgun, just like many you’ll see on our recommendation list.

This means that the gun uses energy from the recoil to eject the used shell and cycle a new one into the chamber.

Modern Semi-Autos Shotguns

It wasn’t that long ago that there was only a handful of reputable semi-auto shotguns on the market.

Big companies like Browning, Mossberg, and Remington produced them, but they never caught on…until now.

Demand rose, quality improved, and prices dropped. Action-shooting athletes in competitions like 3-Gun benefit greatly from the high fire rate of a semi-auto.

You can even catch these semi-auto bad guy dispatchers in movies like the recently released John Wick 2.

How Does a Semi-Auto Shotgun Work?

The pump-action shotgun you’re probably more familiar with works by having the user manually slide the forend — where you cock the gun.

This uses a spring-operated mechanism to simultaneously eject a spent cartridge and load a fresh one.

A semi-automatic shotgun, on the other hand, does the same thing automatically and can cycle through cartridges in one of two ways:

1. Through a gas system…think something similar to the AR-15.
2. Through inertia – aka, recoil-operated.

While both gas and recoil-powered systems use energy for the same function — reloading the shotgun — they go about it in different ways.

Gas-powered shotguns take high-pressure gas released after firing and use it to cycle ammo, while recoil-operated shotguns utilize kinetic energy instead.

Even though gas-operated reloading systems have been widely used for various automatic and semiautomatic weapons over the years, recoil operation was historically favored in shotguns. 

Pros/Cons of Semi-Autos

Now that we’ve covered the basics of recoil and gas-operated shotguns, let’s look at how semi-automatic shotguns measure up to more traditional shotguns.

Pump-Action Shotgun Advantages

• Typically cheaper retail price.
• A simple design that’s easier to clean, assemble, and disassemble.
• As a rule, they’re less likely to fail.
• Not picky about ammo.

Pump Action Shotgun Disadvantages

• They have a significantly slower rate of fire in inexperienced hands.
• Can be difficult to shoot with an injured hand.
• More recoil.
• Can be short-stroked, especially in a high-stress scenario, which causes a malfunction that can be difficult to clear.

Semi-Automatic Shotgun Advantages

Semi-automatic shotguns are great for competitions and tactical situations, especially for beginners who might struggle to keep their target engaged while cycling rounds with a pump.

• While one-hand shooting is not recommended, it’s at least fairly possible with a semi-automatic shotgun. With that said, I wouldn’t advise doing it unless you were in an emergency situation.
• Generally speaking, the kick of a semi-automatic isn’t as strong, especially with those that use a gas system.
• Semi-automatic shotguns have a much faster rate of fire than their manual counterparts, given similar operator ability

To get an idea of how fast one can shoot with a semi-automatic shotgun, check out this video:

Semi-Automatic Shotgun Disadvantages

• A more complex design makes them heavier and difficult to clean, especially for beginners.
• Semi-automatic shotguns have a higher likelihood of jamming than pump and break-action shotguns.
• Many can’t reliably cycle low-powered ammo, like some low-brass birdshot.

Pump-Action vs. Semi-Auto

It really all depends on what you’re looking for.

Do you want something that’s more affordable and less likely to fail, or do you want a shotgun that can cycle through shells faster and put more rounds on target?

In general, we recommend semi-autos for sport shooting, such as 3-Gun or trap shooting, and pump-actions for those looking for a more affordable shooting experience or those who want the guaranteed reliability that a pump-action brings.

With that said, shotgun technology over the years has improved. This means that semi-automatic shotguns are becoming more reliable, making them great for self-defense situations.

For more on this debate, check out our article dedicated to the drama that is Pump vs Semi.

Are Semi-Automatic Shotguns Good for New Gun Owners?

The operation of a semi-auto shotgun is simpler than any manually operated shotgun.

All a shooter is required to do is to initially charge the weapon via a charging handle. After that, the gun will run itself until it’s empty.

Once it’s empty, the majority of semi-auto shotgun bolts will lock to the rear, giving even the most novice of shooters a clear visual, auditory, and tactile sign that their gun is empty.

When a pump-action shotgun is empty, there is no immediate tactile or audible feedback to let you know.

The only way to know is to count your rounds, or when it goes click on an empty chamber.

All of this combines to make semi-autos an excellent choice for new gun owners.

Just make sure you read the manual to understand proper cleaning and lubrication, as well as your gun’s recommended ammo and malfunction-clearing procedures.

Best Semi-Automatic Shotguns

Of course, any time you use the word “best” to describe anything, someone somewhere is going to disagree with you, and that’s to be expected here.

That said, these are the guns we’ve tested and used ourselves. So, we feel confident recommending them to you.

Note: Many, if not most, of these shotguns can easily fill multiple roles, so be sure to give all of them a look before you decide on buying.

Semi-automatic shotguns are perfect for hunting and are commonly used to take all varieties of game birds, as well as hogs, deer, and other medium to large game.

1. Benelli M4 

The Rolls Royce of shotguns, the Benelli M4 is also the armored Humvee, fire truck, and Ferrari of shotguns.

It can do anything, anytime, anywhere, and has seen success in home defense, competition, and hunting scenarios.

It should come as no surprise that the M4 is the U.S. Marines M1014 Joint Service shotgun and has been on combat missions on six continents. Not to mention it’s a favorite in countless video games.

While Benelli is known for inertia-based guns, the Benelli M4 uses an auto-regulating gas operating system.

The ARGO system is cleaner and more reliable over long periods of shooting.

The Benelli M4 is a proper combat shotgun with ghost ring adjustable sights and an optics mount.

Oh, and it works phenomenally in a hunting environment.

The worst thing about this shotgun is the MSRP of $2,000.