SHOT Show encompasses a wide variety of the latest and greatest shooting and tactical gear. Firearms, of course, take precedent, but there are trends to observe year after year. 2025 became the year of the lever action and the revolver. 2026 is the year of the shotgun. Here are the best in shotguns for SHOT Show 2026.
Beretta Makes a Tactical Twenty
Beretta celebrated its 500th anniversary with only a few new releases including the Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol shotgun in 20 gauge. The Beretta A300 Patrol is a first class semi-automatic shotgun designed for personal protection and duty use. This proven design got its legs in its standard 12 gauge 3 inch chambering, but is now available in 20 gauge.
The 20 gauge A300 Ultima Patrol is a lighter, quicker handling shotgun chambered in the capable, but lower recoiling 20 gauge shell with the option to go with a standard 2 ¾ inch or a 3 inch Magnum shell. Aside from these characteristics, the 20 gauge A300 loses none of the compatibility of the original. That includes an extended 7+1 magazine tube and a short, spacer adaptable buttstock and M-LOK compatible handguard with QD sling attachments forward and aft on the stock. Typical of the A300, the 20 gauge version retains the same enlarged loading port, bolt release, and bolt handle that are ideal for quick, gross manipulation. Whether you are partial to 20 gauge or looking for a lighter defensive option, the A300 Ultima joins a very thin crowd of tactical 20s. The A300 has an MSRP of $1,299.
Cimarron’s Choked Doubles and Lever Action Shotguns
Cimarron Firearms of Fredricksburg, Texas imports some of the finest Italian replicas of classic Western arms that can be had. For years, Cimarron has offered copies of the Colt 1878 Coach and the Winchester Model 1887 lever action 12-gauge shotguns.
New for 2026, these models are getting the choked treatment to improve these cylinder-bore classics for hunting purposes. These screw-in choke classics are in pre-production, thus exact choke configuration and pricing is forthcoming.
Stoeger Adds New Over/Under Models
Stoeger is a first name in fine defensive and hunting shotguns. New for 2026, among others, is V7000 Series Over/Under shotguns. Whether your game is upland hunting, clays, or skeet, the V7000 is made to satisfy. Equipped with screw-in choke 28-inch barrels and full-ejectors, this break-action shotgun is made to swing and reload on the fly. The shotgun is equipped with a single trigger, an internal box-lock action, and attractive checkered walnut stocks. The aluminum alloy receiver is finished in either a polished silver or hard black finish. The new V7000 series is currently available in either 12 gauge or 20 gauge. The shotgun ships with an improved cylinder, modified, and full-choke tubes, for maximum versatility on the fly. The Stoeger V7000 has an MSRP starting at $949.
Mossberg Makes a Semi-Auto Maverick
The Maverick was an entry-level pump-action shotgun based on the legendary Mossberg Model 500 line of tactical and hunting shotguns. Now Mossberg has the Maverick SA, a gas-operated semi-auto made for field work. The Maverick SA is a 12-gauge autoloader with a 28 inch vent ribbed barrel and a 5+1 magazine capacity. Other features include a red fiber optic front sight, a set of five choke tubes, and a spacer-adjustable buttstock.
The Maverick SA is available with either a traditional checkered walnut stock and fore-end or a lightweight black composite. MSRP on the new Mossberg Maverick SA starts at $623.
Big Beautiful Short Barreled Shotguns
With the passage of the omnibus bill derided as the “One Big Beautiful Bill”, most of us get a tax cut and that is not simply adjustments to tax brackets. The $200 price tag the NFA designates for tax stamps to purchase and possess short-barreled shotguns is now reduced to $0. The registration and wait times are still required but the biggest stumbling block toward owning a SBS is now removed. As such, we now have factory-configured SBSs.
These new options include the Mossberg 990 Aftershock and the IWI Mafteah. The 990 Aftershock debuted as a pistol-grip autoloading 12-gauge platform in early 2025. With the lifting of SBS restrictions, Mossberg is giving it a buttstock and calling it good.
The Mossberg 990 Aftershock SBS features the same enlarged safety, bolt handle, and bolt release as the original, as well as its flexible M-Lok compatible polymer handguard. In lieu of a birdshead grip, the Aftershock SBS has an adjustable SGA buttstock. Although the 990 is now available as a conventional 18 inch barreled non-NFA shotgun, the SBS model sports a short 14.75 inch tube and a six-shot magazine tube. MSRP for these new models starts at $1,309.
On the heels of the original 990 Aftershock was the IWI Mafteah, another semi-auto PGO 12 gauge meant for personal protection. With the changes in the winds, the Mafteah is also available as an SBS. The SBS version of the Mafteah retains the same M-Lok handguard, recoil operation, reversible charging handle, 14-inch barrel, and six-shot magazine as the original, but it now comes with a full Magpul SGA buttstock. MSRP is $1,199.99.
A Promising Year For the Scatter Gun
Shotguns are a jack of all trades and a master of none. While not as trendy or popular as handguns or rifles, the scatter gun holds steady thanks to its sheer versatility. New tactical and hunting models continue to steady the platform in 2026, but the offering of factory SBS models very well might make 2026 the year of the shotgun.
To locate a dealer near you visit www.lipseys.com/dealerfinder