First Look: New Shotguns for 2010

STOEGER’s new Double Defense side-by-side shotgun is being billed as a “straightforward, rugged and reliable home defense shotgun.” The Double Defense has a traditional break-open action and a short, efficient design made to be easy to load and quick to deploy in an emergency. The Double Defense is chambered for 23/4- and 3-inch shells and comes in 12- and 20-gauge. Its 20-inch ported barrels have fixed, improved-cylinder chokes. It has a single-trigger and a tang-mounted safety. Stoeger also added the .45 ACP caliber to its Cougar-series of double-action, semi-auto pistols.

BENELLI's Legacy 28-ga. shotgun is being billed as “the lightest semi-auto available.” Its lower receiver is designed as a true 28-ga.-size gun, not a scaled-down 20 gauge. The Legacy has game scene etchings that are juxtaposed beside a highly polished blued upper receiver 

BERETTA launches its latest generation of semi-auto shotguns, the all-purpose A400 Xplor. Dubbed the “fastest shotgun in the world,” the 12-ga. field gun houses exclusive features that include a new gas system—Blink—and an upgraded Steelium barrel engineered to minimize the stress of steel shot. It sports the weight and dimensions of a 3” upland gun but performs with 2 ¾”-, 3”- and 3 ½”-super-magnum shells, making it suitable for waterfowlers, and handles shot charges from 7/8 oz. to 2 1/4 ozs. A shortened green-anodized receiver enhances balance, and a redesigned stock aids shooter comfort and grip. It’s available with an optional upgraded recoil-reduction system, Kick Off 3. Expanding the Storm product line, the compact 12-ga. 

FAUSTI STEPHANO launches FAUSTI USA and unveils three elegant field guns to cater to the U.S. market. The Dea Round Body side-by-side in 20 gauge exemplifies traditional craftsmanship, featuring an English-style round-body action and stock, low-profile case-colored receiver, selective ejectors and extractors, oil-finished select walnut stock and 28” blued barrels. The Dea line expands with the Dea Duetto 28-ga./.410 bore two-barrel set, featuring a chrome-plated or color case-hardened boxlock receiver with English scroll engraving. The Caledon over/under in 12 and 20 gauge is a 3” model available in adult and youth versions, incorporating a silver receiver finish, scroll engraving with gold inlay, Prince of Wales stock and a single-selectable trigger. All three models come with five choke options.

BROWNING's Citori Lightening over/under shotgun comes in a growing line of barrel lengths and gauges. Cynergy over/under shotgun now comes in a waterfowl version: the Cynergy Mossy Oak Duck Blind. The Browning Maxus, one of 2009’s hottest semi-auto shotguns, now comes in a Hunter version. The Buck Mark semi-auto .22 LR pistol now comes in “Lite Green” and “Gray” models that feature alloy sleeved, fluted barrels, Ultragrip RX grips and TRUGLO fiber-optic front sights.

FRANCHI’s I-12 series of shotguns are lightweight and use an inertia-driven operating system. The I-12 Sporting weighs just over 6 lbs., other models in the line weigh just over 7 lbs. The I-12 Sporting uses an aluminum alloy receiver strengthened with steel inserts. The I-12 Upland Hunter has an A-Grade walnut stock and five choke tubes. The I-12 Limited is decorated with upland game bird etchings. Its Renaissance Sporting is an over/under that comes in 12 and 20 gauge. It has an A-grade walnut stock and features 30”, ported barrels with extended, knurled choke tubes. The forcing cones on the Renaissance Sporting have been lengthened and it has a stainless steel box-lock action.

ITHACA GUN CO., expanding on its Model 37 Featherlight shotgun line, recently introduced a 16-ga. version of the under-loader/under-ejector pump-action. Originally designed by John Browning and John Pedersen, the shotgun features Briley chokes, classic game-scene engraving, and fancy black walnut stock and fore-end.

REMINGTON will release the new 870 SPS ShurShot Turkey Predator. It is intended for both turkey and varmint hunting. The 12-ga. Pump shotgun has a 31/2" chamber and 20" barrel with a bead front sight. It comes standard with a Tru-Glo LUD optic sight and a Wingmaster HD Turkey/Predator choke tube. The ShurShot stock has overmolded grip panels, sling swivel studs and a Super Cell recoil pad. The gun is finished in Mossy Oak Obsession camouflage.

LEGACY SPORTS INT’L rolls out a new line of Citadel 12-ga.. slide-action shotguns built for home-defense, featuring either a 5-round or 10-round detachable box magazine, or a conventional tubular magazine. Redesigned versions of slide-action and semi-automatic Escort AimGuard shotguns enhanced with personal-protection features are also available. The company expands its Citadel 1911 offerings to include full-size and compact models with Hogue grips, as well as a variant chambered in .38 Super.

MOSSBERG's Maverick Hunter over-under is packed with features including 28” matte-blue barrels with 3” chambers and interchangeable choke tubes, a ventilated rib, dual locking lugs and a modernly contoured, black synthetic stock. Weighing just 5 lbs., the 510 Mini Super Bantam shotguns are available in 20 ga. and .410 bore with an 18.5” barrel and a buttstock with an adjustable length of pull.