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In a scene that could have leapt from the pages of a Western, Texas native Bill Williams successfully defended himself and his wife from an intruding black bear. The bear initially appeared outside the couple's Colorado summer cabin in the evening, but as he seemed to be minding his own business, Mr. Williams thought best to leave him alone. He did load up his Uberti 1866 Yellowboy carbine however, simply as a precaution. In hindsight, its a good thing he did. The couple awoke with a start at 3:00 a.m. that same night, to the 250-pound animal breaking through the cabin window. Jumping up to investigate, Williams saw the bear on his couch less than four feet away. All told, Williams had to put eight rounds of .45 Long Colt into the black bear before it stopped moving. The couple credits keeping the rifle ready and close with saving their lives. They have since reinforced their door and barred the windows however, as an extra precaution. The Uberti, however, still resides by the bed.
CVA is rolling out its new XP and XP‑SB Series, bringing updated ergonomics and enhanced adjustability to both its muzzleloader and single‑shot centerfire platforms.
If you're back with us, fresh off of yesterday's SHOT show coverage, welcome back. If you're just checking in with us for the first time, be sure to go back and check out our roundups of the best rifles, optics and bowhunting gear to come out of the show so far this year. Today, however, read on to see the best shotguns of SHOT 2026, compiled by longtime contributor and diehard hunter, Brad Fitzpatrick.