“super black eagle”

As feral hog hunting has surged in popularity across the country, ammunition manufacturers have responded with a number of “hog-specific” loads designed to penetrate better and bring down stout, wild swine. Most ammo makers have concentrated on rifle loads, but among the newest offerings are the Hog Wild shotshells by Hevi-Shot, a company best known for non-lead waterfowl loads.

We believe there is no greater recognition of a company’s quest for excellence than having a product touted as “best in class”—the standard by which all others are measured. And so it is with great honor that American Hunter again presents its annual best-in-class awards to firearms and gear that clearly rise above the rest.

Editor in Chief J. Scott Olmsted this morning presented outdoor-industry leaders with American Hunter’s best-in-class awards.

In 2012, after Benelli’s patent on its inertia action expired, Browning seized opportunity with a new-aged Auto-5, simply called the A5. Today the A5 line includes Mossy Oak bedecked guns and the shoot-all shown above, the new 31/2-inch Stalker, a semi-auto that looks and feels much like the old but that outperforms it in every way.

Unless you’re one of those folks out there that’s a devout fan of the centerfire rifle (for all applications), you’ve probably noticed that Italians have a habit of making pretty nice shotguns. And I’m not just talking about the folks that have been at it for nearly five centuries. Benelli’s been at the scattergun game for just under 50 years —which still makes it something of a new kid on the block in this industry—but has more than made its mark on history.

There are a variety of waterfowl shotguns available today that are plenty good, but it's hard to describe any as "perfect." Just what would be required to earn such a superlative? We investigate.

Typically, throwing a red dot on your shotgun requires the addition of a rail. That doesn't have to be the case, though. For some time now, Burris Optics has offered its SpeedBead system, which has found a home with turkey hunters and a few wingshooters (yes, wingshooters) alike. Here are five things you need to know.