“20-gauge”

B. Gil Horman makes a roundup of some of his favorite function-over-form .410-bores.

Apex Ammunition has introduced its new 28-gauge Mossy Oak Green Leaf Turkey TSS Blend. Available in 2 ¾-inch, 1 ½-ounce loads, these “duplex” stacked loads feature a combination of No. 9 and No. 10 Tungsten Super Shot, delivering a payload of 665 ultra-dense 18.1 g/cc pellets in a 28-gauge shell.

Whether you’re a waterfowler, upland hunter or clay target shooter, you’ll find something to be excited about this year. Here are our picks for the best new shotguns for hunters in 2024.

HEVI-Shot has expanded its shotshell line to include its 12 g/cc tungsten shot in .410-bore. This shot is over 50 percent more dense than traditional steel shot, making the HEVI-XII a logical choice for those who like to hunt waterfowl with the sub-gauge shotguns.

Using a lead-free copper monometal design, with a polymer tip over a hollow cavity, the Freight Train Copper gives a huge ballistic advantage over conventional slugs.

Mossberg International has introduced a group of new Eventide Over/Under shotguns, which should be of interest to hunters of all stripes.

Now ready for the field almost out of the box, Mossberg’s line of optic-ready 500 and 835 Ulti-Mag Turkey pump-action shotguns are being offered with an olive-green Holosun HS407K micro dot sight.

Over the years, B. Gil Horman has developed an appreciation for the little .410 Bore, single-shot ‘utility guns.' A great up-to-date example of this class is the latest iteration of the Rossi Tuffy single-shot—the SS Poly.

Mossberg’s handsome International Gold Reserve handles admirably and shoots extremely well.