These scatterguns are suitable for everything from turkey and deer hunting to home defense, and they’re all outstanding values
by Brad Fitzpatrick
There’s no firearm as versatile as a shotgun. A smooth-bore shotgun can be used to hunt small game, upland birds, and waterfowl, but shotguns are also capable of firing slugs and buckshot, so they’re suitable for big game hunting and home defense. In many parts of the country, shotguns are used for backup for dangerous game, like bears.
The ability to swap barrels makes shotguns even more versatile. While I was growing up in Ohio, most hunters had a single shotgun with two barrels — one smoothbore, ventilated rib barrel with interchangeable chokes for clay target shooting and upland, waterfowl, and small game hunting and a rifled slug barrel for deer hunting. This two-barrel setup was affordable, and the same shotgun that hunters carried in the field during the day usually protected the owner’s home at night.
I still believe that shotguns offer the best value (or bang for your buck, if you like) when purchasing a firearm, but here are six scatterguns that offer lots of versatility and outstanding performance at a reasonable price.
Tristar Phoenix SxS
If you’ve ever dreamed of owning an elegant side-by-side shotgun but aren’t interested in spending thousands of dollars for a vintage American double, then the Tristar Phoenix SxS is an ideal option. It features a case color receiver, blued finish, and gloss Turkish walnut stock, and the single trigger design will be easier for most shooters to master than traditional double triggers found on other side-by-sides. It’s available in 12- and 20-guage versions (both with 28-inch barrels) and five screw-in, flush-fit chokes come standard. The tang safety also features a barrel selector similar to an over/under shotgun, and the bore and chambers are chrome-lined for ease of maintenance and years of hard use.
It’s rare to find a double of this quality priced under a grand. And while the Phoenix looks right at home hunting upland birds, this shotgun is versatile enough for waterfowl, small game, and clay target games, too. While the Phoenix is hardly what you’d classify as a tactical firearm, any double-barrel shotgun makes an effective and persuasive home defense weapon. MSRP: $899.
Winchester SXP Camp/Field
I’m a Winchester fan, and while the new SXP pumps aren’t exactly the same as the 1300s I grew up with, they share a great deal of DNA, and both are outstanding shotguns. The SXP is made in Turkey and features an inertia-assisted slide-action that allows experienced shooters to cycle the action very quickly. The SXP Camp/Field Combo comes with a pair of barrels and is my favorite of all the SXP shotguns because it essentially offers buyers a two-guns-for-one value.
The included 26- or 28-inch (buyer’s choice) ventilated rib barrel comes with three interchangeable chokes, and the gun’s all black glare-resistant finish and tough polymer stock make this a great setup for waterfowl, upland hunting, small game, and even clay sports like trap. Swap the vent rib barrel for the 18.5-inch cylinder bore pipe and you have a compact 12-gauge defense shotgun with a 5+1 capacity (2 ¾-inch loads) that’s suitable for stopping any two- or four-legged predator. The SXP is utterly reliable, and if I were limited to one shotgun for the rest of my life, this would probably be my choice. MSRP: $539.
Stoeger M3000 Tactical
Most of the shotguns on this list earn high praise because of their versatility, but the new M3000 Tactical from Stoeger is a purpose-built shotgun designed specifically for personal defense.
This gun is built to do one job, but it does that job exceptionally well. The Stoeger comes with a long list of tac gun features like oversized controls, black polymer furniture, a breacher-style choke tube, and a shielded ghost ring rear sight. The M3000 Tactical also comes with a Picatinny rail and the receiver is cut to accept RMR or Burris footprint optics. The stock comes with both QD cups and M-LOK attachment points, and the receiver is protected by a stylish Tungsten Cerakote finish. The loading port is beveled for fast loading, and the vertical polymer pistol grip offers excellent control when firing heavy magnum loads. Like other Stoeger M3000s, the Tactical version comes with an Inertia-Driven action that’s built to withstand years of hard use. There’s simply no better value in autoloading self-defense shotguns than this. MSRP: $649.
Mossberg 500 Field Combo
The Model 500 pump has been a weapon of choice for hunters, shooters, and LE and military professionals since 1961. The rugged 500 action features dual extractors and twin action bars for smooth, reliable operation while the tang-mounted safety is easy to access for both left and right-handed shooters.
There’s no more versatile 500 shotgun than the Field Combo guns that come with a vent rib barrel and screw-in chokes as well as a rifled barrel with iron sights or a cantilever scope mount. Swapping barrels takes less than a minute and doesn’t require special tools. This two-barrel set makes the 500 Field Combo ideal for just about any hunting or personal defense scenario. Mossberg offers 10 different 500 Field Combo guns for sale, and buyers can select a polymer (black or camo) or wood stock. There are also Bantam and Super Bantam Field Combo guns that are designed for small stature shooters. MSRP: $581-$686.
Benelli Nova 3
Benelli is best known for their never-say-die semi-auto shotguns, but their Nova pumps are also excellent guns. In fact, I believe the Nova 3 — which received a refresh in 2025 — is the most underrated shotgun on the market today.
These guns come with Poly-Mod construction, which houses the gun’s steel skeletal framework under a protective layer of polymer, and that protects the Nova 3 from the effects of moisture and salt. A short cycle stroke and new M4-derived bolt face make this a fast and reliable pump gun that’s suitable for just about any target, field, or self-defense application. I particularly like the magazine cutoff button because it allows me to empty the gun’s chamber while crossing creeks or fences without having to empty the entire magazine. The aggressive grip texturing makes it easy to hold the gun even when it’s wet, and the radiused recoil pad does a good job of reducing recoil impact. Black, Realtree, and Mossy Oak finishes are available. All Nova 3 shotguns come with three screw-in chokes. The fast-cycling, reliable, and ultra-rugged Nova 3 is one of the best pump shotguns available, and with prices starting at $579, it’s a fantastic value. MSRP: $579-$699.
Weatherby Element II
I recently returned from a trip to Weatherby headquarters in Sheridan, Wyoming, and during that visit, writers and Weatherby team members headed to a local sporting clays course and shot the new Element II. After a couple hundred rounds, those shotguns were smoldering hot under the midday sun, but there wasn’t a single malfunction.
The inertia-operated Element II is simply a workhorse, and you won’t go wrong adding one to your gun collection. There are options available, too. The basic version is all black, and there’s a Waterfowl version with a hydrodip Realtree MAX-7 camo finish. There’s also a Tungsten version with a Tungsten Cerakote receiver/barrel finish and — my favorite — the Upland version with a wood stock and traditional black metal finish. All these guns come with three Crio choke tubes (IC, M, and F with extended modified chokes for the Waterfowler and Tungsten models) and they are available in both 12- and 20-guage. The Element II doesn’t offer the versatility of some two-barrel combo models, but if a reliable semi-auto suits your shotgunning needs, then this gun is exactly what you’re searching for. MSRP: $749-$899.
BONUS: The Home Defense Shotgun Everyone Needs
Maverick 88 Security – The sleek Maverick 88 is a no-frills 7+1 pump-action home defense gun. The design is simple and features a bead front sight and a fixed cylinder bore, but for personal defense, this reliable, proven setup is hard to beat. If you venture into the backcountry, this is also a fantastic bear protection shotgun that offers more stopping power than any handgun, and if you’re so inclined, you can even use this gun to shoot clay targets. MSRP on this gun is under $300, which makes it the best value in defensive firearms.
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