When you look at the sport of 3-gun, the one gun that often provides the greatest variation is the shotgun. Since very few companies market true 3-gun-ready shotgun platforms, the field becomes a mix of worked over shotguns, often first built for the game fields instead of sport. But the new Beretta 1301 Comp Pro emerges as a new player, providing a host of sport-specific features once only provided by a custom ‘smith.

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Beretta 1301 Competition Pro

We caught up with Beretta at the recent Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous and got a chance to put the 1301 Comp Pro to work. And make no mistake, this shotgun can really move and will be popular with competitors.

“So the 1301 Comp Pro is an add-on to our very popular 1301 Competition and Tactical shotgun series,” said Erik Stern, Beretta. “We started with a standard 1301 Comp, and added a Kick-Off, which is a recoil-reduction stock. It’s a dual-hydraulic dampening system with a hydraulic dampener between the stock and receiver. Beyond that, we’ve added a rubberized comb, so when you get down on that shotgun shooting slugs, which I’ll demonstrate later, it does not really kick you around at all. it’s actually very comfortable, even with a beard.”

While the stock’s recoil reduction features are great for a day on the range, it’s the competition-specific components that make this shotgun shine. The 1301 Comp Pro utilizes a host of oversized components, designed to go fast.

“Moving forward from the stock, we have a blue competition receiver,” Stern said. “It has been drilled and tapped, so you can mount a rail up there with a red dot. We also have an extended charging handle, extended bolt release, an extended safety, so this is all competition oriented stuff here, very easy to manipulate.”

Fast Loading Features

The name of the game in practical shotgun is loading. Competitors arguably forged more advancements in shotgun loading over the last decade than anywhere else in 3-gun. Along the way, components and features developed to match those new skills. Beretta did a wonderful job incorporating a loading port and lifter that accommodates today’s loading styles.

“Moving on to the other side of the shotgun, we have a trick lifter …,” Stern said. “This facilitates much easier load-two and load-four, so you can keep that shotgun fed. Anytime you’re running a ‘tubular claymore,’ you need to make sure you can keep it fed. That’s one of the hardest things about a shotgun, keeping it fed.”

In terms of high-level competition, the Beretta 1301 Comp Pro brings a lot to the table. Simply add your desired extended magazine tube, and you’re ready to compete.

For more information, visit beretta.com.