I am a self-proclaimed tightwad. I don’t care to spend money on something because of its popularity. Fame doesn’t down birds. I prefer to deal in results. I do enjoy carrying a fine shotgun with fancy walnut, but not at the price of an entire paycheck or two. Many other hunters are in the same boat. It comes down to “Do I buy a $2,000 shotgun, or do I buy a less expensive gun and still feed my family and pay the mortgage?” Budget hunting shotguns can help solve the problem.

Budget Hunting Shotguns

Recently, budget friendly shotguns have been showing up on a lot of my friends’ radar and my own as well. Several firms are producing these semi-auto shotguns overseas and importing them into the United States for us budget-minded hunters. But are they as good?

As Winchester/ Browning pro staffer Foster Bartholow states,” I’ve seen people go out and spend a lot of money on shotguns only to find out they don’t shoot any better than any other. Find a shotgun that fits you and you shoot well.”  

Weatherby Element

Weatherby sent me one of their Element shotguns for testing. I was curious to see how it held up against its pricier counterparts. To my surprise, it performed as well as one selling for three to four times the price.

It patterned well with the provided chokes; I patterned both trap loads and some field loads. The shotgun came with a modified choke installed in the barrel. It also included an improved cylinder, a full and an extra-long-range waterfowl tube.

The pistol grip is a bit slender for my taste, as I like a more robust grip on a shotgun. I also found the tiny safety difficult to engage. However, this will more than likely loosen up as the gun is used more.   

Even with these small detractors, I still think the Element is a great value.

Over the next 90 days I plan to put it through its paces. I received the shotgun in the lull between dove season and early goose season, however I was able to take it to the range and pattern it. It performed well. At the range, the ratio of birds I broke was the same as with other more expensive shotguns. Moreover, it has not jammed or presented a single hiccup even with light target loads. In the next few weeks, I will be shooting it for early goose season, then fall turkey season and eventually duck season. The fit and finish on the Element is well above what I expected for a budget friendly shotgun and rivals $1,500 shotguns currently on the market. The matte finished shotgun won’t spook game, but all this is decoration. The real proof, as they say, is in the pudding. 

The inertia-operated Element includes spacers and shims that can adjust cast and drop to tune the stock to the shooter. It features a chrome-lined bore, interchangeable chokes and a fiber-optic front bead. It is available in 12 and 20 gauge. At a price of $649, it may be the best bang for the buck. (weatherby.com)

Stoeger M3000

I have been around Stoeger shotguns for decades. While I’ve been a fan of them for years, shot plenty of them and have many friends who swear by them, I have never owned one.

I have witnessed firsthand, a friend down duck after duck in all conditions with his M3000, downing many more birds than I ever thought possible. 

The M3000, like the Weatherby, is inertia-operated and features shims to fine tune the shooter to the stock. It possesses interchangeable choke tubes, and a fiber-optic front sight mounted on the ventilated rib barrel.

The Stoeger has an MSRP of $599.99. (stoegerindustries.com)

Gas-Operated Shotguns

TriStar Viper G2

Another gunmaker producing budget friendly shotguns is TriStar. Though I have not owned one, I have shot plenty of them. At a recent turkey camp, TriStar shotguns were the shotgun of choice. The result being hunters downing more turkeys with TriStar than any other shotgun in camp. TriStar’s gas-operated Viper G2 line finds itself on the budget friendly list.

The Viper G2 boasts many of the same features as the Weatherby and the Stoeger. It offers a shim kit to fit the gun to the shooter, interchangeable choke tubes and a fiber-optic front sight. TriStar also claims it has a 5,000-round endurance test performed to ensure years of service. All this in a package selling for $680 MSRP. TriStar also offers sub gaugesm including a .410 in the Viper G2 line. (tristararms.com)

CZ-USA 712 G3

The CZ 712 G3 recently was awarded the 2024 Golden Bullseye “Shotgun of the Year Award” from the National Rifle Association. The 712 G3 is shipped with two gas pistons to tune your loads. One piston for light target loads, which according to CZ will handle 7/8-ounce loads up to 1¼-ounce loads and a heavy magnum piston for heavy hunting loads up to 2-ounce loads.

The 712G3 features a chrome lined barrel and five extra-long choke tubes and sports a Turkish walnut stock and forearm. The 712G3 retails for $579. (cz-usa.com)

These budget friendly firearms prove you don’t have to spend a lot to have a shotgun that performs like the high dollar ones.