The Best 20-Gauge Waterfowl Shotguns of 2026

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Geese look big at the edge of range. They look huge up close. I waited for huge, and then hung on a couple seconds more until the four geese began to backpedal. I raised the 20-gauge M2, and two of the 12-pound giants folded just as hard as if I’d shot them with a 12.

It’s no secret that 20-gauge waterfowl guns are in right now. Once considered appropriate only for the small-framed and recoil-shy, they’re now a fad among waterfowlers of all sizes and experience levels. Some clubs require 20-gauges, on the theory that a slightly quieter report helps hold birds on their properties. But far more hunters choose 20s just because they enjoy shooting the smaller guns. They’re light, trim, and easy to point. Loaded sensibly, they don’t pound on your shoulder. And used within their limitations, 20-gauges make short, humane work of ducks and geese, too. The firearms industry is always ready to push a trend, and there are a number of full-size 20-gauge waterfowl guns to choose from. Here are my favorites.

Benelli offers the SBE3, with all its technological advances, in a 3-inch 20-gauge version. It weighs a hair under 6 pounds and it has Benelli’s ComforTech stock to reduce recoil and the Easy Locking Bolt to assure the gun is never bumped out of battery. It has the same slim lines as the SBE3 12-gauge, but even slimmer, and a carbon fiber rib for those who prefer a lighter barrel for balance. It comes in black and several camo patterns, starting at $2079.

The 20-gauge A400 Plus Xtreme features Beretta’s B-Link gas action, which is very fast and very reliable. The shock-absorber-type Kick-Off recoil reducer, combined with the gas system, takes the sting out of strong duck loads (they kick more than people think). The gun has enlarged controls for easy use in the cold and a raised rib that I find helps the A400 point very well for me. The A400 is a bit bulkier than some other 20s. I find that makes it easier, not harder, to shoot well. There are synthetic and camo models, starting at $1849.

Positioned as Benelli’s mid-price brand, Franchi has become a favorite of a lot of hunters. The Affinity Elite inertia semi-auto comes in a 6-pound, 20-gauge model with a 26-inch barrel and a choice of Optifade Marsh and tan Certakote or Timber/gray. The guns feature enlarged bolt handles and releases, and Franchi’s unique and very soft TSA recoil pad.

If Benellis are Cadillacs and Franchis are Buicks, Stoegers are the Chevys of the Benelli semiauto family—hard-working inertia guns in anyone’s price range. The Turkish-made 3020 is light and handy at under 6 pounds, although that light weight also means it will let you know it’s there when you pull the trigger on a 3-inch shell. It comes in a variety of waterfowling-appropriate finishes, including black; all camo; Cerakote and camo; and Cerakote and walnut if you’re feeling dressy.

Light and extremely popular, the Mossberg 500 comes in a 20-gauge black synthetic version that makes it a good choice as a duck gun you don’t have to baby. Inspired by Remington’s great Model 31 pump, the 500 is just as slick-shucking, and it has the top safety that makes it a favorite with left-handers, as well as the sling swivel studs that belong on any duck gun. It comes in a 26-inch barreled model only and sells for a price so low—$445—you almost can’t afford not to buy it.

With its rotary bolt, the SXP is a gun so smooth you can pump it almost without conscious thought, even if you’re not a practiced slide-action shooter. Originally known as the Model 1300, the gun was redesigned, improved, and outsourced to Turkey after Winchester’s New Haven plant closed. The 20-gauge Waterfowl Hunter version with camo synthetic stock is matched with Browning/Winchester’s very effective Inflex recoil pad. It comes in both 26- and 28-inch barreled versions for under $500.

A good value in a proven, reliable gas gun, the SX4 comes with the enlarged bolt handle and release button waterfowlers favor. It’s also one of the softer-shooting semiautos, so it can take the sting out of shooting 3-inch-magnum loads. The 20-gauge version weighs a bit above 6½ pounds and comes with your choice of a 24-, 26-, or 28-inch barrel. It comes in a wide range of options, from black synthetic to full-camo waterfowl models. All have sling-swivel studs and the stock features length-of-pull spacers, so it can fit shooters of all sizes.

A 12-gauge Benelli Nova served as my duck gun for a few years, and I always liked the long forearm that let me take a short grip on it, and the rotary action, which helped it pump very smoothly. Its polymer-enclosed receiver was tough, too, and withstood a drop onto rip rap among many other indignities while I owned it. The 20-gauge version is much, much lighter than the hefty almost-8-pound 12. The safety is annoyingly tiny, but that’s the end of the gun’s shortcomings, especially given its low price. The 20-gauge comes in black or Mossy Oak camo.

If you’d prefer to shoot an O/U at waterfowl, the CZ All-Terrain line is worth a hard look. The Redhead is the flagship model of the 11-gun All Terrain lineup. It features matte walnut with swivel studs and olive Cerakote on the receiver and barrel. It comes with a choice of 28- or 30-inch barrels and extended chokes, and—in a genius move—CZ has put tiny magnets in the ejectors that are just strong enough to keep a shell from falling out when you tip the gun to load it. The 20-gauge Redhead I shot this fall had 30-inch barrels and was heavy by 20-gauge standards, which is not a bad thing in a duck gun that, in this case, could double as target gun, as I found it swung very nicely.

The newest name in inertia guns, Retay semiautos are becoming very popular. The ACE-R and ACE improve on existing Retay models by employing the Benelli Crio-choke system in place of the proprietary Retay chokes. This switch opens up a ton of aftermarket choke possibilities to get the most out of the Retay deep-drilled barrel. Retay has its own take on the click-proof bolt that eliminates the danger of the dreaded “inertia click” misfire. The trigger group drops out with the push of a button, too, while the two-piece, SBE-style receiver makes cleanup easy. They also have an effective recoil pad inspired by running shoe technology. In all, these seem like well-made, well-thought-out guns. Retay makes the ACE and the ACE-R, the latter having a semi-humped receiver that gives it a distinct look. The 20 gauges come in synthetic-stocked waterfowl versions in black and camo.

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