The Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol and Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical share much in common. These semi-auto tactical shotguns have similar operating systems, magazine capacities, feature sets, and cost nearly the same. In addition, they are two of the best-selling shotguns of their type at their price. I’ve shot both extensively on an individual basis but had never compared them head-to-head.
I’ve often recommended them to people who want a quality shotgun for self-defense but don’t want to spend $2,000 or more on a premium model. They cost around $1,000 and while you can go cheaper with a quality pump-action for home protection, these semis have many advantages that make the bump in price worth considering.
But is one better than the other? Based on what you value you might lean one way or the other – for me I ended up favoring the American-made Beretta in favor of the Mossberg, but both have their appeal.
The video above shows the test in real time, but if you’re the kind of person who appreciates the written word you can read the details below.
How I Tested the Beretta and Mossberg
I took the shotguns to a square range at the Minnesota Horse and Hunt Club and put them through a series of drills. With each evolution (to use the fancy word for “drill” that high-speed low-drag instructors favor) I alternated from one shotgun to the next and made notes of my immediate impressions. I broke the evaluation into five major components:
- Ergonomics
- Feature Set
- Accuracy
- Handling and Recoil Management
- Value and Workmanship
Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical SPX
See It
Pros
- Rugged and reliable
- Good feature set
- Lefty-friendly
Specs
-
Gauge
12 -
Chamber
3 inches -
Action
Semi-auto, gas operated -
Weight
7.72 pounds -
Trigger weight
4 pounds, 7 ounces -
Barrel
18.5 inches -
Overall length
39 inches -
LOP
12.5 to 14.25 inches -
Price
$1,190
Key Features
-
Included chokes
Cylinder -
Barrel finish
Matte black -
Stock
Synthetic -
Optics cut
RMSC footprint -
Sights
Ghost ring -
Shell carrier
Vang Comp Systems, 6 rounds -
Capacity
7+1 -
Origin
USA
Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol
See It
Pros
- Soft recoiling
- Nimble handling
- Quality workmanship
Cons
- No significant shortcomings
Specs
-
Gauge
12 -
Chamber
3 inches -
Action
Semi-auto, gas operated -
Weight
6.8 pounds -
Trigger weight
3 pounds, 9 ounces -
Barrel
19.1 inches -
Overall length
38 inches -
LOP
13 inches -
Price
$1,149
Key Features
-
Included chokes
IC (Mobil system) -
Barrel finish
Matte black -
Stock
Synthetic -
Optics mount
7-slot Pic rail -
Sights
Ghost ring -
LOP Adjustments
Includes spacer kit -
Capacity
7+1 -
Origin
USA
Shotgun Ergonomics and Handling
There’s a gray line between “ergonomics” and “handling” but at Outdoor Life we make the distinction thus: Ergonomics is concerned with the basic operation of the firearm and how well the controls interact with the user while handling represents the dynamic behavior of the gun in action. So the quality of the trigger pull, the smoothness of the safety and the bolt release, and whether loading the shotgun is intuitive and easy to execute fall under ergonomics. The feel of the gun while shooting — its balance, speed to shoulder, and cycling (if manually operated) — is the provenance of handling.
Mossberg and Beretta Ergonomics
The Mossberg has a large safety on the back of the receiver that toggles back and forth. It is easy to reach and as it is centered up along the tang it is ambidextrous as well. It’s a very good system.
The crossbolt safety on the Beretta is positioned at the front of the trigger guard where the trigger finger naturally sits when indexed. Its surface is nicely textured making it easy to locate even when wearing gloves. The safety on this Beretta is one of the smoothest of its kind, sliding back and forth without hesitation.
Both guns score high marks for their safeties – the main differences being that the Mossberg’s is ambidextrous while the Beretta’s is smoother. Note, that you can switch the safety on the Beretta to the other side, but it is an involved process that some users might not be comfortable performing.
The bolt releases and charging handles on both shotguns are oversized and easy to manipulate. The Beretta’s controls are a bit smoother to use, but the Mossberg’s work just fine.
When it comes to loading the guns, the Beretta edges out the Mossberg. Again, its refinement and ease of use win the day.
With respect to the triggers, however, the Mossberg’s is noticeably crisper. The Beretta’s trigger has a bit of mush. That said, the Beretta’s trigger pull is about 8 ounces lighter than the Mossberg’s.
I don’t have a problem with either trigger, but I like the crispness of the Mossberg and gave it the edge.
Feature Sets on the Beretta and Mossberg
Being a significant step above entry-level guns, you’d expect the Beretta and Mossberg to come with useful extras.
The Beretta has enlarged controls, aggressive texturing on the grip and fore-end, a host of mounting points — including a 7-slot Picatinny rail on the receiver, M-Lok slots on the fore-end, and M-Lok slots on the barrel clamp — and an extended magazine with 7+1 capacity. It also has effective ghost-ring sights with stout sidewalls that offer protection against drops and bumps.
The Mossberg brings even more to the party. Like the Beretta, the Mossberg has ghost-ring sights with protective wings — but when the rear sight is removed it reveals an optics-ready cut for RMSc-pattern red dots. Adapter plates are available for all other major reflex-sight footprints as well.
The fore-end has M-Lok slots for mounting hardware and wraps around the barrel somewhat, forming a heat shield, which is a nice design element.
A spacer kit lets you customize the length of pull from 12.5 to 14.25 inches to tune the gun’s fit. The 940 Pro Tactical also comes with a shell carrier that holds half a dozen rounds that attaches to the receiver’s left-hand side with hook-and-loop fabric.
In this category, the Mossberg has the advantage, especially in light of its less expensive (by about $80) price.
Accuracy with Slugs and Buckshot
For the accuracy evaluation I used two types of buckshot and two types of slugs. I shot the guns off an Armageddon Gear Game Changer placed on a tripod. Both shotguns had red dot sights mounted.
I conducted the slug accuracy testing at 25 yards, shooting 10-shot groups through each gun with both types of ammo — Federal Truball and Hornady American Gunner. The results were remarkably uniform.
The Mossberg’s groups measured 2.454 inches with the Federal load and 2.426 inches with Horandy’s. The Beretta printed groups measuring 2.479 inches with the Federal Truball and 2.733 inches with the American Gunner. For all practical purposes, these results were identical.
The two types of buckshot I tested were Federal Flitecontrol and Remington Express. Each shell contains nine pellets of 00 buck and I shot them at 7, 15, and 25 yards on cardboard IPSC targets. At 7 yards I put one shot on target and at 15 and 25 yards, two shots.
I counted the number of pellets at each distance that scored A-Zone hits. You can see the results below.
| Shotgun | Ammo | 7 Yards, A-Zone Hits | 15 Yards, A-Zone Hits | 25 Yards, A-Zone Hits |
| Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical | Federal Truball | 9/9 | 17/18 | 15/18 |
| Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol | Federal Truball | 9/9 | 17/18 | 7/18 |
| Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical | Remington Express | 8/9 | 10/18 | 3/18 |
| Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol | Remington Express | 9/9 | 12/18 | 8/18 |
The results at 25 yards were really interesting. The Mossberg had the best results — going 15/18 with the Federal load — and the worst result — 3/18 with the Remington buckshot. The Beretta shot both about the same: 7/18 with Federal and 8/18 with the Remington Express.
In my experience, pretty much any combination of shotgun and buckshot is effective to 15 yards, meaning it will clump the pellets tight enough so that all will impact the target.
At 25 yards, you need to experiment to see how a given combination of shotgun and shell will perform. The Mossberg is a hammer with the Federal load (15/18) but not very effective with the Remington (3/18, with many pellets completely off target). The Beretta was more consistent but if I were limited to one gun/load combo, it would be the Mossberg with the Flightcontrol shell.
Handling and Recoil Management
The gas-operated actions on both guns do a good job dampening recoil and improving handling when compared to a pump-action. But this is one area where the Beretta really shines.
The A300 Ultima Patrol is noticeably softer shooting than the Mossberg, which is all the more impressive since the Beretta weighs nearly a pound less than the 940 Pro Tactical.
The A300 Ultima Patrol also balances and moves better than the Mossberg. The super aggressive texturing that Beretta employs creates a solid bond between the hands and gun, and when running the shotgun it feels both nimble and easy to control.
The Mossberg doesn’t lack in this department — it’s just that the Beretta really excels.
One manifestation of the A300’s excellence in this area was how fast it could be shot during the drills. It regularly outpaced the Mossberg on the clock.
Value and Workmanship
We place a lot of emphasis on value at Outdoor Life — our goal is always to find (and celebrate) those guns that give a lot of bang for the buck. While there are objective ways to assess this quality — feature set and measurable performance (like accuracy) weighed against the quality of the materials used, workmanship and cost — a shooter’s subjective take on the gun plays a part too.
Read Next: Best Home-Defense Shotguns
Objectively, the Mossberg is a very good value. It costs less than the Beretta but has extras — like the optics-cut and shell carrier — that the A300 Ultima Patrol lacks.
But in terms of shootability, the Beretta takes this category. It is more refined and can be operated at a higher level than the Mossberg. The Beretta’s action is quick and smooth, and outpaces the Mossberg.
Final Thoughts on the Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical versus the Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol
As I mentioned at the outset, I’ve recommended both these shotguns to people looking for a personal-protection smoothbore for around $1,000 — and I’ll continue to do so.
For the shooter who is a little more price sensitive and places more weight on the “extras,” the Mossberg is probably the more appealing option.
Read Next: The Best Home Defense Shotguns of 2025, Range Tested and Reviewed
For my money, I prefer the Beretta. It’s superior handling, lighter weight, and more refined design and workmanship make up the gap — under $100 — in price.
Read the full article here
