SIGforum
Best shotgun for run and gun games
June 16, 2026, 12:54 PM
RNshooterBest shotgun for run and gun games
Hey all-
I'm in the market for an un-serious shotgun. One that emphasizes "go fast" over practical. Quad-loading, stage-burning, fire-breathing fun.
(I have a Beretta 1201 FP for problem solving).
What do we like for 12g games?
I lean towards a 1301 or A300. Other options that don't need $1000 in upgrades?
Bruce
"The designer of the gun had clearly not been instructed to beat about the bush. 'Make it evil,' he'd been told. 'Make it totally clear that this gun has a right end and a wrong end. Make it totally clear to anyone standing at the wrong end that things are going badly for them. If that means sticking all sort of spikes and prongs and blackened bits all over it then so be it. This is not a gun for hanging over the fireplace or sticking in the umbrella stand, it is a gun for going out and making people miserable with." -Douglas Adams
“It is just as difficult and dangerous to try to free a people that wants to remain servile as it is to try to enslave a people that wants to remain free."
-Niccolo Machiavelli
The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all. -Mencken
June 16, 2026, 01:00 PM
RogueJSKThe Mossberg 940 JM Pro is another option that is competition ready out the gate.
Comparable setup to the 1301 Comp Pro, Beretta's out-the-box competition gun, but several hundred dollars less.
Though I'd prefer the Beretta.
June 16, 2026, 01:13 PM
P220 SmudgeShooting clays with my friend’s 1301 Comp is what convinced me to buy one. Excellent shotgun, and I’m glad I got my Mod 2.
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"If the truth shall kill them, let them die.”
Endeavoring to master the subtle art of the grapefruit spoon.
June 16, 2026, 01:28 PM
MutinyI have been using the Benelli M2 speed. It’s worked well for me in gun games.
June 16, 2026, 01:51 PM
RNshooterDo all of them need aftermarket magazine extensions (for more than 5 rounds)? I was hoping someone made one that didn't have to be adorned with a $200+ possible failure point.
Bruce
"The designer of the gun had clearly not been instructed to beat about the bush. 'Make it evil,' he'd been told. 'Make it totally clear that this gun has a right end and a wrong end. Make it totally clear to anyone standing at the wrong end that things are going badly for them. If that means sticking all sort of spikes and prongs and blackened bits all over it then so be it. This is not a gun for hanging over the fireplace or sticking in the umbrella stand, it is a gun for going out and making people miserable with." -Douglas Adams
“It is just as difficult and dangerous to try to free a people that wants to remain servile as it is to try to enslave a people that wants to remain free."
-Niccolo Machiavelli
The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all. -Mencken
June 16, 2026, 02:28 PM
RogueJSKThe two competition models I posted have versions that come with factory extensions for 10 shell capacity.
But yes, these do all require extensions (whether factory or aftermarket) if you want greater than base capacity.
June 16, 2026, 04:02 PM
sigarmsp226I have used my Benelli M2 Tactical at local matches several times but I am old and the local matches are no where close to being as intense as some three gun matches I watched on line - but it did everything I needed it to do. Total cost was under $1,000.00.
June 16, 2026, 05:01 PM
casquote:
Originally posted by RogueJSK:
The Mossberg 940 JM Pro is another option that is competition ready out the gate.
There are a LOT of people who would argue that this is not accurate. Some going as far as saying most of them will never be ready.
Never owned one, but the handful of people I know who did parted ways with them on unhappy terms. (well, they
were happy they no longer owned it)
June 18, 2026, 09:06 PM
SigforallFranchi Affinity 3 inch.
I used this shotgun for three gun. I did have the gun worked on for the game.
Very few JP's and 1301's seemed to run without some issues.
"Profanity is the linguistic crutch of the illiterate motherfucker."
June 20, 2026, 11:18 AM
CPD SIGUsed 1301.
Clean the hell out of it, then let ‘er rip!
I really like mine, put a lot of different rounds through it, and it ate everything up!
Recoil is very manageable.
______________________________________________________________________
"When its time to shoot, shoot. Dont talk!"
“What the government is good at is collecting taxes, taking away your freedoms and killing people. It’s not good at much else.” —Author Tom Clancy
June 20, 2026, 01:04 PM
bigpond73I haven't kept up on any of this, but many years back, the new "in thing" were detachable mag shotguns for 3 gun, and run and gun games, like the Saiga 12, VEPR, etc. I always thought mag changes were quicker than loading a tube, even with 2, 3, or 4 in your hand.
Is this not the case anymore? Have mag fed shotguns been supplanted by the tube feds?
Mike
You can run, but you cannot hide.
If you won't stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
June 20, 2026, 01:53 PM
bigtime977If this is buy once cry once proposition then I'd recommend the Genesis 12 as its probably the most advanced shotgun on the market today.
https://genesisarms.com/
“If the federal government is allowed to hold a monopoly on determining the extent of its own powers, we have no right to be surprised when it keeps discovering new ones.” Thomas Jefferson
June 20, 2026, 02:37 PM
RogueJSKquote:
Originally posted by bigpond73:
I haven't kept up on any of this, but many years back, the new "in thing" were detachable mag shotguns for 3 gun, and run and gun games, like the Saiga 12, VEPR, etc. I always thought mag changes were quicker than loading a tube, even with 2, 3, or 4 in your hand.
Is this not the case anymore? Have mag fed shotguns been supplanted by the tube feds?
Probably due to the government sanctions cutting off the supply of Saigas in the 2010s.
Same reason why converted Saiga AKs dried up.
June 20, 2026, 03:51 PM
bigpond73^^^
And no American company has picked up the slack since then, I suppose. Sad, seemed like that was a market with potential.
Mike
You can run, but you cannot hide.
If you won't stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
June 20, 2026, 07:54 PM
xmodquote:
Originally posted by bigtime977:
If this is buy once cry once proposition then I'd recommend the Genesis 12 as its probably the most advanced shotgun on the market today.
https://genesisarms.com/
+1 on the Genesis 12. Very soft recoil. Well worth $3K.
June 20, 2026, 10:47 PM
RNshooterWow. I wasn't aware of the Genesis. Good to know that it's worth the money.
Bruce
"The designer of the gun had clearly not been instructed to beat about the bush. 'Make it evil,' he'd been told. 'Make it totally clear that this gun has a right end and a wrong end. Make it totally clear to anyone standing at the wrong end that things are going badly for them. If that means sticking all sort of spikes and prongs and blackened bits all over it then so be it. This is not a gun for hanging over the fireplace or sticking in the umbrella stand, it is a gun for going out and making people miserable with." -Douglas Adams
“It is just as difficult and dangerous to try to free a people that wants to remain servile as it is to try to enslave a people that wants to remain free."
-Niccolo Machiavelli
The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all. -Mencken
June 21, 2026, 05:50 AM
RichardCquote:
Originally posted by Sigforall:
Very few JP's and 1301's seemed to run without some issues.
Well, that IS disturbing.
What was going wrong with the 1301's ?
June 21, 2026, 09:17 AM
casIf you're really looking to buy something for gun games, figure out what game/division before you buy something you can't really used. (like a box mag fed shotgun which puts you in "Open" divisions shooting against all the high end race gear. Maybe okay for a shotgun match, but in a multi gun match you'd need one or two other "open" guns.)
My Beretta usage is scant, only owning an Xtrema briefly. That thing was a pain to load, it seemed like the mag tube was deeper in the gun than usual, and it really wanted the shells pushed far into the tube. I would assume/hope the newer models aren't like this, but the 1301 still has that "tall" receiver so I wonder.
June 21, 2026, 04:34 PM
1KPerDayquote:
Originally posted by bigpond73:
I haven't kept up on any of this, but many years back, the new "in thing" were detachable mag shotguns for 3 gun, and run and gun games, like the Saiga 12, VEPR, etc. I always thought mag changes were quicker than loading a tube, even with 2, 3, or 4 in your hand.
Is this not the case anymore? Have mag fed shotguns been supplanted by the tube feds?
Loading twins/quads changed everything and people have gotten very fast. If you have to navigate a 25+ shot course of fire it may still be faster to carry 10+ round mags but they are very bulky and you really have to know what you’re doing to keep up the rate of fire between mag changes. Plus detachable mags put you in Open division if that matters. People like Jerry Miculek run tube fed shotguns with speed loaders and ramps and can beat guys with detachable mags. Faster people running quad load setups can also pretty much keep up with detachable mag people, particularly when courses of fire require swapping out or engaging particular targets with buckshot or slugs, which is always a hassle with mags.
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My hovercraft is full of eels.
June 21, 2026, 08:12 PM
SigforallThey had issues running 7.5 lower dram rounds.
Both guys on our 4 person 3gun crew ended up getting Benelli's.
"Profanity is the linguistic crutch of the illiterate motherfucker."