Duck season is open or about to open in every province, and the best duck hunting shotgun for Canada needs to do three things: swallow 3 inch steel loads, keep cycling when it is wet and five below, and point where you look. Here is the best duck hunting shotgun at every price we stock, from a $428.88 inertia gun to the Super Black Eagle, plus the steel shot to feed it and the permits you need before opening morning.
What the best duck hunting shotgun needs
- 12 gauge, 3 inch chamber. Steel shot is lighter than lead, so you make it up with more pellets. A 3 inch 1-1/4 oz load of #2 or BB is the standard duck and goose load in Canada. 3.5 inch is for big geese and not necessary for ducks.
- Non-toxic shot. Lead has been illegal for waterfowl in Canada since 1999. Steel is the cheap option; bismuth and tungsten for those who want lead performance and will pay for it.
- Screw-in chokes. Steel through a Modified or Improved Cylinder choke. Never a fixed Full.
- 26 or 28 inch barrel. 28 swings smoother on passing birds, 26 is handier in a layout blind.
- Synthetic stock. Wood swells and camo hides. Buy the ugly one.
Gas or inertia?
The best duck hunting shotgun for you depends partly on this. Gas guns (Beretta A300 and A400, Mossberg 940, Charles Daly 601) bleed off gas to work the action, which soaks up recoil. Inertia guns (Benelli, Franchi, Weatherby Element, Girsan, JTS) use the recoil itself, so there is no gas system to foul with powder residue and marsh water. Inertia guns run cleaner and longer between cleanings; gas guns kick less with heavy loads. Both will do a season without a problem if you keep the bolt lightly oiled.
Semi-autos under $700
JTS FX19 inertia, 28 inch, $428.88
The cheapest semi-auto in the store, inertia-driven with a 3 inch chamber, Mobilchoke tubes and a synthetic stock. Runs fine on 1-1/8 oz and heavier, which is every duck load. JTS FX19 black or camo at $458.88.
đź›’ Buy the JTS FX19 inertia, 28 inch, $428.88
Charles Daly 601 Field, 28 inch, $448.88
Gas operated, 3 inch chamber, three chokes and a fibre optic bead. The softest shooting gun on this page under $1,000. Charles Daly 601 Field.
đź›’ Buy the Charles Daly 601 Field, 28 inch, $448.88
Girsan MC312 inertia 3.5 inch, 28 inch, $618.99
The Turkish inertia gun with a real following in Canada. A 3.5 inch chamber for goose loads, 28 inch barrel, and it cycles the cheap stuff. Girsan MC312 3.5 inch, the MC312 NEXT EVO at $588.99, or the Bottomland camo version at $594.99.
đź›’ Buy the Girsan MC312 inertia 3.5 inch, 28 inch, $618.99
Mid-range: $800 to $1,500
Weatherby Element Bottomland, 28 inch, $838.99
An inertia gun in Mossy Oak Bottomland at a price the big names cannot touch. 3 inch chamber, 28 inch barrel, and Weatherby’s sensible stock dimensions. Weatherby Element Bottomland.
đź›’ Buy the Weatherby Element Bottomland, 28 inch, $838.99
Benelli SuperNova Realtree Max-7, 28 inch pump, $935.00
If you want a pump, this is the one for the marsh: 3.5 inch chamber, a polymer-over-steel receiver that ignores salt water, and the SuperNova’s famous reliability. Benelli SuperNova Max-7.
đź›’ Buy the Benelli SuperNova Realtree Max-7, 28 inch pump, $935.00
Mossberg 940 Pro Field, 28 inch, $1,148.88
Mossberg’s gas gun with a nickel boron bolt and an oversized bolt handle and release. Goes 1,500 rounds between cleanings by Mossberg’s count. Mossberg 940 Pro Field.
đź›’ Buy the Mossberg 940 Pro Field, 28 inch, $1,148.88
Beretta A300 Ultima, 28 inch, $1,400.00
The A300 is the gun most guides recommend to a first-time waterfowler with a real budget: Beretta’s gas system, a 3 inch chamber, enlarged controls, and the soft recoil that lets you shoot a full limit of geese without a bruise. Beretta A300 Ultima.
đź›’ Buy the Beretta A300 Ultima, 28 inch, $1,400.00
Franchi Affinity Catalyst, 28 inch, $1,425.00
Benelli’s inertia system in a Franchi with a stock cut for women: shorter pull, higher comb, more pitch. Walnut, so this is the upland-and-ducks gun rather than the one you leave in the boat. Franchi Affinity Catalyst.
đź›’ Buy the Franchi Affinity Catalyst, 28 inch, $1,425.00
The best duck hunting shotgun money can buy
Benelli M2 Field, 28 inch, $1,925.00
The inertia gun everything else is compared to. Light, simple, and it will still be running when your grandchildren hunt with it. Benelli M2 Field black, or the Realtree Max-7 version at $2,150.00. The M2 Field 20 gauge at $1,925.00 is the pick for the hunter who shoots over decoys and wants to carry less.
đź›’ Buy the Benelli M2 Field, 28 inch, $1,925.00
Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus, 28 inch, $2,694.99
The softest-shooting 3.5 inch gun made. Kick-Off recoil system, enlarged loading port, and a gas system that runs everything from 7/8 oz to 2-1/4 oz turkey loads. A400 Xtreme Plus Realtree Max-7, Mossy Oak Bottomland, Shadow Grass or Optifade Marsh.
đź›’ Buy the Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus, 28 inch, $2,694.99
Benelli Super Black Eagle 3, 28 inch, $2,710.00
The waterfowl gun. 3.5 inch inertia action, Comfort Tech stock, and a bolt that Benelli redesigned so it will not hang up when you close it slowly with cold hands. Super Black Eagle 3, Realtree Max-7 at $2,940.00, or the SBE3 20 gauge BE.S.T. at $2,970.00.
đź›’ Buy the Benelli Super Black Eagle 3, 28 inch, $2,710.00
Steel shot in stock
Federal Speed-Shok 3 inch BB at $29.99 for geese and big ducks, Speed-Shok #2 at $29.55 for mallards and everything over decoys, #3 for teal and woodies, and Black Cloud #2 at $47.55 when you want tighter patterns at 40 metres. Challenger 3 inch steel 1-1/4 oz at $24.20 is the budget option. Pattern the gun with the load you will hunt with before the season; a Modified choke and #2 steel is a good place to start.
Before opening day
You need your provincial hunting licence, the federal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit with the Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp ($17 plus tax, bought online at canada.ca or at Canada Post), and a plug in the magazine so the gun holds no more than three shells. Most new semi-autos and pumps ship with one. Check your provincial dates and daily limits, which change by zone.
Our best budget shotgun guide has more pumps under $450, and 12 gauge vs 20 gauge settles the question for anyone who wants to carry a lighter gun.
The short answer
- Cheapest that works: JTS FX19, $428.88.
- Best under $1,000: Weatherby Element Bottomland or Girsan MC312.
- Best duck hunting shotgun for most hunters: Beretta A300 Ultima, $1,400.00.
- Buy once: Benelli SBE3 or Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus.
Prices current as of September 2026. Check each product page for live stock. A non-restricted PAL is required.