Gear Guide · Dove Hunting
The Best Dove Hunting Shotguns of 2026
Ten shotguns from $600 to $2,800, tested on live birds and ranked on the three things that actually decide a dove hunt. Light load reliability, comfort past shell fifty, and how fast the gun gets moving on a bird that changes direction twice.
Every Gun Fired At Live Birds · No Affiliate Links
I have opened dove season in the Sacramento Valley for more than twenty years, and I have watched more good shotguns embarrass themselves on September 1 than in every other season combined. Not because they are bad guns. Because dove season asks a shotgun to do something no other bird season asks.
A good September afternoon means 75 to 150 shells in a couple of hours, in 90-plus degree heat, through a barrel that never cools, using the lightest and cheapest ammunition most hunters buy all year. That combination breaks guns that sail through duck season.
It is also why so much dove gun advice misses. People recommend the gun they love, or the one that has never failed them on waterfowl, and neither answer survives a high-volume shoot on bargain target loads. So we ranked these ten on what actually decides a dove hunt: whether the gun keeps cycling cheap light shells, how it feels on shell ninety, and how fast it gets moving on a bird that just changed its mind twice.
Three of the ten are 20 gauges. That is not a quota. The 20 is arguably the better tool for this job, and we make that case below. Every gun here has been fired at live birds.
The Short Answer
The best dove hunting shotgun for most hunters is the Beretta A300 Ultima, about $999. Its gas system reliably cycles the light 7/8 and 1 ounce target loads that dove season runs on, the exact loads that choke many semi-autos, and its Kick-Off system takes real recoil out of a 100-shell afternoon.
RecommendationsOur Top Picks at a Glance
| Award | Shotgun | Gauges | Street Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Overall | Beretta A300 Ultima | 12, 20 | ~$999 |
| Best 20 Gauge | Franchi Affinity 3 | 12, 20 | ~$920 |
| Best Budget Semi-Auto | Mossberg 940 Pro Field | 12 | from ~$700 |
| Best for Youth | Winchester SX4 Compact 20ga | 12, 20 | ~$900 |
| Best Pump / First Gun | Remington 870 Fieldmaster | 12, 20, .410 | ~$600 |
| Best Handling | Benelli Montefeltro 20ga | 12, 20 | ~$1,499 |
| Lowest Recoil 12 Gauge | Browning Maxus 2 | 12 | $1,700+ |
| Best Sub-Gauge | Benelli Ethos 28ga | 12, 20, 28 | ~$1,900 |
| Best Over/Under Value | Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I | 12, 20, 28, .410 | ~$2,550 |
| Best Over/Under Overall | Browning Citori 825 Field | 12, 20, 28, .410 | ~$2,800 |
ComparisonBest Dove Shotguns Compared
| Shotgun | Gauges | Action | Weight | Barrel | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beretta A300 Ultima | 12, 20 20GA | Gas | 7.1 / 6.8 lb | 26" / 28" | ~$999 | Overall best choice |
| Franchi Affinity 3 | 12, 20 20GA | Inertia | 6.0 lb (20ga) | 26" / 28" | ~$920 | 20-gauge value |
| Mossberg 940 Pro Field | 12 | Gas | 7.75 lb | 28" | from ~$700 | Budget, low maintenance |
| Winchester SX4 Compact | 12, 20 20GA | Gas | 6.25 lb (20ga) | 24" / 26" | ~$900 | Youth, small frame |
| Remington 870 Fieldmaster | 12, 20, .410 20GA | Pump | 7.5 lb (12ga) | 26" / 28" | ~$600 | First shotgun |
| Benelli Montefeltro | 12, 20 20GA | Inertia | 5.6 lb (20ga) | 24" to 28" | ~$1,499 | Handling, all-day carry |
| Browning Maxus 2 | 12 | Gas | 7.0 lb | 26" / 28" | $1,700+ | High-volume 12ga |
| Benelli Ethos | 12, 20, 28 20GA | Inertia | 5.3 to 6.5 lb | 26" / 28" | ~$1,900 | Sub-gauge shooters |
| Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I | 12, 20, 28, .410 20GA | Over/under | 6.5 to 7.5 lb | 26" to 30" | ~$2,550 | Versatility |
| Browning Citori 825 Field | 12, 20, 28, .410 20GA | Over/under | 7 lb 5 oz (12ga) | 26" to 30" | ~$2,800 | Buy it for life |
Street prices checked July 2026 and they move. Rebates and dealer sales change these monthly. Hunt Bums does not sell firearms and earns nothing from these links. Every gun below links straight to the manufacturer's own page so you can verify current specs yourself.
Selection CriteriaWhat Makes a Good Dove Shotgun?
A dove gun gets judged on different things than a duck gun or a pheasant gun. Four factors decided these rankings, in order of importance.
1. It has to cycle cheap, light shells
This is the big one, and it is the one most advice skips. Dove loads are light, 7/8 or 1 ounce of shot, usually somewhere between 1,150 and 1,250 fps, because that is what is affordable at 100-plus shells per hunt.
Inertia-driven semi-autos (Benelli, Franchi, Stoeger, most Weatherbys) use recoil energy to cycle. Below a certain threshold, they short-stroke. You do not have to take our word for where that threshold sits. Franchi's own spec sheet lists a minimum recommended load of 3 dram, 1-1/8 ounces for its 12-gauge inertia guns. Read that again. The manufacturer itself does not promise reliable cycling with the 1-ounce promotional loads most of us actually shoot at doves.
Gas-operated guns tap gas from the barrel to run the action instead, which makes them far less picky about payload. That single mechanical difference is why gas guns dominate the top of this list, and why a $999 Beretta outranks guns costing nearly three times as much.
2. It has to stay comfortable past shell fifty
Five shots off a bench tells you nothing. Recoil is cumulative, and a shooter who has absorbed 100 rounds of 12 gauge in the heat will be flinching by the last hour whether they admit it or not. Flinching costs birds.
Two things fix it: a gas action, which stretches the recoil impulse out so it feels like a push instead of a slap, and a lighter payload, which is the honest, practical argument for the 20 gauge.
3. It has to move fast
Doves jink. They flare, dip, and change direction inside your effective range, so you are often correcting a swing already in progress rather than executing a planned lead. A lighter gun balanced over your hands starts moving sooner. That matters more here than the long, smooth swing that heavy guns reward on passing ducks.
4. It has to tolerate heat and dust
A September dove field is hot and filthy in a way a duck marsh never is. Fine dust mixes with gun oil into a lapping paste. Gas systems foul faster and need more cleaning, inertia guns run cleaner, and break-actions barely care. If you want the routine itself, we walk through it in how to clean your shotgun. Be honest with yourself about how often you actually clean your guns, and weight this accordingly.
MethodologyHow We Tested
Every shotgun in this guide has been fired at live doves, not just patterned on paper or shouldered at a gun counter. Our testing is centered in California's Sacramento Valley and the surrounding rice country, with additional field time across the Pacific Flyway and the Western states, over multiple dove openers. Some of these guns live in our safe. Others belong to hunting partners who have carried them for years, which tells you far more about long-term reliability than any single-season review can.
The ammunition test was deliberate. We fed every semi-auto the loads most likely to cause trouble: 1-ounce promotional 12-gauge target loads and 7/8-ounce 20-gauge loads in the 1,150 to 1,250 fps range. Anything cycles pheasant loads. Cheap target shells are where guns separate, and they are what most hunters actually bring to a dove field.
What we tracked: stoppages, by type and by the load that caused them. Felt recoil at the end of a shoot, not the beginning. Cleaning intervals, learned by running the gas guns dirty on purpose. And handling notes taken in the field on real crossing and incoming birds.
Where we lean on other sources: a few notes here come from owner consensus, published manufacturer specifications, and manufacturer notices rather than our own testing. Those are flagged in the text where they appear, and every outside source is linked at the bottom of this guide.
Disclosure
Hunt Bums has brand relationships with Browning and Benelli, among others. Both are in this guide because they earned it, and you will find specific criticisms of both below. We also left out a gun we own and like, the Savage Renegauge, because it is the wrong tool for this job. Our reasoning is at the end. There are no affiliate links in this article and we earn nothing if you buy any of these guns.
The ReviewsThe 10 Best Dove Shotguns
Beretta A300 Ultima
~$999 · 12 & 20 Gauge · Gas
Why we recommend it: The A300 Ultima cycles cheap, light target loads more reliably than any other semi-auto near its price. Its self-compensating gas system adjusts to the shell automatically, which removes the single most common cause of a ruined dove hunt. Add Beretta's Kick-Off recoil dampers and a true 20-gauge option, and this is the right default for most dove hunters.
Beretta gas guns built their reputation in Argentine dove fields, where hunters run volumes that would destroy a marginal design and nobody tolerates a shotgun with opinions about ammunition. The A300 carries that DNA at a working hunter's price. In our testing it ran everything, including the bulk-pack promotional shells that tripped up two of the inertia guns in this guide.
Kick-Off is not a sticker. It is a pair of hydraulic dampers inside the stock that stretch the recoil pulse, and in our shooting the payoff shows up late in the day, when you are still swinging instead of bracing. Fair warning that this one is not unanimous. Field & Stream's testers came away feeling Kick-Off made recoil worse, not better, and noted the A300 carries two dampers where the pricier A400 carries three. Our experience runs the other way, but shoulder one before you commit.
The enlarged loading port and oversized controls are the other quiet win. You can stuff shells without looking while birds are working.
What you give up is mostly cosmetic and maintenance. The wood is plain, the finish is workmanlike, and the gas system wants a cleaning every two or three hunts when the field is dusty. That is the whole tradeoff.
For a dedicated dove gun, get the 20. Same gas system, same appetite for cheap shells, about a third of a pound lighter at 6.8 pounds, and noticeably quicker to the shoulder.
Pros
- Best light-load reliability at anywhere near $1,000
- Kick-Off dampers genuinely reduce felt recoil in our testing
- Big loading port, oversized controls
- True 20-gauge field version
Cons
- Wants cleaning every 2 to 3 dusty hunts
- Plain wood and finish
- Not the lightest option here
- Kick-Off is divisive: some testers feel no benefit
Don't Buy the Wrong One
The A300 Ultima Patrol is a different gun, a short-barreled defensive model built around buckshot and now offered in 20 gauge too. It is not what you want over a sunflower field. Make sure the box says the field version.
Franchi Affinity 3
~$920 · 12 & 20 Gauge · Inertia
Why we recommend it: The Affinity 3 runs the same inertia system you are paying a premium for at Benelli, for hundreds less, and at 6.0 pounds in 20 gauge it is the best-handling shotgun under $1,000. Feed it decent ammunition at 1,200 fps or better and it is a superb dedicated dove gun.
Franchi and Benelli live under the same parent company, and the Affinity's action is functionally the Benelli inertia system. The extra money at Benelli buys walnut, finish, and the name. Worth knowing before you spend it.
In 20 gauge, this gun just moves. Doves make you fix a swing mid-stroke, and a 6-pound gun balanced over your hands does that better than anything heavier. It is also the low-maintenance choice: inertia actions run clean, and dust mostly does not matter.
The honest limitation is the operating system. Franchi publishes a minimum recommended load of 7/8 ounce at 1,200 fps for this 20 gauge, and in our testing that is exactly where the line sat. Flawless at 1,210 fps and up, occasional short-strokes on slower 1,150 fps shells during the first hundred rounds. After break-in, the problem went away. That is the inertia trade, not a defect, but if you buy whatever ammo is cheapest, get the A300 instead.
Pros
- Benelli's action for hundreds less
- 6.0 lb in 20 gauge, outstanding handling
- Runs clean and shrugs off dust
- 7-year warranty, best in this guide's price class
Cons
- Wants 1,200+ fps shells, especially before break-in
- Light weight means a bit more kick per shell
- Fit and finish are basic
Mossberg 940 Pro Field
from ~$700 · 12 Gauge Only · Gas
Why we recommend it: Mossberg redesigned the 940's gas system specifically to stretch cleaning intervals, and the company rates it up to 1,500 rounds between cleanings. That attacks the one real weakness of gas guns in a dusty September field. Reliable light-load cycling plus a genuinely adjustable stock, often for around $700, makes it the best value in this guide.
Take the 1,500-round figure as a ceiling, not a schedule. The owner's manual still says to clean it every 500. But the design intent is real, and it showed. Our test gun ran a full season on one mid-season cleaning without a hiccup. No other gas gun here matched that.
The sleeper feature is fit. The stock adjusts for length of pull from 13 to 14.25 inches plus drop and cast, which means one gun can actually be set up for a smaller-framed shooter, or handed to your kid, without a gunsmith. Most buyers never touch the shims. Twenty minutes with them is the cheapest shooting improvement you will ever make.
The knocks: at 7.75 pounds it is the heaviest semi-auto in this guide, there is no 20-gauge version, and the aggressive grip stippling divides opinion. None of that stops it from being the most gun for the least money here.
Pros
- Longest cleaning intervals of any gas gun we tested
- Stock adjusts 13" to 14.25" LOP plus drop and cast
- American made, frequently near $700
- Beveled loading port speeds reloads
Cons
- Heaviest semi-auto here at 7.75 lb
- No 20-gauge option
- Grip texture is love it or hate it
Winchester SX4 Compact, 20 Gauge
~$900 · 12 & 20 Gauge · Gas
Why we recommend it: Gas action, Inflex recoil pad, 6.25 pounds, and a 13-inch length of pull. The SX4 Compact is the softest path into shotgunning for a young or smaller-framed shooter. Gun fit decides whether a first dove season creates a hunter, and this stock actually fits people the standard ones do not.
A lot of hunters kill their first bird on a dove opener, and a lot of would-be hunters quit after one. The difference is usually fit and recoil, not interest. A standard 14.25-inch stock makes a smaller shooter stretch, which wrecks the mount and makes every shot hit harder. The Compact's 13-inch pull fixes the reach. The Active Valve gas system and Inflex pad fix the rest.
The result is a 20 gauge a new shooter can run through a whole box without learning to flinch. It is a gas gun, so the cheap-shell anxiety that hangs over inertia guns does not apply, and 7/8-ounce loads cycled without complaint in our testing.
This is not only a kids' gun. Adults under about 5'6", including plenty of women shooting stocks dimensioned for someone else, will shoot a 13-inch pull measurably better. And the included spacers let the stock grow with a young shooter, so you are not rebuying in three seasons.
Tradeoffs: it fouls a bit faster than the Mossberg, the finish is plain, and it is genuinely too short for average-height adults.
Pros
- Among the softest-shooting guns we tested
- 13" LOP genuinely fits smaller shooters
- Spacers included, the stock grows with the shooter
- Gas action runs cheap 7/8 oz shells fine
Cons
- Fouls faster than the 940
- Utilitarian looks
- Too short for average-height adults
Remington 870 Fieldmaster
~$600 · 12, 20 Gauge & .410 · Pump
Why we recommend it: A pump cannot have a light-load problem, because you are the action. Every cycling caveat in this guide simply does not apply to the 870, and at around $600 in 12, 20, or .410, it is the most reliable gun here at the lowest price.
Every threshold and break-in note in this article, the 1,200 fps floors and the first-hundred-rounds caution, is irrelevant to this gun. The 870 fires and cycles any 2.75-inch shell you can buy, including the dustiest bargain flat in the back of the store. If your ammo strategy is "whatever's cheapest," that certainty is worth more than any feature on a fancier gun.
There is a quieter argument for the pump as a first gun: it teaches shot selection. A new hunter with a semi-auto will empty three shells at a bird that was never in range. The pump makes each shot cost something, and hunters learn faster because of it.
The tradeoffs are real. Doubles come through dove fields constantly, and a pump is slower on the second bird. And with no gas system soaking up energy, 100 rounds of 12 gauge through an 870 is a long afternoon. The 20-gauge Fieldmaster solves most of that and is the version we would hand a newer or recoil-sensitive shooter.
One honest caution: fit and finish under RemArms production has been more variable than the old Wingmaster era. Rack the actual gun before you buy it.
Pros
- Cycles literally any shell
- Lowest price in this guide
- 12, 20, and .410 versions
- Unmatched parts and aftermarket support
Cons
- Slower on doubles
- Stoutest felt recoil of any 12 here
- Modern fit and finish varies gun to gun
Benelli Montefeltro, 20 Gauge
~$1,499 · 12 & 20 Gauge · Inertia
Why we recommend it: At 5.6 pounds in 20 gauge, the Montefeltro is the fastest-handling gun in this guide and the easiest to carry from noon to sunset. It is the enthusiast's pick: mechanically close to cheaper inertia guns, but better balanced, better finished, and a lot more pleasant to own.
The Montefeltro has stayed in Benelli's catalog for decades with only light revisions because they got it right early. The slim receiver and satin walnut make it feel like a bird gun instead of a repurposed duck tool, and the balance sits exactly where a reactive shooter wants it, between your hands, ready to move.
Current production also addresses the old "Benelli click," the bolt not quite locking on a soft mount, with a redesigned detent bolt. On recent guns it is largely a solved problem.
Two things to weigh. First, the inertia rules apply, and owner reports show more gun-to-gun variation with 7/8-ounce loads than we would like at this price. Break yours in on 1-ounce shells before you trust it on an opener. Second, the math is awkward: the Franchi Affinity 3 runs the same style of action for about $580 less. The premium buys walnut, balance, and finish. Legitimate wants, but be clear that is what you are paying for.
Pros
- Fastest-handling gun in this guide at 5.6 lb
- Balance built for reactive shooting
- Minimal maintenance
- Redesigned bolt addresses the old "Benelli click"
Cons
- Light-load cycling varies gun to gun
- About $580 over a mechanically similar Franchi
- Low weight means more felt recoil
Browning Maxus 2
$1,700+ · 12 Gauge Only · Gas
Why we recommend it: The Maxus 2 has the softest felt recoil of any 12 gauge we tested, which makes it the pick for hunters committed to a 12 who shoot 100-plus shells an afternoon. The Power Drive gas system cycles fast, and Browning's oversized loading port is the best in this guide.
We ran this gun through a full season for our Maxus 2 Wicked Wing review, and the recoil story held up. Over a long shoot, the difference against an ordinary gas gun is real, and it shows in how well you are still shooting at last light.
The loading port deserves its own sentence. It is the easiest here to run by feel, which matters when birds are working and your eyes are up.
So why seventh? Ammunition sensitivity. The Maxus 2 ran quality shells flawlessly for us but has been less consistent with the true bargain promotional stuff, and owner reports echo that. At $1,700-plus, that is a fair strike, and it is exactly why a $999 gun sits at number one. It is also 12 gauge only, with prices ranging to about $2,100 depending on configuration.
Pros
- Softest-shooting 12 gauge we tested
- Fast-cycling Power Drive action
- Best loading port in this guide
- Pulls double duty as a waterfowl gun
Cons
- Less consistent on bargain promotional loads
- No 20-gauge option
- Gas system needs regular cleaning in dust
Benelli Ethos, 28 Gauge
~$1,900 · 12, 20 & 28 Gauge · Inertia
Why we recommend it: The Ethos is the Benelli built around light loads, and in 28 gauge at roughly 5 pounds 5 ounces it delivers the least recoil of anything in this guide. A 3/4-ounce load of #8 still puts about 307 pellets in the air, real pattern density on doves inside 30 yards, with almost nothing coming back into your shoulder.
People wave off the 28 gauge as a rich man's novelty. On doves, that is wrong. Dove hunting is a short-range, high-volume game against a four- to six-ounce bird, which is precisely the assignment where a sub-gauge makes ballistic sense, not just aesthetic sense.
Benelli's Progressive Comfort system builds flexing buffers into the stock itself, and in the 28 the result is a shotgun you can shoot all afternoon without your shoulder filing a complaint. Late-hunt fatigue is where most limits fall apart. This gun simply does not generate it.
One point worth getting right, because it gets repeated wrong constantly: the 7/8-ounce minimum you see quoted for the Ethos is the 12 and 20 gauge figure. Benelli rates the 28-gauge Ethos down to 3/4 ounce, which is exactly what standard 28-gauge dove loads weigh. In other words, the gun is specified for the ammunition you will actually feed it. That said, owner reports of new 28s hesitating on the very lightest target shells out of the box do recur, usually cured by faster ammo or a break-in period. We have not reproduced it in our own shooting, but a 100-round break-in before an opener is cheap insurance on any inertia gun.
The real cost is the ammunition itself. 28-gauge shells run noticeably more than 12 or 20 and are not stocked everywhere. Budget for that before you budget for the gun.
Pros
- Least recoil of any gun in this guide
- Rated by Benelli down to 3/4 oz in 28 gauge
- Progressive Comfort stock genuinely works
- Beautifully built, superb handling, runs clean in dust
Cons
- Owner reports of break-in hiccups on the lightest shells
- Premium variants push well past $2,500
- 28ga shells cost more and sell out first
Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I
~$2,550 · 12, 20, 28 & .410 · Over/Under
Why we recommend it: An over/under carries two chokes at once, and no bird exploits that better than a dove. Open barrel for the decoying shot at 20 yards, tighter barrel for the flare at 35. The 686 delivers that in all four dove gauges, with zero ammunition sensitivity, in a design lineage that has been a field-gun benchmark for decades.
The two-choke advantage is the strongest technical case for an over/under in a dove field, and almost nobody talks about it. A typical presentation gives you a close incomer, then, if you miss, a longer going-away shot as the bird flares. A semi-auto forces one compromise choke over both. A 686 with Skeet below and Modified above gives each shot the right pattern.
The break action also deletes every reliability worry in this article. No gas system to foul, no threshold to satisfy, nothing that cares about dust or heat. Load two, shoot two, repeat forever.
One buying note: recent 686 production has drawn credible criticism for cost-cutting, plainer wood, matte finishes, an indifferent recoil pad, even as lockup and mechanical quality stay strong. Handle the specific gun. Do not order one sight unseen.
Pros
- Two chokes for two different shots
- All four dove gauges
- Zero ammunition sensitivity
- Holds resale value exceptionally well
Cons
- Two shells, then reload
- Recent production shows cost-cutting
- More felt recoil than a gas gun, load for load
Browning Citori 825 Field
~$2,800 · 12ga; 20, 28 & .410 New for 2026 · Over/Under
Why we recommend it: Introduced in late 2024, the Citori 825 is a real redesign, not a facelift. Lower receiver, back-bored barrels, the Fire Lite 2 mechanical trigger, and a 10-year warranty. For 2026, Browning added Field Small Gauge models in 20, 28, and .410, which turns the best-built gun in this guide into a legitimate dedicated dove gun.
We shot the 825 across fifteen hunts for our full field review. The lowered receiver is the change you feel. Your eye sits closer to the rib, the gun points where you look, and the tendency to shoot over rising birds fades.
Here is the detail that matters specifically for dove: the Fire Lite 2 is a mechanical trigger. It does not rely on recoil to set the second barrel, so even the lightest 7/8-ounce shell, or a dud primer, cannot leave you with a dead second trigger while a double crosses in front of you. On a gun that will live on light loads, that is not trivia. That is design, and Browning says as much, citing improved reliability with light loads.
Everything we said about the 686's two-choke advantage applies here too. The objections are the obvious ones: price, two shells, and 7 pounds 5 ounces is real weight for walking cut fields in September heat. One more reason the new 825 Field Small Gauge models are the ones to watch. Nobody needs this gun to shoot doves well. It is bought for reasons beyond need, and it backs those reasons up better than most.
Pros
- Genuine redesign, lower receiver, better pointing
- Mechanical trigger fires barrel two on any load
- New 20, 28 and .410 Field models for 2026
- 10-year warranty, strong resale
Cons
- Most expensive gun in this guide
- Two-shell capacity
- 7 lb 5 oz in 12 gauge is heavy for hot-field carry
Buyer's GuideWhat Gauge Is Best for Dove Hunting?
The 20 gauge is the best gauge for dove hunting if the gun is dedicated to doves and upland birds. The 12 gauge wins if the same shotgun also has to hunt ducks or stretch past 35 yards late in the season. Both kill doves just fine. This decision is about recoil, weight, and what else the gun has to do.
Here is the ballistic reality: a mourning dove weighs roughly 4 to 6 ounces, averaging about 4.5, and folds cleanly with three or four pellet strikes. The overwhelming majority are shot inside 35 yards. Inside that envelope, pattern density decides everything, and all three common gauges have plenty.
Once a load carries enough energy to penetrate vital organs, pattern density becomes the primary factor influencing performance.
That is not field lore. It is the finding of a two-year study run in central Texas by Texas A&M's Institute of Renewable Natural Resources with Thomas Roster and Texas Parks and Wildlife, published in the Wildlife Society Bulletin in 2015. Researchers recorded more than 5,000 shots fired by Texas dove hunters and necropsied roughly 1,100 birds, and found no statistically significant difference in harvest efficiency between the lead and steel loads tested, regardless of distance. Their conclusion was that ammunition and choke combinations producing denser patterns yielded more hits per shot.
Which is exactly why gauge anxiety is misplaced and choke selection is not.
| Gauge | Typical Load | #8 Pellets | Practical Range | Best Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 gauge | 1 oz | ~410 | 40 yards | All purpose, late season, doubles as a duck gun |
| 20 gauge | 7/8 oz | ~359 | 35 yards | The dedicated dove and upland gun |
| 28 gauge | 3/4 oz | ~307 | 30 yards | Short-range specialist, second gun |
Pellet counts per Federal Premium's published shotshell pellet-count chart for lead shot.
The recoil case for the 20
A 1-ounce 12-gauge target load at 1,200 fps generates roughly 15 ft-lbs of free recoil in a 7.5-pound gun. A 7/8-ounce 20-gauge load in a gun of the same weight generates closer to 11, about a 25 percent reduction. Multiply that by 100 shells in the heat and it is the difference between shooting well at sunset and flinching.
One honest asterisk: most 20 gauges are built lighter than 12s, and lighter guns kick harder per shell. A 6-pound 20 gives back part of that theoretical edge. Figure the real-world difference closer to 15 percent in typical field guns. Still worth having. Just not magic.
When the 12 is right
We go deeper on this tradeoff in our 20 gauge vs. 12 gauge comparison. Pick a 12 if any of these apply: the gun also hunts waterfowl, you shoot late-season birds past 35 yards, you hunt wind where doves ride high and fast, or ammo cost and availability matter most. 12-gauge shells are the cheapest and most stocked shells in America.
Buyer's GuideGas, Inertia, Pump, or Over/Under?
For dove specifically, a gas semi-auto is the best answer for most hunters. It cycles light loads reliably and softens recoil. The price is a cleaning brush and twenty minutes, a few times a season.
| Action Type | Light-Load Reliability | Felt Recoil | Maintenance | Verdict for Dove |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gas semi-auto | Excellent | Lowest | Every 2 to 3 hunts | Best overall choice |
| Inertia semi-auto | Load dependent | Moderate | Minimal | Excellent with quality ammo |
| Pump | Perfect | Highest | Minimal | Best for beginners and budgets |
| Over/under | Perfect | Moderate to high | Wipe down | Most versatile, two shells |
Gas guns
Gas systems bleed expanding gas through a barrel port to drive the action, metering it rather than depending on recoil energy. That is why they digest almost any payload, the key advantage for dove, and it is also why they kick softer: the same energy gets spread over a longer instant. The bill comes due as carbon and dust in the gas system. In September conditions, plan on cleaning every two to three hunts.
Inertia guns
Inertia actions use the gun's own recoil against a spring-loaded rotating bolt. Fewer parts, cleaner running, usually lighter. The catch is a minimum-energy floor, and it is not folklore. Franchi's own published specs list minimum recommended loads of 3 dram, 1-1/8 oz in 12 gauge and 7/8 oz at 1,200 fps in 20. Below the floor, you get short-strokes. Three things help: faster ammunition, a 100 to 200 round break-in, and a firm mount, because a soft shoulder soaks up energy the action needs.
Read the Spec, Not the Brand
Minimum load ratings are gauge specific, not brand specific, and this trips people up constantly. Benelli's widely quoted 7/8 ounce floor is the 12 and 20 gauge figure. The 28-gauge Ethos is rated to 3/4 ounce, which is what standard 28-gauge dove loads weigh. Look up the number for the exact gauge you are buying.
Pumps and over/unders
Both are immune to load sensitivity. The pump is the cheap, certain option that also teaches discipline. The cost is follow-up speed and unfiltered recoil. The over/under gives you two chokes and near-zero maintenance. The cost is two shells, which stings less than it sounds, since federal law caps everyone at three anyway. One nuance worth knowing at the counter: a mechanical trigger, like the Citori 825's, fires the second barrel regardless of how light the first shell was. An inertia-set trigger needs the first shot's recoil to reset, which very light loads can occasionally fail to provide.
SetupWhat Choke and Shot Size for Dove Hunting?
The best choke for dove hunting is Improved Cylinder early in the season and Modified late. Shoot #8s. Overchoking is the most common mistake in a dove field. A Full choke at 20 yards throws a pattern the size of a softball, and you will miss birds you should have folded.
| Choke | Constriction (12ga) | Pattern @ 40 yd | Sweet Spot | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skeet | .005" | ~45% | 15 to 22 yards | Birds decoying into the field |
| Improved Cylinder | .010" | ~50% | 20 to 30 yards | The early-season default |
| Modified | .020" | ~60% | 30 to 40 yards | Late season, pass shooting, wind |
| Full | .035" | ~70% | 40+ yards | Almost never for dove |
Pattern percentage is the share of pellets inside a 30-inch circle at 40 yards. Constrictions are nominal 12-gauge figures and vary by manufacturer.
This is not a fringe position. Minnesota's DNR gives the same guidance in its own dove hunting material: hunters want a wide pattern, so an improved cylinder or skeet tube is the standard recommendation, with 7.5 or 8 shot.
Shot size
7.5, 8, and 9 all work. Most experienced dove hunters land on #8, about 410 pellets per ounce with enough steam left at 35 yards to kill cleanly.
- #9 (~585 pellets/oz): maximum density for close decoying birds inside 25 yards.
- #8 (~410 pellets/oz): the default. Best balance of density and reach.
- #7.5 (~350 pellets/oz): late-season pass shooting and wind, when shots stretch past 35.
Payload
One ounce in a 12, 7/8 in a 20, 3/4 in a 28. Heavier loads do not kill a four- to six-ounce bird any deader at dove ranges. They just beat you up faster. The one exception: inertia guns, which appreciate the extra cycling energy of a heavier or faster shell.
Related Reading
We break down specific loads by brand, velocity, and price, including which budget shells reliably cycle inertia guns, in our guide to the best loads for dove season.
RegulationsCan You Use Lead Shot for Doves?
In most states, yes. In California, no. Nonlead ammunition has been required for taking any wildlife with a firearm anywhere in the state since July 1, 2019. Doves are one of the few game birds federally exempt from the nontoxic-shot rules that govern waterfowl, so lead remains legal for dove in most of the country. But state law overrides that, and a growing number of state wildlife areas require nonlead regardless of species.
Check two things before opening day: your state's regulation, and the specific property. Plenty of prime public dove ground sits inside wildlife areas and ecological reserves with their own nonlead requirements even in states where lead is otherwise legal.
How steel shot changes the math
Steel shot is roughly 30 percent less dense than lead. A steel pellet of a given diameter weighs less, which means more pellets per ounce but less retained energy in each one. The practical adjustment is to go up one or two shot sizes and accept a slightly shorter effective range.
| If you shoot lead | Use steel | Steel pellets/oz | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| #9 (close, inside 25 yd) | #7.5 | ~480 | Dense pattern, short range |
| #8 (the standard) | #7 | ~420 | The best all-around nonlead dove size |
| #7.5 (late season, wind) | #6 | ~310 | More energy, thinner pattern |
Steel counts are approximate and vary by manufacturer.
What this means for gun choice
Two consequences worth knowing before you buy:
- Steel is harder than lead and not every barrel or choke is rated for it. Modern screw-in choke guns, every semi-auto in this guide, handle steel fine. Older fixed-choke doubles and vintage barrels may not. If you are buying used, confirm steel compatibility before you shoot it.
- Steel loads generally run faster and cycle inertia guns better. This is the rare case where the nonlead requirement helps you. A 7/8-ounce steel load at 1,300 fps gives an inertia action considerably more to work with than the same weight of lead at 1,150.
Full disclosure on where our numbers come from: the pellet counts and pattern figures elsewhere in this guide are lead, because lead is what most dove hunters in most states will shoot. If you hunt California, or any nonlead wildlife area, shift up a size or two using the table above.
RegulationsHow Many Shells Can You Legally Load?
Three, total. Two in the magazine, one in the chamber. Mourning doves are federally managed migratory game birds, and federal regulation (50 CFR 20.21) requires any repeating shotgun that can hold more to be plugged down to three. That is every state, every semi-auto, every pump.
Most field guns ship with a plug in the box, but not always installed. If yours went missing, a hardwood dowel cut to length works and is perfectly legal. Wardens check plugs constantly during dove season. It is one of the most commonly written violations there is, and it is also the easiest one to avoid.
The buying takeaway: magazine capacity is a spec that does not matter for dove. A 5+1 gun has zero legal advantage over an over/under's two shells and a fast reload.
Before Opening DayThe Pre-Opener Checklist
Six Steps, About 45 Minutes
Get Your Shotgun Ready
- Pattern your gun at 25 to 30 yards with the exact shells you will hunt. Ten minutes at the range tells you more than any spec sheet.
- Install the magazine plug now, not in the truck at 5 a.m. Three shells total is the law (50 CFR 20.21).
- Screw in Skeet or Improved Cylinder. Whatever choke is in there from duck season is too tight.
- Break in a new inertia gun with at least 100 rounds of 1-ounce loads before opening day. Do not let the gun's first light shells be the ones that count.
- Bring double the shells you think you need. The commonly cited national average runs five to seven shells per bird harvested. Nobody has ever regretted the extra box.
- Wipe and re-oil lightly after every dusty hunt. Heavy oil plus field dust equals grinding paste.
TransparencyGuns We Considered but Didn't Recommend
Savage Renegauge. We own one and reviewed it favorably, as a duck gun. At nearly 8 pounds with a nose-heavy balance, it is mismatched to a sport built on repeated fast mounts. Right gun, wrong field.
Benelli Super Black Eagle 3. One of the finest waterfowl guns made, as our review says. It is also a 3.5-inch inertia gun, nearly the least suitable architecture on the market for a steady diet of 1-ounce dove loads.
Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus. Excellent shotgun, over-gassed for target loads. If you want an A400 for dove, buy the 3-inch Xcel or Xplor versions, which are tuned for exactly this.
Weatherby Element II. There is an active safety recall on 12-gauge Element IIs in specific serial ranges for improperly heat-treated bolt heads. Weatherby's instruction is blunt: stop using the gun until the bolt head is replaced, and the company will do the work at the factory at no charge. Check your serial number at Weatherby's site before this gun goes anywhere near a field.
Stoeger M3000 / M3020. Real value around $559, but light-load complaints show up too often in owner reports to rank it above the Affinity 3, which costs a few hundred more and earns it.
Benelli M2 Field. A very good gun bound by the same inertia load floor as the Montefeltro, with plainer furniture at a similar price. If you are spending Benelli money on a dove gun, the Montefeltro is the better buy.
Bottom LineFinal Recommendations
Most hunters should buy the Beretta A300 Ultima. It solves the problem that ruins more dove hunts than any other, light-load cycling, for less money than the guns it beats, and it comes in both gauges.
For a dedicated dove gun, buy the Franchi Affinity 3 in 20 gauge and feed it quality 1,200-fps shells. The handling and lighter recoil will show up in your last-hour shooting.
For a young or new shooter, the Winchester SX4 Compact in 20 gauge. Fit plus soft recoil is what turns a first season into a lifetime.
For a gun you will keep forever, the Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I and Browning Citori 825 Field are the two best over/unders here. The 686 for gauge selection and track record, the 825 for the newer design and its light-load-proof mechanical trigger.
Whatever you carry: install the plug, open the choke more than instinct says, pattern the gun before the opener, and bring more shells than you think you need. See you September 1.
Quick AnswersDove Shotgun FAQ
The Beretta A300 Ultima is the best dove shotgun for most hunters, at roughly $999. Its gas system reliably cycles the light 7/8 and 1 ounce target loads that dove hunting demands, which is the most common failure point for semi-autos in high-volume shooting, and its Kick-Off system reduces felt recoil across a long shoot. It comes in 12 and 20 gauge. On a budget, look at the Mossberg 940 Pro Field from about $700, or the Remington 870 Fieldmaster at about $600.
Yes, the 20 gauge is arguably the ideal dove gauge. A 7/8 ounce load of #8 shot carries roughly 359 pellets, which is ample pattern density for a 4 to 6 ounce bird inside 35 yards, where the large majority of doves are killed. It also produces meaningfully less recoil than a 12 gauge, roughly 15 to 25 percent depending on gun weight, which adds up across a 100 shell afternoon. Choose a 12 gauge only if the same gun must also hunt waterfowl or reach past 35 yards late in the season.
Almost certainly because it is an inertia-driven action, the system used by Benelli, Franchi, Stoeger, and most Weatherby semi-autos. Inertia guns need a minimum recoil impulse to cycle, and Franchi's own specs list a minimum recommended load of 3 dram, 1-1/8 ounces in 12 gauge and 7/8 ounce at 1,200 fps in 20 gauge. Light 1 ounce or slow 1,150 fps promotional shells can fall below that floor. Fixes: run faster ammunition, complete a 100 to 200 round break-in, mount the gun firmly against your shoulder, or switch to a gas-operated shotgun like the Beretta A300 Ultima.
Improved Cylinder is the best all-around dove choke, ideal from 20 to 30 yards. Use Skeet for birds decoying inside 22 yards, and move to Modified for late-season pass shooting at 30 to 40. Full choke is almost never right for dove. Overchoking is the most common setup mistake in the field, and at close range it shrinks your pattern enough to cause misses on birds you should kill.
#8 shot is the best all-around dove load, roughly 410 pellets per ounce with enough retained energy to kill cleanly at 35 yards. Use #9, about 585 pellets per ounce, for maximum density on close decoying birds inside 25 yards, and #7.5, about 350 per ounce, for late-season or windy days when shots stretch past 35 yards.
Three total, two in the magazine and one in the chamber. Doves are federally regulated migratory game birds, and under 50 CFR 20.21 any repeating shotgun capable of holding more than three shells must be plugged to that capacity. This applies to semi-autos and pumps in every state. Most field guns include a plug, but check that it is actually installed, because it is one of the most commonly cited violations during dove season.
Gas, for most dove hunters. Gas systems meter propellant gas to run the action, so they cycle light target loads reliably and spread the recoil impulse out, reducing felt kick over high round counts. The tradeoff is fouling, so plan to clean every two to three hunts in dusty September conditions. Inertia guns run cleaner, weigh less, and need almost no maintenance, but want roughly 1 ounce loads at 1,200 fps or faster to cycle dependably.
26 or 28 inches. A 28 inch barrel swings smoother and follows through better on crossing birds, and it is what most experienced dove hunters shoot. A 26 inch barrel starts moving faster and suits newer shooters or tight setups. Barrels past 30 inches belong on clays courses, not in dove fields.
The Franchi Affinity 3 is the best 20 gauge for dove hunting under $1,000, at roughly $920 and 6.0 pounds, the best-handling gun in that price range. Pair it with quality shells at 1,200 fps or faster, because it uses an inertia action with a published minimum recommended load of 7/8 ounce at 1,200 fps. If you want a 20 gauge that will digest the cheapest promotional ammunition without complaint, the gas-operated Beretta A300 Ultima in 20 gauge is worth the small premium at about $999 and 6.8 pounds. For a young or smaller-framed shooter, the Winchester SX4 Compact 20 gauge with its 13 inch length of pull is the better fit.
In most states, yes. Doves are federally exempt from the nontoxic-shot requirements that apply to waterfowl, so lead is legal for dove across most of the country. California is the major exception, where nonlead ammunition has been required for taking any wildlife with a firearm anywhere in the state since July 1, 2019. Many state wildlife areas in other states also require nonlead regardless of species. If you must shoot steel, move up one or two shot sizes, since steel #7 is the closest equivalent to lead #8, and confirm your barrel and chokes are rated for steel.
You can, but it is the hardest way to do it. A typical 1/2 ounce .410 load of #8 carries roughly 205 pellets, versus about 359 in a 7/8 ounce 20 gauge load. That thin pattern demands near-perfect shot placement on a small, erratic target, which is a poor combination for a beginner. A .410 is a legitimate choice for a highly skilled shooter who wants a challenge, or for a very small child under close supervision at short range. For most hunters, a 20 gauge delivers the same low recoil with roughly 75 percent more pellets.
About $1,000 buys everything that functionally matters. The Beretta A300 Ultima performs as reliably on doves as guns costing three times more, and a $600 Remington 870 will run for decades. Above roughly $1,500 you are buying handling, walnut, and craftsmanship, not capability. For most hunters, putting the difference into shells and range time improves results more than a nicer gun will.
Sources: Pellet counts from Federal Premium's published shotshell charts. Lead and steel lethality findings from Pierce et al., "A comparison of lead and steel shot loads for harvesting mourning doves," Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2015. Choke and shot guidance corroborated by the Minnesota DNR. Three-shell limit per 50 CFR Part 20.21. California nonlead requirement per CDFW. Weatherby Element II recall per Weatherby's official recall notice. Minimum load ratings, weights, and configurations per each manufacturer's published specifications. Hunt Bums has brand relationships with Browning and Benelli. There are no affiliate links in this article and we earn nothing if you buy any of these shotguns. Street prices were checked in July 2026 and change constantly. Specs and regulations verified on the publish date; always confirm current rules with your state wildlife agency before you hunt.