Importer and distributor International Firearm Corporation has offered to loan TTAG a shotgun or two from their new collection. While a couple other companies import very similar models, IFC assures additional attention paid to assembly, fit, and testing sets their offerings a step above. Instead of choosing a couple of the following models myself, I figured I’d post the entire list and let the TTAG audience make the choice(s) for us!

So, peruse the following list and then vote for your choice in the poll at bottom:

^^^ the Maximus is also available in three different camo patterns. If this bad boy wins I may try to get our hands on a camo flavor instead of the black version seen above.

Which Gun Should We Review?

 
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69 COMMENTS

  1. I think you should review the best of them all. Still viable for every application in the right configuration. You need to review the 1897 Winchester.

    • The .410 AR upper sounds *very* interesting to me, for sheer practicality…

      • Is it one of those guns that are restricted to only 2.5 inch shells? And .410 ammo is costlier than 12 or 20.

        If I was to get an AR style shotgun, not in CA, I would want it in 12.

      • Before reviewing, It would be nice if you would check and see which shotguns are available in case someone is interested. Needless to say, I’m having a slight problem locating the one I want REAL bad.

  3. I’m more into Parkers, Win 21s, Perazzis and Krieghoffs so it wouldn’t matter to me. I’ve had a solid frame Win 97 12 ga at my back door for 30 years now, no need for me to look for anything else. Plenty of other pumps and autos down there to choose from if I want to try a different one.

  4. Any auto loader is good. Pumps are pumps for the most part. Having an auto that is known to work/not work is always good info to have.

  5. By the way I really wish firearm manufacturers would offer all of their models in 20 gauge as well as 12 gauge — especially self-defense or “combat” oriented shotguns.

    No matter how you slice it, no human being on the planet is going to shrug off a 20 gauge slug hitting them in the … well pretty much anywhere. If a 20 gauge slug is just as effective at stopping a human attacker as a 12 gauge slug — and 20 gauge has significantly less recoil and hence faster follow-up shots — why doesn’t everyone skew heavily toward 20 gauge for self-defense and “combat” shotguns?

      • Absolutely!

        Ample evidence demonstrates with certainty that 20 gauge can drop white-tailed deer and human attackers just as reliably and quickly as 12 gauge. At least that is my story and I am sticking with it!

    • 12 gauge dominates the market so more round versatility, also buckshot advantages, while they both have similar capacity. Think of it this way, you get the same amount of rounds so why not go with the more powerful one.

      Market dominance is also a big factor. Remember certain rounds dominate not necessarily because they’re the “best”. 5.56 and 9mm dominated the market because of capacity . With shotguns you don’t really get that much more capacity by going smaller.

      • Ron,

        All valid points.

        I think this might be a classic “chicken-and-egg” problem. More people would buy 20 gauge if more options were available, and manufacturers would provide more 20 gauge options if more people would buy them.

        • Dave. As a youngster I absolutely preferred the 16 to all others. The first gun I bought with my own money was a 16 from the Sears catalog. In those days 2.75 inch chambers were common in 12, 20 and 16. But we Americans love our horsepower. The 12 went to 3 and then 3.5 inch and the 20 hit 3. The 16 stayed at 2.75 and stays there to this day.

          IMHO the only time the 16 is at a disadvantage over the 12 is in waterfowling.

        • uncommon_sense,
          I don’t disagree with your “chicken and egg” statement, but I would note that the problem is intrinsic (math and physics) rather than a matter of manufacturing or marketing. 20G is less versatile because one can load 12G to 20G ballistics, but can’t load 20G to match the 12 – not because of any shortcoming at Federal or Remington.

          I agree with those who noted that the 12 is more popular because the majority buy shotguns to use shot. One could equal 20G slug performance from much less bulky ammunition, firearms, and magazines; I’ve now gone well off the original topic, but that might be a great niche for further experimentation.

    • The gas-operated semi-auto sporting shotgun is available in 20 gauge. I neglected to post that one 🤦‍♂️

    • How about the 12 gauge minishells? I think they only work in some shotguns. That would decrease the recoil while increasing capacity.

    • We get it, 12 gauge hurts your shoulder, shoot a kid’s/lady’s gun then, you’ll be fine, I’m sure. I’ll stick with 12 in 3 1/2”.

      • I’m a big fan 12 guage myself, in-fact I don’t own any non 12g shotguns, and won’t buy one that’s not in 12 gauge… but…

        3 1/2 inch man!? You must love pain!

      • Some 20’s have the same or nearly same recoil impulse as a 12 gauge with the same charge weight. 20 gauge guns tend to have lighter weights, and this actually increases the recoil impulse.

        The reason for a 20 over a 12 in many cases is that the 20 weighs less than the 12, and it is easier to hump it around all day in upland game hunting.

  8. Not seeing any of the best options in that poll. Where’s the good stuff? the models 500, 590A1 w/ bayonet, and yeah sure the 870?

    Wouldn’t be at all displeased by a model 37 review.

    And hell yes, the venerable 1897!

    Although a model 1887 has a certain panache too … now that you mention it.

    • These options are the one this importer/manufacturer offers.

      I’m a sucker for anything bullpup, even though most of them seem to underperform when compared to standard rifle configurations, they are just so bad a$$.

  9. TTAG has never reviewed a trap gun , at least in the past few years I’ve been here. Guess they aren’t tactical enough.

    • The tendency has been more towards guns made expressly for defense. A new comer visiting TTAG would certainly think there were a bunch of posters here just itching to kill someone. With the current anti firearms agenda it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to tone that down a bit.

      • No sir. We must tone it up a bit if anything.

        You don’t submit to the enemy’s will just because you may scare off some ninny, who probably wasn’t going to stand on the line anyway.

        The second amendment isn’t about bird hunting. And for the record, I love bird hunting.

        TTAG has always been political, and has always had self defense at the core of its content. I like TTAG because they DON’T try to accommodate the leftist or appeasement to the gun grabbers. Guns are political and if you want to keep yours you best learn to support the pro gun rights movement…

        Or I assure you, you’ll be standing in line at your local New Antifa Community Protection force station with your guns in hand, ready to turn them in.

  10. its pretty simple:
    just review the type of shotgun on the list that kamala harris and george soros and the chinese communist party is most likely to let us keep after they carve up the 2nd amendment into tiny little pieces and rearrange them into something that allows them to sufficiently rule over us with an iron fist
    i only see one of those on the list
    otherwise…why bother

  12. Sorry….I couldn’t find the button for a Wnchester Model 12 or Ithaca Model 37……something must be wrong with the survey monkey.

    So I clicked the maximus. It would be interesting to run a course of fire with both the short tube and extended tube and compare times.

    Other than that, I am non-plussed. Plenty of serviceable shotguns these days. I like playing with the old stuff (love my Winchester 59) that is a little quirky but plenty useable. Like a Remington 58. Not really an improvement over the 11-48 IMO but fun to shoot and well balanced.

  13. Benelli M4. Y’all had an aggressively half assed review several years ago, but it’s a disgrace that a major gun blog doesn’t have anything that truly goes in depth about the supposed Cadillac of semi automatic combat shotguns. Also, an in depth and ruthless comparison of the M4 and something like, say, the Beretta 1301

    • Interesting. I didn’t realize the M4 hasn’t had a comprehensive review here before.

      I like the 930 tactical myself, but I’ve also been a long time mossberg fan.

      Besides, I live on a mav 88 budget, so reliable semi auto combat shotguns are all novelties to me….

      • If the panic ever ends, save up and you should be able to get a 930 tactical. Before the panic I often saw them for about 600$. Probably the only reliable auto shotgun that’s under 1200. At least that I can think of. 1187s were once that, at one point, but I’m not willing to risk going with a Remington these days, unfortunately.

    • @Red I bought a 1201 that saw life as a deputy’s trunk gun. Beat up, scratched to hell but yeah Beretta 1301s are very nice.

  15. I’ve been mighty impressed with the Panzer Arms bullpup. A friend bought her boyfriend one and posted in FB. Glowing review’s especially Classic Firearm’s on YT. Sadly Turkish. Seriously I watch a kajillian YouTube review’s. Wherever you review is ok by me😏

  17. Sorry, but never had a semi auto shotgun that did not have issues. Take all of them off the list. We want a reliable shotgun, Model 12, Browning BPS, Ithaca 37, Maverick 88, Mossy model 500. No reason to have a unreliable shotgun.

  19. Wow, since no one else seems to have actually understood that the list presented are the models you are being offered to review I guess I win by default.

    Review the 410 upper, and if you can do two also do the bullpup, thanks.

  21. If its not a SBE who cares? Only autoloader that works in ND -15*F. If it works here then it works everywhere.

  22. “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions and loyal servant to the TRUE emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.”

    Not sure a budget semi-auto can live up to the name….

  23. The pump actions appear to be Remington 870 clones.
    The Maximus reminds me of a Browning A5 with that hump off the back of the receiver.

    With the proliferation of semi-auto bullpup shotguns appearing the last 2 years or so, it would be nice to get a really thorough review of one instead of the 5 minute ‘watch-my-youtube-review-this-gun-is-great’ exaltations most spout forth.

  24. It’ll have to be someones used gun unless it’s some hunting model or one of the crop of imported stupid name guns like “FEAR”.. OOOH! Scary! What’s happened, Looks like companies like Mossberg have fallen off the map. Remington is in the crapper. I see a few Winchesters (Turkish) and Stevens/Savage but that’s about it.

  25. How about a review of something we can actually purchase…at a reasonable price. The hardest part would be finding such a thing, anytime soon. I’d like to be able to give any currently unarmed friends/relatives a suggestion on something they can actually find, with ammunition they can currently find, to defend themselves with.

  27. 12GSAX2 would be my choice.
    A shotgun in the AR or AK style to me is clunky.
    I guess some tacticool types would go that direction, however I like my firearms as sleek as can be, box magazine’s and pistol grips have more of a chance of becoming entangled. As a matter of fact if a person were to go back a few articles, the police responding to the seven year olds 911 call, in the video you will hear an officer comment to another officer “My rifles hung up.”

  30. Review the model 12GMAX with extention magazine from two perspectives, practical competition shooters and Southern deer hunting with high performance buckshot ammuntion.

  31. Had a “bird” semi-auto shotgun for years, never cleaned it, Family firearm passed down. It finally went full auto one morning. Time to clean it. Every review I have read since tells me a semi-auto has to be cleaned like I brush my teeth, at least twice a day. Like to see a review that really pushed a semi-shot dirty, firing 2 3/4″ 00 Buck. (Yes, I clean my firearms on a regular basis and as needed since the bad old days).

  32. As boring as it may seem I choose the pump action. Ive heard tale that these cheap import pumps have weak action bars and inferior metallurgy. But I know the most tactical one will be on these pages soon enough

    • But basic pump shotguns are a dime a dozen. During non-crazy season, Mossberg 500 pumps aren’t expensive. I’ve heard their less expensive Maverick line works just fine as well.

      • My Maverick 88 works fine. No bells or whistles, rack and shoot. $189 before tax. It may not be pretty, but it can cook.

    • As far as I know, you heard right. Everyone I’ve ever known to buy a cheap import shotgun had some kind of ridiculous failure. I don’t get why people buy them. There’s plenty of cheap American made shot guns that won’t have a catastrophic failure.

      • There’s cheap, inexpensive, and more than I can afford. Never buy cheap. At least no more than once.

  33. I still chuckle a little whenever I see peep sights on a shotgun.
    Guys and gals, if you’re going to buy a shotgun, you should learn how to shoot it.

    Still, a .410 upper would be cool. ‘Cuz ‘Murica! Another database-free option for your 80% lowers.

    And the tactical AR style 12 gauge looks badass. And the bullpup too.

    No wonder Jeremy couldn’t decide!

  34. I believe these guns are made in Turkey.

    People should understand something about Turkish guns: Some are rough as a cob, some are OK, some are better workmanship than similarly priced US offerings. There are dozens and dozens of gun makers in Turkey, many of them have started business in the last 30 years. As an example, the Maximus semi-auto above is made by (I believe) Yazicilar AV of Turkey.

    IMO, while some Turkish guns can be a good value, you should determine the spare parts sourcing situation when your purchase the gun(s). Sometimes, parts are difficult for an owner or gunsmith to source to repair a broken gun.

  35. Rock Island Armory AG-12 pump shotgun. I’d like to learn more about this. It’s cheap, economical, and a good home defense shotgun. Considering you cannot purchase much of anything at the moment.

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