Shotgun Manufacturers

From century-old American factories to Italian family workshops, these are the names stamped on the shotguns you will see at the gun counter, the duck blind and the clay range.

Chart of major shotgun brands grouped by parent company: Beretta Holding, FN Browning Group, RemArms, Mossberg, American independents and competition specialists
The big brands and the companies behind them

American makers

Remington

Founded 1816; headquarters now in LaGrange, Georgia. The oldest gunmaker in America. After a 2020 bankruptcy, the firearms side carries on as RemArms.

Known for: Model 870 pump, Model 1100 and V3 semi-autos

Mossberg

Founded 1919; headquarters in North Haven, Connecticut. America’s oldest family-owned firearms company, with most production now in Eagle Pass, Texas. Budget-friendly Maverick shotguns come from the same family.

Known for: Mossberg 500 and 590 pumps, 590 Shockwave

Winchester

Brand owned by Olin; shotguns built under license by the Browning and FN group. The name behind the Model 1897 and Model 12, two of the most famous pumps ever made.

Known for: SXP pump and SX4 semi-auto today; Model 1887, 1897 and 12 in history

Browning

Utah-based; part of the FN Browning Group. Named for John Moses Browning, the designer behind many of history’s most important shotguns.

Known for: Auto-5, Citori over-under, A5 and Maxus semi-autos

Ithaca

Founded 1883; now in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. Still building every part of its guns in the United States.

Known for: Model 37 pump with bottom ejection

Stevens (Savage Arms)

Savage Arms brand. Affordable, no-frills shotguns that put a lot of new shooters in the field.

Known for: Stevens 301 single shot, 320 pump

Kel-Tec

Cocoa, Florida. Known for unconventional designs that pack a lot of capacity into a short package.

Known for: KSG bullpup pump with dual magazine tubes

Serbu Firearms

Tampa, Florida. Specialist in compact shotguns built from proven pump actions.

Known for: Super-Shorty

Firing a pump shotgun with a spent shell ejecting
An American pump in action
Compact Serbu pump shotgun with a vertical foregrip
Compact Serbu pump

European makers

Beretta

Gardone Val Trompia, Italy; roots back to 1526. One of the oldest manufacturing companies in the world. Its parent, Beretta Holding, also owns Benelli, Franchi and Stoeger.

Known for: 686 and 687 over-unders, A300 and A400 semi-autos, 1301 Tactical

Benelli

Urbino, Italy. The company that made the inertia-driven semi-auto famous.

Known for: Super Black Eagle, M2, M4

Franchi

Italy; part of Beretta Holding. Italian craftsmanship at a more approachable price.

Known for: Affinity semi-auto, Instinct over-under

Stoeger

Part of Beretta Holding. Value-priced shotguns that share ideas with their Italian cousins.

Known for: M3000 semi-auto, Condor over-under, Coach Gun side-by-side

Perazzi

Brescia region, Italy. A legend on the trap and skeet fields, built for competition.

Known for: MX8 over-under

Krieghoff

Ulm, Germany. German engineering aimed squarely at serious clay shooters.

Known for: K-80 over-under

Break-action shotgun with a wood stock
A classic break action

The makers on video

Remington 870 MCS (Modular Combat Shotgun)

Mossberg 590A1

Kel-Tec KSG at SHOT Show 2011

Maverick HS12 tactical shotgun

Collector favorites

Older over-unders and side-by-sides from the gunmaking city of Tula, Russia, are a fun find at gun shows and estate sales. Simple, rugged and full of character.

Russian over-under shotgun made in Tula
Russian over-under made in Tula

Want to see these guns side by side? Start with Shotgun Types, or follow the history on the Shotgun Timeline.

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