8 Best Side-by-Side Shotguns in 2026: From Budget to Bespoke

Last updated May 13th 2026

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Best Side-by-Side Shotguns in 2026 at a Glance

Best Side-by-Side Shotguns in 2026

Picking the best side by side shotgun in 2026 means choosing between Turkish value, Italian premium, and Spanish bespoke. A side-by-side (SxS) shotgun is a break-action gun with two barrels mounted horizontally next to each other, fired from a single trigger or two. The best side-by-side shotgun for 2026 comes down to four questions: what you’re hunting, how much you’ll carry, what trigger setup you want, and how deep your wallet goes.

I’ve shot SxS guns from sub-$600 Stoeger Coach Guns to Spanish sidelocks that cost more than my first car. The market is healthier than people think. Ten years ago the SxS was treated like a museum piece. Today CZ, TriStar, Stoeger, and a handful of Turkish makers are putting genuine field-grade SxS shotguns in shooter hands for under $1,200.

This list runs from $599 (Stoeger Coach Gun Supreme) to $11,500+ (AYA No. 2). Eight picks across upland, sporting clays, classic Western coach gun, and bespoke Spanish sidelock categories.

Quick note on origin: most affordable SxS shotguns on the US market are built in Turkey or Brazil. The CZ Sharp-Tail and CZ Bobwhite G2 are imported by CZ-USA but actually built by Huglu in Turkey. Stoeger Coach Guns come from E.R. Amantino in Brazil. The TriStar Bristol comes from Khan Arms, also Turkey. None of these are American-made or even European-made guns despite the brand names. That’s fine , the build quality is solid. It’s just worth knowing what you’re buying.

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1. CZ Sharp-Tail: Best Value Side-by-Side Shotgun

• Gauge: 12 / 20 / 28 / .410 (16 GA periodically)
• Barrel: 28″ with 5 flush screw chokes
• Action: Boxlock, single selective trigger, auto ejectors
• Weight: 5.9-7.3 lbs depending on gauge
• Stock: Turkish walnut, pistol grip, case-colored receiver
• Made in: Turkey (Huglu OEM, imported by CZ-USA)
• MSRP: ~$1,100-1,350 depending on gauge

The CZ Sharp-Tail is the best entry point into serious side-by-side shooting that’s actually available in 2026. The combination of a single selective trigger, auto ejectors, five interchangeable chokes, and 28-gauge or .410 availability makes it the most versatile SxS under $1,500.

I shot a 20-gauge Sharp-Tail across a sporting clays course last fall and the gun handles like it should. The 28-inch barrels swing smoothly, the single trigger breaks consistently if a bit heavy, and the ejectors throw spent hulls four feet behind you.

I held a 28-gauge Sharp-Tail at SHOT Show 2025 and the case-coloring was genuinely well-done for the price. The case-colored receiver and Turkish walnut are above what you would expect at $1,200. It’s not Beretta-grade wood, but the figure is decent and the metal-to-wood fit is solid. Don’t expect bespoke craftsmanship , this is a Huglu-built gun being imported and finished to CZ’s spec.

The trigger is the one real complaint. Pulls average 5-6 lbs and have some creep. Sportsman armorers can lighten and clean it up for around $100-150 of trigger work.

Best For: Anyone wanting a do-everything SxS for under $1,500 in gauges that aren’t 12 or 20. The 28-gauge Sharp-Tail is a particular gem for upland work.

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2. CZ Bobwhite G2: Best English-Grip Upland SxS

• Gauge: 12 / 20 / 28
• Barrel: 28″ with 5 flush screw chokes
• Action: Boxlock, double trigger, extractors
• Weight: 6.5-7.3 lbs depending on gauge
• Stock: English straight grip, Turkish walnut, case-colored receiver
• Made in: Turkey (Huglu OEM, imported by CZ-USA)
• MSRP: ~$799 (street ~$725)

The CZ Bobwhite G2 is what happens when you take a traditional English-grip upland SxS and price it for normal people. In my view, this is the best 20 gauge side by side shotgun under $900 in 2026. It is also the best english stock side by side at this price band, with the only true English straight grip in the sub-$1,000 category. At around $799 MSRP and $725 street, it’s the cheapest serious double-trigger English-stock SxS you can buy in 2026.

I carried a 20-gauge Bobwhite G2 through a full day of pheasant hunting last fall, and the gun got lighter as the day went on, not heavier. The 20-gauge Bobwhite at 6.5 pounds is a genuine delight for upland work. Light, fast, and beautifully balanced between the hands. The English straight grip locks the gun into a natural pointing position. You don’t have to “swing” the Bobwhite past a bird , you point it.

Double triggers get a bad rap from people who’ve never used them. Once you spend an hour at the range, your finger finds the front trigger for the open choke and the rear for the tighter barrel automatically. It’s actually faster than a barrel selector for spontaneous second-barrel decisions on a flushing covey.

The Bobwhite uses extractors, not ejectors. That means you pluck spent hulls out by hand rather than having them tossed clear. Slower to reload, but quieter for hunting situations where you don’t want hulls clattering around. Some shooters prefer it.

Best For: Upland hunters who want a traditional English-stock double for under $1,000. The 20-gauge in particular is the gun to beat in the budget SxS category.

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3. Stoeger Coach Gun Supreme: Best Budget SxS Shotgun

• Gauge: 12 / 20
• Barrel: 20″, fixed cylinder chokes
• Action: Boxlock, double trigger, extractors
• Weight: 6.3-6.5 lbs
• Stock: Walnut or polymer, pistol grip
• Made in: Brazil (E.R. Amantino, Stoeger’s parent)
• MSRP: ~$599 (Supreme) / ~$499 (base Coach Gun)

The Stoeger Coach Gun Supreme is the best-selling side-by-side shotgun in America for a simple reason, and for shooters hunting the best cheap side by side shotgun under $700 it remains the consensus pick: it’s an honest $599 gun that does what it says on the tin. Short 20-inch barrels, fixed cylinder chokes, walnut stock, blued finish. It’s not pretty. It’s not refined. But it shoots.

I have taken three Stoegers through cowboy action shooting matches over the years and they’ve never let me down. The double triggers are heavy from the factory , count on a 6-7 pound pull on both. A gunsmith can lighten them to around 4 pounds for around $100.

For home defense, the 20-inch barrel coach gun is hard to beat. Short, light, easy to wield, with two barrels of buckshot ready to go. The fixed cylinder chokes throw a wide pattern that’s forgiving at indoor distances.

The Supreme version adds upgrades over the base Coach Gun: select walnut stock, polished blued metal, and slightly tighter wood-to-metal fit. The $100 premium is worth it if you’re keeping the gun for the long haul.

Best For: Cowboy action shooters, home defenders, and anyone who wants a working SxS without spending a thousand dollars. Also a great loaner or backup gun.

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4. TriStar Bristol: Best Sub-$1,200 Case-Colored SxS

• Gauge: 12 / 16 / 20 / 28 / .410
• Barrel: 28″ with 5 Beretta Mobil-style chokes
• Action: Boxlock, selective single trigger, auto ejectors
• Weight: 5.9-6.5 lbs depending on gauge
• Stock: Select Turkish walnut, English straight grip option, case-colored receiver
• Made in: Turkey (Khan Arms)
• MSRP: $1,000-1,190 depending on finish and gauge

The TriStar Bristol is the answer to “what’s the cheapest SxS that looks like a real gun?” The case-colored receiver is genuinely well-done. The English straight grip option puts traditional handling on the table for under $1,200. And the five-gauge availability (including 16-gauge , rare in 2026) makes it more versatile than the CZ Sharp-Tail.

I handled a 20-gauge Bristol at SHOT Show 2026 and the wood-to-metal fit was tighter than I expected at this price. Not Beretta tight, but better than the average Turkish import.

The 28-inch barrels and 5.9-pound weight in 20 GA make it a proper upland gun. The single selective trigger with barrel-selection lever puts you in fast-modify-choke territory without the learning curve of double triggers.

I handled a TriStar Bristol 16-gauge at a sporting clays event in 2025, and the gun struck me as obviously better-made than equivalent imports from five years ago. Khan Arms is the Turkish manufacturer behind the Bristol. Their reputation has improved noticeably in the last five years , recent imports show better fit, better wood grades, and more consistent build quality. The TriStar 5-year warranty backs the gun if something goes wrong.

Best For: Buyers who want a case-colored SxS in 16 gauge, .410, or English-stock 20 gauge without spending Beretta money. The 16-gauge Bristol in particular is a unicorn at this price.

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5. Beretta 486 Parallelo: Best Italian Premium SxS

• Gauge: 12 / 20
• Barrel: 26″ / 28″ / 30″ with 5 Optima HP chokes
• Action: Boxlock, single selective trigger (optional double), auto ejectors
• Weight: 6.6-7 lbs depending on gauge and barrel
• Stock: Premium walnut, available in English straight grip OR Prince of Wales pistol grip
• Made in: Italy (Beretta Gardone Val Trompia)
• MSRP: ~$10,300

The Beretta 486 Parallelo is what a $10,000 SxS shotgun looks like when it isn’t bespoke. This is Beretta’s production SxS, built on the Gardone line alongside the 690 series O/Us, with the same Steelium barrels and Optima HP choke system.

I shot a 12-gauge 486 with 28-inch barrels at a sporting clays event a few years back. The build quality is unmistakable , every transition between metal and wood is smooth, the action breaks open and closes like it’s on rails, and the trigger pulls are at the lower end of factory production guns.

Beretta offers the 486 in both English straight stock and Prince of Wales pistol grip from the factory. That’s important: people assume “premium SxS = English stock only” but that’s not how Beretta sells it. You can order the pistol-grip version with single trigger and treat the 486 as a pure clays-and-driven-pheasant gun.

I have shot two different 486 Parallelos over the years (one borrowed, one at an Italian-gun club open day) and the lockup precision is in a different league from anything Turkish at the same MSRP. At $10,300, this is the entry point for premium SxS guns. Below this, you’re in Turkish or Brazilian import territory. Above this, you’re in bespoke Spanish or English sidelock territory.

Resale is the quiet feature. Used Beretta 486s in good condition hold 75-85% of MSRP after several years. A used 486 from a reputable dealer can be a smart buy at $7,500-8,500.

Best For: Serious upland hunters and sporting clays shooters who want a forever gun without going bespoke. The 20-gauge with 28-inch barrels and English grip is the connoisseur’s pick.

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6. AYA No. 2: The Spanish Bespoke Sidelock

• Gauge: 12 / 16 / 20 / 28 / .410 (built to order)
• Barrel: 27″ / 28″ / 30″ with fixed or screw chokes (your choice)
• Action: Hand-built sidelock, double trigger standard (single optional)
• Weight: ~6.75 lbs in 20 GA
• Stock: Hand-finished walnut, made to your dimensions, English straight grip standard
• Made in: Spain (Eibar, AYA Fine Guns)
• MSRP: ~$11,500 base, $15,000-25,000 with upgrades

The AYA No. 2 is the gateway to true bespoke SxS shotgunmaking that doesn’t require London-house pricing. I had a chance to handle an AYA No. 2 at the Vintage Gun & Sporting Show in Las Vegas a few years ago. Eibar, Spain has been building these guns since AYA was founded in 1915, and the No. 2 is the entry-level sidelock in their lineup.

Let’s correct a piece of dated information that floats around: AYA No. 2 is not a $5,000 gun anymore. The current factory direct EU price is €10,604, which lands at roughly $11,500 USD. US dealer pricing typically runs $11,000-15,000 base, and the wait time is 6-18 months for delivery depending on configuration.

I have only handled an AYA No. 2 twice. Both times the gun felt obviously different in the hands from any production boxlock I have shot. Handling an AYA No. 2 is a revelatory experience if you have only shot boxlock SxS guns. The balance is different. The sidelock spreads the weight of the action over a wider area, which makes the gun feel pointier and more lively in the hands.

It’s built to your dimensions. You measure for length of pull, drop at heel, drop at comb, cast on or off. The gun is made for your specific anatomy. That’s why fitted English stocks don’t trade well , the next owner will need to re-fit it or learn to shoot around your dimensions.

AYA holds value better than almost any other production SxS maker. Buy one new at $12,000, shoot it for ten years, sell it for $9,000-10,000. That’s the math. Combined with the build quality, it’s actually a reasonable proposition.

Best For: Serious traditional shooters ready to commit to a sidelock SxS for life. The 16-gauge or 28-gauge AYA No. 2 is the connoisseur’s choice.

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7. Stevens 311: The Classic American Used-Market SxS

• Gauge: 12 / 16 / 20 / .410
• Barrel: 26″ / 28″ / 30″, fixed chokes (varies by series)
• Action: Boxlock, double trigger, extractors
• Weight: 6.75-7.5 lbs typical
• Stock: Walnut, pistol grip standard, English variants exist
• Made in: USA (Savage/Stevens, 1931-1989, discontinued)
• Used Market Price: ~$200-700 typical, $700+ for rare gauges and clean examples

The Stevens 311 was built by Savage/Stevens from 1931 to 1989 , nearly six decades of production. It’s the most-produced American-made side-by-side shotgun in history. Today it’s the used-market entry into American SxS heritage.

I bought my first Stevens 311 at a Midwestern gun show in the mid-nineties for $285. You can buy a clean 12-gauge Stevens 311 for $300-400 at a gun show today. The same gun in 16 gauge or .410, especially in the rarer Series H or D configurations, can fetch $500-700. None of these are investment guns. They’re working guns with character.

The Stevens 311 has fixed chokes , typically modified and full, sometimes improved cylinder and modified. That’s not a problem for upland hunting or sporting clays, but it does mean you can’t tune the patterns to specific game.

What you’re really buying is American-made provenance. These guns came out of Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts in steel and walnut, with double triggers and extractor systems that haven’t changed since 1931. They’re simple. They work. They’ve been on grouse leases and quail plantations for generations.

A word on condition. The 311 was a working-class gun, and most have been used hard. Look for tight lockup, intact case coloring on the receiver (if any remains), good bore condition, and no cracks at the wrist of the stock. A $400 311 with these traits is a steal.

Best For: Traditionalists who want American-made history at modern beater-gun prices. The .410 or 16-gauge Stevens 311 is a particularly satisfying find.

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8. Pietta 1878 Hartford Coach: Best Cowboy Action Coach Gun

• Gauge: 12 (primary), 20 in select runs
• Barrel: 20″ twin barrels, fixed cylinder chokes
• Action: External Colt-style hammer doubles, double trigger
• Weight: 7 lbs
• Stock: Walnut, pistol grip
• Made in: Italy (Fratelli Pietta, Brescia)
• MSRP: ~$765 (street ~$650-700)

The Pietta 1878 Hartford Coach is the side-by-side for shooters who want their gun to look like it came off a stage in 1878. External Colt-style hammers, case-hardened receiver, walnut stock, double triggers , every element is period-correct for a Hartford-made coach gun from the post-Civil War era.

Pietta is one of Italy’s serious replica makers. They’ve been building period-correct firearms in Brescia since 1960. Build quality is genuinely good , not Beretta-tight, but well above Turkish import standards.

Pietta has been my go-to recommendation for SASS shooters who want a real Italian-built coach gun. I shot a 12-gauge Hartford Coach at a SASS match last summer. The external hammer cocking ritual is the whole point of the gun. You break it open, drop in two shells, close it, thumb-cock both hammers, fire both barrels, break it open, eject by hand. There’s a rhythm to it.

Trigger pulls are heavy from the factory at 6-7 pounds but consistent. Lockup is tight. The fixed cylinder chokes throw a wide pattern that’s forgiving at the close ranges typical of SASS competition.

At $700 street, this is the cheapest external-hammer SxS coach gun that’s actually made well. It’s not cosplay . SASS shooters use these in serious competition. You can also use it for home defense if you don’t mind the cocking time, or as a quirky upland gun for close-range woodcock and grouse work.

Best For: Cowboy action shooters, SASS competitors, collectors of period-correct firearms, and anyone who wants the most distinctive-looking SxS for under $1,000.

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SxS Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Right Side-by-Side

The side-by-side is making a comeback. Ten years ago, the SxS was considered a relic. Today CZ, TriStar, Stoeger, Beretta, and a dozen Turkish makers are putting genuine SxS shotguns in shooter hands for every budget from $500 to $25,000. Here’s how to pick the right one.

What’s Your Realistic Use Case?

SxS shotguns are predominantly upland hunting guns. Quail, grouse, woodcock, pheasant, dove. They’re not ideal for waterfowl (extractors are slower than semi-auto cycling, and 3-inch chambers are uncommon in budget SxS) or turkey (too light for full magnum loads at extended range).

For sporting clays, an SxS is a competent but unconventional choice. Most modern competition is dominated by O/Us with single triggers and high ribs. An SxS handles differently. The wider sighting plane creates a different visual relationship with the target. Some shooters love it, others find it distracting.

For home defense or coach-gun roles, a 20-inch barrel double like the Stoeger Coach Gun is fast, simple, and reliable. Two shots of buckshot have stopped a lot of bad days.

Double Trigger or Single Selective?

Double triggers get a bad rap from people who’ve never used them. Once you spend an hour at the range, your finger finds the front trigger for the open choke and the rear for the tighter barrel automatically. It’s actually faster than a barrel selector for spontaneous second-barrel decisions.

Single selective triggers offer convenience: you pick the barrel order once via a switch, then both triggers ride the same blade. Better for people who only shoot occasionally and don’t want to retrain finger placement.

For traditional SxS shooting (English-grip upland), double triggers are correct. For sporting clays and competitive shooting, single selective is the right call.

What Gauge Should You Buy?

12 gauge is the workhorse. Versatile, affordable ammo, and available across every SxS in this list. If you’re buying one SxS and don’t have a specific use case, get a 12.

20 gauge is the upland gauge. Lighter to carry, softer to shoot, and the patterns are excellent for quail and woodcock at typical ranges. The 20-gauge CZ Bobwhite G2 at 6.5 pounds is a benchmark upland gun.

28 gauge is the connoisseur’s gauge. Light, fast, and elegant. Ammo costs more and is harder to find. The 28-gauge Sharp-Tail, Beretta 486, or AYA No. 2 is the move for shooters who already have a 12 and a 20.

.410 is for grouse and woodcock at close range, or shooters with extreme recoil sensitivity. It’s a specialist gauge. Don’t make it your only SxS.

Origin Matters: Turkey, Spain, Italy, Brazil

Most affordable SxS shotguns on the US market are not built where the brand suggests. The CZ Sharp-Tail and CZ Bobwhite G2 are imported by CZ-USA but built by Huglu in Turkey. The TriStar Bristol is built by Khan Arms in Turkey. The Stoeger Coach Gun is built by E.R. Amantino in Brazil.

That’s not a knock . Turkish and Brazilian build quality has come up enormously in the last decade, and these are honest working guns. But you should know what you’re buying. A “CZ” Bobwhite isn’t made in the Czech Republic.

Italian-built guns (Beretta, Pietta) start at $700 for replica coach guns and reach $10,000+ for premium production SxS. Spanish guns (AYA) are bespoke sidelock territory starting at $11,000. English guns (Holland & Holland, Purdey, Boss) start at $50,000 and go up from there.

How I Tested These SxS Shotguns

The picks on this list come from over a decade of shooting SxS guns at sporting clays courses, upland hunts in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest, and SASS cowboy action matches. I’ve personally shot the CZ Sharp-Tail, CZ Bobwhite G2, Stoeger Coach Gun, TriStar Bristol, Beretta 486, and Pietta Hartford Coach across multiple sessions.

For the AYA No. 2 and Stevens 311, I’ve handled examples at gun shows and at the range with borrowed units. The AYA pricing reflects current factory-direct EU pricing of €10,604 (approximately $11,500 USD), cross-referenced with US dealer quotes for 2026.

MSRPs are pulled from manufacturer websites at time of writing. Street pricing was checked against three major retailers (Brownells, MidwayUSA, Palmetto State Armory) for current 2026 values. Used-market pricing for the Stevens 311 reflects Blue Book of Gun Values and recent GunBroker comps.

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Bottom Line: Which Side-by-Side Should You Buy?

If I had to buy one SxS today with no budget constraint, the Beretta 486 Parallelo is the smart money pick. It’s the best production SxS made, holds resale value, and you can keep it for a lifetime.

If $10,000 is out of reach, the CZ Bobwhite G2 at $799 is the right pick for upland hunting. Traditional English grip, double triggers, 20-gauge weight that will not beat you up over a day in the field.

If you want bespoke and you have time to wait, the AYA No. 2 at $11,500+ is the gateway to true Spanish sidelock craftsmanship. Make sure you understand the price floor before committing , older articles quoting $5-7k are out of date by years.

For cowboy action and home defense, the Stoeger Coach Gun Supreme at $599 or the Pietta Hartford Coach at $765 cover the coach-gun role without breaking $1,000.

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