A Mossberg 590A1 for home defense, a Benelli Super Black Eagle for waterfowl, a Beretta 1301 for three-gun. Whatever you’re chasing, the best shotgun prices almost always live online. Your local shop carries a thin selection at full markup because it only competes with the two other shops in town. Online retailers compete with the whole country, and that pushes prices down and selection way up.
I’ve spent years tracking shotgun prices across every major online retailer with our price comparison tool, watching which sites actually deliver the lowest number at checkout. This is where to buy shotguns online in 2026, ranked by who earns your money. Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Table of Contents
Best Websites to Buy Shotguns: Quick Picks
- Best Overall: Guns.com, the deepest combined new, used, and consignment inventory anywhere, with competitive pricing
- Cheapest Budget Pumps: Palmetto State Armory, lowest prices on Mossberg, Maverick, and entry-level shotguns
- Best for Tactical and Home Defense: GrabAGun, deep stock of tactical configurations and a real price-match policy
- Best for Premium Italian Guns: Brownells, home to Benelli, Beretta, and Franchi, and backed since 1939
- Best for Hunting Field Guns: Sportsman’s Warehouse, camo finishes, long barrels, and in-store pickup at 130+ locations
- Also worth a look: KyGunCo, solid pricing and a broad catalog, especially on Mossberg pumps
| Retailer | Best For | Why It Stands Out |
|---|---|---|
| Guns.com | Overall, plus used and consignment | Deepest combined new and used inventory in the business |
| Palmetto State Armory | Budget pumps | Consistently lowest prices on Mossberg and Maverick |
| GrabAGun | Tactical and home defense | Deep tactical stock with a real price-match policy |
| Brownells | Premium Italian guns | Benelli, Beretta and Franchi, trusted since 1939 |
| Sportsman’s Warehouse | Hunting field guns | Camo and field configs, free in-store pickup at 130+ stores |
| KyGunCo | Broad catalog | Strong on Mossberg pumps, free shipping over $25 |
Why Buy Shotguns Online?
Shotguns are one of the best categories to buy online, because the gap between local and online pricing is huge. A Mossberg 590A1 that sits at $650 in a local case is routinely $499 to $549 online. A Benelli M4 with a $2,099 MSRP turns up for $1,699 to $1,799 if you shop around.
That’s $200 to $300 saved, which more than covers shipping and the FFL transfer fee with cash left over. The process is simple. You buy online, the retailer ships to a licensed FFL near you, you pass the background check and walk out with the gun. Our FFL transfer guide walks through every step.
How We Compare Shotgun Prices
The rankings here are not vibes. Our price engine pulls live listings from more than 100 online retailers several times a day, normalizes them to the same model and configuration, and flags the lowest in-stock price. So when I say PSA is cheapest on budget pumps, that’s coming from thousands of tracked price points, not one lucky screenshot.
I weight three things: the checkout price after any card surcharge, real stock, meaning current listings and not a backorder placeholder, and how often a retailer actually wins on price over time. A site that posts a rock-bottom number once but sits out of stock for a month doesn’t help you. Consistency does.
Best Online Shotgun Retailers: Detailed Reviews
1. Guns.com: Best Overall
Guns.com is the one site I check first for almost any shotgun. Its inventory is the deepest in the business because it spans new guns, used guns, and consignment all in one search. That means a factory-fresh Mossberg 590 and a police trade-in 870 for $280 show up side by side, and you pick whichever makes sense.
Pricing on new shotguns is competitive with the budget specialists, and the used and consignment side is where it pulls ahead. I’ve seen estate Berettas and lightly-used Benellis go for 30 to 40 percent under new. Shipping to your FFL is quick, the listings carry real photos of the actual used gun, and checkout is painless.
If you only visit one site, make it this one. Between selection, price, and the used inventory nobody else matches, Guns.com is hard to beat for a shotgun buyer.
2. Palmetto State Armory: Cheapest Budget Pumps
PSA consistently posts the lowest prices on budget shotguns, especially Mossberg and Maverick models. Their daily deals routinely knock $50 to $100 off MSRP. The Maverick 88, the best budget home defense shotgun going, shows up at PSA for $199 to $219, which is $30 to $50 under most competitors.
PSA also runs bundle deals that pair a shotgun with ammo and accessories, and those often beat buying the pieces separately. If your budget is tight and you want a pump that works, start here.
3. GrabAGun: Best for Tactical Shotguns
GrabAGun stocks a deep range of tactical and home defense configurations. Mossberg 590A1, Beretta 1301 Tactical, Benelli M4, KelTec KSG, IWI Tavor TS12, they usually have multiple variants of each on the shelf. I’ve leaned on their price-match more than once to claw back $40 or $50 when another site listed the same gun cheaper, and the clearance section regularly drops tactical shotguns well below street price.
4. Brownells: Best for Premium Shotguns
Brownells has been a trusted name since 1939, and their selection of premium Italian shotguns is second to none. Benelli, Beretta, Franchi. If you’re spending north of $1,000, their pricing and customer service put them near the top. They also stock a deep bench of shotgun parts and accessories if you like to tinker.
5. Sportsman’s Warehouse: Best for Hunting Field Guns
Shopping for a hunting shotgun, whether waterfowl, turkey, upland, or trap? Sportsman’s Warehouse carries the deepest bench of field configurations. Camo finishes, longer barrels, choke tube sets, and specialty hunting models that the online-only tactical shops don’t bother stocking.
The buy-online, pick-up-in-store option saves you shipping and the FFL fee, and 130-plus locations mean most hunters have one within a drive. You also get to shoulder the gun in person and check fit and balance before you commit, which matters on a shotgun you’ll carry all day.
6. KyGunCo: Broad Catalog, Strong on Pumps
KyGunCo pairs competitive pricing with a large catalog, and they’re especially strong on Mossberg 500, 590, and Shockwave pumps. Free shipping kicks in on orders over $25, there are no card surcharges, and processing is quick. They’re a reliable backup check when you’re comparing prices on a specific model.
Best Shotguns to Buy Online in 2026
Here are the most popular shotguns with live pricing from across the web. Search each one to see who’s cheapest right now.
Best Budget Home Defense: Maverick 88
The Maverick 88 is a Mossberg 500 built to a lower price point. Same action, same reliability, same 12-gauge stopping power, just with a crossbolt safety instead of a tang safety and simpler furniture. Mossberg assembles it in Eagle Pass, Texas, using some parts made in Mexico, which is how they hit that price. At $200 to $250, it’s the most shotgun you can buy for the least money. For home defense on a budget, nothing competes.
Best All-Around Pump: Mossberg 590A1
The 590A1 is the mil-spec version of Mossberg’s legendary pump. Heavy-walled barrel, metal trigger guard, metal safety button, and a bayonet lug. It’s the pump that passed the US military’s MIL-SPEC 3443E torture test, which is a bar almost nothing else clears. If you want a shotgun that will outlast you, this is it, and it lands near the top of our roundup of the best pump-action shotguns because that mil-spec build shrugs off the kind of hard use that cracks trigger guards and bends safety buttons on the cheaper pumps sitting right next to it on the rack.
Best Semi-Auto: Beretta 1301 Tactical
The 1301 Tactical is the fastest-cycling defensive semi-auto most shooters will ever handle. Beretta says its gas-operated BLINK system cycles up to 36 percent faster than the previous generation, and the soft felt recoil makes 12-gauge manageable for just about anyone. It’s an excellent home defense gun if you want semi-auto speed with real recoil control.
Best Premium: Benelli M4
The Benelli M4 is the gold standard of combat shotguns, adopted by the US Marine Corps as the M1014 and fielded by militaries worldwide. Its ARGO gas system is famously reliable and runs everything from light target loads to heavy slugs without complaint. The price is premium, but nothing else matches the track record.
Best High-Capacity: KelTec KSG
The KSG’s bullpup design packs 14+1 rounds across its dual tube magazines into an overall length of just 26.1 inches. That’s shorter than most 18-inch-barrel shotguns while holding nearly three times the ammo. It’s compact and devastatingly effective for home defense, as long as you put in the reps to master its manual of arms. It’s one of the standouts in our guide to high-capacity shotguns if raw round count is what you’re after.
Best Hunting Semi-Auto: Beretta A300 Ultima
The A300 Ultima is Beretta’s entry-level semi-auto hunter, and entry-level for Beretta still means excellent. It’s gas-operated for soft recoil, reliable with light field loads, and sold in configurations for waterfowl, turkey, and upland. At $650 to $750, it undercuts comparable guns from Browning and Benelli by hundreds.
What to Watch Out For When Buying a Shotgun Online
Buying online saves real money, but a few traps catch first-timers. Knowing them up front keeps a good deal from turning into a headache.
- State configuration rules. Some states restrict magazine tube capacity, pistol grips, or barrel features. A tactical 590 that’s fine in Texas may not be legal in New York or California. Check your state before you buy, not after it ships.
- The FFL transfer is mandatory. Every shotgun ships to a licensed dealer for your background check. Line up your FFL and confirm their transfer fee, usually $20 to $50, before you order.
- Barrel length and gauge mismatches. Read the listing closely. A “590” can be an 18.5-inch defensive barrel or a 20-inch with a bayonet lug, and a combo may include a field barrel you don’t need. Buy the configuration you actually want.
- Ammo shipping costs. Shotshells are heavy, and shipping can eat the savings on a small order. Buy ammo in bulk or add it to a gun order to spread the freight.
- Too-good-to-be-true listings. If a brand-new Benelli M4 is priced $600 under everyone else, it’s either out of stock, a scam site, or a gray-market import with no US warranty. Stick to the retailers above.
Shotgun Ammo: Where to Find the Best Deals
Shotgun ammo is heavy and expensive to ship. Buying bulk online still saves money, but watch those shipping costs closely. Here’s live pricing on the most popular loads.
Choosing the Right Shotgun: Quick Guide
Not sure what type you need? Here’s a quick decision matrix by use case and budget.
- Home defense on a budget: Maverick 88 or Mossberg 500, $200 to $400
- Home defense, premium: Beretta 1301 Tactical or Benelli M4, $1,200 to $2,000
- Waterfowl and turkey: Beretta A300 Ultima, Mossberg 935, or Benelli SBE3, $650 to $1,800
- Upland and quail: Beretta A300, Franchi Affinity 3, or a quality over/under, $700 to $2,500
- Trap, skeet, sporting clays: Beretta A400 Xcel, Browning Citori, or Beretta 694, $1,500 to $4,000
- First shotgun, all-around: Mossberg 500 Combo with field and home defense barrels, $350 to $450
For a deeper look at defensive shotguns, see our home defense firearms guide. Buying something other than a shotgun? We ran the same price comparison on the best websites to buy handguns online and the best websites to buy AR-15 rifles online. Recoil-sensitive, or buying for a smaller-framed shooter? Our roundup of the best 20-gauge shotguns covers the lighter options.
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Can I buy a shotgun online?
Yes. Purchase from any online retailer, provide your local FFL info, and the shotgun ships to that dealer. You complete the paperwork and background check at the FFL. Must be 18 or older.
What is the best website to buy shotguns?
Brownells, Palmetto State Armory, GrabAGun, and Sportsmans Warehouse all carry extensive shotgun inventories. Use our price check tool to compare pricing across retailers.
Is it cheaper to buy a shotgun online?
Often yes. Online prices are typically 50 to 150 dollars less than local retail after accounting for shipping and FFL transfer fees. The savings increase on higher-priced models.
What FFL transfer fee should I expect for a shotgun?
Same as any firearm: 20 to 50 dollars at most independent dealers. Big box stores may charge more. Call your local FFL to confirm before ordering.
Do I need to be 21 to buy a shotgun online?
No. Federal law allows purchase of long guns (rifles and shotguns) at 18 from an FFL. Some states set higher age requirements. Florida requires 21 for all firearms.
What is the best shotgun to buy online?
The Mossberg 500 and 590 for pumps, Beretta A300 for semi-auto sporting, and Benelli M4 for tactical. Your intended use (hunting, home defense, sport) determines the best choice.
Can I return a shotgun bought online?
Most retailers accept returns of unfired guns in original packaging within 30 days. Once transferred through an FFL, returns require shipping back to the retailer. Check the return policy.
How long does it take to receive a shotgun ordered online?
Shipping takes 3 to 7 business days. After arrival at your FFL, the transfer process takes 15 to 30 minutes. State waiting periods may add time. Most online shotgun purchases complete within a week.