Beretta just revealed its brand new waterfowling shotgun: the Beretta AX800 Suprema, and Hook & Barrel got an early chance to test it in the field. And it's one heck of a semi-auto duck slayer with features that used to be out of reach for a hunting gun.
Beretta AX800 Suprema at a Glance
- 12-gauge, optics-ready waterfowl shotgun built with Olympic-level design features.
- Steelium Pro barrel with a 17.7-inch triple forcing cone for tighter patterns, less recoil, and top-tier accuracy.
- B-Link Pro gas system cycles everything from light target loads to heavy 3.5-inch magnums.
- Kick-Off Pro recoil-reduction stock cuts felt recoil by up to 70%.
- Crisp 1-pound-5-ounce trigger with fast reset for quicker follow-up shots.
- Oversized controls and Pro-Lifter for glove-friendly, pinch-free loading in harsh waterfowl conditions.
- MSRP: $2,400
To create the new AX800 Suprema Shotgun, the storied gunmaker drew on its substantial waterfowling expertise and added features usually reserved for Olympic-level competitors. Plus, Beretta incorporated advanced systems and cutting-edge materials. The result is a tight-shooting, weather-resistant 12 gauge that handles heavy waterfowl loads without wrecking your shoulder. And it’s optics-ready, too.
The shotgun’s Steelium alloy pro barrel has a profile usually reserved for Olympic competition shotguns, and it easily handles steel and non-lead shotshell loads.
One reason for the tight patterns I shot was the triple forcing cone along the inside of the barrel. A forcing cone is a gently tapered section of the barrel that guides or transitions the shot charge from the larger chamber to the narrower bore.\
In the AX800, the forcing cone runs for 17.7 inches of the 28-inch barrel versus the 12.6 inches of cone in the Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus (Beretta’s previous best-in-class waterfowler).
This longer, more gradual forcing cone reduces the pressure a load is subject to compared to a shorter cone, improving the shotgun’s accuracy and reducing felt recoil.
Yes, the receiver is polymer, but it’s a special type that, though lightweight, has all the strength of steel. It’s also optics-ready, and Beretta will drop an integrated optics mount for the shotgun in the very near future.
Beretta also reworked the trigger group, enhancing both the trigger’s pre-travel and reset for quicker, smoother shooting. The flat trigger features serrations on the front face for better contact with the shooting finger.
The trigger on my test Beretta AX800 Suprema broke at a crisp 1 pound, 5 ounces on average, with the slightest bit of take-up. And it reset quickly, which isn’t typical for shotgun triggers. Impressively done, Beretta.
Beretta even designed a new gas system for the AX800, the B-Link Pro. Compared to previous Beretta systems, the B-Link runs faster and cleaner, and can cycle everything from lighter target loads to the magnum 3.5-inch whoppers.
The shotgun’s Kick-Off Pro stock includes two internal pistons, linearly positioned to reduce felt recoil by 70% compared to previous Beretta models. The stock is customizable for length of pull, cast and drop.
My test model sported a black finish, but it is also available in several colors and camouflage patterns, including Mossy Oak Bottomland, Optifade Marsh and Realtree MAX-7.
Testing the AX800 Suprema
I began my shooting with the Improved Cylinder (IC) choke. (The shotgun includes five extended choke tubes plus a choke tube wrench.) I warmed up the gun and myself with RIO Ammunition’s Royel Eco Blue Steel 3-inch loads launching 1 1/8 ounces of #2 shot.
My target was a plastic cat litter box at 20 yards. The AX800’s barrel-length rib and the red fiber-optic front sight helped me make hit after hit, and the plastic container bounced around nicely.
I switched out the IC for the Full choke option, and, still using the Rios, drilled the container repeatedly at 35 and then 40 yards.
For my patterning evaluation, I used the Modified choke and did all my shooting at 30 yards. I patterned five different 3-inch waterfowl loads, shooting each load three times into large sheets of paper with a center aiming point drawn with a marker.
My shooting over, I laid the sheets on the floor and drew a 30-inch circle from the center aiming point out with a thick, black marker. I counted the number of hits within the circle and compared it to the total number of pellets in each load.
HEVI-Hitter, a new load from HEVI-SHOT (see Editor’s Hot Pick in this issue), is a 3-inch shell loaded with both No. 4 tungsten and No. 4 steel pellets. My 30-yard patterns averaged 205 hits out of 222 total pellets per shell, for a 94% hit rate. My best pattern came in with 214 hits, a 96% pattern.
Then, I tried out a HEVI-Metal Xtreme option, the 3-inch shell loaded with No. 2 tungsten and BB steel. My best pattern hit 88 out of 94 pellets.
Next up were two waterfowl options from Winchester—Final Pass and Last Call, both 3-inch shells. Final Pass was loaded with layers of No. 2.5 and No. 4 steel-plated shot. Last Call featured steel-plated No. 2.5 shot with layers of No. 9 TSS tungsten pellets.
Final Pass averaged right at 90% hits, while one shell peppered the paper with 199 pellets out of 206 pellets total for a 96.6% pattern.
On average, over 90% of the Last Call pellets hit inside the circle, too, with my very best coming in at 209 hits out of 214 pellets. That’s a 97.6% pattern!
Those excellent patterns were a testament to both the high quality of the ammunition and the inherent accuracy Beretta built into the shogun with the damned impressive Steelium barrel and that amazing forcing cone.
Wrapping It Up
I’ve reviewed and hunted with 12-gauge semi-auto waterfowl shotguns that had me wincing by the twentieth shell of 3-inch waterfowl loads. That was followed by an elongated, tag-you’re-it purplish bruise on my shooting shoulder the next morning.
But I ran more than 60 shells through the Beretta AX800 Suprema shotgun in 2.5 hours, and my shoulder showed no signs of bruising the next day. Admittedly, that’s not exactly a hard science recoil evaluation. But the AX800 definitely handled and reduced recoil better than any shotgun I’ve ever used.
Credit the previously mentioned Kick-Off stock with that pair of internal pistons, plus Beretta’s thick, recoil-absorbing buffer butt pad and the super-long forcing cone.
The oversized controls included the manual safety at the rear of the triggerguard, plus the bolt handle and bolt release on the receiver’s right side. All worked flawlessly and were definitely large enough to be glove-friendly.
Derived from competitive shooting, the Beretta Pro-Lifter remains in the raised position when the shotgun’s bolt is closed. That meant I could insert shells into the tubular magazine without my fingers getting pinched by the sharp edges of a traditional lifter.
My fingers approved!
Finally, the shotgun flung spent shells eight to 12 feet away. For reloaders, the brass rims showed no signs of stretching from the ejectors, and the plastic hulls were smooth and solid.
With the AX800 Suprema, Beretta has truly raised the bar on what a waterfowl shotgun can be. We’ll see if the rest of the industry can catch up.
Beretta AX800 Suprema Shotgun Specs
Gauge: 12
Barrel: Steelium Pro, 28 inches, black Cerakote
OA Length: 51 inches (stock fully extended)
Weight: 7.8 pounds
Action: Semi-Auto, Gas Operated
Chamber: 3.5 inches
Capacity: 2+1
Stock: Synthetic, Kick-Off Pro recoil system, adjustable
Finish: Black (as tested)
Receiver: Polymer, optics-ready
Safety: Manual
Chokes: Five extended black: CL-C,F, IC, IM, M
Included: Ambi sling swivels, choke tube wrench, gun oil, owner’s manual
MSRP: $2,499 - $2,599
H&B Bottom Line: Beretta AX800 Suprema
Ergonomics and Handling &&&&&
Shouldered easily and comfortably. Rubberized sections on forend and pistol grip made for a solid hold even with fast follow up shots. Oversized controls will be much appreciated when the temps are below freezing and gloves are required.
Recoil &&&&&
12-gauge waterfowl loads thump, but the AX800 still reduced recoil like no other shotgun this reviewer has used, with second and third shots under control, too.
Action and Reloading &&&&
Smooth gas system cycled fast and furious when needed. PRO-Lift allowed for fast loading/reloading of tubular mag without fingers getting pinched.
Sight Mounting Ease &&&&&
Two mounting holes drilled into the rear of the receiver for Beretta’s direct optic mount.
Intended Purpose &&&&&
Ducks and geese at reasonable distances stand little chance with 3” and 3.5” loads and the tight patterns this gun produced.
Overall Versatility &&&&
Beretta’s B-Link Pro gas system will run everything from lighter loads for in close flooded-timber hunting to 3.5” long-range goose killers and all loads in between.
Value-Price Point &&&&
MSRP is definitely a “buy once, cry once” zip code. But the rugged poly receiver, recoil-reducing stock, high-quality Steelium barrel and long internal forcing cones create one amazing waterfowl shotgun.
OVERALL SCORE: 32/35
Chase Rice Shooting The New Beretta AX800 Suprema Semi-auto
Being an H&B cover celebrity, like country-star Chase Rice recently was, has its privileges. In this case, Beretta treated our crew to a hands-on first look at Beretta’s new AX800 Suprema semi-automatic 12-gauge waterfowl buster.
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