Now that the Independence Day fireworks have all been spent, we’ve curated this list of the five best shotguns and rifles for the range and the field this summer and fall.
Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 Semi-Quincentennial Anniversary Edition
Released as a limited edition to recognize the 250th anniversary of the United States, this Super Black Eagle 3 is built on the inertia-driven platform that hunters have counted on for years.
Production is limited to just 250 shotguns—125 in 12-gauge 3-inch and 125 in 20-gauge 3-inch.
The stock is hand-fitted with AA-grade walnut, and the receiver features deep, detailed engraving featuring gold inlays.
Why the Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 made the list:
- Ultra-Exclusive Heritage: Limited collector's edition celebrating America's 250th anniversary with only 250 units total.
- Show-Stopping Craftsmanship: Features a beautiful, hand-fitted AA-grade walnut stock and an engraved receiver with ornate gold inlays.
- Time-Tested Reliability: Built on Benelli’s legendary, field-proven inertia-driven platform trusted by generations of hunters.
12 Gauge Specifications:
- Barrel Length: 28"
- Hand: Right
- Finish: Blued/Silver
- Stock: Grade AA Walnut
- Magazine Capacity: 3
- Chamber Length: 3.5"
- Choke: Crio Plus, Mobil
- Drilled & Tapped: Yes
- Action: Semi-Automatic
- Weight: 6.9 lbs.
- MSRP: $3,399.
Pairs With Winchester Ammunition
Need some ammo to feed that All-American beauty of a shotgun, then look to Winchester’s 250th collection!
The Winchester USA 250th Anniversary commemorative ammo series includes 12-gauge loads built for performance. Both are 2¾-inch loads, one featuring #8 shot, the other #7.5.
Savage Model 110 Carbon Hunter
Deer rifle seasons are right around the corner. If you want to be a real savage in the big-game woods this fall, you’d be hard pressed to find a rig better than the Savage 110 Carbon Hunter.
This rugged, performance-first platform is wrapped in a flat dark gray 110 Trophy stock with user-friendly length-of-pull adjustment and a Blackout Cerakoted action. This helps deliver long-lasting corrosion resistance and features a jeweled bolt body, user-adjustable AccuTrigger, carbon-fiber barrel and a one-piece 0-MOA rail.
Why the Savage Model 110 Carbon Hunter made the list:
- Premium Weight Savings: Features an advanced, lightweight carbon-fiber barrel engineered for effortless carry.
- All-Weather Resilience: A rugged Blackout Cerakoted action delivers long-lasting corrosion resistance.
- Out-of-the-Box Precision: Includes an adjustable AccuTrigger, 0-MOA rail, jeweled bolt, and a 110 Trophy stock with easy length-of-pull adjustments.
Reviewer's Verdict: Savage Model 110 Carbon Hunter
"The Carbon Hunter shoots way above its price tag. Savage could have easily just kept making Model 110 rifles like they always have, but they chose to give the consumer a lot more with this redesign... there's a lot of value packed into this Trophy Series rifle."
Savage Model 110 Carbon Hunter 6.5 CM Specifications:
- Barrel Length: 18”
- Hand: Right
- Finish: Black Ink Cerakote
- Stock: TrueTimber VSX
- MSRP: $1,149
Pairs with EOTECH Vudu Optic
Hook & Barrel’s Logan Metesh recently tested the Savage 110 Carbon Hunter with an EOTECH Vudu X 2-12x40 SFP and raved about its performance. Here’s how the EOTECH Vudu X stacks up:
- Crafted from aircraft-grade aluminium.
- Illuminated reticle for x
- Precision turrets help y
- Clear glass offers generous eye relief.
- Laser-engraved magnification ring and removable throw lever for fast, accurate transitions.
Silence with Huxwrx Flow Range 36Ti
If you’re looking for a silencer for your Savage 110, with something other than say a Savage AccuCan AC30 B.O.B, a solid option is the Huxwrx Flow Range 36 Ti.
The Flow Range 36 Ti is an extremely lightweight multi-caliber can that features hybridized Flow-Through technology with an MSRP of only $1,211.
Ruger Red Label III
The Red Label legacy continues with the new Red Label III, chambered in 20 gauge and available in both 28- and 30-inch barrel configurations.
The Ruger Red Label III that H&B writer Brian McCombie tested sports a walnut stock with a classic checkering pattern and a hand-rubbed oil finish, while the single trigger is inertia-operated and resets on recoil.
Built by the highly-skilled craftsmen at one of the world’s premier makers of fine firearms, Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing Company (CSMC), the Red Label III marks a new era in Ruger shotgun excellence.
Why the Ruger Red Label III made the list:
- Elite Fine-Gun Pedigree: Built by the world-class craftsmen at Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing Company (CSMC).
- Classic Styling & Finish: Sports a beautiful walnut stock with traditional checkering and an elegant hand-rubbed oil finish.
- Fast-Handling Controls: A 20-gauge setup featuring an inertia-operated single trigger that seamlessly resets on recoil.
Reviewer's Verdict: Ruger Red Label III
“First launched in 1977, the original Ruger Red Label earned a reputation for rugged reliability, classic lines, and American-made quality. Decades later, the Red Label III continues that legacy while elevating it with premium materials and world-class fit and finish.”
Model 4510 Specifications:
- Gauge: 20
- Stock: Walnut
- Barrel Length: 28”
- Weight: 6.2 pounds
- Overall Length: 45.5”
- Receiver: Alloy steel
- MSRP: $3,299
Pairs with Federal Shotgun Ammo
We’ve got another perfect pairing for you shotgunners! Federal’s 250th Anniversary Ammo is worth checking out!
Federal’s All-American shotshells are designed to crush the toughest targets in high-level trap and skeet. The straight-wall design of the Podium wad features an exclusive compression zone to cushion the payload at ignition for softer shooting.
LaRue Siete Bolt Action Rifle 6.5 Creedmoor
The LaRue Tactical Siete is a precision bolt-action rifle built around a CNC-machined billet action and housed in a LaRue-branded KRG Bravo chassis.
Each rifle is fitted with a LaRue match-grade barrel and designed for accuracy, reliability and repeatable performance. The magwell accepts AICS-pattern magazines and has an oversized magazine release for ease of use.
Why the LaRue Siete Bolt Action Rifle 6.5 Creedmoor made the list:
- Match-Grade DNA: Engineered for elite accuracy and repeatable long-range performance with a LaRue match-grade barrel.
- Billet-Machined Stability: Built around a rock-solid, CNC-machined billet action housed in a KRG Bravo chassis.
- Flawless Magazine Ergonomics: Optimized for robust AICS-pattern magazines with an oversized mag release for quick changes.
Specifications:
- Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor
- Barrel Length: 23 inches
- Action Type: CNC-machined billet action
- Chassis: LaRue-branded KRG Bravo
- Trigger: Timney, 2.5 lb break
- Magazine Compatibility: AICS-pattern magazines
- Action: Short action, bolt
- Twist rate: 1:7.5
- MSRP: $2,499.99
Silence with SilencerCo Scythe Ti
If you know what’s good for you, you’d silence your Siete with a SilencerCo Scythe Ti. Crafted from Titanium, SilencerCo’s Scythe Ti is an excellent choice for hunters and long-range shooters looking to save weight and maximize performance.
It was designed with the utmost precision to give shooters an elevated suppression experience.
Bergara Cima Pro Series
The Bergara Premier Cima Pro represents a significant leap forward in lightweight rifle engineering, combining advanced carbon-fiber technology with Bergara’s precision barrels.
Built for mountain hunters and demanding shooters, the Cima Pro is crafted around an autoclave-cured carbon-fiber stock—a process typically reserved for aerospace and elite competition applications.
At its core is Bergara’s Premier stainless steel action, featuring weight-reducing cuts, a widened ejection port, an oversized bolt handle, spiral-fluted bolt body, dual ejectors and a sliding plate extractor. Total weight is a svelte 5.7 pounds.
Why the Bergara Cima Pro Series made the list:
- Aerospace-Grade Stock: Crafted from an autoclave-cured carbon-fiber stock—a high-end process typically reserved for aerospace and elite competition.
- Ultra-Lightweight Profile: Weighs a svelte 5.7 pounds, making it the ultimate mountain hunting companion.
- Highly Refined Action: Features a Premier stainless steel action with weight-reducing cuts, a spiral-fluted bolt, dual ejectors, and an oversized bolt handle.
Reviewer's Verdict: Bergara Cima Pro Series
“The Cima Pro offers tailored options for diverse hunting environments and defines a new benchmark for lightweight precision rifles, blending cutting-edge engineering with Bergara’s signature reliability.”
Specifications:
- Barrel: CURE Carbon Barrel
- Finish: Stainless Steel Cerakote
- Stock: Autoclave-Cured Carbon Fiber
- Weight: 5.7 pounds
- Calibers: 22 CM, 25 CM, .308 WIN, 6.5 CM, 6.5 PRC, .300 Win Mag, 7mm Rem Mag, 7 PRC, 300 PRC
- MSRP: $3,099
Pairs with Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9x40 Hunt-Plex
In keeping with the “perfect pairing” and “All American” theme, we proudly recommend topping your Cima Pro with a Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9x40 Hunt-Plex.
The VX-Freedom 3-9x40mm delivers legendary Leupold performance and dependability for hunters and shooters in one of the most popular magnification ranges available. The scope is 100% waterproof, fogproof and designed to get the job done every time.
