Ruger’s Red Label over-and-under has returned once again, but the new model is much more than a rerun of a familiar shotgun.
For this Ruger Red Label III review, I tested the 28-inch, 20-gauge model on improvised flying targets and practical, target-sized patterns using clay, upland, waterfowl and turkey loads. The shotgun proved light, quick-handling and far more versatile than its traditional upland-and-clays appearance might suggest.
Ruger Red Label III Quick Take
- Best for: Upland birds, skeet, sporting clays and hunters wanting a versatile 20-gauge over-and-under
- What stood out: Lightweight handling, clean controls, excellent fit and finish, crisp trigger and five included choke tubes
- Potential drawbacks: A premium $3,299 price and no current 12- or 28-gauge option
- Bottom line: The Red Label III is an exceptionally well-made upland and clays shotgun that can also handle waterfowl and turkeys when paired with the right chokes and ammunition.
The Ruger Red Label Returns
Ruger released the first Red Label in 1977 as a 20 gauge and eventually offered the shotgun in 12 and 28 gauge.
The company clearly did many things right with that original over-and-under. Hunters and skeet shooters praised its clean lines, accuracy, durability and American manufacture. Its success was further demonstrated by a production run that lasted more than 30 years before the shotgun was discontinued in 2011.
A redesigned Red Label returned in 2013, but that version lasted only two years.
Now, Ruger has introduced the third generation of the Red Label, working closely with Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing Company. The new model is hand-fitted by experienced shotgun craftsmen and combines classic Red Label lines with a lighter build, premium walnut and improved finishing.
We first covered the return of the Ruger Red Label III as part of Hook & Barrel’s Beyond the Booths 2026 coverage. This time, I had the opportunity to put the shotgun through a series of practical shooting and patterning tests.
Initial Ruger Red Label III Shooting Impressions
My introduction to the Ruger Red Label III occurred on a sunny Monday morning with temperatures in the mid-50s. That first shooting session went very well.
The shotgun came to my shoulder naturally, and the red fiber-optic front sight was easy to acquire. I immediately noticed the crisp trigger and the attractive walnut stock with its hand-rubbed oil finish. Sharp, 24-lines-per-inch checkering on the forend and grip provided a very secure hold.
The break-open action on the 20-gauge over-and-under required little pressure and became even smoother with use. The safety moved into place with an audible click. A barrel selector incorporated into the safety allowed me to choose which barrel fired first.
I practiced loading and unloading 20-gauge shells through the breech. The ejectors launched the empty shells with authority.
On the hard ground 20 yards away, I set up a plastic container that had once held cleaning wipes. Using 2¾-inch Remington dove loads containing No. 7 shot, I hammered the container a dozen times.
The most entertaining shots came when I hit the container low, sending it into the air, and then connected with the follow-up barrel while the container was still moving.
Once I felt comfortable with the Red Label III, my girlfriend hand-launched several clay pigeons at my command. In a performance resembling much of my dove hunting, I hit one and missed three. The Red Label III was not responsible for those misses.
At the end of the two-hour introductory session, I considered the Red Label III a quality shotgun and an excellent choice for upland bird hunters and clay shooters. It also appeared capable of handling waterfowl and perhaps another hunting role or two.
One session, however, was only a beginning. I needed to shoot the shotgun more, change choke tubes and test several different 20-gauge loads to see what kinds of patterns it produced.
Ruger Red Label III Design Details
The Ruger Red Label III is offered with either 28- or 30-inch alloy-steel barrels. My test shotgun had the 28-inch barrels, a ventilated rib and a red fiber-optic front sight.
Both barrels are drilled from solid alloy steel, reamed and honed. Their smooth-plated bores are suitable for use with modern steel shot.
The receiver is also constructed from alloy steel, and the shotgun accepts both 2¾- and 3-inch 20-gauge shells.
The stock and forend are walnut with a hand-rubbed oil finish. Even with the substantial wood and steel construction, the shotgun weighs only 6.2 pounds unloaded.
The single inertia trigger on my test shotgun broke at a comfortable 2 pounds, 5 ounces.
The Red Label III comes with five screw-in choke tubes—Skeet, Improved Cylinder, Modified, Improved Modified and Full—along with a choke-tube wrench and a custom locking hard case.
How I Pattern-Tested the Ruger Red Label III
Traditional shotgun patterning usually involves firing at a large sheet of paper from 25 to 40 yards. A 30-inch circle is then drawn around the densest portion of the pattern, and pellet strikes inside that circle are counted.
That process provides valuable information about pattern density and distribution. However, I was also interested in a more basic, practical question: How many pellets would strike a target roughly the size of the bird I intended to hunt?
My method was not meant to replace traditional 30-inch pattern testing. Instead, it was a practical target-sized comparison among different loads, barrels and choke tubes.
For a quail-sized target, I cut a standard 8½-by-11-inch sheet of printer paper in half, producing a target measuring 4¼ by 5½ inches. I added a small piece of blue tape near one corner to represent the bird’s head.
For the considerably larger pheasant target, I used a full sheet of printer paper positioned horizontally, again with a piece of blue tape representing the head.
All patterning shots were taken at 25 yards. Choke selections varied according to the loads and intended targets.
Conditions were less than ideal. The morning started warm and sunny but became extremely windy, with gusts reaching approximately 18 mph. I tried to shoot during calmer periods, but several gusts arrived just as I pulled the trigger.
The wind introduced another variable, so these results should be viewed as practical field observations rather than laboratory measurements. They represent one shotgun, individual loads, specific choke combinations and the conditions present that morning.
Quail-Size Patterning Results
For the quail targets, I used an Improved Cylinder choke in the bottom barrel and a Modified choke in the top barrel.
Winchester Universal
The Winchester Universal 20-gauge loads were 2¾-inch shells containing 7/8 ounce of No. 7½ lead shot.
The three quail-sized targets recorded 80, 52 and 48 pellet strikes. Despite the difficult wind, the Winchester loads and the Red Label III produced useful coverage across the small targets.
Federal Premium Gold Medal Paper
Federal Premium Gold Medal Paper loads were also 2¾-inch shells containing 7/8 ounce of No. 7½ lead shot.
One target received 51 pellet strikes from the bottom barrel, while the top-barrel pattern placed 40 pellets on the target.
The Gold Medal Paper loads produced even, effective target coverage and would be a natural choice for skeet and sporting clays.
Federal Premium Upland Paper
Federal Premium Upland Paper 20-gauge loads featured a 2¾-inch shell containing 1 ounce of No. 6 lead shot.
Across three quail-sized targets, the Federal Upland Paper loads averaged 45 pellet strikes.
The combination of the larger No. 6 pellets and solid target coverage makes this load suitable for more than just quail. It also offers useful ammunition for pheasants and other upland birds when matched with an appropriate choke and shooting distance.
Pheasant-Size Patterning Results
For the larger pheasant targets, I used an Improved Cylinder choke in the Red Label III’s bottom barrel and an Improved Modified choke in the top barrel.
HEVI-Shot HEVI-Hammer Upland
HEVI-Shot HEVI-Hammer Upland loads used 3-inch shells containing 7/8 ounce of No. 5 shot. The payload combines steel shot with 15 percent high-density HEVI-Bismuth pellets.
My first three pheasant-sized targets received an average of 36 pellet strikes.
The mixed-shot construction makes HEVI-Hammer Upland especially interesting for hunters who need a nontoxic load but want additional downrange energy from the denser HEVI-Bismuth pellets.
Remington Royal Flush
Next, I tested Remington Royal Flush loads. These 3-inch shells contained 1 ounce of No. 5 lead shot.
The three pheasant-sized targets recorded 32, 30 and 29 pellet strikes.
The patterns were consistent across all three shots and delivered solid coverage of the target-sized paper.
Testing the Red Label III With Federal TSS Turkey Loads
Ruger describes the Red Label III as an effective option for waterfowl hunting. I reasoned that a shotgun capable of bringing down ducks and geese might also serve as a turkey gun when paired with the right choke tubes and ammunition.
For the turkey test, I installed a Full choke in the bottom barrel and an Improved Modified choke in the top barrel.
I used Federal Premium HEAVYWEIGHT TSS loads. These 3-inch shells carried 1 5/8 ounces of blended No. 8 and No. 10 tungsten-alloy shot.
The patterns spoke for themselves. At 25 yards, the turkey target was decisively covered regardless of which barrel I fired.
The patterns were extremely tight at that distance. Based on those initial results, the combination appears capable of delivering effective 40-yard turkey performance.
However, hunters should never assume a shotgun’s maximum range based on a closer pattern. Before hunting, confirm the point of impact and pattern density from both barrels at every distance you might reasonably shoot.
Is the Ruger Red Label III a Do-It-All Shotgun?
Most shooters will initially view the Ruger Red Label III as an upland hunting and clays shotgun. It certainly fills both roles and should handle them with ease.
Its light 6.2-pound weight makes it comfortable to carry through an upland field, while its balance and natural pointing qualities are well suited to skeet and sporting clays.
The testing also showed that the Red Label III can do considerably more.
With an appropriate nontoxic load, it is fully capable of handling waterfowl. With tight choke tubes and a properly tested TSS load, it also has legitimate turkey-hunting potential.
Throughout my shooting and patterning sessions, I experienced no mechanical or operational problems. The action opened smoothly, the controls worked positively, the ejectors were strong and the trigger remained crisp.
The shotgun’s versatility is real. The more difficult question involves price.
At an MSRP of $3,299, the Red Label III occupies premium over-and-under territory. This is not a budget shotgun or an entry-level option for someone who simply wants to experiment with an over-and-under.
It is intended for shooters who appreciate traditional lines, high-quality walnut, hand-fitting, American craftsmanship and a light field gun that can serve several purposes.
For that buyer, the Ruger Red Label III deserves serious consideration.
Federal Loads That Pair Well With the Red Label III
Federal Premium Gold Medal Paper
Designed for skeet and sporting clays, Federal Premium Gold Medal Paper 20-gauge loads contain 7/8 ounce of No. 7½ or No. 8 lead shot in a 2¾-inch shell.
They produced effective coverage in my practical pattern test while remaining comfortable to shoot through the lightweight Red Label III.
Check Price at Sportsman’s WarehouseFederal Premium Upland Paper
Federal Premium Upland Paper combines traditional paper hulls with a 1-ounce payload in the 20-gauge version. The No. 6 load averaged 45 strikes on my quail-sized targets and offers a useful combination of pellet energy and pattern density for upland birds.
Check Price at Midway USAFederal Premium HEAVYWEIGHT TSS
Federal’s 20-gauge HEAVYWEIGHT TSS turkey load contains 1 5/8 ounces of blended No. 8 and No. 10 tungsten-alloy shot.
The load produced extremely dense patterns through both barrels of the Red Label III at 25 yards. Hunters considering this combination should pattern it at longer distances before establishing a maximum hunting range.
Check Price at Midway USARuger Red Label III Specifications
- Gauge: 20
- Capacity: 2 rounds
- Chamber: 3 inches
- Barrel: 28 inches as tested; 30-inch model also available
- Barrel material and finish: Alloy steel, blued
- Receiver: Finely polished alloy steel
- Stock and forend: Hand-oiled, checkered walnut
- Trigger: Single inertia
- Overall length: 45.50 inches with 28-inch barrels
- Length of pull: 14.50 inches
- Weight: 6.2 pounds unloaded
- Included choke tubes: Skeet, Improved Cylinder, Modified, Improved Modified and Full
- Additional equipment: Choke-tube wrench, custom locking hard case, gun lock and owner’s manual
- MSRP: $3,299
