Beretta AX800 Suprema: New Waterfowl Shotgun & First Impressions

Beretta has officially announced their newest waterfowl shotgun, the Beretta AX800 Suprema. This new Beretta shotgun is already creating a lot of buzz in the waterfowl world, and for good reason.

I had the opportunity to hunt waterfowl in Canada this fall with a pre-production AX800 Suprema alongside Johnny Carter of TGS Outdoors, and it left a strong first impression. From what I’ve seen so far, the AX800 Suprema is designed to raise the bar beyond what the Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus has already set as one of the best waterfowl shotguns on the market.

We don’t have a production gun in the shop just yet (Beretta has told us one is shipping soon), but as soon as it arrives, we’ll be doing a full Target Focused Life AX800 Suprema review. Until then, here’s what we know based on my early hands-on experience and detailed information from Beretta’s product team.

Steelium Pro Barrels: DT11 Tech in a Waterfowl Gun

One of the biggest highlights of the Beretta AX800 Suprema is the barrel. It features Steelium Pro barrels, the same barrel technology used on the DT11, Beretta’s Olympic-grade competition shotgun that lives in a completely different price category.

The forcing cone on the AX800 Suprema is an impressive 450 mm (about 17.7 inches). For comparison, the A400 Xtreme Plus uses a Steelium Plus barrel with a 320 mm (about 12.6 inches) forcing cone. That means the AX800 has over five more inches of forcing cone length, which is designed to:

• Produce tighter, more consistent patterns
• Smooth out the recoil impulse
• Carry more downrange energy on target

B-Link Pro Gas System: Faster and Cleaner

The gas system on the AX800 Suprema is another major upgrade. Beretta introduced the new B-Link Pro gas system, which they claim is:

• 36% faster cycling than the A400 Xtreme Plus
• 46% cleaner running

Pro Lifter

The Beretta Pro-Lifter keeps the lifter raised so you can drop shells in quick—no pinched thumbs, no wasted time.

Kick-Off Pro Recoil Reduction & Adjustability

The AX800 Suprema continues Beretta’s focus on recoil management with Kick-Off Pro, delivering up to 70% recoil reduction. Where this new Beretta shotgun really steps forward is in the ergonomics and adjustability of the stock.

The AX800’s stock and furniture system offers:

• Interchangeable pistol grips
• Interchangeable cheek pieces
• Adjustable drop and cast
• Adjustable length of pull

All-New Trigger Group

Beretta didn’t stop at the barrel and gas system—they also redesigned the trigger group for the AX800 Suprema. The new trigger system offers:

• Shorter trigger travel
• Faster trigger reset
• Lighter, more responsive pull

Oversized Controls

The oversized bolt handle, release, and safety make quick, sure handling easy—even with gloves or in tough conditions.

• Enlarged loading port
• Extened bolt release and bolt handle 
• Oversized safety button

Polymer Receiver: Lightweight and Low-Maintenance

One of the biggest differences between the Beretta AX800 Suprema and the A400 Xtreme Plus is the receiver material. Instead of aluminum, the AX800 uses a polymer receiver.

According to Beretta, the polymer receiver offers several advantages:

• Requires no oil
• Won’t rust
• No metal-on-metal wear points
• Helps reduce overall weight
• Absorbs more recoil than metal

Slimmer Forend & Improved Ergonomics

Another area where Beretta clearly listened to shooters is the forend design. Gas guns are often criticized for feeling bulky or “blocky” up front. The AX800 Suprema features a thinner, more ergonomic forend designed to feel more natural in the hands.

Rapid Locking Magazine

This feature is also on the Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus and I absolutly love it.

Optics-Ready Setup

The Beretta AX800 Suprema leans into the optics-ready trend with some options.

Beretta is offering two optic mounting solutions (sold as accessories):

• Optics-ready plates at the rear of the receiver
• A barrel-mounted Picatinny rail

This gives waterfowl hunters flexibility in how they set up the gun for different hunting scenarios.

Quick Comparison: AX800 Suprema vs A400 Xtreme Plus

If you’re familiar with the Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus, here’s a quick side-by-side look at how the new AX800 Suprema compares based on what we know so far:

Both shotguns are clearly built for serious waterfowl hunters, but the AX800 Suprema appears to push further into advanced barrel technology, customization, and modern materials.

Our Experience with the AX800 Suprema in Canada

I made a quick trip up to Saskatchewan, Canada, on a last-minute invite and met up with Johnny Carter and the TGS team for two fast-paced waterfowl hunts. It wasn’t a long trip, but it was an awesome one — and I had the opportunity to spend part of that time hunting with a pre-production AX800 Suprema.

Right away, the shotgun grabbed my attention. The entire design direction is completely different from anything on the market. The gun felt light in the hands, yet the recoil management was surprisingly good even with heavier waterfowl loads. I’m incredibly intrigued by the new adjustable stock system — there’s a lot of potential there, and I can’t wait to get a production model in the shop to see just how well it works.

I’ll be honest: I’m still not the biggest fan of front-of-the-trigger cross-bolt safeties, but Beretta did make this one more pronounced, more tactile, and easier to locate without looking down. That’s a small thing, but small things matter when you’re in the layout blind or the marsh.

I also love the concept of the extended forcing cone in the Steelium Pro barrels, but the real test will come once we can put it through full pattern boards and side-by-side comparisons. Early impressions were promising, but more testing will reveal what kind of real-world difference it actually makes.

All around, even with limited time behind the gun, the AX800 Suprema left me impressed and extremely curious. We’re very excited to be receiving a production model soon, and once it arrives, we’ll be putting together a complete, in-depth Target Focused Life review — patterns, recoil tests, fieldwork, and everything in between.

Even though the trip was short, it was a blast getting up to Canada and being a part of the hunt. TGS will be releasing a video soon from that time, so keep an eye out for that as well.