Hunter-Tested: The Best Upland Semi-Auto Shotguns

There are places that make you feel small in the best possible way. Where the horizon stretches farther than your plans, the wind reminds you who’s in charge, and the miles you walk matter more than the birds you shoot. Every fall, the Dakota prairies do that for us—and it’s in places like this, with real hunts and real effort, that you learn what equipment you can actually trust.

That mindset is what led to this hunt.

Rather than another standard review or best of list, we wanted to see how these upland semi-auto shotguns actually perform where it counts—in tall grass, cold mornings, long days chasing wild pheasants, and in the hands of a diverse group of hunters. So we brought four experienced hunters and four semi-auto shotguns from our Best of 2025 Upland Shotgun list to North Dakota and let real-world hunting shape the outcome.

The Concept: Real Hunters, Real Birds, Real Opinions

Late last year, we released our Best of 2025 Upland Shotgun list, built from years of hands-on reviews and time in the field. For this hunt, we selected four semi-auto shotguns from that list and put them directly into hunting conditions that would quickly separate comfort, confidence, and reliability from marketing claims.

Each hunter:

• Spent meaningful time hunting with multiple shotguns

• Evaluated performance based solely on field experience—not rankings or preconceived favorites

No one was told where each shotgun landed on our list. They simply hunted, rotated guns, and shared honest feedback about what worked, what didn’t, and which shotgun they’d choose if it were their own money.

The Hunt: North Dakota Pheasants and More!

North Dakota in late fall offers ideal—and honest—conditions for testing upland shotguns. Long walks through heavy cover, unpredictable flushing birds, cold air, and dusty fields quickly reveal what actually matters in a semi-auto upland gun.

Our first morning was almost too good. We filled a limit quickly—great hunting, but not ideal for evaluating multiple shotguns. To give everyone meaningful time behind each contender, we spread the remainder of the hunt across several days, rotating guns and allowing real preferences to develop naturally.

Field-Tested Feedback: What Actually Matters

Throughout the hunt, the hunters shared insights that only come from using a shotgun in real upland conditions—not from handling it at a counter or shooting a few rounds at the range.

They paid close attention to:

• How a shotgun carried after miles in the field

• How quickly and naturally it came to the shoulder on surprise flushes

• How manageable recoil felt over long days

• How confidence either grew or faded the more birds were shot

Specs and features matter, but in the uplands, feel, balance, and trust matter far more.

Made Possible by onX Hunt

This hunt—and the video that came from it—were made possible by onX Hunt. Even after returning to the same areas year after year, we wouldn’t make a trip like this without it.

If you want to hunt smarter, onX is one of the most useful tools you can carry in the field.

Helpful links:

• onX Hunt Membership: https://targetfocused.link/onxhunt
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• Free 1‑Month onX Trial: https://targetfocused.link/onXfree

The Verdict: Best Overall & Best Value

After several days of hunting and plenty of time behind each shotgun, the hunters shared their picks—and the results were anything but unanimous.

Best Overall Picks

• Nathan Petron - Benelli Montefeltro Ultra Light

• Bob Wershing - Benelli Montefeltro Ultra Light

• Kavin Bailey - Browning A5

• Aaron Gould - Winchester SX4 Upland

There was clear disagreement on which shotgun deserved the single top spot—and that’s exactly what made this comparison valuable. Each hunter prioritized slightly different characteristics based on fit, feel, recoil, and confidence in the field.

Best Value Pick (Unanimous)

While opinions varied on the best overall shotgun, there was no disagreement when it came to value.

Every hunter agreed that the Retay Gordion offered the best value of the group—delivering strong performance, reliability, and features at a price point that’s hard to ignore for upland hunters looking to maximize their investment.

👉 Watch the full video above to hear each hunter explain why they made their selections and what stood out to them in real hunting conditions.

Final Thoughts

This hunt reinforced something we’ve believed for a long time: the best upland shotgun isn’t defined by specs alone. It’s the one that carries well when the miles add up, performs when opportunities come fast, and builds confidence with every flush.

If you’re considering a semi-auto shotgun for upland hunting—especially pheasants—this hunter-tested comparison offers real insight grounded in experience, not theory.

Don't forget to hop over to the TFL COMMUNITY to discuss!

Whether our targets in the field or our targets in life, we’ll only hit what we’re focused on — live the #targetfocusedlife