The Most Popular Over-Under Shotguns in America

Over-under shotguns are double-barrel, break-action firearms that first gained traction with American consumers after World War II. While not the most popular type of shotgun in the U.S., or the most technologically advanced, over-unders have several key advantages over the alternatives, and are well-suited to many of the most common purposes shotguns are designed for. (Here is a look at the 10 best selling shotguns in America.)

Like virtually all double-barrel, break-action shotguns, over-unders are an especially reliable firearm, benefitting from mechanical simplicity and a fully enclosed action. Over-unders can also be fitted with two separate chokes, allowing for a more effective follow-up shot on moving targets.

These advantages over pump-action and semi-automatic shotguns are also shared by the over-under’s double-barrel predecessor, the side-by-side. But while side-by-side shotguns have two barrels aligned horizontally, the barrels of an over-under are stacked one on top of the other, offering an additional set of advantages when it comes to accuracy. Not only does an over-under offer shooters a single sight plane, but the followup shot tends to be less affected by recoil than it would with a side-by-side.

Still, many of the features that make the over-under such an effective firearm also have some downsides. With two barrels, over-unders can only be loaded with two rounds at a time, while many shotguns with tubular magazines can hold two to three times as many shells. Two barrels also make over-unders heavier than most shotguns with repeating actions, and also generally more expensive.

Still, for many shotgun owners — particularly upland hunters and competitive sport shooters — over-unders are the preferred firearm.

Using a report from Gun Genius, which analyzed sales data from GunBroker.com, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 10 most popular over-under shotguns in America. Shotguns are ranked on sales volume in the 2023 calendar year, though exact sales figures were not provided. Supplemental data on domestic manufacturing locations and production volume in 2021 are from the ATF.

These 10 firearms are manufactured by six gunmakers, including two models from Beretta, a company that also owns the Stoeger brand name. Estimated base prices of these shotguns range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand.

While some companies on this list have large U.S.-based shotgun manufacturing locations, many of the firearms on this list are imported. Colt CZ Group, for example, is a Czech company that owns the Kansas City based brand CZ-USA. Still, both CZ-USA shotguns that rank on this list are manufactured in Turkey. (Here is a look at the company making the most guns in every state.)

It is important to note that this list was compiled using online gun sales only. Unlike most items purchased online, firearms are generally not shipped directly to your door. Typically, the process requires buyers to have their gun shipped to a Federally Licensed Firearm Dealer which will run a background check before transferring the gun to the customer.