The most popular shotgun brands for game shooting

A shotgun is, at one and the same time, both a tool and a very personal item - some even think of them as a sort of jewellery. Whether it is brand, barrel configuration and length, chokes or the type of grip you choose, the choices you make will not only affect your shooting , but they also speak volumes about you. Those who predominantly shoot high birds will choose something different to those who do most of their shooting in a pigeon hide. 

All of this can make choosing a shotgun is a daunting prospect, whether you're choosing your first gun, replacing your existing gun, or adding to an extensive collection. So what choices are people making?

What shotgun should you buy for game shooting?

With so many gunmakers to choose from, and so many permutations, it can be hard to make a choice. Word-of-mouth is still one of the most trusted ways to start narrowing the field; it is not uncommon to hear people asking what shotgun someone is using when out shooting, and some of the most frequently asked questions in shooting groups and forums online are seeking advice on a first gun or addition to someone's collection.

With this in mind, we asked thousands of people who completed the 2023 Game Shooting Census - conducted by GunsOnPegs in association with Lycetts - what gun they use most often for game shooting.

The most popular shotgun brands for game shooting

By now, we are used to seeing very little change at the top, with Beretta, Browning and AYA keeping the first three spots locked down for another year. 

Between them, these three brands account for more than half (54%) of all shotguns found in the shooting field, with nearly one in three people opting for a Beretta. Four out of 25 guns you meet will likely be using a Browning, and another two will have an AYA. You are more than ten times more likely to encounter a Beretta user than a Rizzini (5th place) user.

Owing to this dominance by the top three, everyone else has to battle it out for the remaining third of the market. On the one hand, this means that competition is fierce (surely a good thing for the consumer, as it drives innovation and helps to push prices down), but it also means that brands can jump several places in the standings by garnering a comparatively small proportion of the market - a change of a fraction of a % can result in a jump (or fall) of several places.

Side-by-side or over-and-under?

While the market is still dominated by over-and-under shotguns, it is now undeniable that the side-by-side is making a comeback. Since 2018 we have seen the proportion of game shots who take to the peg toting a gun with barrels arranged horizontally has grown from 24% to 33% - that’s a five year increase of 38%. 

What are the most popular over-and-under shotgun brands?

Among over and under users Beretta’s share increases to 41%, and one in five O/U users takes a Browning when they go game shooting. However, among the O/U users, Italian brands dominate, with Beretta, Caesar Guerini, Rizzini, Perazzi and Bettinsoli occupying five of the top ten spots. The only UK brand to make it into the top ten is William Powell.

What are the most popular side-by-side shotgun brands?

That story changes when we look at side-by-sides, however, with seven of the top ten brands being UK names. This being said, the top spot is held by AYA, whose products offer an affordable alternative to the more pricey London guns. If you see someone wielding a side-by-side this season there’s a slightly greater than one-in-five chance that they’re using an AYA.   

What brand of shotgun do the most active game shots use?

Among people who say that they shoot 30 or more days per year, we see a slight change. While Beretta and Browning remain the top two brands, we see Perazzi jump several places to take third place, not only knocking AYA down into fourth, Rizzini into sixth but relegating Miroku into 8th equal, with the Japanese brand falling behind the English ‘Best’ gunmakers Purdey and Holland & Holland.

Regional differences

Interestingly, there do appear to be some marked differences in the stats when we look at things through a regional lens. For example, Browning are significantly more popular with people whose primary residence is in northern England than those in the rest of the country, with a 21% market share in this region compared to 16% in the rest of the UK. Conversely, in East Anglia, Beretta enjoy a 36% market share vs 29% in the rest of the country.

Similarly, in the Midlands, AYA get a 2% boost vs the rest of the country, while in Wales that jumps to 4%. Londoners have a penchant for the old English names: Holland and Holland claim 6% of that market, with Purdey and William Evans accounting for 5% each

A whopping 6% of Londoners shoot with a Holland and Holland, 5% of them use a Purdey and another 5% use a William Evans, while across London and the South East as a whole a greater proportion of people use side-by-sides - 36% compared to 32% in the rest of the land, a picture that is mirrored in the South West.

We will leave you to draw your own conclusions / make your own jokes.