Shotguns are one of the most versatile firearms one can buy. The majority of modern standard shotguns can fire a single slug or a spray of shot, making them a very popular option for home defense, as well as competitive target shooting. And shotguns are used to hunt many different kinds of game – including rabbits, squirrels, birds, and deer.
In part because they have such wide applications, shotguns are in high demand. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, licensed gun makers manufactured approximately 3 million shotguns in the United States from 2016 to 2020. Another 28.7 million shotguns were imported to the U.S. from 1986 to 2019. And according to sales data from the online firearm sales marketplace, Gunbroker.com, some revolver models are especially popular.
Using a report from Gungenius, which uses data from Gunbroker.com, an online firearm sales marketplace, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 10 most popular shotguns in America. Shotgun models are ranked by 2022 sales reported by the online platform, though exact sales numbers were not provided.
Three shotguns on this list – the Mossberg 500, Mossberg 590, and Remington 870 – also ranked among the 22 best selling firearms of any type, including rifles, pistols, and shotguns, on Gunbroker.com in 2022. Though each of these guns was a top seller in 2022, the Mossberg 500 and Remington 870 have been popular with American shooters for decades, each selling over 10 million units since their introduction over half a century ago. Together, the companies producing the Mossberg 500 and Remington 870 accounted for nearly 80% of all domestic shotgun manufacturing from 2016 to 2020, according to the ATF. (Here is a look at the states where anyone can get a gun today.)
Though some of the firearms on this list are semi-automatic and break action, pump is the most popular action type in the United States. Half of the shotguns on this list, including the four highest ranking, are pump action models. Generally less expensive than break action guns, and more reliable and easier to maintain than semi-automatics, pump action shotguns have several advantages over other common action types. (Here is a look at the most versatile hunting rifle cartridges.)
