There is a massive lack of tactical, defense-oriented 20-gauge shotguns in the market. Mossberg makes the 590 in 20-gauge, finally, and that seems to be it for the big guys. But semi-autos? They’re as hen’s teeth. The 20-gauge still packs a mighty punch with about half the recoil of a 12-gauge. With an increased interest in shotguns, Beretta has read the market right and introduced their popular and affordable Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol shotgun in 20-gauge.
The new 20-gauge Ultima Patrol builds on the established reputation of the A300 Ultima Patrol. Which is a U.S.-made semi-auto tactical shotgun designed to offer a high-quality semi-auto defensive shotgun that’s a lot cheaper than the 1301 series. Beretta already had sporting variants of the A300 in 20 gauge, so moving it to a tactical format seemed like a smart move.
What blew my mind was picking the thing up. It weighs six pounds. That’s it. That’s incredibly light for a gas-operated shotgun. It makes the gun handy and easy to wield for smaller shooters who already want a light recoiling gun. Sure, weight helps cut recoil, but if you have a problem with the weight of a 12-gauge gun, having less recoil doesn’t matter all that much.
The A300 Ultima Patrol 20 Gauge
The gas gun already cuts recoil a fair bit, so the reduction in weight isn’t a huge concern for me. I see it as a distinct advantage for reduced recoil in home defense. Add the ability to easily shorten or lengthen the length of pull, and we have a winner for smaller shooters and those who are recoil-adverse. In fact, it can be reduced to 12 inches, which is really short for a shotgun.
The Ultima Patrol in 20 gauge holds seven rounds in the tube, which is tucked under a 19.1-inch barrel. Wrapped around both is a handguard with an aggressive texture and a number of M-LOK slots for accessory mounting. The gun is optics-ready and comes with ghost ring sights.
It’s essentially a clone of its bigger 12 gauge brother with all the same features. Just smaller. Kinda like a vegan version of the 12 gauge. The Ultima Patrol in 20 gauge does one thing a little bigger than the 12 gauge version, and that’s the price.
The Ultima Patrol in 12 gauge has an MSRP of $1,149 dollars while the 20 gauge commands a $1,299 MSRP.
Now all we need are the ammunition manufacturers and all the support product manufacturers to get onboard. Get that and you might have something.