Six of the best shotguns

Lewis Potter rounds up the best shotguns he has tested in recent years from hammergun to semi-auto and ranging from the affordable £500 price mark up to the high end £18,800.

Akkar Triple Crown

The Akkar Triple Crown is not a shotgun you would ever be likely to forget. Anything so big, bulky and with three barrels will always grab anyone’s attention, and on test it performed as well as more conventional guns.

Memorable features: What came as a surprise was to find that the lock work was amazingly simple, which is always an aid to reliability. It did mean that there is a fixed firing sequence in the following order: right barrel, left barrel, top barrel. At around 8¾lb loaded with 3in magnums, the Triple Crown is not a light gun, but the handling turned out to be smooth with good swing characteristics.

Price: £1,811 www.edgarbrothers.com

Huglu Hammergun

If anyone had predicted 25 years ago that the early 21st century would see a new 3in- chambered hammergun on the market with screw-in chokes, they would have received some very odd looks. Yet with the Huglu that is just what we have and, while not a sophisticated gun, it is an honest piece of work.

Memorable features: The provision of a non-automatic safety button on the top strap is a novelty, and the ability to open the gun with the right-hand hammer still cocked is a good safety feature. For the shooter who likes the idea of a traditional gun but with the convenience of a modern shotgun, the Huglu fits the bill.

Price: £755  www.edgarbrothers.com

Boxall & Edmiston over-and-under

The Boxall & Edmiston 20-bore over-and-under is built in a style that harks back to those exotic British over-and-unders made in the early 20th century. However, the methods of design and manufacture applied to this gun reflect a century of progress.

Memorable features: Comparatively light, fast handling and pleasing to the eye, it is a beautiful piece of work. The user does have to be on form to get the very best out of its performance, but when you are shooting at your best it can be a real confidence booster. It might be made in rural Shropshire but it speaks of Best London.

Price: £18,800 www.boxallandedmiston.co.uk

Hushpower sound-moderated 20-bore

It has always been notoriously difficult to moderate the sound output of a shotgun, but Hushpower succeeded with the Investarm-based 20-bore over-and-under. With the full-length moderator sleeve, the gun is long but light, the baffles in front of the muzzle contributing to the overall length.

Memorable features: Noise reduction is truly impressive, with a decrease in measured noise of 20 decibels with the best-performing cartridges compared with an unmoderated gun. The neatness of the sound moderator design is impressive, as well as the ease of stripping for cleaning, which is a requirement on a sound-moderated shotgun.

Price: £830 www.saddleryandgunroom.co.uk

Hatsan Escort Magnum Xtreme