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Our Favorite Long Guns of SHOT Show 2026
SHOT Show 2026 is officially a wrap! That means it is time to share our favorites with y’all. Today, we are going to look at some of the shotguns and rifles that stood out as we went booth to booth.
The offerings at SHOT Show this year covered the spectrum from ARs designed to look like the legendary M1917 machine gun to new bolt-action hunting rifles to top-of-the-line shotguns. SHOT Show 2026 had it all. Here are our favorites.
Beretta 1301 Tactical LTT
If I could have one shotgun, this one may be it.
The Beretta 1301 Tactical is already considered one of the best semi-automatic tactical shotguns on the market today. It is a tall task to take a firearm that many consider to be the pinnacle of a category and improve upon it, but the Beretta 1301 Tactical LTT does just that.
The upgrades to the 1301 Tactical LTT features include a custom Langdon trigger job with a semi-flat tactical trigger, an enhanced pro lifter for faster reloads, and the choice of a Magpul or Chisel stock.
The 1301 Tactical LTT Tactical can be customized to fit your needs on the Langdon Tactical website. The model we looked at featured the LTT Heat Shield, LTT Fastback Mount, Magpul Stock, and Patrol Forend. Anyone who appreciates a quality shotgun can tell you, this gun is amazing. Just spend some time looking at the photo, and you will quickly find yourself needing one.
Mossberg 990 Aftershock
Taking the Shockwave to the next level!
Mossberg introduced the 990 for SHOT Show 2026, and it did not disappoint. Several configurations were released, including the 990 Aftershock, a reinvention of the Shockwave concept. With the Aftershock, you get a compact, semi-automatic shotgun in an extremely maneuverable platform.
The Aftershock is an excellent choice for home defense and tactical use. It comes in one of two barrel lengths, 14.75 or 18.5, and with 5+1 or 7+1 capacity, respectively.
The 990’s gas system is what sets it apart. It helps tame the recoil, which can be pretty intense on the pump-action Shockwave. In addition to the gas system, Mossberg gave the 990 Aftershock enlarged ambidextrous controls to make it fast and intuitive.
As a lover of shotguns, I am incredibly excited by the 990 Aftershock.
Derya Max
Coming soon to a competition near you.
Derya is a Turkish shotgun maker who first introduced the MAX at SHOT Show 2025. Now that we are at SHOT Show 2026, the MAX rollout appears imminent.
The focus of the Derya MAX is IPSC/3-Gun competition. It uses the proven Derya MK-12 action (AR-style mag-fed shotgun) and was optimized for competition performance.
Some standout features of the MAX include a reversible charging handle, a modular stock, and a progressive, recoil-absorbing buffer system.
You should see the MAX at a competition near you in 2026.
Palmetto State Armory AXR
Everything you can need and want, plus some.
The AXR is the latest and greatest offering from Palmetto State Armory. The flagship of the line is the AXR SSP, a Short-stroke piston rifle platform that will remind some of the ACR.
The Short-stroke gas piston is a shift from the PSA Jakl’s Long-stroke system. The AXR features a modular one-piece upper receiver with a full-length Picatinny top rail. The barrels are swappable and length options include 6.75” and 10.5 for .300 BLK and 10.3”, 12.5”, 14.5”, & 16” barrels for 5.56 NATO.
The AXR features a proprietary lower with a bufferless stock or brace, depending on your needs and the legal status of your serialized insert. The modular nature means you can use this insert on multiple platforms. For magazines, you will be able to use your AR-style magazines, so the magazines you get for your AXR will also work in your AR-15.
Overall, the AXR is an intriguing new offering from PSA, and we are looking forward to seeing where it leads.
B&T APC223
That monolithic upper is ready for anything.
B&T and Swiss manufacturing are synonymous with high-quality firearms. B&T’s APC223 is their latest entry into the 5.56 NATO space and is a compelling alternative to the AR-15. It is a premium offering that, while initially designed for military & law enforcement use, is at home in the civilian market.
The APC223 was designed with a monolithic upper receiver that uses a short-stroke buffer system. It is also fully ambidextrous and features a non-reciprocating, side-swappable charging handle. The APC223 simply screams premium quality, thanks to these features and an adjustable gas regulator.
The APC223 uses standard AR-15 (STANAG magazines), making it easy and affordable to stack mags deep while still maintaining cross-platform compatibility with your ARs.
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Kriss DMK22
This is not your grandfather’s .22LR.
Everyone needs a quality .22LR rifle. Okay, let’s be honest: everyone needs multiple quality .22 LR rifles. Based on what we saw at SHOT Show 2026, one of those rifles should be the Kriss DMK22. It is outwardly identical to a full-sized AR-15 and built for realism in training and competition.
The DMK22 features a 16.5” threaded barrel, so you can put your favorite suppressor or muzzle device on the rifle. The DMK22 also has a free-floating M-LOK handguard and a last-round bolt hold-open, which help set it apart from many other rimfire AR-style rifles.
Savage 110 Ultralite Pro
Light enough for even the longest treks.
For those looking for a new hunting rifle, Savage has you covered with its 110 Ultralite Pro. As an avid hunter, I am really excited about this offering.
The 110 Ultralite Pro builds on earlier Savage offerings, improving them with the AccuFit V2 stock system and a carbon-fiber barrel, resulting in a real weight reduction to around 6 pounds. Savage did all of this without jeopardizing the rifle’s ruggedness by Cerakoting the action and bolt.
For magazines, Savage went away from internal and proprietary magazines and gave the 110 Ultralite Pro AICS-pattern magazines. The rifle comes with a flush-fit 3-round magazine, but you can, of course, get higher capacity magazines.
The Savage 110 Ultralite Pro looks to be an extremely high-quality hunting option, especially for backcountry hunters who value rugged, lightweight rifles.
FN SCAR 17S/20S
How can you say no to the SCAR?
FN created quite a stir when it announced it was cancelling SCAR models in October 2025. Well, SHOT Show 2026 relieved some of that stress with FN announcing the next-generation SCAR models: the SCAR 16S, 17S, and 20S, with the SCAR 17S and SCAR 20S receiving some serious upgrades.
The SCAR has a short-stroke gas piston system with a 2-position adjustable gas regulator, and both the SCAR 17S and 20S have cold-hammer-forged barrels. The 17S also features an improved single-stage trigger, and the 20S features a new two-stage match trigger.
The headliner for the new SCAR is the two-piece, hydraulically buffered bolt carrier, which drastically reduces recoil. Last but certainly not least, the new SCAR rifles are also fully ambidextrous.
Last Words
There were so many interesting firearms at SHOT Show that it is simply not possible to list them all here, but we hope you enjoyed the ones we did! If pistols are more your style, be sure to check out Our Favorite Pistols of SHOT Show 2026, too!
Stay tuned for our favorite accessories and “other items” that we came across at SHOT…you won’t be disappointed!
