Shooting Illustrated 2015 Golden Bullseye Shotgun of the Year

Speed is one of the most important factors in self-defense, and Beretta may have the fastest-cycling semi-automatic shotgun on the market with its 1301 Tactical. A shorter, 18.5-inch barrel and a length-of-pull of only 13 inches aids in easily maneuvering this shotgun within the close confines of your home and lessens the likelihood of telegraphing your location from behind cover. The BLINK gas system helps make this shotgun ultra-reliable with a wide variety of loads and ensures its semi-automatic action cycles as fast as you can pull the trigger. A wide loading port fosters quick and smooth reloads, which is always welcome in a scattergun designed for combat use. Ergonomic controls, an optics rail and ghost-ring sights round out this superior home-defense shotgun.

“Simply stated, the 1301 Tactical is a well thought-out setup with out-of-the-box features often relegated to aftermarket purchase. Particularly in its price range, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more home-defense-ready shotgun.” —Kyle Wintersteen, Shotgun Editor.

Specifications

Beretta: (800) 237-3882
Gauge: 12; 3-inch chamber
Capacity: 4+1 rounds
Barrel Length: 18.5 inches
Overall Length: 37.8 inches
Weight: 6.35 pounds
MSRP: $1,059

Winning Features

• Ghost-ring rear sight.
• Oversize controls for ease of use in self-defense.
• BLINK gas system.
• Spacers included to adjust length-of-pull.

Read the complete article from our January 2015 article.