Semiauto 12 Gauges: S&W Edges Browning and Winchester

Back-to-the-basics shotguns featuring black composite stocks and forearms fill a special niche in the world of scattergun enthusiasts. These firearms are picked for their ability to serve as a shooting tool that can withstand rugged hunting conditions and not with a lot of attention to appearance. They also eliminate the possibility of a flash of sunlight glinting off a shiny stock or barrel and alerting incoming waterfowl of potential danger.

Most of the major manufacturers offer at least a few of their

Going down the composite-stock-and-forearm road is a path being followed by a good number of shotgun shooters who lean toward function over frills. A good, reliable shooting tool that provides quality service in conditions from the mud and muck of waterfowl hunting to the brush and bramble of upland bird fields is high on the must-have list of many outdoor enthusiasts. We check out three semiautomatics from the used gun racks to see how a new offering from Smith & Wesson compares to a couple of veteran scatterguns that have a large fan base—a Browning Gold Hunter and a Winchester Super X2.