When I picked up the Beretta A300 Ultima Competition shotgun from my FFL, I went from excited to ecstatic. Anyone familiar with the Beretta 1301 shotgun will appreciate the new Ultima Competition model. Like the 1301, the Ultima is a gas-operated semi-automatic shotgun that will cycle shells even when the gun isn’t mounted into the shoulder as tight as it should be. Anyone who has experienced a malfunction due to an improper mount on an inertia-driven shotgun knows they aren’t as forgiving as a gas-operated shotgun.
This shotgun was built and tailored to the competition shooters who shoot IPSC shotgun or 3 Gun, for example. Years ago, you couldn’t buy a shotgun ready to race right out of the box. You had to send it to a gunsmith to open up the loading port, order an extended tube and spring for more capacity, install aftermarket oversized controls, and more.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
Also, red dot-ready tube shotguns were just about unheard of. With multigun and shotgun-only shooting sports growing, divisions have been created to allow competitors to use a red dot optic on a tube shotgun. Competitors can compete on an equal playing field rather than be bumped into Open division, where they would have to contend with magazine-fed shotguns, which are ten times faster to reload than a tube-fed shotgun. The features and functionality of the new Ultima Competition shotgun make it possible to go from the gun counter to the range, ready to compete.
A300 Ultima Competition Controls
Enlarged Loading Port
The most critical feature of the A300 Ultima Competition shotgun is the enlarged loading port. It doesn’t matter if you load a tube shotgun with your strong hand or weak hand; the loading port must be opened well enough to accommodate quad or dual loads.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
Oversized Controls & Unique Cartridge Release Button
I’ve been shooting 3 Gun for almost a decade now, and stock shotguns never used to come with oversized controls. Beretta built the A300 Ultima Competition gun with an extended bolt handle, extended bolt release, and an oversized safety. If you’ve never shot under the pressure of a timer and had to manipulate the controls of a shotgun or make the gun safe before depositing it in a dump barrel, for example, I can guarantee the oversized controls make a big difference in your performance.
A unique feature of Beretta shotguns is the location of the cartridge release button. This button is what moves a shotgun cartridge from the tube onto the lifter, preparing to load a round into the chamber. The release button on most semi-automatic shotguns is on the side of the receiver and is a thin, angled shape of metal that you push upward. The cartridge release button on the Beretta is in the loading port at the rear center of the lifter, closest to the safety and trigger. I prefer the location Beretta chose as it is easy to find after loading the shotgun rather than having to hunt for the traditional release button on the side of the receiver.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
M-LOK, QD Points, Picatinny Optics Mounting Rail
Since this competition shotgun is based on the A300 Ultima Patrol shotgun, it’s only fitting that it has multiple ways to mount accessories and a red dot optic. The barrel clamp has two QD points, and the forend features M-LOK compatible rail slots. To top off the shotgun, there is a 7-slot 1913 Picatinny optics mounting rail. Learning to aim with a red dot optic can be challenging for pistol shooters moving over from iron sights, but learning to use a dot on a shotgun can be even more of a learning curve.
Zeroing & Understanding Chokes
If you plan to mount a red dot optic on the Beretta shotgun, you will need to sight it in just as you would a pistol red dot optic. The zero is dependent on what shotgun sport you plan to shoot. For example, in 3 Gun competitions, the most challenging shots we must make with a shotgun are 50-100-yard slug targets. For this reason, we zero our shotguns at 50 yards with slug ammunition with the choke we plan to use the most (Improved Cylinder or Light Mod).
Let’s talk about chokes for a second. A shotgun choke controls the spread of the shot by constricting the barrel’s bore at the muzzle. It doesn’t affect muzzle velocity or the distance the shot will shoot, but it does affect the pattern of the shot. A tighter choke will keep the shot together longer, making it great for longer-distance shots, but it requires a better aim to hit your intended target. A more open choke will spread the shot quicker, is better for closer-range shots, and generally is more forgiving on your aim if you don’t have a perfect sight picture. It would help if you understood chokes before you pattern your shotgun.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
Choke Options
Full: A tight constriction that produces a dense pattern of shot distribution. Suitable for hunting turkeys and shooting out to 40 yards or longer.
Modified: A “middle ground” choke between constricted and unconstructed, keeping the shot together longer than an improved cylinder choke. Used for shooting lead at 15-30 yards and steel at 20-35 yards.
Improved Cylinder: A slight constriction that allows the shot to spread quickly. It shoots lead at ranges of 10-25 yards and steel shot at 15-30 yards. (The light modified choke restricts the pattern slightly more, adding another 5 yards of pattern density.)
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
Skeet: This choke is designed to produce a quick spread and is great for close shots, primarily when shooting skeet.
Patterning Your A300 Ultima Competition
The A300 Ultima Competition Shotgun comes with a full and improved cylinder choke. Always pattern your gun with the ammunition you plan to use for sport, competition, or hunting. If you change ammunition, I recommend re-zeroing and patterning your gun again. Patterning your shotgun with each choke you intend to use is the key to successfully understanding your shotgun. There are paper shotgun patterning targets you can buy as well as what’s called a “patterning board” you can find at most skeet and trap ranges.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
To start, I recommend shooting the target or board with your most open choke at 10 yards. Ensure you have a singular aim point on the target (a bullseye, circle, or other visual). The goal is to shoot the same ammo with the same choke at various distances to see how much your pattern widens. Shoot once at each distance, marking each shot circle, or shoot at each distance and then visually inspect your target as a whole. The maximum distance you should shoot from is dependent upon what activity you’re doing. For 3 Gun with the Beretta shotgun, I recommend patterning out to 30 yards and repeating the process for each choke. Pro tip: Take a photo of each target or board representing each choke and store it in a folder you can reference at a competition if you need a visual reminder.
Ammo Selection, Storage, & Loading
Fiocchi Shooting Dynamics 3-Gun
Your ammunition selection might be restricted by what sport you plan to compete in or by what is legal to hunt specific game with. Fiocchi specifically makes shotgun ammunition for 3 Gun competitors. This ammo is 1-1/8 ounce, 7.5 shot, 2 ¾ shells, and shoots 1,200 feet per second. The A300 Ultima Competition shotgun worked reliably with this ammunition and was on target.
Run Gun Ammo Bags
Storing shotgun shells can be complex, especially if you’re trying to separate birdshot, buckshot, and slugs so as not to mix them up. I use Run Gun Ammo Bags to separate each ammunition type and make transportation easy. Mixing ammo is dangerous and can cause damage to targets in competition if you shoot the wrong kind.
Invictus Practical Caddies
If you plan to compete in 3 Gun with a tube-fed shotgun, you will need shotgun caddies to reload the gun on the clock. I recommend Invictus Practical for several reasons. They specifically design caddies for people who quad load and for those who prefer to load doubles only. You can set the caddies up with a cant to angle them toward whatever hand you reload with.
I do strong hand quad loads, so I have my caddies set up at an angle that makes it easy to pull shells off with my right hand. You can set up the caddies on Tek-Lok backers or Safariland ELS forks, depending on what type of competition belt you use. Something I have yet to do is break any of my caddies, and I have physically laid on them in the prone position, dropped them on the ground, tossed them into my range bag without care, and put them through more mistreatment than they deserve. If somehow you manage to break a clip, instead of replacing the entire caddy (like competitors in the market), you can order replacement shell clips and replace the broken one.
Race Ready
Beretta has created a beast of a competition shotgun in the A300 Ultima. With zero modifications needed from the factory, this gun allows a new shooter to immediately start competing with it without any hindrances. Because of its gas-operated system, you can run a variety of ammunition through the shotgun without fear of malfunctions. I wish this shotgun had been around when I first started shooting 3 Gun competitions, as it sure would have made the barrier to entry non-existent.
Specifications: Beretta A300 Ultima Competition
- Action: Semi-Automatic, Gas Operated
- Gauge: 12
- Magazine Capacity: 10+1
- Barrel Length: 24 inches
- Length Overall: 46.75 inches
- Weight: 7.7 pounds
- Rib Type: 7×7 Stepped
- Length of Pull: 14.25 inches
- Sights: Red Fiber Optic front sight with 7-slot 1913 Picatinny Optics Mounting Rail
- MSRP: $1,319.00
WHY OUR ARTICLES/REVIEWS DO NOT HAVE AFFILIATE LINKS
Affiliate links create a financial incentive for writers to promote certain products, which can lead to biased recommendations. This blurs the line between genuine advice and marketing, reducing trust in the content.