The Beretta A300 Ultima is the only gas-operated gun in this batch, and that single design choice drives most of what's different about it. Gas operation taps propellant pressure from the barrel to cycle the action, which means the A300 will reliably cycle 1-oz target loads at 1,150 fps where inertia-driven guns like the Benelli M2 (107 oz, $1,399) typically need 1,250 fps minimum to function. For a hunter who shoots both light dove loads and heavy 3-inch waterfowl shells without wanting to think about whether the gun will run, that flexibility is the practical selling point. The 7075-T6 aluminum-alloy receiver and the gas piston assembly add complexity over inertia designs — more parts to clean, more carbon to manage — but the cycling envelope is genuinely wider.

The other distinguishing element is the Kick-Off recoil-reduction system, which sits inside the buttstock. It uses two hydraulic dampeners (the A400 Xtreme adds a third) to spread the recoil impulse over a longer duration. The shoulder reads this as less sharp rather than as less recoil energy overall — reviewers from Outdoor Life and Shooting Illustrated have consistently described the felt-recoil reduction as real and noticeable, particularly when shooting back-to-back 3-inch magnums. At 121.92 oz (7.6 lbs) the A300 carries more mass than the 6.7-lb Benelli M2 Tactical or the 6.8-lb Browning A5, and that extra weight contributes to the soft-shooting character.

Buy the A300 Ultima if you shoot mixed loads in a season (target and field), if you find inertia guns uncomfortable on long days, or if you want a reversible cross-bolt safety from the factory — most cross-bolt safety guns require an aftermarket part to swap for lefty use. Skip it if you want the lightest possible 12-gauge for upland walking, or if you prefer the simpler maintenance profile of an inertia action. The Stoeger M3000 at half the MSRP gives you inertia simplicity; the Benelli M2 gives you premium inertia at roughly $400-500 more. The A300 occupies the gas-operated middle ground that neither of those does.