Want a new value-for-money over/under but you don’t want to get beat up by recoil? Mossberg has just the thing, adding the 20 gauge Gold Reserve over/under to their shotgun lineup. Previously, the Gold Reserve series was built around the 12 gauge offering, with a .410 also available. The 20 gauge option is the next logical progression.

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Mossberg says it’s a “sporting” shotgun, and that it’s also “designed to impress and perform in the field” and “competition-ready.” A shotgun for upland hunting, clay shooting or duck-busting, according to the marketeers, although we’d imagine most serious waterfowlers would opt for something a lot less flashy.

And it sure is good-looking, at least in photos. Can the Gold Reserve back up those looks with solid dependability? Can you expect the same long-term reliability as a B-gun? The only way to find out for sure is to buy one and put a few dozen flats of shells through it, but these Turkish-built doubles do have a reputation for offering a lot of bang for your buck.

Or as Mossberg themselves tell us: “Gold Reserve O/U shotguns have hand-selected, Grade A black walnut stocks with satin finish; cut-checkering on the grip and forend; dual-locking lugs; scroll engraved polished silver receiver with gold inlays; and polished-blue barrel finish. Standard features include vent rib barrels (10mm wide); shell ejectors; front bead sight; and extended and checkered Sport Set of 5 choke tubes (Skeet, Improved Cylinder, Modified, Improved Modified and Full). And the bore and chamber are chrome lined for corrosion resistance.”

With three gauges in the lineup, how long until we see a 28 gauge, for competitive shooters who want a complete set, or a 16 gauge for the upland hunter? (Mossberg)

Everything you want in a useful sporting shotgun then. Like the rest of the Gold Reserve series, it is a beautiful over/under that shows just how far the Turkish manufacturers have come over the past few years, particularly the past two decades. Modern manufacturing equipment combined with low labor costs allows Turkey’s manufacturers to keep pricing affordable. American firearms marques (Mossberg isn’t the only one doing business in Turkey!) are able to import well-made, reliable shotguns and rifles and pass those savings on to consumers. It’s as old as the firearms industry itself; the only difference is the country of origin has changed.

The barrel length on the 20 gauge Gold Reserve is 30 inches; the shotgun weighs 7 pounds. It’s 47 inches long overall, with a 14-inch length-of-pull. MSRP is $1,135 in the US. Find more details at Mossberg’s website.