13-Aug-2026
Ask a wildfowler or pigeon shooter to name the semi-autos that matter and the same few guns come up every time: the Beretta A400, the Benelli M2, and Browning’s Maxus. The original Maxus earned a loyal following in Britain for its soft shooting and quick handling, but it always had its critics, chiefly on looks and the feel of some of the furniture. The Maxus 2 is Browning’s answer, and it is a more thorough reworking than the name suggests.
If you’re weighing one up on the used racks or considering a new gun ahead of the season, here’s what the Maxus 2 does well, where it still divides opinion, and how it stacks up against its obvious rivals in the UK market.
What changed from the original Maxus?
The Maxus 2 keeps the gas-operated action that made the first gun such a pleasant thing to shoot, but almost everything you touch has been revised. The stock and forend were reshaped with a slimmer grip and a more open radius, making the gun point more naturally for a wider range of shooters. Browning added a soft over-moulded grip panel on the composite versions, an enlarged trigger guard that’s genuinely usable with gloves, a small thing that matters a great deal on a January foreshore, and an oversized bolt handle and bolt release.
The gas system remains the star. Browning’s Power Drive system uses larger exhaust ports to dump excess gas quickly with heavy loads, while an extended piston range helps cycle lighter cartridges reliably. In practice, that means one gun that will happily digest 28-gram clay loads on a Sunday and heavier steel wildfowling loads the following weekend.
Handling and recoil
This is where the Maxus 2 makes its case. Gas guns are softer-shooting than inertia guns as a rule, and the Maxus 2 is soft even by gas-gun standards. The combination of the gas system, a well-designed recoil pad and sensible weight distribution makes it an easy gun to shoot a lot, whether that’s a heavy day on pigeons or a long flight line session.
The balance sits just ahead of the action, giving the gun a lively but controllable swing. It’s noticeably quicker to the shoulder than many older semi-autos, and the slimmed-down forend helps shooters with smaller hands, something the original Maxus was criticised for. At around 3.1–3.2 kg in composite form, it carries well on a long walk round the hedgerows without feeling whippy when a fast crosser appears.
Build quality and finish
The receiver is aluminium alloy, keeping weight down, with a hard-wearing finish on the working parts. UK buyers typically see two main flavours: the composite model, often in a camouflage or all-black finish aimed squarely at wildfowlers and pigeon shooters, and wood-stocked versions for those who want a semi-auto that doesn’t look out of place on a more traditional day.
Fit and finish are a clear step up from the first Maxus. The chequering and grip panels are well executed, the action is smooth out of the box, and the trigger, never a strong point on budget semi-autos, is crisp enough that you won’t think about it, which is exactly what you want. As with any gas gun, the piston and magazine tube need regular cleaning to stay reliable; treat it to a strip-down after wet or high-volume days and it will repay you.
Maxus 2 vs Beretta A400: The big question
Most UK buyers cross-shop these two, and there’s no wrong answer. The Beretta A400 has the edge in perceived refinement, and its Blink action is famously fast-cycling. The Maxus 2 counters with softer felt recoil for many shooters, a simpler gas system to maintain, and, depending on the deal, a keener price, particularly on the used market. Browning’s speed-loading feature, where a cartridge fed into the magazine goes straight to the chamber, is also a genuine convenience the Beretta doesn’t match.
Handle both if you can. Shooters with longer arms often prefer the Browning’s grip geometry; dedicated clay shooters who want a semi-auto tend towards the A400 range. For a mixed bag of pigeons, wildfowl, and the odd clay session, the Maxus 2 is arguably the more versatile all-rounder. You can read our fuller thoughts on the Beretta in our Beretta A400 guide.
What should you pay in the UK?
New prices vary by grade and finish, with camo composite models typically the entry point and wood-stocked versions commanding more. The used market is where the value lies: original Maxus guns now look genuinely cheap for what they are, and early Maxus 2 examples are starting to appear at sensible money as shooters trade up or change discipline.
Condition matters more than age with gas guns. Check the gas ports and piston for neglect, confirm the chokes and key are present, and favour guns with evidence of regular cleaning. Browse the current Browning Maxus 2 listings on Rightgun to get a feel for real asking prices and compare against the original Maxus if you’re happy with the older pattern.
Who is the Maxus 2 for?
It’s a working gun in the best sense. Wildfowlers get a weatherproof, soft-shooting 3.5"-chambered tool (on the relevant models) that shrugs off salt marsh conditions with basic care. Pigeon shooters get fast handling and low recoil over big bags. Rough shooters get a light-carrying semi-auto that cycles almost anything. Remember that semi-automatic shotguns held on a standard UK shotgun certificate must be limited to a two-plus-one capacity, as sold configured for Section 2, while higher-capacity versions require a Section 1 firearm certificate.
If your shooting is mostly driven game, an over-and-under still makes more sense socially and practically, see our guide to the Browning B525 and B725 for that side of the family.
FAQs
Is the Browning Maxus 2 legal in the UK? Yes. In its standard UK configuration with a restricted magazine (two in the magazine, one in the chamber) it’s held on a shotgun certificate like any other Section 2 shotgun. Unrestricted-capacity versions fall under Section 1 and need a firearm certificate.
Is the Maxus 2 good for clay shooting? It’s more than capable for sporting clays and informal practice, and its low recoil is a real advantage over a long day. Dedicated competition shooters usually still choose an over-and-under or a clay-specific semi-auto, but as a crossover gun, it acquits itself well.
What’s the difference between the Maxus 2 and the original Maxus? The action concept is the same, but the Maxus 2 has a reshaped stock and slimmer forend, a soft grip insert, an enlarged trigger guard and bolt handle, improved finish options, and small refinements throughout. Original Maxus guns remain excellent value used.
How reliable is the Browning Maxus 2? Very, provided it’s kept clean. Gas systems collect carbon, so a regular strip and clean of the piston and magazine tube is the difference between a gun that runs everything and one that starts short-cycling light loads.
Find your Maxus 2 on Rightgun.uk
The Maxus 2 deserves its momentum: it fixes the original gun’s weak points, shoots as softly as anything in its class, and works as hard as any gun in the cabinet. If that sounds like your kind of shotgun, browse Browning Maxus 2 guns for sale from trusted UK sellers on Rightgun, or explore the full range of shotguns for sale to compare it against its rivals before you decide.
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