We always look at a shotgun relative to its price point, and the Retay ACE 20 gauge gives you a lot of gun for the money. It’s an inertia-driven semi-auto with great controls, a drop-out trigger, and recoil that honestly surprised me for an inertia gun. It has a few rough edges, but at $1,149 for the camo version, it’s hard to nitpick.
In this article
Quick take
Verdict: A hard-working, good-shooting 20 gauge with great controls at a reasonable price, as long as you can live with a heavier trigger and a finish that is as refined as some higher-dollar guns.
Best for: Waterfowl hunters who want a camo sub-gauge, or anyone looking for an all-around 20 gauge semi-auto without breaking the bank.
Skip it if: You want a light trigger for clays, a refined finish, or a raised rib (the ACE Paloma has one).
What stood out on the Retay ACE 20 Gauge
The drop-out trigger
This is one of my favorite things about the gun. Press the button next to the safety and the whole trigger group drops out, which makes field stripping and cleaning about as simple as it gets. The button sits close to the safety, so it takes a firm push, but that’s a small trade for how easy this gun is to break down and put back together.
Controls that make sense
The crossbolt safety sits at the rear of the trigger guard, which is exactly where I like it. I can click it off without changing my whole grip, and I know that’s a debated topic, but for me it just makes more sense. The oversized bolt handle and paddle release are easy to run, and Retay’s Easy Out magazine unloading lets you hit the bolt release and empty the magazine without cycling every shell through the action.
Recoil that’s easy on you
My complaint with inertia guns has generally been that they’re heavier on recoil, and I think Retay has done a phenomenal job here. Between the Inertia Plus action and the AIRY recoil pad, this 20 gauge was comfortable with everything from light target loads to heavy 3″ waterfowl loads. The Inertia Plus rotating bolt also locks fully back into battery, so a bump doesn’t leave you with a gun that won’t fire.
How the Retay ACE 20 Gauge shot
Reliability was exactly what I hoped for. It ran 7/8 oz target loads without a hiccup, which inertia sub-gauge guns don’t always love, and it ran 3″ Federal Speed-Shok just as well. I’ve also had it out duck hunting since filming, and I didn’t have any issues in the field. It shot very well on ducks, and there’s a full hunt video on the way.
Fit is where I had some work to do. Retay lists the length of pull at 14 1/2″ including the shim kit, and out of the box the gun felt short for me, so I sat high on it and my patterns printed high. That’s a fit issue, not a gun issue, and the shim kit is there to fix it, so pattern it and make your adjustments before the season.
The trigger is the one thing I really noticed on clays. It breaks just under 7 lb, which I never thought about while hunting, but when I ran the gun fast on clays I could definitely tell it was heavier than I’d like.
Build quality and finish
Retay owns its own factory in Turkey, so they have complete oversight of how these guns are made, and overall the build quality is good. The fore-end contours feel great in the hands, and the gun is nicely balanced.
Where I’m still calling things into question is the durability of the camo finish. This is a dipped gun, and I noticed a rough edge around the loading port and a small spot on the barrel. Dipped finishes tend to show wear over time, so I’ll be watching how this one holds up with real use.
The loading port could also be a little more refined. The edges are sharp and you have to push shells in deep, which is a pain with a full-size thumb. A lot of 20 gauges share that problem, and this one is no exception.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Drop-out trigger makes cleaning simple
- Great controls with a rear crossbolt safety
- Soft recoil for an inertia gun
- Reliable with light target loads and heavy waterfowl loads
- A lot of gun for the money
Cons
- Heavier trigger, just under 7 lb
- Loading port has sharp edges
- Dipped camo finish may wear over time
Who should buy it
If you want a camo 20 gauge for ducks, I think the Retay ACE 20 gauge is a great option, and it could just as easily be an all-around, all-purpose shotgun. When comparable guns cost $500 to $1,000 more, it’s hard to be nitpicky about a heavier trigger or a loading port that could be smoother.
Compared to the rest of the ACE lineup, the biggest difference here is simply 20 gauge versus 12 gauge. Personally, I still lean toward the ACE Paloma because of its stepped-up rib, but the downside of the Paloma is that it isn’t offered in camo. You can see the full lineup on Retay’s site, and the ACE also comes in 12 and 28 gauge.
Final verdict
Overall, I’ve been really impressed with Retay and the guns they build at the price points they offer. The Retay ACE 20 gauge isn’t as refined in its finish as some higher-dollar guns, but that’s to be expected. What you get is a hard-working, good-shooting shotgun with great controls at a reasonable price. Have you shot a Retay, and how has the finish held up for you?
