Need a new Semi Auto shotgun!

[GTN]

I have a SBE II that is a little over 8 years old. It has been put through absolute hell. Round count is around 10,000 rounds through it and has never let me down. I hunt salt marsh to the muddy snow geese fields as well. I shoot alot of 3.5'' shells as well. This gun fits me better than any of the others but that doesn't mean it will fit you the same. I would buy what fits me the best, I think all the major brands are probably pretty good guns just get what fits YOU.

I have only dealt with Benelli customer service once to order a new butt pad but they were great then and have never heard anything but great things from others.

 

[boltactiondave284]

The shotguns you mentioned are all good ones , I have a Remington 1187 that has been my Number One for years without any problem , just take good care of and clean it after each use and you should be fine . I wish you a Wonderful Hunting Season .

 

[Jsmith410]

I shoot a Benelli the majority of the time and love it. Beretta are great too, especially if you're recoil sensitive. I personally would stay away from the Browning Maxus just due to the fact I have 2 hunting buddies that have had to send theirs back two and three times.

 

[StrutNut]

Fit is everything as most shotguns are very good. I too will not go back to a 3.5 inch, you just dont need it. I have shot Benelli's Berretta's ( love the gun, hate the safety location) Winchesters, Brownings and many more as my family runs a gun shop. I just gave my Winchester Super X3 to my son. Very light weight and very low recoil. I saw him shoot it and he was hitting so well with it I just gave it to him for xmas. At the end of the day I went back and picked up the one autoloader that has served me so well over the years. Its not light, not fancy, doesnt shoot 3.5 inch rounds but arguably the finest autoloader ever made. The original Browning A5 12 gauge magnum. I got one beat up for $300 that I painted up and runs like a champ. That hump back is not for everyone and I have a A5 20 for upland so the weight isnt an issue. I love the hump backs and this one will be my go to shotgun for a while.

 

[Lrt307]

Depending on what your doing with the gun is most important. If you are hunting magnum sized Canadian Geese Beretta extrema ll and a400 xtreme are very hard to beat. The 3.5 bb black cloud does the number. Add a long range choke tube and they dont stand a chance @ 60 yds.

 

[darreljwick]

StrutNut;]Fit is everything

Strutnut nailed it -This is the most important element to felt recoil. FIT - is the sum of the mount, swing to target and the shot. There are a lot of guns that seem to feel great until you pull the trigger. If possible, actually shooting some clays with an identical gun is best. As far as autos, with maintenance, they will all work for you. Personally, I still shoot my 1976, 870 that I've had since new. I hand load 2-3/4" , shoot a tight choke and see the need for nothing more. Best of luck.....Darrel

 

[vegas steve]

most of the newer high end guns are just too expensive for me to beat up in the field so for a hunting autoloader i use a winchester sx2.ive had many 1187s and wd always have an o ring fail on me when i needed the gun to work.ive owned a beretta al391 that functioned flawlessly but felt really long to me.another gun that i feel is a practical buy is the stoeger m3500.comfortable,dependable,no frill get er done gun.

 

[excaliber]

I have two 12 ga Rem 1187's with 3" chambers that I've had since 1985 and 1996. Both of these guns have been super reliable over the years.
I've never once wished I had a 3.5" chamber as we kill all our Geese at super close range in the decoys.

I'm not sure how many shot shells have been through these guns but they just keep on ticking.
These guns just fit me perfectly and just flat out hammer things. I'll have these till I die.

 

[duckhunter175]

I had the chance to spend several days in Arkansas this season and shoot several brand new autoloaders.

The biggest difference is to decide whether you want an inertia driven action (SBEII, Vinci, Franchi, A5) or a gas system (Maxus, SX3, A400, etc) The gas systems typically recoil much lighter but they are heavier, more mechanical and some say more prone to malfunctions.

That said-- I hunted with a brand new SBEII, Beretta A400 with Kick Off, Browning A5, Winchester SX3 and Browning Maxus.

The lightest and most responsive and naturally pointing gun of them all was the Benelli SBEII hands down. And this is probably why you see them as the most common duck gun of all times (besides a Remington 870). You won't really notice the recoil in a duck blind... you might if you gear up with slugs and you will definitely feel it patterning your turkey loads.

The Beretta A400 w/ KO system was by far the lightest recoiling semi-auto I have ever fired. I didn't notice the 'twang' that some people say happens with the pneumatic system in the stock.

The A5, SX3 and Maxus all performed fine but didn't have the outstanding notes of the SBEII and A400.

Good luck, let us know what you pick!

 

[Jeremyc]

I wanted a SBEII for the longest time and then bought a SX3. Now, you couldn't pay me to shoot a SBEII. I had to shim the sx3 to fit and have to maintain (i.e. clean it), but I have friends that shoot benelli's and they jam on them. I prefer my sx3 myself

 

[duckhunter175]

I wanted a SBEII for the longest time and then bought a SX3. Now, you couldn't pay me to shoot a SBEII. I had to shim the sx3 to fit and have to maintain (i.e. clean it), but I have friends that shoot benelli's and they jam on them. I prefer my sx3 myself

SX3 shares the great gas system that the Maxus has and that gun has a cult following. The SX3 is the better priced version of the same gun... with a magazine tube that you can extend for snow geese, 3 gun, etc etc.

If you are going to dedicate this gun to ducks/geese/turkeys and shoot only 3" or 3.5" then I would recommend taking a hard look at the Sure-Cycle recoil systems, they replace the tube and buffer spring in the buttstock with a stainless version and they send two different springs. A lighter, OEM-spec spring and a heavy spring that reduces recoil significantly on heavy loads but it is so strong you can't cycle 2 3/4" through it.

I put one on my Maxus and loved it... oh did i mention it is stainless so if your gun gets dunked it won't rust out the way the OEM parts did on mine....

 

[Jeremyc]

SX3 shares the great gas system that the Maxus has and that gun has a cult following. The SX3 is the better priced version of the same gun... with a magazine tube that you can extend for snow geese, 3 gun, etc etc.

If you are going to dedicate this gun to ducks/geese/turkeys and shoot only 3" or 3.5" then I would recommend taking a hard look at the Sure-Cycle recoil systems, they replace the tube and buffer spring in the buttstock with a stainless version and they send two different springs. A lighter, OEM-spec spring and a heavy spring that reduces recoil significantly on heavy loads but it is so strong you can't cycle 2 3/4" through it.

I put one on my Maxus and loved it... oh did i mention it is stainless so if your gun gets dunked it won't rust out the way the OEM parts did on mine....

I will have to check that out. It is my goose gun and I don't think I have ever shot a2-3/4" shell through it

 

[North Idaho]

Couple of my buds got the stoeger 3000 .They like em.My cousin has the vinci ,sweet gun, he likes it. I got the Franchi intensity.

 

[jroc]

SX3 gets my vote. I've put more than 800 3.5" Blind Sides BB's through it in the last 2 years and not 1 hiccup. Ever.
Briley mag extension it hold 8 3.5's. Run about 50 2.75's through it recently with #8's at the gun club and same thing. I really like it.