What would be your choice of shotgun if you was only going to buy one? Would you pick a Remington 870, Benelli Super Black Eagle II , Winchester etc ...
Shotguns
- Thread starter Rabbitkil
- Start date
The best advice you can get is to go hold (and shoot if possible) as many as you can. Get what feels best to you.
Don't get a certain gun because it's the coolest or because everyone else likes them.
My Browning A5 is what I prefer, but I wouldn't say it's "better" than a Benelli or anything else. It's just what fits me best.
Don't get a certain gun because it's the coolest or because everyone else likes them.
My Browning A5 is what I prefer, but I wouldn't say it's "better" than a Benelli or anything else. It's just what fits me best.
DaveB
Well-Known Member
TNReb":26cs7vn3 said:
Oh Boy is this ever the best advice you will get.
I had a Remmie 1100 that was great but it was stolen in a burglary. I bought an 11-87 SP that will kill elephants and T-Rex's with one shot and a recoil to match.
Get your duck clothes on and shoulder the weapon and, if you can, shoot it. The rib come to your eye natural like or you have to move your head around like a chicken pecking rocks? You get the rear sight and the front bead lined up QUICK?
Check the weight. Can you fire and work the action with the gun mounted and not lose your sight picture totally? If not, look to the autoloaders.
Check barrel length. With today's steel, you really need a 32" barrel? or a 30? You only going to shoot dove? I heard that story, check the 7's, check some highbase 4's, check some T-steel. You might get invited to kill some geese and you don't want to end up with a dead shoulder from the recoil.
See if you think you can shoot, kill a bird, and swing on the next one as smooth as you want it to be.
Best of luck
Check out the Browning BPS... IMO the most versatile shotgun out there. Barrels are easy to find, 26" 28" 30" and slug barrels are readily available. Plus, for me, i shoot left handed so the BPS is as ambidextrous as you can get, (bottom load, bottom eject, and backstrap safety)
The way the gun fits is important but fit don't mean crap is the gun is junk.
To answer you're question, for a pump, the 870 will always be the front runner. For a semi auto, the beretta A400 is the best on the market currently followed by the sx3 or the maxus (they're basically same gun). Been burnt too many times by benelli from the one I owned and the ones I've been around so I'm not real fond of them. I wouldn't take a sbe if you gave it to me. But I would take a M1 in a heartbeat.
To answer you're question, for a pump, the 870 will always be the front runner. For a semi auto, the beretta A400 is the best on the market currently followed by the sx3 or the maxus (they're basically same gun). Been burnt too many times by benelli from the one I owned and the ones I've been around so I'm not real fond of them. I wouldn't take a sbe if you gave it to me. But I would take a M1 in a heartbeat.
agaree with REB, the Benelli M2 and SBE2 fit me like a glove and I have shot a TON of them. there may be better and there may be worse then those but they are the ones I felt the most comfortable with and wouldnt trade for anything else.
rukiddin":1a50xw7g said:
what makes those the "BEST" on the market? your opinion or some other opinions? Sure there are tiers of guns and those are in the top production guns along with the versa max. Ive shot benellis for a long time and never had an issue out of mine that wasnt due to poor cleaning on my part after a long season nor have my buddies that shoot them.
The ones listed are all very good guns for sure though.
SX3/SX4
Benelli M2/SBE2/Vinci
Beretta A400
Maxus
A5
those are all in the same tier and all close to the same money to get one. If money isnt the issue then start with those and see which you like the best, one thing to keep in mind is the ease to break down and clean as well as aftermarket parts if you plan on getting in. Some of those are hard to get certain parts for. I personally dont care for berettas/maxus because they feel bulky to me and the SX3 is hard to even find aftermarket recoil pads for among other things. I also highly prefer inertia guns due to ease of taking apart but again thats my personal opinion.
I guess I should've put the "IMO" behind my list. To me what makes the A400 the best is years of seeing every kind of shotgun made put through its paces on a skeet field and sporting clays course. It don't take long to recognize quality when you're seeing cases ran through a gun Every weekend. I know birdshot is not the same as steel/magnum loads but I can't for the life of me understand why you pay the money for a sbe2 or 3 for a gun that is notorious for needing 1-1/8oz + loads to function reliably. To me, target loads are the best meter to determine what kind of quality you're dealing with when it comes to semi's. A semi that can handle the lightest target load flawlessly should never have an issue with a magnum load. The A400 is the fastest cycling shotgun I have ever seen and although I'm sure it's happened, I have never seen one failure. Not saying it don't happen, But if I personally watched 4 or 5 A400's fire literally tens of thousands of rounds, over several years without any issues, then yes, I will confidently tell you it's the best.
totally get what you are saying rukiddin and I didn't mean for my previous post to come off as harsh or anything. My point is "best" is subject to opinion for the most part and even in your other example of years of target shooting its still a super small sample size compared to the number of people who shoot all of the guns mentioned. I personally have never had a single issue in shooting light loads out of my benelli's but again thats just me and a few buddies I know that shoot them a lot. I am sure if i do a google search I can find issues with any gun including the A400 as no gun mass produced is without issue. You have a good example of how your opinon was formed so I can respect that, I dont personally agree but thats what makes good shotguns fun to discuss because people all have different experiences with them depending on how they use them.
If a man was to never get into trap or light load shooting and only plans to duck and turkey hunt with it then others may do a better job or feel better to do those jobs. Thats why I always recommend get the gun that fits what your intentions are and fits you good so you can build confidence in it quickly. No reason to have a $2000 OU if you are just wanting to duck hunt with it as that will destroy that gun (unless $2000 is pennies to you lol)
I have used shotguns a lot over my 40 years in a bunch of different hunting/trap types shooting and I have used everyone of them I listed above. The SBE2 FOR me is my favorite personally but that doesnt mean its the "best" or will feel the same to anyone else.
If a man was to never get into trap or light load shooting and only plans to duck and turkey hunt with it then others may do a better job or feel better to do those jobs. Thats why I always recommend get the gun that fits what your intentions are and fits you good so you can build confidence in it quickly. No reason to have a $2000 OU if you are just wanting to duck hunt with it as that will destroy that gun (unless $2000 is pennies to you lol)
I have used shotguns a lot over my 40 years in a bunch of different hunting/trap types shooting and I have used everyone of them I listed above. The SBE2 FOR me is my favorite personally but that doesnt mean its the "best" or will feel the same to anyone else.
infoman jr.
Well-Known Member
Having taken part in many shotgun field tests that comprised tens of thousands of rounds using 40+ ammo types, I can tell you that target loads are the easy part. Often times, if a gun is designed to run 1oz loads like a sewing machine, they take a beating with 3.5s. It takes some pretty fancy compensation to run both well.rukiddin":1sm4m4ie said:
REN":2jb2rpdg said:
Yeah. But the difference in my opinion vs yours is mine is right........Hahahahaha. I'm just messing with ya.
I'm a self proclaimed shotgun snob. I'm opposite most people because to me a rifle is nothing more than a tool and a shotgun is where the fun is at. I just saw so many guys trying to get into clays and bring their hunting guns or go buy a cheap over/under. I have seen guns literally fall to pieces after about the first 2500 rounds. Yeah those guns fit them well and the guys actually shot them well but a gun don't break clays if it's in pieces in the grass. Haha
I'm a 28 gauge fan and eventually I'll probably get an ethos in 28. So I'm not completely anti benelli!!! They handle and fit me perfect but I just couldn't never get one to function reliably or stay in one piece. I shot o/u 's for years because I never felt like there was not a semi on the market that was flawless. After a few years, I bought a A400 and a sx3 20 gauge and have not been disappointed. But like you stated, it's all relative to what it'll be used for!
SKFOOTER
Well-Known Member
Don't overlook the Franchi Intensity. Franchi discontinued them last year when they started offering the Affinity in 3.5" but theyr're still available if you look for them.
