Help With a Semiauto for Waterfowl

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orange3

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I'm looking for some real world experience with semi auto's.

I have been using an REM 870 and WIN SXP, (just sent in for the recall!), and I want to look at buying a semi for this years waterfowl season. I've been to a good number of shops and spent way too much time on you tube doing "research." I decided to go with an entry/mid level semi with plans to buy a higher end model in a number of years.
My needs in a semi: (outside of fit)

1. Reliability in all types of waterfowling weather
2. Proven history
3. Prefer the capability of a 3-1/2" gun but not stuck on having it.
4. Camo finish.
5. Price less than $1400.

So far, I have looked at these:

Stoeger M3500, felt ok,
Franchi Infinity, good fit
A300 Outlander, good fit
A300 Xtrema - this model is being discontinued so I'm hesitant, although it shouldered nice and was at the top of my list at one point!
Franchi Intensity, good fit
Versamax, first impressions in the gun shop were not very good, but I will listen to anyone with experience
SX3, lop was a little to small for me, I think you can extend it though?

If anyone has first hand experience with a newer version of any one of these, or better yet can offer a direct comparison of any two, it will go a long way and be of great help

Thanks in advance.
 
I bought a Remington 870 Wingmaster in 1979 at Gobles in London. There is nothing you can do to this gun that will hurt it - I`ve been in mud and loon from James Bay to Alberta and back with no problems. Bought a Beretta semi a few years back - no problems -26 inch barrel - deadly on ducks and geese decoying. Have a 1100 Remington in 20 gauge semi with slug barrel works great for deer. go get em
 
Lead Loader said:
Ive bought a weatherby Sa-08, works like a charm and fits just right and balances well
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I looked at that as well. Never handled one, but because of the price I took it off the list thinking it would not be reliable. How long have you had it?
 
umpherda said:
I bought a Remington 870 Wingmaster in 1979 at Gobles in London. There is nothing you can do to this gun that will hurt it - I`ve been in mud and loon from James Bay to Alberta and back with no problems. Bought a Beretta semi a few years back - no problems -26 inch barrel - deadly on ducks and geese decoying. Have a 1100 Remington in 20 gauge semi with slug barrel works great for deer. go get em
Click to expand...

Which Beretta do you have?
 
orange3 said:
I'm looking for some real world experience with semi auto's.

I have been using an REM 870 and WIN SXP, (just sent in for the recall!), and I want to look at buying a semi for this years waterfowl season. I've been to a good number of shops and spent way too much time on you tube doing "research." I decided to go with an entry/mid level semi with plans to buy a higher end model in a number of years.
My needs in a semi: (outside of fit)

1. Reliability in all types of waterfowling weather
2. Proven history
3. Prefer the capability of a 3-1/2" gun but not stuck on having it.
4. Camo finish.
5. Price less than $1400.

So far, I have looked at these:

Stoeger M3500, felt ok,
Franchi Infinity, good fit
A300 Outlander, good fit
A300 Xtrema - this model is being discontinued so I'm hesitant, although it shouldered nice and was at the top of my list at one point!
Franchi Intensity, good fit
Versamax, first impressions in the gun shop were not very good, but I will listen to anyone with experience
SX3, lop was a little to small for me, I think you can extend it though?

If anyone has first hand experience with a newer version of any one of these, or better yet can offer a direct comparison of any two, it will go a long way and be of great help

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

A couple of important questions about the section I highlighted, when you handled it were you wearing the clothing you wear while duck hunting? Do you intend to hunt late into the bitter cold final days of the season? If you didn't wear your hunting garb or similarly bulky clothing then the slightly short may be an asset, and I believe the SX3 comes with spacers to adjust LOP, and other stock dimensions. In my experience it is easier to extend a synthetic shotgun stock.

From your list I would remove the Stoeger, for the personal fact of not having good experiences with their products in the past and yourself only finding it OK. I would probably scratch the versa max as well not because it isn't good or reliable but because you didn't care for it. I would look very hard at the A300 in particular the Xtrema that was at the top of your list, Beretta has a very good reputation and their guns seem to have enough support behind them that parts if needed are often obtainable. But other than the stoeger I don't think any of them will disapoint you, but I am not familiar with the Franchi Intensity enough to really comment on it.
 
Excellent questions! Yes I plan on hunting right through till the bitter end so the shorter lop would be an asset. The day I handled it I was in a t-shirt and shorts.
You mentioned not having experience with the Franchi Intensity. What about the Affinity? Thanks for the reply.

Jim870 said:
A couple of important questions about the section I highlighted, when you handled it were you wearing the clothing you wear while duck hunting? Do you intend to hunt late into the bitter cold final days of the season? If you didn't wear your hunting garb or similarly bulky clothing then the slightly short may be an asset, and I believe the SX3 comes with spacers to adjust LOP, and other stock dimensions. In my experience it is easier to extend a synthetic shotgun stock.

From your list I would remove the Stoeger, for the personal fact of not having good experiences with their products in the past and yourself only finding it OK. I would probably scratch the versa max as well not because it isn't good or reliable but because you didn't care for it. I would look very hard at the A300 in particular the Xtrema that was at the top of your list, Beretta has a very good reputation and their guns seem to have enough support behind them that parts if needed are often obtainable. But other than the stoeger I don't think any of them will disapoint you, but I am not familiar with the Franchi Intensity enough to really comment on it.
Click to expand...
 
The franchi affinity is a very good semi for its price range, same as the Beretta's you listed and the SX3. Myself I'd pick my top three or five, walk into a store that had them have them hand me them with my eyes closed and walk out with the one that felt best. I also don't feel any need for 3.5" shells and I have guns that will shoot them and have shot them in the past if I ever found myself in a situation where I need more performance than I can get from my 3" steel shells I'll probably pick up some tungsten shells.
 
Xtrema 2-A391 - great shotgun - no probs at all and a variety of loads shot from it so far - goose and duck killer..bought on sale at Cabelas for $1200 = BEST BUY I`ve made since my M44
 
The Baikal is a good gun. It is very field friendly and easy to clean. It runs as well as the other autos in camp. Better than quite a few. I don't think you can beat the price. Was one on EE for $400. Often on sale from different shops & supporters above.
 
I am amazed that nobody has yet to mention the browning Maxus! I have a maxus 3 1/2 and i use it for everything from pigeons to geese and everything in between it has performed awesomly. Only hicup so far is that it dosent like light trap loads in winter weather.
If you have yet to shoulder one i found it shoulders a lot like the sx3
 
If you want a gun with out the need to update down the road buy the Sx3 . As the others have said the lop will be totally different with bulky hunting clothing .from what I have seen the the sx3 is like the energizer bunny it just keeps going and going . Friend of mine has the sporting version with 30 000 ( no typo ) plus rounds through it . It is as solid a gun now as the day he pulled it out of the box new from the store .
 
The Franchi Affinity is defintely a great buy. Goes for around $1100 however i believe it is chambered at 3 inches. The SX3 (according to winchester) is the fastest cycling semi on the market. One thing i have noticed and quite enjoyed about it is that it will take any shell at any time unlike the higher end Benelli's. You can put a 2 3/4, 3 and 3 1/2 all in the gun at the same time and it will fire each one consistently without any jams (at least with the specific one i shot). Another option is the beretta A300 Outlander in Max-4. It sells for $1069.99 at Sail in Vaughan. In my opinion, what other beretta are you going to get for that price? Again, this one is only chambered at 3 ". Just something to think about.

The one thing I like about Sail is its not the big box store like environment you get at Cabelas or Bass Pro. Theres some really knowledgeable people there and they have a gunsmith. If anyone was around back in the 80's they might remember Karls Gunshop in North York. He is their gunsmith and has been a smith for 50 years not including his years as a military armourer.
 
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