First semi Auto Shotgun question.

A dealer had a great deal on the SX-4, so I though I would pick one up for a spare, but after visiting a local store to look at the SX-4, I was very disappointed to see the plastic trigger guard. I did find a dealer that still has a few SX-3s in stock at a good price, so I will pick one of them up instead.

LOL you sound like me. I shoot a x2 a fair amount and bought a second new one way back for a spare and it is still NIB :)
Cheers
 
LOL you sound like me. I shoot a x2 a fair amount and bought a second new one way back for a spare and it is still NIB :)
Cheers

Given the amount of time I spend scouting every week, and then setting up for the hunt, it would really suck to have a gun fail, and not be able to hunt until it could be repaired. Not that I have had any failures with the SX-3, but there isn't a shotgun made, that can't fail.
 
Only Semi Auto I own is a remington Versa-Max that I got new for less than $700 at a store closing blow out sale. Very impressed with it. I know these go for more than the others and is more than you $900 gift card, but they are worth a serious look.
 
Hey guys, those are all fantastic posts. All much appreciated. I live 1700 km from the nearest cabela's so I may just suck it up and wait till summer and grab one then. Sounds like best practice is to handle all the shotguns I'm interested in. I guess I could always post a EE add looking for a used shotgun in exchange for gift cards but there is a higher level of trust there.

Thanks again!
 
Given the amount of time I spend scouting every week, and then setting up for the hunt, it would really suck to have a gun fail, and not be able to hunt until it could be repaired. Not that I have had any failures with the SX-3, but there isn't a shotgun made, that can't fail.

LOL plus with me and my hording issues :) it seems I have to have two of just about everything in my life except a woman :)
That being said just own one x3 which is a great gun but two old 12 ga golds in 3 1/2 plus the x2's
Years ago I went out of province for a guided goose hunt with a new semi versa max and no back up, 7 rounds into the hunt it failed and I said never again . There will be two the exact same guns coming with me from now on and there has been
Cheers
 
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Hey guys, those are all fantastic posts. All much appreciated. I live 1700 km from the nearest cabela's so I may just suck it up and wait till summer and grab one then. Sounds like best practice is to handle all the shotguns I'm interested in. I guess I could always post a EE add looking for a used shotgun in exchange for gift cards but there is a higher level of trust there.

Thanks again!

Sounds like you have a good plan
Let us know when you do buy one and what you went with
Take care
 
I’ve heard mostly positive about the SX4, The Franchi is lighter but probably a bit harder on the shoulder with 3.5 shells. I’m interested in the new 20 gauge SX4.
 
I’ve heard mostly positive about the SX4, The Franchi is lighter but probably a bit harder on the shoulder with 3.5 shells. I’m interested in the new 20 gauge SX4.



I am actually just leaving the local dealer with a 12 gauge SX-3. I compared the SX-3 and the SX-4, and I much prefer the metal trigger guard of the SX-3, and the SX-3 stocks feel sturdier. Even the Choke wrench that comes with the SX-4 is cheap. And with a good discount, the SX-3 was cheaper at $1029 for the camo version.
 
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Just like a lot of folks said, SX4 and Affinity would the ones that I'd take a closer look to, because these are brands have proved to be reliable in the field for me (never owned SX4 or Affinity myself though). The SX4 is a gas operated while the franchi is an inertia driven. My friend had an SX4 and it was hard to clean but was softer shooting. Another friend of mine has the franchi and it's easier to clean but harder on the shoulder. I never really liked stoeger shotguns, but that is just a personal opinion.

If you plan on using it a lot for clays and that you do not need the 3 1/2 hunting shotshells to make great hunts, I'd stick with a 3" chambered gun so it will cycle better every type of loads.

If you plan on using 3 1/2" shells a lot, I'd take a closer look at the Mossberg 935 too as it is advertised on their website as being overbored to 10 gauge dimensions. This would theoretically produce nicer patterns in 3 1/2" shells than the other shotguns overbored or not.
 
I am actually just leaving the local dealer with a 12 gauge SX-3. I compared the SX-3 and the SX-4, and I much prefer the metal trigger guard of the SX-3, and the SX-3 stocks feel sturdier. Even the Choke wrench that comes with the SX-4 is cheap. And with a good discount, the SX-3 was cheaper at $1029 for the camo version.

That’s a good deal !
 
I am actually just leaving the local dealer with a 12 gauge SX-3. I compared the SX-3 and the SX-4, and I much prefer the metal trigger guard of the SX-3, and the SX-3 stocks feel sturdier. Even the Choke wrench that comes with the SX-4 is cheap. And with a good discount, the SX-3 was cheaper at $1029 for the camo version.

You did good. I think there's a reason why the SX4 is typically less to buy than the SX3, they shaved costs on a few little things.
 
I am actually just leaving the local dealer with a 12 gauge SX-3. I compared the SX-3 and the SX-4, and I much prefer the metal trigger guard of the SX-3, and the SX-3 stocks feel sturdier. Even the Choke wrench that comes with the SX-4 is cheap. And with a good discount, the SX-3 was cheaper at $1029 for the camo version.

Congrats. I hear they work real good :)
 
Just like a lot of folks said, SX4 and Affinity would the ones that I'd take a closer look to, because these are brands have proved to be reliable in the field for me (never owned SX4 or Affinity myself though). The SX4 is a gas operated while the franchi is an inertia driven. My friend had an SX4 and it was hard to clean but was softer shooting. Another friend of mine has the franchi and it's easier to clean but harder on the shoulder. I never really liked stoeger shotguns, but that is just a personal opinion.

If you plan on using it a lot for clays and that you do not need the 3 1/2 hunting shotshells to make great hunts, I'd stick with a 3" chambered gun so it will cycle better every type of loads.

If you plan on using 3 1/2" shells a lot, I'd take a closer look at the Mossberg 935 too as it is advertised on their website as being overbored to 10 gauge dimensions. This would theoretically produce nicer patterns in 3 1/2" shells than the other shotguns overbored or not.

I agree about the Mossberg 935. I have owned more 12g guns than I can recount and my Mossberg 935 has been the one that has patterned the best. This is the primary reason why I still own it and why its my go to for turkey and waterfowl hunting. It also throws ridiculous patterns with buck shot if one was into deer hunting.

My 935 cycles 2 3/4” shells well, but I would suggest that if the OP decides on a Mossberg but doesnt have intentions of shooting 3.5” shells, the Mossberg 930 would be a better alternative.

I still own both inertia and gas shotguns but for an all round shotgun, my prefererence would be a gas gun. I like the SX3 but chose to buy a Browning Silver instead. The gas system is identical on both guns, but I preferred the semi humpback design of the Silver, and much preferred the gloss bluing and gloss walnut stocks over the matte finishes on the SX3. And while those fancy finishes wont matter much on a camo gun anyway, I felt that the Silver was a more comfortable gun to shoulder and the semi humpback receiver helped my sight plane
 
I am actually just leaving the local dealer with a 12 gauge SX-3. I compared the SX-3 and the SX-4, and I much prefer the metal trigger guard of the SX-3, and the SX-3 stocks feel sturdier. Even the Choke wrench that comes with the SX-4 is cheap. And with a good discount, the SX-3 was cheaper at $1029 for the camo version.

Sorry didn't see your post before posting mine! Great deal, nice gun you bought yourself.
 
Sorry didn't see your post before posting mine! Great deal, nice gun you bought yourself.

It's basically a spare for waterfowl hunting, but it will see some use shooting skeet when it rains. It's actually my third SX-3. After handling the SX-4, I decided to get a spare, while there were still some SX-3s available.
 
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