A400 vs. SBE3

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Nut3lla

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Hello all,

Looking into buying my first shotgun and I believe I have narrowed it down to the a400 or SBE3. Any advice or input to help me decide on the winner.

My goals with the gun would be hunting and hopefully trap/skeet when I get into a club.

Thanks in advance
 
Handle and try shooting both. The one that fits is the one to buy. Fit is everything in shooting scatterguns!
 
They fit dramatically different, even using the shims, the SBE3, will have more drop at comb. The A400 will cycle light loads more reliably, and will produce less felt recoil, but will require a little more cleaning.
 
My later model SBE3 will cycle every load you put in it from the lightest target to the heaviest 3.5", mix them or match them it doesn't matter. :)

I like the fit, feel and lighter weight of the SBE3 over the A400... my usage is primarily hunting with a small amount of back yard clays, no high volume club shooting.
 
I've had both. The fit is quite different as noted, though fit can be adjusted on both to varying degrees. If you handle both, you'll know quickly what you prefer I suspect.

The SBE3 fits and handles better for me. It is a lighter, more compact package with a simpler mechanism so I strongly prefer it for the field. I never shoot 3.5" shells though. If it was just a sporting clay gun, I might be more tempted by the Beretta, but I use O/Us for that. I still have the SBE3 (and a Maxus 2), and sold the Beretta.
 
FYI, after working with shims to adjust drop at comb, on a few shotguns, I found that the change in angle of the comb was a factor that I hadn't considered, but that was significant. I could get the drop at comb that I needed with the A400 , but the comb was then so steeply angled. that I found it uncomfortable, and I started feeling cheek slap as well.
 
I got a used beretta a400 multi target here off the EE and it had been working great
I can actually hit clays with the thing so I’m happy lol
 
I have had both as well as a Browning gold in 12.The gold was IMHO probably the nicest of the three but all were fine hunting guns. Use the Gold 20g now for ducks and it has never failed .
 
Personally I have had both but only have the A400 yet, it just fit better and will cycle anything I put in it, it is a dedicated bird gun as I have dedicated clay guns, I only ran about 50 light target loads through it just to ensure it cycled properly which it did and it smashed targets with authority. I did have an A400 sporting for a while and it was a great gun however I prefer solid frame guns for clays
 
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