Best 12ga autoloader?

It would be a tough choice for me say which auto loading gun is best among the Beretta; Benelli & Browning guns. They are all good reliable shotguns, it's a matter of which feels & fits best..

I enjoy both my 12 ga Beretta 391 Gold Sporting & Browning Auto 5 light 20 ga.
 
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badboybeeson said:
m1,2 or 4 all depends what u want it for , i would buy no other semi.
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I would buy other semi autos, and because I have and tried others including the benelli guns, I know they are good, but not the only show in town. I agree with the guy who said that they are over priced.
 
The best autoloading shotgun is the Cosmi. Handmade, very expensive.

http://www.cosmi.net/

For clays the best is the Beretta 391, very closely followed by the Browning Gold.

In the field the Benelli is slightly better than the 391 although I'd rather have an Extrema for shooting 3-1/2" shells. For 3" shells and under a Benelli M2 would be my choice.

These are the cream of the crop.
 
Of the half dozen or so I've owned, I prefer the Beretta 391PT, Winchester Super X-1 and Remington 58SC as target guns. For a field gun, I'd consider the Benelli Cordoba, although I'm not partial to porting, I could live with it.
 
HuskyMusky said:
Sorry Guys but your all wrong....Remington 1100, it`s the only way to go.:)
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I have owned 2 1100s and believe me they are far from the best. Sure they work and they will cycle well but require way more maintenance than any other semi auto I have owned (any modern semi anyway)

While I do not care for the Berettas I would rate Beretta, Bennelli, Baikal and Browning as the best commonly available auto loader. I guess if it starts with a "B" it must be good, lol.
 
What I am wondering is how Baikal has been listed so many times. Sure the Baikal may be the best option for someone who doesn't want to spend that much money, but they in no way belong in the same category of autoloaders as the Brownings, Berettas, Benellis or even the Remingtons. Take apart any of these guns and you will see a major difference between them and a Baikal. Now of course, they shoot and kill ducks or anything else you might be after but the level of craftmanship, quality and engineering does not compare with these other brands. Cheap and value are never words used to describe the best, they are mutually exclusive.

Patrick
 
phinton81 said:
What I am wondering is how Baikal has been listed so many times. Sure the Baikal may be the best option for someone who doesn't want to spend that much money, but they in no way belong in the same category of autoloaders as the Brownings, Berettas, Benellis or even the Remingtons. Take apart any of these guns and you will see a major difference between them and a Baikal. Now of course, they shoot and kill ducks or anything else you might be after but the level of craftmanship, quality and engineering does not compare with these other brands. Cheap and value are never words used to describe the best, they are mutually exclusive.

Patrick
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Have you ever taken apart a Baikal? The major difference between the Baikal and the Beretta is that the Baikal has steel where the Beretta has plastic.

I traded my Browning Gold (which in my opinion is far superior to a Remington) even steven for a Baikal and I am very happy with my decision, I firmly believe the MP-153 is a better gun that the gold. Tough as nails, no issues with them and VERY affordable, the shop here on PEI sells them for $475. I believe Beretta, Bennelli and Browning make a great product but not a better product than the Baikal (maybe prettier but that is again a matter of opinion) if they are better they are definitely NOT 2-4 times better but are 2-4 times the price.

I have zero experience with bennelli but I have owned all of the others mentioned and I was not impressed.
 
bill c68 said:
Have you ever taken apart a Baikal? The major difference between the Baikal and the Beretta is that the Baikal has steel where the Beretta has plastic.

I traded my Browning Gold (which in my opinion is far superior to a Remington) even steven for a Baikal and I am very happy with my decision, I firmly believe the MP-153 is a better gun that the gold. Tough as nails, no issues with them and VERY affordable, the shop here on PEI sells them for $475. I believe Beretta, Bennelli and Browning make a great product but not a better product than the Baikal (maybe prettier but that is again a matter of opinion)
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I have taken them all apart, the fact is the Baikals' are scrutinized with an entirely different set of expectations. Somehow, "just working" vaults them into the category of much finer weapons. Brownings, Berettas and Benellis are not held to the same standards. These manufacturers must build guns that are as aesthetically pleasing as they are functional. They are not allowed the occasional hiccup or malfunction, they must go thousands of rounds without cleaning and they must retain their value no matter what, as evidenced by some sellers on the EE. You may love your Baikal, but it is built to a lower set of standards, a lower price point and with all due respect a different buyer. If it goes bang everytime you pull the trigger, it is doing what it was designed to do, unfortunately that is all it was designed to do. The same cannot be said for the other B-guns. Cheers,

Patrick
 
Upper end choice would be a Beretta AL390 Sport sporting and I have owned a pile of different shotguns. It eats 2 3/4 inch powder puff target loads right up to 3 inch magnum steel T shot and never had a hickup. It has shot waterfowl in rain, snow and sun.

The lower end would be a Mossburg 500, can't kill it even after 20000 rounds.
 
Love my Remington 453.
Price was great. Only have had one failure to eject (was in the first 5 rounds through the guns break in period)
 
beretta boy said:
For a field gun, I'd consider the Benelli Cordoba, although I'm not partial to porting, I could live with it.
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Yes but could the people hunting with you? ;)

I had a serious case of the hots for a Cordoba until I put a few hundred rounds through one this summer. Loved it except for the porting. I think the M2 is a better choice. No porting, less expensive and with the Comfortech stock doesn't recoil any harder than the Cordoba.
 
The best autoloader?????

The question is like a complex mathematical equation that includes variables like "brand loyalty", "prejudice", "personal preference", "aesthetics", "taste", "value for money", "past experience" etc etc.

All these parameters vary among us.

My own personal opinion based on my calibration of requirements are as follows.

Remington 1100/11-87: Good looks but old design (technology), too much maintenance required (O-rings etc.). This is the one I would give the least consideration (sorry, Remington fans).

Baikal MP-153/Remington SPR-453: The best autoloader for the field (waterfowling). Tough, durable, reliable. I have a couple of them and their gas-operated mechanism function flawlessly in any kind of condition and despite all the abuse I subject them to. They are the AKs of shotguns. The engineering is great but the finish is very basic. A bit on the heavy side but very little recoil (even with 3 1/2 inch). Best value for the money.

Beretta AL-391/Etrema etc.: The shape I don't like, but this gun fits me extremely well. Finish is good and the design/engineering is modern and most owners I know are satisfied. Gas operated action is a plus for heavy loads. Great choice if you don't mind spending the money.

Benelli SBE/M1 etc.: Modern designs that are easy to clean and maintain. High reputation and pleasant styling with nice finish. Only drawbacks are high price and a bit too much recoil with heavier loads (inertia action).

Browning Gold/Winchester SX2-3 etc: Good guns that are pleasing to the eye. I find them comparable to the Berettas. They don't fit me as well as the Beretta but I am more attracted to these. A slightly more competitive price makes them even more attractive.

Franchi Raptor/Predator etc.: I don't have experience with them. They are probably good guns at reasonable price. I find their shape a bit weird.

I would not consider the Turkish made autoloaders such as Escort or H&R. They are the cheapest offerings on the market...and they are cheaply made. Not a good investment as they don't last very long. Stoeger 2000 as a bit better (and more expensive) but still not up to the level of the firearms I described above.

If the question was: What is the most interesting autoloader?

My answer would be:

The MTs-28

mts28nv9.jpg


http://www.kbptula.ru/eng/sphu/hunt/mts28.htm

Combo autoloader:

20 gauge and 22cal (over under) both barrels semi-auto loaded.

Very few hand-made on special orders. Please don't ask abou the price.
 
Fabarm produces some very nice semis too. They are light, and and a very good value compared to their Italian equivalents. The new line using the HP chokes also allows the use of steel shot with there full choke.
 
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