Best all around 12ga autoloader

I like my Beretta A400 Xtreme. Another good choice is the Stoeger autoloader. They look like they may be made by Benelli, but for less. My neighbour has one and it works flawlessly.
 
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Jafo67 said:
I like my Beretta A400 Xtreme. Another good choice are the Stoeger autoloaders. They look like they may be made by Benelli, but for less. My neighbour has one and it works flawlessly.
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I got the A400 as well.on it's third season sea ducking and it's never failed me.
 
Stoger M3500, under a grand and built by Benelli. I have had mine for 5 years I think thousands of rounds of skeet loads through it, hundreds of duck loads and few slugs. Love it work flawlessly with little recoil my kids and GF shoot it all the time too.
 
Lol everyone is going to give you a different answer. Pick them all up at the shop and buy the one that fits your the best they all shoot and they all cycle just fine.
 
Another vote for the Beretta A-400 Xtreme 12ga....shoots anything from the lightest trap load to heaviest 3.5 turkey load and seems to work every time flawlessly...Yup not cheap but quality never is.

Jim
 
Wow - thanks for all the useful responses - I am planning a trip to the store to shoulder what they have this weekend. The stoeger seems to be the best deal of the lot but the inertia system seems less advanced than gas and more recoil but reliability seemed good from what I read. Kind of leaning to a Versamax or SX3 possibly but price point not as good. Have to sort through that as may just be opinion not based in fact. Much harder than i thought to determine the best bang for buck while keeping budget in mind......

In reading it seems 3-1/2 may not be that much better than 3" and not necessary - thoughts?
 
This will turn into the AR vs AK discussion. Both the gas and inertia systems are very good, gas needs more cleaning, inertia not as soft recoil as the gas. Inertia very simple to disassemble and clean. Why limit yourself to just 3" when you can get something that chambers everything allowing you more choice of ammo to pattern. Don't forget you can add a Limbsaver to an Inertia system if you are recoil sensitive.

Shoulder the shotguns. Do a bunch of fast shouldering and find your cheek weld and how your eye lines with the front bead. Apparently 95% of the consumers can fit a shotgun with the included shims/spacers. I'm in the 5 % and it would have been nice to know before wasting time on this and that before going to a gunsmith. Keep your mind open and buy based on fit and feel, not name or features.
 
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I went to the Beretta A-400 after using a 870 for three season. I have a bad right shoulder, well last waterfowl season was killer on it. So come spring I purchased a A-400 xcel with kick-off, it shoots 2.75 and 3 " shells and doesn't kill my shoulder any more. Was it a costly upgrade yes but worth every cent to me as I can now enjoy the season once again. So my vote goes to the A-400
 
Versa and A400 are both extremely soft. But the quality and weight of the Versa leave the A400 as king of the semi auto hill IMO. Now, it is about $700 more than the Versa, so it is good budget choice if you can live with the weight and spotty quality.
 
The FN browning/Winchester guns are world's ahead oh the versa max or v3 rem guns. I've owned both. It's like putting an 870 express next to a wingmaster and the versamax is express quality workmanship. The FN guns have probably the best camo and dipping process and quality out of all the camo guns. The bennelli seem thinly dipped and chip easy imo.
 
i think I have it down to the Maxus All Purpose or Winchester SX3 universal hunter (This one preferred for price) - think they best describe all around use. Versamax may still be an option but haven't shouldered one yet and they are as much or more than maxus and done seem to have as many features (autoload, mag lock, quick detach forestock). Primarily leaning to gas as they apparently handle 3-1/2 recoil better (well all recoil I guess) and thats always nice to have. If i go based on cost primarily a franc hi infinity or stoeger 3500 may be my route.

At least i am narrowing the field down.......

Thanks for all the responses!
 
madtrapper143 said:
Good used Remington 1100 Magnum. Buy the slug barrel later when needed for deer. Easy to work on, reliable, well engineered and lots of parts available. Best of all decent shape 1100 Magnums trade at around 500.00 or less. Did I mention a sh-- load of extra barrels, stocks etc also available. I am an 1100 owner (3 of them) and I endorse this message.

Darryl
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So you are one of those fellows who has for countless years carried a spare o-ring leaving an indelible "ring" in the wallet that looks for all the world like you have had a condom in there since your teenage years!! ;)
 
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