Cheap gas vs inertia

I have both a cheaper inertia shotgun and a cheaper gas gun. I find it hard to say which I prefer as both have been quite dependable so far. However this is based on a very limited amount of use at this point. The inertia gun is a VR-66 M2 clone and realistically there have been maybe 3500 shells thru it between the last two seasons of 2Gun/3Gun and using it as a loaner at Open house events at a couple of ranges. The gas gun is a Tristar Viper G2 20 gauge and it probably only has 300 or so rounds thru it.
I really enjoy both but if I had to pick only one it would be the gas gun. It just feels better to shoot than the inertia gun imho. I think there is a place for both in my safe lol, so I’m glad I don’t have to choose 😜
 
reddog said:
When cost is a factor I think you have to consider cheaper if your on the semi auto train. I remember my first semi auto (1100 Remington) and it showed me clean it or it will let you down unlike my 870. Affordability is a common thing and I bought my Daughter a Tristar viper and for the amount she shoots about 12 boxes a year it has been great except for the crappy choke that came with it. Could have gone up the scale but really why ,if she was shooting as much as me maybe then. Grandson gets one too I believe in 28 this year for Xmas if he goes with it then maybe upgrade but for now think this is my .02
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Kind of the point of this topic. A few new shooters were asking about entry level hunting guns and won't be shooting much. I haven't used many cheap inertia guns but I have experience with a variety of gas guns.
Not every one can afford a new beretta or benelli but they want the most reliable gun for their initial investment. Cheap guns cut corners even on copied designs. Inertia is simple but if the timing is off they'll never run right. Gas is generally more forgiving but has more parts.
 
brybenn said:
Kind of the point of this topic. A few new shooters were asking about entry level hunting guns and won't be shooting much. I haven't used many cheap inertia guns but I have experience with a variety of gas guns.
Not every one can afford a new beretta or benelli but they want the most reliable gun for their initial investment. Cheap guns cut corners even on copied designs. Inertia is simple but if the timing is off they'll never run right. Gas is generally more forgiving but has more parts.
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Running a skeet field, I find the Winchester SX-3/4, to be extremely reliable, and not fussy about loads. They are much cheaper than an A400 or SBE3, and can be found used, for an affordable price. And parts haven't been an issue, if required. You don't need to buy Turkish, to buy affordable.
 
Ok, curiousity got me. What are they and the difference between the two.

Ok, I did well in math and physics and I know what inertia is, but how does that relate to guns.
 
Every Shot Counts said:
Ok, curiousity got me. What are they and the difference between the two.

Ok, I did well in math and physics and I know what inertia is, but how does that relate to guns.
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Inertia uses the actual recoil to cycle the action, gas uses combustion gas to operate the action. Inertia operated is a cleaner system, but results in more felt recoil, gas requires more cleaning, but produces less felt recoil, and can tolerate lower power loads better.
 
Gas vs Inertia….don’t get me started. lol
Take me out for dinner and drinks and i will share a lifetime of experience. In addition to double shotguns i own about a dozen Rem1100’s, half a dozen Win SuperX, the originals and a couple of Beretta 391, all gas guns. On the inertia side half a dozen Benellis. My observations are Rem1100 are a joy to shoot but after 5-10 years of hard use people are looking for spare parts and or a spare gun or two for parts and as a backup gun. Win SuperX (steel frame) are built and swing like a tank and will run forever. Beretta gas guns function reliably but die after 2 years of use in Argentina on dove shoots. What does that mean??
While on the subject of doves I've been invited back to Argentina and have been told all the shotguns available for rent at $85.00USD per day are now ALL Benelli Ethos 20g inertia guns. All the Benelli 391 are toast. That speaks volumes.

The one thing i hear alot from many shooters is they think that the recoil of a gas gun is easier on the shoulder/check. Some just cant get accustomed to or even like the inertia recoil sensation. As for myself I've grown tired of the big boomers that kick. 90% of the time Im dusting ‘birds’ with a little Browning O/U in 28g. Sweet !!
 
I was in Argentina 10 years? ago and all the guns were Benelli's. We only shot 28 and 20g but plowed through a pile of shells,7000 FOR ME in 3 days. But did have a gun boy that kept it clean every night and loaded 5 up the pipe whenever needed. Hmm might have to go back to Cordoba
 
brybenn said:
I know we all want higher grade guns but I was talking with a few newer shooters and the gas vs inertia topic came up but this time with a twist. If you were to buy a cheap entry level auto loader would you have more faith in the reliability of a gas gun or an inertia model?
I admit im a gasser fan and have been lucky the cheaper gas autos I've had always worked well. Shotguns that is. However im curious what others think given the fact that entry level guns are made to the lowest price point and cheapest materials
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I don't think it matters. Cheap is cheap and you get what you pay for. Gas vs. inertia systems with cheap guns would IMO be no different than more expensive guns with the only difference being how much sooner the cheap gun will let you down. I don't think one has an advantage over the other.
 
I've had a few Rem 1100's over the yrs and a couple of Browning A-5's. The older type inertia actions are easier to maintain of course and I
would really love to have a sporting (Non full auto) version of the AA12 with a 5 rnd mag & 18" barrel along with a pic rail for an optic
Oops, it seems they are making 'em. Inertia redefined well.
Oh, the fun of it. ;)
AA-12 Semi-Auto Finally Available On Civilian Market | Blade City
 
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stubblejumper said:
To me, entry level semi autos start with the SX-4 or A300, the super cheap Turkish made semi autos are just a recipe for issues, and problems if parts are required.
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Agreed. The super cheap Turkish semi's are not entry level, they are have your head read level. I'll take a quality gas gun over inertia any day. My shoulder appreciates the difference immensely.
 
I've had a Turkish gas gun see over 40 000 rounds in just a couple years. Sure it broke some parts but I wasnt kind to it either. All parts were replaced free with a simple email and picture. Corwin arms has stellar customer service. It saw my trap and skeet shooting of a flat a week plus it was a loaner gun for my local skeet field and it was the gun most used for the random farm shoots I held several times a week. For a gun that costed $317 i can not complain. Last I heard its hammering sea ducks on the east coast. 7 or 8 were bought by the regular skeet guys to use as rain guns and they're all still going strong but they haven't seen any where near the use mine did. I also great a Lil charles daly 20ga auto that ran flawlessly but I passed it on to a buddy for his kids first turkey gun.
Would I trade my a400s for these guns. No. But when you figure I could buy 7 or 8 of them for the cost of a new a400 I see alot of value in them
Most ppl will never come close to putting that many rounds thru a gun in their lifetime let alone a flat or 2 a week
 
I can't compare between gas and inertia designs, but as for cheap, I did try one of the newer Turkish inertia guns. It was a JTS FX-12. It was very reliable and the build quality was pretty impressive. Not a huge semiauto fan in general, so it got moved on. But it was a fun shooter for sure. The recoil impulse did feel pretty odd.
 
Bottom line - don’t buy anything for which replacement parts are not readily available.

Brand name guns come with decent parts support. That’s part of why they cost more.
 
I am not recoil shy. I have an 1100 a Baikal a Benelli supersport and a BE2. The black eagle is fed only hunting loads and the supersport only target. Recoil in not a factor in any. The fit of the gun seems to reduce felt recoil more than anything else.
 
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