thoughts for a good semi shotgun

I have alot of different semi auto shotguns. they all cycle light loads well. My favorites are my auto 5's (12,16 and 20 ) .The best overall has to be my 391 beretta. totally reliable,low recoil and hardly has to be cleaned ... for a gas gun.
 
I have a SX3 and it cycles everything from 3/4 oz custom low recoil skeet loads to full on duck, goose and turkey loads. In 3328 rounds fired, I've had exactly two FTEs. It's been a very good and reliable gun so far.
 
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I've owned/shot 6 different benelli's.

Never had a problem. Ever.


X2 my sbe2 is a monster at the range and for waterfowl.

I have a al391 which is an amazing gun too. The a400s in my opinion seems cheap and poorly put together. But its just my personal opinion. Others im sure love it.

The a5 is a nice gun you cant go wrong with it
 
Not sure about the new Beretta's but i haven't shot anything old or new that compares to my a303 12g ...so my vote is for Beretta, but i always suggest that you buy what feels right in your hands.
 
Also went Maxus after handling all the new semi's. Something to consider is the plus of extra bbl availability. I bought the slug bbl for the Maxus and it is scary deadly at 100yds.
 
I love my 1964 A5. It fits me and I hit things I shoot at with it.

I have a Browning Gold that is my favourite gun to shoot (it's an identical twin to an X2) but despite changing the butt pad, it doesn't fit me right and I'm a lousy shot with it.

I'm a lousy shot to begin with and it makes me an abysmal shot.

Fit is everything. I've got a factory 870 Express and that gun shoots itself off my shoulder without thinking.
 
I think a shotgun is a very personal decision. Because you are hitting a moving target the gun must fit you well.
A rifle, on the other hand, doesn't need to be as perfect a fit, because youre hitting a stationary target (most of the time).

I should think ANY good semi from a reputable company would work, but you should pick up as many as you can and check them for proper fit. If you can go to a gun club and shoot a few different guns you will know what fits.

Personally. I prefer Beretta and Benelli. I've owned and shot several of each and love the quality. My Beretta Silver Pigeon O/U fits me perfectly. It's shoots where I look. I had an A400 Xplor that was also of excellent quality and fit.
 
Beretta A400 Xtreme. I had used it for few seasons now for ducks and geese. It handles very smoothly. It's a very nice shotgun. Go to your local store and try the feel if you like it or not. If you can borrow one from your friends to fire few shots in the range, would help you to decide if it's for you or not.
 
This Saturday and Sunday at the skeet club made me think of this thread again. 2 different guys with Benelli Super Sports. Both had failures to eject. The Super Sport is specifically designed for clays/target loads. $2,200 and it still fails.

Que Benelli cry babies whose guns "never fail"
 
^ I have 2 SBEii's and a Vinci that cycle everything, 1oz included.

The only time they sometimes don't feed is shooting one handled with the gun upside down over my head. Also if you hold them to close to your body shooting with the gun behind your back the shell sometimes can't eject. Gotta have them to your shoulder.

I bought Inertia guns after getting tired of buying parts for 1187's


The Maxus seem like a pretty good all around shotgun too for the OP.

Anything but an A400 lol
 
This Saturday and Sunday at the skeet club made me think of this thread again. 2 different guys with Benelli Super Sports. Both had failures to eject. The Super Sport is specifically designed for clays/target loads. $2,200 and it still fails.

Que Benelli cry babies whose guns "never fail"


The half a dozen Benelli's I have had haven't failed........must make me a cry baby.
 
The half a dozen Benelli's I have had haven't failed........must make me a cry baby.

Must be old Benelis. You got lucky.
Time and time again I see them fail. Would never recommend them to anyone. If I see it happening with my own eyes, your comments online aren't going to change my point of view on them.
The crappy new 870s run better than Benellis
This isn't even an isolated incident. I saw 2 different Benellis fail to eject 1 1/8 target loads in Nova Scotia, a Super Vinci and a SBEII. Don't get me started on the Novas. You don't need to go out to see those jam. Just youtube it.
Benelli NOT what it used to be. If yours "never failed" don't sell it lol.
 
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Buy a Beretta....I've seen Benelli's break repeatedly if any dust gets into the action whatsoever. The A5 is a great option but more difficult to piece back together than the Beretta's. I have a 391 and have never had a jam and it handles everything from crappy light loads up to the 3.5's and doesn't have an issue with any in the mix.
 
Lots of guys "seeing" Benelli's break and malfunction. But what is the background to those guns?

Yet a bunch of guys who shoot them, having no problem what so ever. Weird.

I currently own 3, 2 newer ones and an older one. No problems at all.
 
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No mention of the 1100 in 4 pages of semi-auto shotgun talk. Do the beretta's and benelli's mentioned cycle and shoot say, 700-1000$ better than an 1100 or 1187?
 
1100 has been and is a great gun, as is the 1187.

They were a gas guns though and some are known to have cycling issues due to O rings, etc.
 
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