I need to upgrade my upland shotgun

[HoLeChit]

As the title says, I want to upgrade. Right now I have a remington 870 express 12ga. It does what it is supposed to, but I feel that is about all it does. So I'm looking to put a shorter barrel on it and throwing some buckshot in it and leaving it next to the bed. I had the pleasure of shooting a semi auto benelli this weekend, and it was an absolute pleasure. I would like to get a good O/U or semi auto. Unsure of whether I want a 20ga or another 12ga. I'm considering a franchi, benelli, or berretta, but I'm open to suggestions.

Any advice? Thoughts?

I hunt quail and dove, mostly out in the panhandle, with and without dogs, and have a budget of about 1100-1300.

 

[Rod Snell]

Any advice? Thoughts?

Well, a large capacity semi-auto will certainly let you miss them quicker.......
Seriously, it is more about what and how you shoot. I shot a Remington 11-87 12ga Skeet gun for a lot of years, but now I mostly shoot a Browning 20 gauge OU for skeet and birds. If I miss with that, usually a 10ga would not have helped.
Of course, the new and shiny factor has sold a lot of new shotguns that turned out to be great guns.
Advice? Well, for an upland gun, consider how the weight will feel 10 or 20 years from now. You know they get heavier as they get older, don't you?

 

[Swine]

Like anything else it whats fits you the best. What is going to feel good and let you bring your line of sight up correctly and quick. New gun soon to come out which I'm excited to try will be the New Remington V3. haven't seen one bad word on this gun yet. Plenty of reviews on the web. Should be released in a few months.

Talking to a good gunsmith about what makes a proper fitting will also give you some good info.

 

[Okie4570]

20g.............Look at a Verona LX or a CZ Woodcock. Ruger Red Label 20g is a little heavier, but I like them, you'll have to find a used one though.

Most of the semi autos that I consider to light enough to walk with all day, are above the price range you stated. Benelli and Beretta both make really light upland semi autos, but IIRC, they're just under the $2k range.

 

[HoLeChit]

Well, a large capacity semi-auto will certainly let you miss them quicker.......
Seriously, it is more about what and how you shoot. I shot a Remington 11-87 12ga Skeet gun for a lot of years, but now I mostly shoot a Browning 20 gauge OU for skeet and birds. If I miss with that, usually a 10ga would not have helped.
Of course, the new and shiny factor has sold a lot of new shotguns that turned out to be great guns.
Advice? Well, for an upland gun, consider how the weight will feel 10 or 20 years from now. You know they get heavier as they get older, don't you?

I definitely agree with missing them faster, haha.

The weight this is a big factor with this, as well as the safety placement on the 870. I would really like to find something with either a forward of the trigger safety, or something like mossberg has on the 500. When I shot that benelli this weekend I was complimenting on how light it was, especially for a 12ga, and I was absolutely dumbfounded when I found that it was fully loaded.

 

[HoLeChit]

Like anything else it whats fits you the best. What is going to feel good and let you bring your line of sight up correctly and quick. New gun soon to come out which I'm excited to try will be the New Remington V3. haven't seen one bad word on this gun yet. Plenty of reviews on the web. Should be released in a few months.

Talking to a good gunsmith about what makes a proper fitting will also give you some good info.

Hmmm I haven't heard of that, I'll have to look into it!

Do you know of anywhere that would be able to fit me for a shotgun? I'm a pretty average sized guy, about 5'9" 190lbs, but I have wide shoulders and short arms, and I wouldn't mind getting whatever I purchase shimmed correctly and such, or getting sized before I drop a grand or more on a shotgun.

 

[HoLeChit]

20g.............Look at a Verona LX or a CZ Woodcock. Ruger Red Label 20g is a little heavier, but I like them, you'll have to find a used one though.

Most of the semi autos that I consider to light enough to walk with all day, are above the price range you stated. Benelli and Beretta both make really light upland semi autos, but IIRC, they're just under the $2k range.

I have been seriously considering a 20ga, I used to have one when I was a kid, it was plenty gun for what I need. I kinda feel like 12ga can be overkill with all these guys carrying 28ga for quail nowadays, but I don't wanna go that small, not for my primary at least.


I may be able to wait a bit and stretch my budget, I have some time before the fall, one reason why I want to look now.

 

[sedona]

A benelli montefelltro in 20 gauge is a really nice quail gun.Weighs just over 5 pounds and you can get a new one for around 1000 dollars.

 

[badrinker]

Shooting only quail and doves, I wouldn't carry a 12 around. 20 should be plenty.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Look at Winchester SX3 and pocket the money you save.
http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/detail.asp?family=017C&mid=511144

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/mobile/product/78816/winchester_511144392_sx3_field_4+1_3_12ga_28