New 12ga semi...What to buy?

[Shadowrider]

I have a FN SLP which I'm told are the same exact gun as the SX2/SX3. I love it. I've also shot a couple of M1 Super 90's set up for 3 gun comps. The Benellis are a little lighter and seem to point faster, but my FN doesn't recoil as much. It being a touch heavier and gas operated it's one soft shooting gun.

The Benellis seem to be a faster/easier handling gun and they don't recoil near as much as you think they are going to when you first pick them up. You think uh oh this is gonna hurt, but they don't. They must have some sort of voodoo going on in their recoil operation. They seem like they kick less than my 1100 which is a good bit heavier and it's also gas operated.

I'd guess that the same traits are going to exist in the field version of both. Either of your choices are fine shotguns. Pick the one you like best.

 

[ProBusiness]

to begin with, shotgun instructors take the 'beed' off of shotguns to teach their students how to shoot. You do not look at the sights to shoot a shotgun, you STARE at the MOVING target. this is very hard for rifle shooters to understand and do. But trust me, those cool red, green, fluoresence, etc. sight do nothing for a shotgunner except cause you to miss. Rifle shooters argue this topic but meet me at a skeet field and I can prove it to you.

A shotgun is all about the 'pattern' it throws like a rifle is all about the accuracy. Some of the fancy looking shotguns do not pattern well, thus you have 'holes' in your patter big enough for clays and dove to pass thru.

The proof is: the semis you see being shot at skeet tourneys are pretty much remington 1100, 1187, and most of all Beretta 391 urika. these shotgun are proven, very little trouble, and pattern/perform well.

if money is an issue, a used 1100 or 1187 is very hard to beat and you and pick up a home defense barrel for a decent price. gunsmiths know how to work on them and parts are easy to find. price is around $500.

for all screw in choke guns you can buy extended chokes tubes. do they work better than the factory flush chokes - who can say. i do not like the Cordoba: i have seen maybe one guy shooting one in skeet competition. the stock looks very cheap and the recoil pad's price is excessive. they are pretty high and i just don't think they are worth it.

a new shotgun by Beretta is the '___________" (i can't remember the name, Explor or something) I shot one the other day in 12 gauge and the lack or recoil is absolutely revolutionary. the reduction in recoil is not hype. it is about $1600.

just my opinion.

 

[ohms]

Recently fired a friend's Benelli M4... I'm now saving up for mine

 

[redmax51]

Beneli is nice but the FN is AWESOME!!

 

[doctorjj]

If I were buying a new one right now, I'd get the Beretta Xtrema 2.

 

[Danny]

If you like the Benelli, you could save some money and get a Stoeger M2000. Basically the same gun, and owned by Benelli.

Beretta makes fine weapons, but I've heard horror stories about their customer service if you have an issue.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Semi-auto hunting shotguns are one of those areas whether there is an overwhelming myriad of *great* choices (not just good), much like 9mm handguns and .223 turnbolts. Very tough call. So many good ones out there. It's gonna come down to budget, budget, budget. But also, whether you think inertia or gas system is better for your needs and the way you shoulder a gun, and recoil-sensitivity. Inertia guns kick a bit more but don't need cleaning to stay super-reliable. Gas guns kick a little less, and are not affected by "soft-shouldering" in the reliability department, if there's any chance you do that.

First off, as always, what's the true max budget, and are you willing to buy used, or new only? The ones you mentioned are not budget-y, so let's stay with high end.

I know you said 12 ga, but just to get you thinking, for a really light gun in 20 or 28 ga, the Franchi 48AL, Benelli Montefeltro, Benelli Legacy, and Benelli Ultralight. Some of these might come in 12 ga versions; not sure. If I'm not mistaken, the Ultralight is the lightest 20 ga to be found, and the Legacy is the lightest 28 ga to be found.

The Remington 105Cti is touted as an uber-gun, and will solve world starvation and make the Israelis and Palestenians engage in group hugs.

I think the Beretta Extrema 2 is supposed to do the same things, and could also have stopped the oil spill and cause Chuck Norris to quit kicking people's asses and pet small cuddly chinchillas all day instead.

The exclusive-to-Cabela's Beretta 391 AL Ultralight Urika does come in 12 ga, and is very light - it has been touted before on this board and others. Here.

The Beretta UGB 25 Excel Sporting is a field version of their primarily-competition gun, in a crazy-innovative new design, if you're happy with 2 shots instead of 3. Here. Safe bet you'd be the only one on the duck pond with one of these.


But lots of other choices from Remington, Winchester, Browning, Franchi, Beretta, Benelli, and others, too.

 

[NikatKimber]

... recoil-sensitivity. Inertia guns kick a bit more but don't need cleaning to stay super-reliable. Gas guns kick a little less, and are not affected by "soft-shouldering" in the reliability department, if there's any chance you do that.

Don't think that'll be an issue for the OP!

 

[Rod Snell]

Lasst 12ga I bought was a "field" Remington 11-87 with 26" bbl and screw-in chokes: over 20 years ago. Dull finish and camo sling.
I have tried to wear it out on everything that hops or flies, plus using it for sporting clays, but all I've had to do is clean it. Oh, I did change the gas o-ring about 10 years ago, just because. It was one of the first to shoot anything from skeet loads to 3' turkey loads.

 

[blutch]

Whats the difference between the Remington 1100 and the 11-87?

Thanks

B