get both, you can get a good spartan by remington O/U, for about $500, and then look at a H&R pardner in semi auto for about $400, and then have both.
I hunt waterfowl, dove, quail, and shoot clays alot. I have both a semi and O/U. There is a acertain elegance to an O/u as well as the ability to have multiple chokes on the same gun. The semi holds more rounds. I honestly flip a coin when I use a shotgun. That being said, with your price range, don't skimp. Get A Benelli for $1200 or so, and save you $$$ and get a nice O/U for $2000 later in life.
Your budget should allow you to buy a quality shotgun of either style (only one though, you won't get two quality guns for that amount). You can get a quality new auto for 800 to 1200 or a used one for less than a thousand. It will have to be a used o/u in that range and then you better seriously shop around.
If you asked most hunters to rank which action they believe is optimum for the two styles of hunting I think it would go like this:
Waterfowl: Auto, pump, o/u
Upland: o/u, Auto, pump
The only thing that an auto gives up to an o/u in upland work is multiple chokes....That is it. Auto's are superior at reducing recoil, can be just as light as any o/u in your price range, and give you a third shot (which you will want in waterfowl hunting).
For waterfowl, an o/u is the worst option because of increased felt recoil, decreased capacity, and the necessity to break open the action in tight quarters.
Read this link for more:
http://www.wildfowlmag.com/tips_strategies/WIFP_0609_SHO/
My $.02: You should be looking for a 12ga autoloader with a 3" chamber and a weight right around 7lbs. Some possible models for you to look at include the Beretta 391 or 390 (in that order), Benelli M2, Browning's Silver or Gold, Winchester SX3 (nearly mechanically identical to the Browning). These will offer you proven reliability, be sufficiently light for upland hunting, and reduce recoil when you're goose hunting.
If you can make it to H and H or Bass Pro you'll be able to shoulder all of the major makers' products. Choose one you like then shop around online... check websites like shotgunworld.com or gunbroker.com for good deals on new and used guns. There are several FFL dealers on this site who will do transfers for you.
It would also be good if you do as much research as possible on which model and which style (o/u or semi) that you choose. Sites like shotgunworld or duckhunter.net will give you a larger sampling of hunters than the one you'll get here. The archives of those sites contain a lot of info from actual users and can be used to paint a pretty good picture of the quality and reliability of any particular shotgun. There's no excuse for buying a turd in the internet era.
Good luck.
If you asked most hunters to rank which action they believe is optimum for the two styles of hunting I think it would go like this:
Waterfowl: Auto, pump, o/u
Upland: o/u, Auto, pump
The only thing that an auto gives up to an o/u in upland work is multiple chokes....That is it. Auto's are superior at reducing recoil, can be just as light as any o/u in your price range, and give you a third shot (which you will want in waterfowl hunting).
For waterfowl, an o/u is the worst option because of increased felt recoil, decreased capacity, and the necessity to break open the action in tight quarters.
Read this link for more:
http://www.wildfowlmag.com/tips_strategies/WIFP_0609_SHO/
My $.02: You should be looking for a 12ga autoloader with a 3" chamber and a weight right around 7lbs. Some possible models for you to look at include the Beretta 391 or 390 (in that order), Benelli M2, Browning's Silver or Gold, Winchester SX3 (nearly mechanically identical to the Browning). These will offer you proven reliability, be sufficiently light for upland hunting, and reduce recoil when you're goose hunting.
If you can make it to H and H or Bass Pro you'll be able to shoulder all of the major makers' products. Choose one you like then shop around online... check websites like shotgunworld.com or gunbroker.com for good deals on new and used guns. There are several FFL dealers on this site who will do transfers for you.
It would also be good if you do as much research as possible on which model and which style (o/u or semi) that you choose. Sites like shotgunworld or duckhunter.net will give you a larger sampling of hunters than the one you'll get here. The archives of those sites contain a lot of info from actual users and can be used to paint a pretty good picture of the quality and reliability of any particular shotgun. There's no excuse for buying a turd in the internet era.
Good luck.
Thanks for everybody's advise. I think I am going to get a o/u with a 3" chamber and 28" barrel. I have set a lot of guns lately and have found a couple that I have narrowed it down to. Thanks again for all of your help. Keep posting your ideas if you have new insight on the subject.
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