Shotgun Advice

[SJB358]

I am not too much of a shotgunner, but I have been looking at two for about the past year. One is the Winchester SX3 and the other is the Franchi Intensity. I have shouldered WAY more shotguns in the past year than I care to admit to, but those two seem to "point" the best to me..

Either way, the gun will get used as the jack of all, turkeys in the Spring time, deer in the Fall with Buckshot and small game and predators in between.

Any of you all have any words of wisdom on either one of them. Both are priced just about identical as well, so that makes it a little tougher as well.. Probably looking for a 26 or 28" barrel and either will have a 3.5" chamber. Weight seems to be about the same as well.

 

[375hh1973]

I am biased towards the Beretta line of semi autos. They are gas operated guns. Supposedly you are supposed to keep them clean but well... I have a 390 synthetic with a 30" barrel. I use it for everything. Ducks, geese, bunnies, sporting clays, skeet, and crows. I throw a saddle mount with a 4x turkey scope on it every spring and kill gobblers. I honestly cleaned it last when GWB was president and I kind of made a pact with myself that I will clean it again when BHO is out of office. I currently have about 3000 rounds through it with out a proper cleaning. The thing runs. Period. I know its only a 3" but I have heard great things about Beretta's 3.5" offerings as well. My buddy in NDakota bought one and kills geese with 3.5" shells then goes to the skeet field and breaks birds with target loads.

 

[SJB358]

Thank you sir. Good info.

Add another one into the mix, the Browning A5.

Seems very nice and looks very good.

 

[Wis65x55]

This is only my opinion, it seems like you may be asking too much for one shotgun. I would seriously encourage you to get a dedicated turkey gun. From my turkey hunting experience, the only stock design that I will ever look at again would be what Benelli calls their "steady grip"
Keith

 

[FOTIS]

I found a LNIB super black eagle 2 for under 900 in Gunbroker. I love it!! It will shoot from 7/8 oz trap shells to 3.5" shells.


Look around Scott

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Been looking hard at shotguns myself lately...mostly for clay shooting...I'm liking the A5, will probably have me one of those before long.

Unless I decide to go with an over/under...just ain't sure yet.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not a shotgunner but I like shooting them.

If you can only have one...a 3" autoloader with an aluminum receiver and a 28" barrel is not a bad choice. Light enough for upland work, fine for ducks and stuff, interchangeable chokes to stick the "XXXtra full" turkey choke into. I went with a Benelli M2 a few years back...picked it up NIB for less than dealer cost. It's been fine for everything I've asked of it.

I'd suggest that you really look into NOT getting a 3.5" chamber unless you're looking for a dedicated waterfowl gun ...and only then if you like to shoot geese.

The longer chamber tends to make handling a little clumsy and worse yet- makes cycling those great upland loads of 7/8oz shot somewhat problematic, particularly when filthy dirty. As a "do it all" piece, you'll shoot a heck of a lot more softball 7.5s than fire breathing 3.5" #2s. I thought really hard about a 3.5" gun before I bought mine and a shotgunning buddy of mine just put it this way- 3.5s string shot something terrible, if you can't kill it with a 3", you need a 10ga!

 

[salmonchaser]

Scotty
I'm with Hodgeman on this one. The 3.5 inch guns are fine for geese, leave something to be desired on upland birds. Regardless, pointing; fit is the most important aspect of shot guns. Particularly if you're going to add upland game or sporting clays to your shooting fun. I like my M2 Benelli for everything from geese to Chukar.
I'm thinking hard on a Beretta A400 as well. I had a chance to shoot one recently on a clays course and on some pheasant. The kickoff system was remarkable.

 

[Europe]

Scott,

A friend of yours on a different forum told me about this thread or I would have never seen it I am afraid

I think your already aware that my shotgun of choice is Connecticut. As mentioned, fit is paramount, and you can get the Connecticut made to fit you, and they are not far from you. I prefer the double to the auto and pump, as they are shorter and therefore easier for me to handle. I am also lazy and dont want to look for and then bend over to recover the hulls, another reason to like the double, whether side by side or over and under. One shotgun for turkey, deer, geese, duck, quail, pheasant and small game is doable but a stretch. I would suggest two or even three shotguns would be better for one to hunt everything that can be hunted with a shotgun. It might be of interest to you to know that Robert is saving up for an A-10 American and you no how far Robert can stretch a dollar, plus he already has his wife's approval, a win, win for Robert. Best of luck with whatever shotgun, make and model, you choose

 

[SJB358]

Thank you for the advice A. I do like the doubles and would like to have a quality one in the future, but for right now, even saving for an auto like I mentioned will take quite alot of time. Doesn't really matter too much though, I don't really "shotgun" too awfully much in the sheer amount of shooting. I do enjoy shooting them, but at heart, I really am a rifle sorta fella.

 

[JD338]

I am also looking, but for a O/U. Kind of like the new Ruger Red Label.

JD338

 

[IdahoCTD]

I have a SBE II, Remington Versamax, Beretta A302, Remington 1100, Browning Auto 5, and Remington 11/87's for 12ga automatics. I shoot my 11/87 the best but have been hunting ducks the last few years with my Benelli and have been shooting it pretty good. I just bought the Versamax this year and had a good day and a bad day with it so I'm still up in the air on it. The two brothers I hunt with use a Winchester SX3 and the new Beretta. The Beretta is a really nice gun and I might have bought one but in a buying frenzy at Walmart after Thanksgiving I bought the Versamax Sportsman for about 750.00 (with their 10% off) out the door and it had a 100.00 rebate. So I'll have just under 650.00 in it when they finally pay me the rebate in another couple months :roll: . Beretta's have always fit me well and the new ones are super nice. Franchi and Beretta are the same company now so either of those, a Benelli, or a Remington would be on my short list.

 

[Europe]

Scott, you definitely should get EXACTLY what works for you. I agree wholeheartedly.

I know you knew exactly what you were doing, but so as not to confuse others, my first name does start with an A, but I am not Aleena.

Speaking of Aleena.

Scott, she would be better off when bird hunting and would probably get more birds if she just threw the shotgun at the birds instead of trying to shoot them

 

[SJB358]

Scott, she would be better off when bird hunting and would probably get more birds if she just threw the shotgun at the birds instead of trying to shoot them

Well, her and I are in the same boat then!... :lol:

 

[JD338]

Scott, she would be better off when bird hunting and would probably get more birds if she just threw the shotgun at the birds instead of trying to shoot them

Well, her and I are in the same boat then!... :lol:

That makes three of us! Maybe if I were to scope it.... :mrgreen:
I agree with Europe, proper fit is paramount with a shotgun (Rifle too).

JD338

 

[Anonymous]

I am also looking, but for a O/U. Kind of like the new Ruger Red Label.

JD338

Then you better get on the stick... it's dropped from the 2015 catalog.

 

[FOTIS]

I am also looking, but for a O/U. Kind of like the new Ruger Red Label.

JD338

Then you better get on the stick... it's dropped from the 2015 catalog.

Yes they did!!!

 

[HTDUCK]

SX3 is a gas operated gun.
The Franchi is inertia operated IE Benelli
My Benelli SBE would reliably eject 7/8 oz lead loads but not eject 1 1/8 oz three inch steel loads.
Had to replace the recoil spring with an SRM Sure Cycle that cost about $150.00

You need to consider a used Beretta 390 or 391 as well.
Granted they are only 3 inch guns but as stated above, you need a 3.5 inch gun, get a 10 ga.

 

[truck driver]

Does it have to be a semi auto? I have 4 12ga shot guns 2 pumps and 2 semi autos The one semi I haven't shot since it was gave to me, an old Savage hump back like the Browning A5 that I would probably gift to some one if they needed it. But my favorite is the Browning BPS pump and it fits me really well and would recommend it to any one who wanted a well built reliable shot gun.

 

[big rifle man]

I'm using a Beretta 391 3 1/2 inch chamber for ducks and couldn't be happier. I've only shot 3 inch through it for duck hunting along with light trap loads (clay pigeon practice before duck season) and have not had a problem with ejection. For its size (read length) I've not had a problem with swing and its length doesn't seem to get in the way. I've shot 3 1/2 inch loads both out of my Beretta and a friend's Bennelli and the felt recoil is heavier with the Bennelli. I also tried 3 1/2 inch out of a Mossberg pump and I won't do that again!