# Best semi auto waterfowl gun??



## Acwirz (Feb 23, 2013)

I might be in the market for a new waterfowl gun and wanted yalls thoughts on what is the most reliable. Thx


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## dwilliams35 (Oct 8, 2006)

Well, the Benelli groupies will chime in shortly with their standard line of ******** to validate their own affliction, but as far as most reliable, Iâ€™d have to throw out a browning A-5. Iâ€™d do a beretta myself, but the A-5 has been getting it done for decades. Theyâ€™re goofy, different, a little on the clunky side compared to modern gas guns, but they just keep on going.


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## Bocephus (May 30, 2008)

I have a Beretta A300, itâ€™s a great gun. 

Iâ€™m sure youâ€™ll get a lot of different opinions.


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## JFolm (Apr 22, 2012)

Iâ€™ve been happy with my beretta A400 for the 2 seasons Iâ€™ve had it. It shoots so light itâ€™s amazing. I swapped guns with a buddy one hunt this season and it reminded me how gentle my gun is. Zero failures so far.

The only negative thing Iâ€™ve personally experienced was the price tag.


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## AirbornXpress (Sep 27, 2006)

Benelli 
They are NOT ----) Theyâ€™re goofy, different, a little on the clunky side compared to modern gas guns They are lite reliable and bad to tha bone


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## Roostor (Jul 17, 2006)

*Browning A5*

The Browning A5 is not your fathers Auto5....it is a very much new and improved gun and uses all new technology. I used one this season and sure am glad I got the gun....do yourself a favor and check it out.


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## Acwirz (Feb 23, 2013)

Anybody shooting the mossberg 935 or the stoeger m3500?


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

Beretta A300 outlander


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## 98aggie77566 (Jul 7, 2009)

Son has the Beretta A300...I have the A400.

Other than the 400 ability to shoot 3 1/2 shells...the 300 has been just as durable and quite a bit cheaper....and that's with a teenager beating it around in the swamp/blind.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

> Well, the Benelli groupies will chime in shortly with their standard line of ******** to validate their own affliction


And why not? Benelli owns Beretta, Franchi and Stoeger all of which make good shotguns. Do you still fish with red Ambassadeur reels from the 70's instead of a newer more modern reel? No? Why not?

The A5 is a good shotgun but why would you shoot a recoil operated gun when you can have a less kicking gas operated one?

Guess you still drive a Nash Rambler too...those cars ran for decades too.

To the OP...Any of the Benelli and or Beretta waterfowl shotguns work very well.

TH


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Allright all you big time shooters LOL. Been shooting a Remington 1100 for years and before that a 11-48. They never quit and functioned great and kill something every now and then. Oh yeah I have me a 11-87 now.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

> Allright all you big time shooters LOL. Been shooting a Remington 1100 for years and before that a 11-48.


Charlie you're just so old school lmao. You have to change O rings out on those things so they're not reliable, didn't anyone ever tell you that? 

Charlie check this out...prettiest 1100 I have ever seen and if it was a .20 my wife would hate me.

http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=2488001

TH


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

TH

One time in my long history with the 1100 the O ring disappeared. I just took some hay bailing string (well took strands of it) tied it around where the O ring goes and kept shooting. All the years I shot those guns had only 1 O ring failure. Always carried a spare after that but never needed it. Yup I am old and getting older !! LMAO


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## Reynolds4 (Jan 18, 2010)

It's all a matter of opinion so here is mine. I prefer my new Browning A5 over my dad's Benelli Super Black Eagle 2. It's lighter and I think it has less recoil, plus the hump back is easier for me to get down on. Reliability...I'm not certain which one is more reliable although I can say that both guns are the same age and cleaned routinely and I have seen his jam more times than my A5 has. I feel that both are great guns and the new A5 is something to consider.

On another note, I bought both of my teenage boys new Stoeger M3000's for Christmas this year and so far they nice guns for the price.


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## Harbormaster (May 26, 2000)

CHARLIE said:


> Allright all you big time shooters LOL. Been shooting a Remington 1100 for years and before that a 11-48. They never quit and functioned great and kill something every now and then. Oh yeah I have me a 11-87 now.


I was in the Super Blind in Garwood one morning and witnessed a coonarse throw 2 Benellis down the stairs toward the kitchen area for jamming...really! They probly just needed cleaning.

My old 11-87 more than kept up with the rest of the firing line. :smile:


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

I don't own a Benelli; I just like arguing with dwilliams. 

I do have a couple of old Browning hump backs that have long been retired. 

In all the years that I guided duck and goose hunts the best all around shotgun in my opinion for water fowl and reliability was and probably still would be the Remington 870 Wingmaster with the 30" barrel.

No telling how many birds those shotguns have killed over the years.

TH


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## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

Speaking of Auto 5s , I have my grandfather's old Remington Model 11-A. It doesn't have a lick of bluing left anywhere but I still take it out and bust a couple of clays with some low brass stuff every once in a while. 

My next semi auto will be an Outlander.


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## DIHLON (Nov 15, 2009)

I also have the Beretta A300 Outlander. I havenâ€™t had any issues with it.


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## Reynolds4 (Jan 18, 2010)

No doubt the Remington 870 is probably one of the best guns you can get. My first shotgun was an 870 Express 12 gauge my dad bought me when I was thirteen. Up to that point I was shooting his 870 Wingmaster. Killed a many quail, dove and rabbits with those two guns.


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## tpool (Aug 21, 2005)

Trouthunter said:


> Charlie you're just so old school lmao. You have to change O rings out on those things so they're not reliable, didn't anyone ever tell you that?
> 
> Charlie check this out...prettiest 1100 I have ever seen and if it was a .20 my wife would hate me.
> 
> ...


The 1100 is the only shotgun I have ever owned and used (my dad bought it for me around 15 years old so around 1985 I believe). Not much waterfowling done with it but plenty of dove/quail hunting from 1985 to around 2005. Never had a o-ring failure! Heavy gun though for sure! And that's a beautiful one in the link TH!

T-BONE
(tpool)


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

> Never had a o-ring failure!


Me either Mr. Pool but that's the argument against them lol.

No telling how many quail I've killed with an 1100.

TH


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

Trouthunter said:


> In all the years that I guided duck and goose hunts the best all around shotgun in my opinion for water fowl and reliability was and probably still would be the Remington 870 Wingmaster with the 30" barrel.
> 
> No telling how many birds those shotguns have killed over the years.
> 
> TH


I guide a lot of open bay duck hunts. Thrown in the boat with the decoys and wet waders and wet dogs splashing and covering those guns in saltwater. MY #1 pick is my camo dipped 870 in 20 gauge. 28" barrel which cost $360 brand new. It is what i recomend when my customers ask me. (OP asked about autos but i do not prefer autos). Several 2coolers have followed that advice and are very happy. I wiped my 870 down every hunt with an oil wipe. Thats it. Broke it down last night for the first time in two years for a full thorough cleaning. Thats after about 150-200 hunts.....


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## zdm68 (Jun 2, 2012)

I?ve had a Mossberg 935 and could never get it to run right. Dad has a Stoeger 3500 that never seems to run right. My current duck gun is a Franchi affinity chambered for 3 inch. It has yet to fail me and will shoot 2 ? for dove. It?s also pretty light which is handy when I?m having to walk into a blind with decoys and other gear, but doesn?t seem to have much kick when shooting 3 inch shells. Wife has the 20ga version youth model of the same gun and loves it as well. Only issue with the 20ga version is you have to buy the higher oz shells for it to cycle right.


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## stdreb27 (Aug 15, 2011)

I don't know about the newer ones. But my SX2 is fantastic. 

It's not buttery smooth, It's a bit heavy. But it works. Never has jammed on me. Even shooting dove loads.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

I shoot my 20 Ga 11-87 for everything except waterfowl. Fired a case of 20 Ga through it that the shells were under water for a week during Ike. Plenty of rust on the so called brass on the ammo but the 11-87 digested them all. Ejection port and action was totally covered with rust (dust) but she kept on tickin. Back in the real olden days I shot a 16Ga Winchester 97.Yall probably never heard of that one.


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## Csafisher (Nov 16, 2010)

I have had a versamax for a few years and love it. No problems. I also have a V3 which I'm beginning to like more than the versamax. Before that I had a good ol 11-87. No issues. My dad has an A300 outlander. Pretty nice as well. Don't believe he has had any issues but it doesn't have too many rounds through it.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Oh I forgot to mention during that hunting streak (years). I wore out a Smith & Wesson 1000 and had a S&W 1000-A 3 inch. Couldnt hit the side of a barn with that gun.

TH
No it wasnt age back in those days !


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## dwilliams35 (Oct 8, 2006)

Trouthunter said:


> I don't own a Benelli; I just like arguing with dwilliams.
> 
> I do have a couple of old Browning hump backs that have long been retired.
> 
> ...


The SBE is probably the only gun ever built that I just plain didnâ€™t like after shooting one for a while. Kicks too much, just too much mechanical noise going on, assuming it works. I would, however, be all over an M4 given the chance... I honestly donâ€™t have much problem with any of the Benelli â€œMâ€ guns, but the system just didnâ€™t translate well to the long action SBE.

Just for the record, my â€œgo toâ€ guns if we are limiting it to automatics are Berettas, with a few 1100 variants in there if I need a throw down gun in a situation where failure is acceptable...

I agree with you about the 870â€™s, as well, although their foray into 3.5 wasnâ€™t their finest hour... Browning BPSâ€™s are pretty decent guns as well, I just have a hard time getting used to the goofy bottom ejection system.

On my need list is an original Belgian A5, the aforementioned M4, and maybe extending my selection of A400 berettas: those are pretty sweet guns, although it still pains me that Pietro Beretta chose to sully the family name by acquiring the inferior Benelli..

Citori over and unders probably get the most work out of my safe, just started with them and kept with it..

Winchesters? Okay, but meh.... ditto browning autos save the aforementioned A5. Mossbergs? Get thee behind me, oh minions of the junk gods... weatherby? Stick with rifles, guys.

Anybody I havenâ€™t ****** off sufficiently yet?


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## Hpnewby (Dec 1, 2015)

dwilliams35 said:


> Well, the Benelli groupies will chime in shortly with their standard line of ******** to validate their own affliction, but as far as most reliable, Iâ€™d have to throw out a browning A-5. Iâ€™d do a beretta myself, but the A-5 has been getting it done for decades. Theyâ€™re goofy, different, a little on the clunky side compared to modern gas guns, but they just keep on going.


The A5 available today has not been getting it done for â€œdecadesâ€. Not even a single decade yet, and I donâ€™t even think itâ€™s getting it done. The groves the bolt ride in have to be well oiled to operate reliably, then the oil catches all sorts of grime through the charge handle slot and jam up. Iâ€™ve hunted two of them, and had to coddle both. I also donâ€™t like the way it fits my shoulder even with all the adjustments available, but thatâ€™s up to each person as to what feels right.


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## muney pit (Mar 24, 2014)

CHARLIE said:


> I shoot my 20 Ga 11-87 for everything except waterfowl. Fired a case of 20 Ga through it that the shells were under water for a week during Ike. Plenty of rust on the so called brass on the ammo but the 11-87 digested them all. Ejection port and action was totally covered with rust (dust) but she kept on tickin. Back in the real olden days I shot a 16Ga Winchester 97.Yall probably never heard of that one.


Dont have a 16 ga but do have some ammo  ought to work just fine. LoL


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## Hpnewby (Dec 1, 2015)

Benelli (Vinci is my favorite flavor), Beretta (A300 for the weight and the value), Stoeger M3000/3500 (even cheaper and still run well), Winchester SX2/3 (if you really want a US piece). I think Iâ€™m pretty well done with Remington after the cheaply made vmax and the pot quality the 870â€™s have gone to. Iâ€™m fully convinced the Italians have well beat us in the shotgun market. 

The key to this, and listen to me carefully, is for you to go hold, feel, and point each one of these guns, and pick the one that is the most naturally feeling to you. I guarantee you will kill more birds with something you can point on target most quickly and without thinking. Thatâ€™s why my personal favorite is the Vinci, got a high rake with more of a pistol grip since the recoil spring is in the receiver. 

Iâ€™ve oersonally hunted with each of these guns other than the Winchesters, but Iâ€™ve shot a SX3 at 3gun matches. I also hunt 20-28 times per year. I donâ€™t know how someone (above) can hunt 200 times in two years, unless they hunt every day of Teal, Big duck, and conservation season all the way back to N Dakota.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

> I shot a 16Ga Winchester 97.Yall probably never heard of that one.


I've had a few over the years but only in 12 gauge; never in 16 gauge.

I like them for their western look and how well they function and shoot.

TH


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

TH

The 16 Ga model 97 was my dads and it was his dads who bought it from a pawn shop. Lost it when my house burned. Well lost all my guns then. They will rattle a little bit when you rack em. Ha

Muney Pit

Love that ammo looks nice and fresh.


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

My fave is a Belgian Browning A-500G for ducks... flawless shotgun. For geese I have a first year Mossberg 835. That thing kicks like a mule but always cycles. I've had buddies with later model 835's that have had jamming issues... but I've bever had that problem. I bought a Remy SP 10 auto when they first came out but sold it after 2 years. My lab hated it and it rolled me into a drainage canal once shooting at some geese directly overhead. I thought I was going to die because it was freaking cold and I had about a half mile walk out of the place. LOL


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

Hpnewby said:


> also hunt 20-28 times per year. I donâ€™t know how someone (above) can hunt 200 times in two years, unless they hunt every day of Teal, Big duck, and conservation season all the way back to N Dakota.


Many of those days are taking two and sometimes three groups in one day. And should have been more clear - lil over two years since i bought that gun....but third season i have been using that camo dipped 870. Been shooting 870's since i was a kid. Have shot most every flavor of most everything out there on four different continents and i always go back to one of my nine 870's.


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## Roostor (Jul 17, 2006)

Iâ€™m going to disagree with you, Trouthunter....the New A5 is NOT recoil operated andso far as itâ€™s merits I think the Browning name is a quality producing manufactor...as are some of the others that have been mentioned. 
Maybe you might read up on the new A5, or check one out... But the more I read, I see you have many guns and probably have shot many more of them than me...and you own some older Browning Auto 5â€™s....but just wanted to point out that the new A5 is actually not recoil like the older ones.


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## Roostor (Jul 17, 2006)

Roostor said:


> Iâ€™m going to disagree with you, Trouthunter....the New A5 is NOT recoil operated andso far as itâ€™s merits I think the Browning name is a quality producing manufactor...as are some of the others that have been mentioned.
> Maybe you might read up on the new A5, or check one out... But the more I read, I see you have many guns and probably have shot many more of them than me...and you own some older Browning Auto 5â€™s....but just wanted to point out that the new A5 is actually not recoil like the older ones.


The more I research it, I guess owe Trouthunter an apology....it seems that the New A5 is a Kinematic system, which is a recoil type system. It seems that they in fact copied the patent of Benelli (after it expired in 2012). Hereâ€™s the review of what I found if anybody is interested. http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2011/10/10/the-new-browning-a5-shotgun/

ok...time to start eating on that crowh:


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## tpool (Aug 21, 2005)

Trouthunter said:


> Me either Mr. Pool but that's the argument against them lol.
> 
> No telling how many quail I've killed with an 1100.
> 
> TH


Oh I see TH - you were being sarcastic about the O-Rings in the 1100's. Whew! I was starting to worry about a problem I probably will never see (knock on wood)!!!

BTW - I do have some ejection cycle issues from time-to-time with low brass in that gun, but the high brass cycles right through.

T-BONE
(tpool)


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

Mr. Pool...read this article. It might help you with the light low brass loads in your 1100. http://www.shootingtimes.com/gunsmithing/gunsmithing_st_1100loads_200808/

Yes I was being a bit sarcastic about the 1100.

I actually heard a counter salesman at Carter Country tell that to a man who was wanting to buy an 1100..."the o-rings give out and then you'll have a single shot gun so I would advise that you buy this Montefeltro instead."

Dang Roostor you sure were rough on me up there. I don't claim to be an expert on anything but I have shot a few firearms in my day.

TH


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Ya know T H

All the different birds of all kinds and a few other things I have killed with my ole Remingtons just wake up dead and dont know what killed them. Jus as dead as if one of those expensive shotguns had shot them. Re cleaning heck I clean them every two or three years whether they need it or not and that's after shooting at least a case every year.


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

Trouthunter said:


> Mr. Pool...read this article. It might help you with the light low brass loads in your 1100. http://www.shootingtimes.com/gunsmithing/gunsmithing_st_1100loads_200808/
> 
> Yes I was being a bit sarcastic about the 1100.
> 
> ...


I know you covet my wife's Montefeltro...:slimer:


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Blake

I aint saying nothing !


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

Okay Blake you got me.

Can I have it? 

TH


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

Trouthunter said:


> Okay Blake you got me.
> 
> Can I have it?
> 
> TH


Haha!


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## dwilliams35 (Oct 8, 2006)

...and just for the record, the Benelli Vinci is the ugliest shotgun since the dawn of time.


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## tpool (Aug 21, 2005)

Thanks for the article TH!!!

And I can't even say or spell Montefeltro, much less afford one!!! LOL


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

dwilliams35 said:


> ...and just for the record, the Benelli Vinci is the ugliest shotgun since the dawn of time.


I agree that the Vinci is ugly... but I have never seen one break in half from a crowhater handling it.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

> I agree that the Vinci is ugly... but I have never seen one break in half from a crowhater handling it.


Me either. I think he clubbed a bird with that gun and broke the stock. 

TH


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## dwilliams35 (Oct 8, 2006)

I think the thing had been loose for two years and wore out the threads....


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## Chase4556 (Aug 26, 2008)

Myself and two buddies I hunt with shoot SX3s. They have been very good guns, and never have had a problem with them. My buddy and I were in Houston out at carters country shooting some skeet avout two years ago, and we started having cycling issues with the cheap low brass shells we were shooting. Realized we had not cleaned them in about 600-700rds, so I grabbed some Kroil out of the truck and we sprayed down the actions and the piston. They cycled fine the rest of the day and we did a deep cleaning that evening. 

Two other buddies have A300s, and they are great guns for the price as well. Had I not purchased my SX3 prior to knowing about the A300, I would probably have an A300.


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## Hpnewby (Dec 1, 2015)

Haute Pursuit said:


> I agree that the Vinci is ugly... but I have never seen one break in half from a crowhater handling it.


Doesnâ€™t have to be attractive when all I see is a fast bead on a dead bird!


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

Hpnewby said:


> Doesnâ€™t have to be attractive when all I see is a fast bead on a dead bird!


Yup! :cheers:


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## 348473 (Apr 12, 2017)

sgrem said:


> I guide a lot of open bay duck hunts. Thrown in the boat with the decoys and wet waders and wet dogs splashing and covering those guns in saltwater. MY #1 pick is my camo dipped 870 in 20 gauge. 28" barrel which cost $360 brand new. It is what i recomend when my customers ask me. (OP asked about autos but i do not prefer autos). Several 2coolers have followed that advice and are very happy. I wiped my 870 down every hunt with an oil wipe. Thats it. Broke it down last night for the first time in two years for a full thorough cleaning. Thats after about 150-200 hunts.....


Yes. my 870 wingmaster is nicknamed meat in the pot. Knocked off the boat completely submerged, in mud we found it with my feet. Washed it off in the clean saltwater and had a good hunt. I did have an ejector pin break once. Never did own an auto but then again I still wind my watch and my vehicles have three pedals. Was curious about an auto. Good thread and A3-400 looks pretty neat.


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## Harbormaster (May 26, 2000)

hurricane matt said:


> ...A3-400 looks pretty neat.


A400 Extreme :smile:


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## TeamJefe (Mar 20, 2007)

I shoot a Browning Maxus and have for the past 4 seasons. I love the gun. I tried out the new Browning A5 but it wouldn't cycle reliably. 

I prefer a gas operated gun that doesn't rely on the shooters shoulder to cycle. Many times I find that I need to make quick shots and might not have the gun shouldered properly. 

Go shoulder a Browning Maxus. Its gas operated like the Beretta's but is much slimmer like a Benelli


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## Moose2 (Feb 9, 2017)

benelli


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## gordaboy (May 27, 2017)

Didnâ€™t go through all 6 pages of this thread, so I assumed itâ€™s been pointed out that the shotgun of choice in Argentina where you may shot thousands of rounds a day is a Benelli. I own an 11-87, an A400 extreme and a Benelli SBE II. They are all excellent!!
WhenI go hunting I grab the Benelli. Do yourself a favor get the Benelli.


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## 98aggie77566 (Jul 7, 2009)

gordaboy said:


> Didnâ€™t go through all 6 pages of this thread, so I assumed itâ€™s been pointed out that the shotgun of choice in Argentina where you may shot thousands of rounds a day is a Benelli. I own an 11-87, an A400 extreme and a Benelli SBE II. They are all excellent!!
> WhenI go hunting I grab the Benelli. Do yourself a favor get the Benelli.


We hunted Argentina with JJ Caceria...he uses Beretta.

Both are great guns.


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## Csafisher (Nov 16, 2010)

gordaboy said:


> Didnâ€™t go through all 6 pages of this thread, so I assumed itâ€™s been pointed out that the shotgun of choice in Argentina where you may shot thousands of rounds a day is a Benelli. I own an 11-87, an A400 extreme and a Benelli SBE II. They are all excellent!!
> WhenI go hunting I grab the Benelli. Do yourself a favor get the Benelli.


Actually many use beretta gas guns. Little less recoil.


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## gordaboy (May 27, 2017)

My A400 has a lot less recoil. My Benelli fits me better and points better, the beretta swings like a fence post.


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## dwilliams35 (Oct 8, 2006)

Csafisher said:


> Actually many use beretta gas guns. Little less recoil.


. The guy running the bunch that I went with used 391â€™s, said they generally had a little edge over the recoil guns as far as holding up long term, he attributed it to the recoil guns just shaking themselves apart more.. Of course they ALL keeled over at least once a day and needed cleaning in the field, I was shooting my o/u 28 gauge, and loaned out my 20 every day to people shooting autos when their guns went down i the middle of the hunt,.


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