Help me choose a semi-auto shotgun

jeffC

jeffC

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My lady said a semi auto shotgun was acceptable for Christmas, so I've been looking around, and I've narrowed it down to three. I don't know too much about semi auto shotguns, so I'm asking which would you choose, and why. The choices are (all 12 gauge): beretta xplor, remington versa maxx, benelli Vinci.
Btw: the gun will be used for light target shooting, and a LOT of hunting, bird, deer, whatever.
 
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If you can find a used Beretta 390, grab it. You'll likely find it inexpensive compared to anything new, and it will digest anything you put into it. I've had Remingtons, Brownings, and Mossbergs, but the used Beretta 390 I got in trade is the best of the lot.
 
Beretta 391, unless you're planning on doing waterfowl - then an Xtrema2 or an A400.

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bhmax16 said:
If I was getting a semi-auto shotty the only two I would consider would be a Benelli M4 or FN SLP
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Neither of which is suitable in any way for the OP's intended purposes.
 
I think of the three you listed, I would place the Benelli last, only because it doesn't take 3.5 shells. I like having 3.5 for geese. I have only heard bad things about Remington's QC recently but a friend of mine bought an 887 for his son and is probably going to get one for himself he likes it so much, so who knows. I would go with the Beretta of those listed, but might opt for the kick off feature if you can swing it. I shot an Xtrema with it and was really impressed.
 
bhmax16 said:
If I was getting a semi-auto shotty the only two I would consider would be a Benelli M4 or FN SLP
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No offense, but spoken like someone who knows nothing about how 99% of all shotguns are used. You are recommending two tactical type guns for a guy who wants to shoot clays and hunt birds. Are you nuts?
The only people I've ever met who use the term Shotty, consider a good day of shotgun shooting to be blowing up milk jugs and shooting at shipping pallets.

JeffC - first question, do you intend to do any waterfouling? Do you want a 3.5" chamber gun?

How important is weight to you? If you are hunting, you do more walking than shooting. A light gun is better for hunting.
If you are shooting clays, you do more shooting than walking. A heavy gun works better for targets.

These are a couple of items to weigh against each other. I don't know the weight of these guns, but you may want to look them up.

One thing that nobody mentioned to you is fit. Shooting a shotgun is an inherently more instinctive thing than shooting a rifle or handgun. Because of this fit is more important. Your eye IS the rear sight. Your eye needs to align in the right place every time. If all your data tells you the benelli is the gun for you and the first time you pick up the versa max, its just right for you, then you should get the versa max.

Thats the way it was when I got my Benelli SBE II. I borrowed a friends and the first time I brought it to my shoulder, I knew I had to have one. It was the most lively big auto I had ever handled. It felt pounds lighter than my 1100, even though the scale showed the difference to be only a few ounces. Part of it was the 24" bbl, which kept the length of the gun reasonable with its long receiver. .

My buddy tried the Benelli, Beretta and the Winchester/Browning. He liked the Winchester by far. It just "came up" better for him. He ended up buying the same gun with a browning label because he found a deal on it.
 
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I can attest to the benelli SBEII. I had one for a while, I only sold it, because I didn't find myself using it often enough. It found a better home, but damn! That thing was awesome.
 
The SBE is an amazing beast. But it is a beast. If he's not planning to do waterfouling, there are better guns.

One other thought. I don't know the answer, but I do know the question to ask. If you are going to be hunting deer much, a gun that allows you to mount a scope to the bbl rather than the receiver is a good thing. Shotguns aren't very precise in how their bbls are aligned. Better to have the sight on the bbl than the receiver.

Even better since a smooth bore bbl in 24-28 inches is best for birds and a rifled bbl is best for deer, maybe try to find a combo pack.

If you do mostly bird hunting I wouldn't bother. But if you do a lot of deer hunting, I'd keep that in mind.

Finally finally, if you intend to buy a smoothbore gun then buy a rifled bbl after the fact, I know that the Benelli rifled bbls are BIG BUCKS. Like $500 for a SBE II bbl. Just be aware of extra bbl cost if its something you are going to do.

Good luck.
 
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One H&R ultra slug for deer, and a Remington 870 or Browning BPS. For the same price as an auto you'll have two guns that will completely cover all your hunting and target needs. The H&R slug gun is a smoker deer gun, and the 870 or BPS will cover your duck, goose, pheasant, skeet, and trap needs.
 
For my money the Beretta Xtrema2 28" is the best semi-automatic all-around shotgun available.

I have waterfowl hunted with mine - it takes 3.5" magnum loads and with the K/O system in the stock the felt recoil is not that much more than a target load.

I have shot 3-gun competition with it - it takes the same extension tubes as the Benelli Nova and Supernova - I have the 5-round Nordic extension for mine giving me a total of 9 rounds in the tube and one in the chamber.

I have shot competitive skeet with it - my best score with the gun so far was a 99/100, and I routinely score as well with it as I do with my $8200 687EELL.

It eats everything I feed it, from 7/8oz. light skeet loads to ten round mag dumps of slugs or buckshot, to the 3 1/2" shells. The only failure I've ever had with it was due to me improperly reassembling it.
 
Sounds nice.

I forgot to mention one thing about the SBEII was that it was available in a LH model. I have no need for a LH AR15, I'm always wearing eye protection and I can't ever see the shell. When I'm hunting, I'm not always wearing eye protection and the hull crossing my field of vision is annoying.

I think anyone considering a field gun that will see some waterfowling use should look at

1) Beretta Xtrema2
2) Benelli SBE II
3) Winchester SX3

Pick them up, put them to your shoulder. See which one YOU like.
 
dcmdon said:
Sounds nice.

I forgot to mention one thing about the SBEII was that it was available in a LH model. I have no need for a LH AR15, I'm always wearing eye protection and I can't ever see the shell. When I'm hunting, I'm not always wearing eye protection and the hull crossing my field of vision is annoying.

I think anyone considering a field gun that will see some waterfowling use should look at

1) Beretta Xtrema2
2) Benelli SBE II
3) Winchester SX3

Pick them up, put them to your shoulder. See which one YOU like.
Click to expand...

I haven't shot it yet, but based on some of the reviews and some feedback I would add the Versamax to that list. I do think the Beretta and Benelli are on a level above the Winchester and Remington, though. If the OP is fortunate he may be able to find an Xtrema at a good price as it is being phased out in favor of the new A400.
 
You can't go wrong with a Remington 1100 or 11/87 highest volume production semi auto out there. The Beretta 391 are damn nice at about 30% higher price. I love my Benelli Super Black Eagle but those damn 3.5" #4 shells will shake your fillings loose.
 
I've had a basic 11/87 for a year now. Easily put a 1000 shells through it shooting trap. No blips at all. You do have to clean it more often than you would a pump gun but cleaning is about a 10 minute operation.
 
Villeneuve - I've gotten students/customers of mine several remingtons over the last couple of years. I have to say that most of them did not hold a candle to my 25 year old 870 express. (And weren't even close to my mid 70s left handed 1100 Special Trap)

The quality really has gone down on the new Remingtons over the last couple of years. Its sad.

To anyone consider buying an 1100 or 1187, I'd suggest you find a nice used one that is a few years old. I really think the chances of you having problems will be less.
 
dcmdon said:
Villeneuve - I've gotten students/customers of mine several remingtons over the last couple of years. I have to say that most of them did not hold a candle to my 25 year old 870 express. (And weren't even close to my mid 70s left handed 1100 Special Trap)

The quality really has gone down on the new Remingtons over the last couple of years. Its sad.

To anyone consider buying an 1100 or 1187, I'd suggest you find a nice used one that is a few years old. I really think the chances of you having problems will be less.
Click to expand...

I agree and I've said as much in most of the threads where everyone is swearing by the current 870 Express models. I am a high volume shooter - on a lazy week I put at least 250 rounds down the pipe and on a busy day easily over 500 rounds. The new 870s just don't take that beating (my new production 870 20ga being no exception), and neither do the newer 1100s/11-87s. The Versamax should be able to, but it's too new to really know. The Berettas are a proven, competition and field-tested no-compromise design and shoot lighter than equivalent Benellis (I have nothing against Benellis).

It's a sad day when I trust my trashy Mossberg 500A over my 870, but the number of defective, poorly constructed, and poorly fitted 870s coming out of Remington these days is staggering.
 
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Mossberg is still an independent company with its original employees. You can't say that for many larger gun companies any more.

The New Haven, CT area used to be home to Winchester, Marlin, and Mossberg as recently as 2006.

FN closed the Winchester factory in 06 and The Freedom Group shut down the Marlin factory in 2011.

Sad days
 
I help coach a youth shotgun team and have seen many 'bargain' brands Charles Daily and the like. What ever you chose, pick a volume manufacturer and a model that any gunsmith can fix. Get a Remington, Beretta, Benelli and you should be good to go. I also don't like 'flavor of the month designs', let someone else debug the Versa Max.
 
Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I suppose I should have been a little more specific in my original post though. I HAVE to choose between these specific three guns. I can get one of three on a pro deal, so I only have to pay 1/3 of retail price(didn't wanna brag [wink]) which is why I'm going for the good stuff. So, between those three specifically.... Which is better. I'm fond of the benelli. The weight is nice, it comes up good, and the action seems the best, but I haven't fired any of them, so I'm looking for advice from someone who has.
 
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dcmdon said:
Villeneuve - I've gotten students/customers of mine several remingtons over the last couple of years. I have to say that most of them did not hold a candle to my 25 year old 870 express. (And weren't even close to my mid 70s left handed 1100 Special Trap)

The quality really has gone down on the new Remingtons over the last couple of years. Its sad.

To anyone consider buying an 1100 or 1187, I'd suggest you find a nice used one that is a few years old. I really think the chances of you having problems will be less.
Click to expand...


This. I too would buy a used 870 Wingmaster or 1100 in good shape before a new Express or 1187....
 

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