Buy once cry once shotgun for water fowl

D.Rose

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 21, 2020
Messages
225
Franchi Affinity 3.5. I had on and switched to the Browning A5. Wished I'd kept the Franchi. Couple buddies of mine had bad issues with their SB3's patterning way to high. Both were sent back to the factory and came back with the same issues. They traded for Affinity 3.5's.
 

Burnt Reynolds

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 29, 2015
Messages
272
Location
Silverton, OR
Old thread, love it!

Love my vintage tan browning maxxus II 12g. No issues so far but not even a years worth of ownership so grain of salt and all that. Shooting without cleaning until failure. So far about 1500 rounds of 3’s and 2 3/4’s in rainy/snowy/hot weather. No 3.5’s yet. Fit and feel is perfect for me with the highest cast off stock insert. No salt water exposure yet however.

Ordered a maxxus II ultimate which I have yet to take possession of.
 

samc

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 10, 2016
Messages
101
Ive got a super vinci that I absolutely love. Just fits me well. Can't go wrong with a benelli
 

roosterdown

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 8, 2022
Messages
184
Location
Afton, MN
Franchi Affinity 3.5. I had on and switched to the Browning A5. Wished I'd kept the Franchi. Couple buddies of mine had bad issues with their SB3's patterning way to high. Both were sent back to the factory and came back with the same issues. They traded for Affinity 3.5's.
I have a buddy who - like me - has the Franchi. We both shoot a lot of pheasants and a lot of waterfowl with 'em.

I love my o/u for upland...and it's the gun I wish I preferred to carry. But for some reason, I swing the Franchi better, so it's usually what comes into the field, especially late season in the Dakotas.
 

FOS373

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 8, 2019
Messages
265
It may have already been said, but the Retay Masai Mara is a great gun. I’ve been shooting the new A5 for a couple of years and picked up a 20 gauge Retay MM and it is phenomenal! Light weight but not a lot of kick and really “fits”. Had a couple of friends use it and they were very impressed


Liked the 20 so much, ordered another in 12 GA and really look forward to testing it out.
 

Big Ern

WKR
Joined
Nov 3, 2019
Messages
342
Location
California
Benelli …any of their autos would be great.

I have a Vinci and SBE3. Both have functioned flawlessly through some hard abuse.
 
Joined
May 16, 2021
Messages
29
Location
Middle TN
Hello,

I’m a fair weather bird hunter but I’m trying to get into it more and more. In the past I didn’t go much because I didn’t really know anybody who was into it. My bird hunting season consisted of a goose or 2 and ducks when I happened to catch them while jet boating on creeks.

I’ve since met a few guys who are all in, they have invited me on a few trips with them this next year to some real legit places for Brandt’s, geese, sea ducks etc.

My current shotgun is a beat up old Remington rust bucket, it works but I want to invest in a nice semi auto, I’m going to have to order due to where I live so I can’t really go and try a bunch. I’m looking for something I’m going to be happy with for years to come, price isn’t an issue but I’d like to stay under 2k.

What would you buy for a one and done waterfowl gun? I’m thinking a benelli super black eagle or maybe some version of the A5.

What would you get?

Thanks!!!



I did a ton of research a few years ago and decided on a beretta A400. Shot it this past three seasons and some sporting clays mixed in and have been extremely happy.
 
Joined
Jan 6, 2020
Messages
375
Location
North Pole, AK
I bought a Browning Maxus back in 2013 and I finally had to give it a really good cleaning this last year. I didn't make it out afterwards either which was really sad. I shot it a BOAT load in Juneau on the Mendenhall Wetlands in all weather conditions on the salt and then much less since moving to Fairbanks - but down to much colder conditions.

But that thing has been fantastic. I need to pickup a pump and I'd love to try the A5 but the Maxus has been fantastic for me for years.

I got a dog this year, training her for waterfowl and upland so plan to get ALOT more time out and birds in the bag.
 

go4thegusto

WKR
Classified Approved
Joined
May 16, 2012
Messages
3,030
Location
Fargo ND
Remington V3 and no crying at all. I have owned most all of the gas autos (inertia kick the crap out of you). The V3 is an amazing design and the softest shooting most reliable gas system ever developed.
 

Tim Box

FNG
Joined
Dec 18, 2022
Messages
60
Yep the benelli will be the way to go one thing to remember the Remington always goes bang . I have a wing master my dad bought the year I was born in 1979 won a bunch of trap shoots and it has killed a lot of birds. I am buying a new shotgun this Christmas but the old wing master will always have a spot in the safe. I’m going franchi affinity because it feels the best out of all of the guns I shouldered
Great choice
 

Tim Box

FNG
Joined
Dec 18, 2022
Messages
60
Hello,

I’m a fair weather bird hunter but I’m trying to get into it more and more. In the past I didn’t go much because I didn’t really know anybody who was into it. My bird hunting season consisted of a goose or 2 and ducks when I happened to catch them while jet boating on creeks.

I’ve since met a few guys who are all in, they have invited me on a few trips with them this next year to some real legit places for Brandt’s, geese, sea ducks etc.

My current shotgun is a beat up old Remington rust bucket, it works but I want to invest in a nice semi auto, I’m going to have to order due to where I live so I can’t really go and try a bunch. I’m looking for something I’m going to be happy with for years to come, price isn’t an issue but I’d like to stay under 2k.

What would you buy for a one and done waterfowl gun? I’m thinking a benelli super black eagle or maybe some version of the A5.

What would you get?

Thanks!!!
I'd definitely stick to inertia guns
A5,retay,benelli,franchi,are all lifetime guns. Best wat to choose is to shoulder them all and pick the one that points best.
I hope this was helpful
Happy New Year
 
OP
thinhorn_AK

thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
10,341
Location
Alaska
I'd definitely stick to inertia guns
A5,retay,benelli,franchi,are all lifetime guns. Best wat to choose is to shoulder them all and pick the one that points best.
I hope this was helpful
Happy New Year
I still havnt bought one but I need to. I’d like to be a bit more serious about geese and ducks than I usually am. I’ve been looking at the A5 a lot.
 
Joined
Jan 21, 2023
Messages
11
Location
Springfield, IL
Started with a Beretta A391 Xtrema. Gave that to my son and I now use an A400 Xtreme. Never had an issue with either one. Both digested everything from light trap/skeet loads to 3-1/2" turkey loads.
 
Joined
Nov 15, 2022
Messages
25
Location
Anna, Texas
I’m looking at a beretta a400 as well. My buddies all have them and have nothing but good things to say


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