Duck gun

[JeffP_Or]

I'm in the Franchi Affinity boat. Have used older Rem 1100's successfully.
I will say, waterfowling is some of the more abusive conditions any shotgun will experience; a lot of hardcore guys I know still use their beat to crap pump guns. They are sloppy; they are loose; they still function and can be stripped in the field and assessed. The guns that is...
If you are just getting into it - and are not set on the game, consider checking out the used market. Find something that fits. Something that meets your budget. Something that won't make you cry when you beat it up. If you stick with it and it has issues down the road - come back and get another one later. No need to get the latest whizbang 3.5" mag shooter on the market at this point IMO.

 

[wcasey755]

Get a Wolff +25% recoil spring. That gun will cycle just fine.

Then decide if you need one that says Benelli.

Edit: I'm not sure if Wolff makes a Stoeger specific spring. I understand them to basically be Benelli clones though... Either way try a new recoil spring.

So the website says to get a 25 reduced spring to improve feeding. Am I reading it wrong?

 

[wcasey755]

So the website says to get a 25 reduced spring to improve feeding. Am I reading it wrong?

Nevermind I read it backwards

 

[KChunter71]

Used Beretta 390, xtrema 2, add a little more for a400

Benelli M2, used Super black eagle 2, or add a little more for SBE3

I enjoy my Beretta xtrema 2.

 

[SWFLhntr]

I bought my son a Beretta A300 Ultima and it has been fantastic. He has a long lop and it is easily adjustable. Had to get rid of the Benelli because we couldn’t lengthen the lop enough.

 

[lmeyer]

+ 1 on the used Beretta-AL390 if you're ok with only shooting 3". Most reliable gun semi even that will stand up to abuse too.

 

[RSather528]

Beretta AL390 takes care of me as long as I give it basic cleaning every once and a while.

 

[slick]

Another vote for a Franchi Affinity. 12ga 26"

or whatever your flavor. They make some fancy ones these days.

 

[tstith]

I have used both 870's and A300's. I have nothing bad to say about the Beretta and would encourage anyone looking to go that route. The A300 Ultima was sub $700 shipped from gunzonedeals.com

 

[Holocene]

My top picks for sub $1000 duck gun:
Winchester SX3
Browning Maxus

These are nearly identical guns inside, but the Browning internals are finished a little better. I sold an SX3 Waterfowler that absolutely crushed for 5 years. Took great care of it, but hunted hard in serious conditions. Loved that gun but had a kid and downsized the stable.

The main factors to consider and how to consider them:

Fit
This is without a question the most important, but the hardest to master. Time and shooting lots of guns will help. What is your ideal length of pull? Lefty or righty cast? Drop? Does the gun have shims to adjust all this stuff? Do you like a raised rib or flat? What weight gun do you prefer? Slim or blocky forearm? Ultimately, you'll start to feel what gun points and feels correct for your body type and shooting style. For a duck gun, barrel length should be 28" + in an autoloader.

Recoil Management/Function
First, I hate recoil (so hate recoil guns) and love gas guns. Good modern gas guns are no less reliable than recoil operated guns these days. By good, I mean a B gun or Winchester SX3/SX4. Gas guns will be softer. They will be softer yet if you can add weight to the forearm and buttstock.

People love their Benelli's and Franchis, but man those guns kick! And some are so light they don't swing well, which I want in a duck gun.

Repairs
If you duck hunt hard, repairs will be inevitable. And it's fun to keep a good gun running! Does Midwest Gun Works have replacement parts for your gun? Or somewhere similar?

Just some thoughts. Good luck and take em!

 

[FLATHEAD]

No love for the A5's ?

 

[JColony]

I'll throw my vote out for he Beretta A300! I know you said semi auto, but don't ever discount the old faithful 870!

 

[FLATHEAD]

I've got 3 870s,,,set for life.

 

[wcasey755]

I appreciate everyone's opinions and awesome suggestions!! I'll have to go play with some guns and see what feels good!

 

[JeffP_Or]

Recoil Management/Function
First, I hate recoil (so hate recoil guns) and love gas guns. Good modern gas guns are no less reliable than recoil operated guns these days....Gas guns will be softer.

People love their Benelli's and Franchis, but man those guns kick! And some are so light they don't swing well, which I want in a duck gun.

This is interesting - and what I expected to find as well. However, I have been surprised as this is not what I experienced in the field. Moving directly from a Rem 1100 16ga to the Franchi Affinity Elite Waterfowl 12ga [28" barrel].

• Franchi was lighter.
• Franchi felt recoil is less to me; shooting similar 2.75" loads [that does change when I step to 3"; though the Rem doesn't do 3's so there is that]. Maybe that spring up front thing is the trick?
• Franchi swings way easy to me [except when hunting timber then I have tendency to whack branches with it].

Perhaps it is an overall fit thing - who knows. I'm just about as average a sized person as could be. Maybe it is psychological thing too! haha I have shot a Remington model 11 in 12ga [probably a late 30/early 40's era gun] - that thing was a beast as I recall; heavy and a thumper! And admittedly, the 16ga was built on a 12ga frame by Remington.

The added weight idea is real - shot skeet with a guy [he was a competitive level shooter] and his beretta citori o/u - he had mercury weights in the stock; crazy effects.

To the OP - you might check out the local trap/skeet or sporting clays venue - they often have rental guns that you can try out to experience the differences; they wont necessarily be your exact gun but you can possibly get close.

 

[wcasey755]

This is interesting - and what I expected to find as well. However, I have been surprised as this is not what I experienced in the field. Moving directly from a Rem 1100 16ga to the Franchi Affinity Elite Waterfowl 12ga [28" barrel].

• Franchi was lighter.
• Franchi felt recoil is less to me; shooting similar 2.75" loads [that does change when I step to 3"; though the Rem doesn't do 3's so there is that]. Maybe that spring up front thing is the trick?
• Franchi swings way easy to me [except when hunting timber then I have tendency to whack branches with it].

Perhaps it is an overall fit thing - who knows. I'm just about as average a sized person as could be. Maybe it is psychological thing too! haha I have shot a Remington model 11 in 12ga [probably a late 30/early 40's era gun] - that thing was a beast as I recall; heavy and a thumper! And admittedly, the 16ga was built on a 12ga frame by Remington.

The added weight idea is real - shot skeet with a guy [he was a competitive level shooter] and his beretta citori o/u - he had mercury weights in the stock; crazy effects.

To the OP - you might check out the local trap/skeet or sporting clays venue - they often have rental guns that you can try out to experience the differences; they wont necessarily be your exact gun but you can possibly get close.

That is a fantastic idea. I have one nearby I'll have to check!

 

[Fadetoblack188]

My benelli sbe2 sucks. Nothing but problems .
I’ll prob go beretta a400 next

 

[BDRam16]

I think you got a dud of a Stoeger or something. I have an M3500 and have had exactly zero failures in 5+ seasons. Everything from Walmart trap loads to 3.5” turkey loads. Never had any complaints with the gun.

 

[Pn8hall]

Franchi Affinity here as well. Its crazy light and points well for me. Buddy shoots one as well and has zero complaints also.

 

[35remy]

Which ever shoulders/feels the best to you should be part of your consideration. Over the years I have moved from an Ithaca 2 3/4 inch pump to a mossberg 500 3 inch pump to a benelli nova 3 1/2 inch pump for ducks. I also own a few turkey guns and a M3k for 3gun. I have only ever used 2 3/4 and 3 inch loads for duck hunting, and have had great success with the benelli nova. Modular trigger assembly, easy to clean, smooth pump action, and endless choke options. The LOP and sight angle were a good fit for me with the benneli, but my shimmed mossberg sa-20 fits me like a glove. Even though I would consider it inferior to the benelli pump in quality, I’m dead nuts accurate with it and it’s such a perfect fit it feels like an extension of myself. I wish I could get an M2 to feel like my mossberg, but I just can’t replicate that fit. Guess I’ll keep shouldering in the shops and chasing that dragon.