Help me choose a Duck gun

[Fallbeard]

Read all 4 pages. Some great info shared. A few got a little testy.

Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus vs. Benelli Super Black Eagle III

I'm in the market for a new 12 gauge shotgun. The gun will be used for duck, goose, dove, pheasant and other upland bird hunting, and clay pigeon shooting as often as possible. I had a Remington 1187 for several years, but I have decided to try something else. After a whole lot of research, I...

rokslide.com

 

[Browtinemt]

Benelli 12 gauge pump that can shoot 3” and 3 1/2” shells. Crazy versatile, crazy reliable, easy to shoot, more shot in the pattern, more available ammo and easy to problem solve and fix if needed. The more you hunt the more you’ll want to shoot geese. They make great jerky if you’re having problems consuming them.

 

[Jfjfrye]

Beretta A400 extreme 12 guage

Go with your gut. You’ll be happy.

 

[FuddRucker]

Anything 12 gauge that shoots 3 1/2.

FWIW I've never shot one, but I've been window shopping Franchi's (Affinity 3.5 waterfowl lite) for a while. They're nice looking and appear to have many things one would want in a waterfowl gun. That said, those berettas look sweet too.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I am looking to get in to duck hunting and buying a dedicated waterfowl gun. My research shows SBE 3 vs A400 is like a Chevy vs Ford debate…everyone has a preference.

I already have a Remington 870 Supermangum in 12 gauge dedicated for turkeys. A Beretta SV10 Perinnia in 20 gauge for doves, quail, and other small game.
I’m currently leaning towards the Beretta A400 extreme plus. Where I could use experienced input is, 12 gauge or 20 gauge?

I understand the math behind 12 v 20 (more pellets) but is there anything else to consider when choosing a gauge for waterfowl usage?

Turn your 12ga 870 into your duck gun and get a 20ga 870 with a 21” barrel for your turkey gun.

 

[Fallbeard]

Turn your 12ga 870 into your duck gun and get a 20ga 870 with a 21” barrel for your turkey gun.

You are nothing if not consistent. I read another old shotgun thread where you professed your love for the 870. My 870 was my first ever gun and would be one of my last possessions I would be forced to give up.

 

[Holocene]

The 12 gauge is still the easiest and most common duck gun for lots of reasons stated here plus more.

In current production guns, the Beretta A400 Xtreme and A400 Xcel are top contenders.

The Franchi Affinity is a neat little gun if your length of pull fits their standard stock length. Their custom recoil pad configuration is a non-starter for me because unlike Beretta and Benelli, they don't have many LOP adjustment options. Super easy to clean because the recoil spring is in the forend.

On cleaning, I'll submit that the Beretta A400 action is one of the easiest to clean of all modern duck guns. The recoil spring is in the forend and not the stock, trigger drops by removing one pin, and all Cole's sells a kit to break down the gas piston assembly for detailed cleaning. For drenching rains or times when your gun takes a dip in the drink (it happens) you can totally break down the gun in less than 10 minutes and dry/oil it.

Try that with a Benelli. Because the recoil spring is in the stock, it takes forever to disassemble, clean, and redo. When that spring rusts, the gun becomes sluggish. This happens on gas autos that have recoil springs in the stock as well.

For this reason, I've moved to the A400 Xcel (actually a target gun but I prefer the flat rib compared to the raised rib of the A400 Extreme) because it's so darn easy to clean. My only gripe is that when closing the action the bolt bars ring like a tuning fork and that's annoying.

It's important to clean duck guns, probably even more important than target guns.

Gas guns feel softer. Heavy gas guns feel softest.

 

[Greenbelt]

I carried a benelli professionally at one point in my life (not a duck gun). My opinion is they are over rated, when you pull the trigger they go boom. No reason for the 500-1000 more than everything else. I am currently turkey and quail hunting with Someone right now who has the benelli. I also sighted it in with him and that thing is about 3 in high. Apparently they do this on purpose. I would barely take that shotgun for free and that's not a joke. Look at the franchi, benelli, cz, and browning.

 

[UpTop]

Get the Beretta and get it in a 12. I think the a400 might be the best waterfowl gun ever made. It’s definitely softer shooting than any inertia gun could ever be. I love a 20 guage, but if you’re ever out in the middle of nowhereville and run out of shells often times your options in 20 non toxic shot can start to get real limited if not flat out non existent. The 12 will almost always have some type of shell on the shelves. Believe me I’ve had to play the drive all over several counties looking for shells game because the person I was with didn’t being enough shells for their favorite sub gauge and we had several days leff to hunt.

 

[KurtR]

Anything 12 gauge that shoots 3 1/2.

FWIW I've never shot one, but I've been window shopping Franchi's (Affinity 3.5 waterfowl lite) for a while. They're nice looking and appear to have many things one would want in a waterfowl gun. That said, those berettas look sweet too.

In 32 years of waterfowl hunting I have shot a 3.5 inch shell twice. They really are not needed that why I won’t the affinity 3 and used the two hundred saved and bought a case of shells.

 

[Choupique]

the math behind 12 v 20 (more pellets) but is there anything else to consider when choosing a gauge for waterfowl usage?

Get a 12ga. 20ga is much cooler, but the shell options are far less, odds are better of bumming 12ga shells in the blind, etc etc. I WANT the 20ga to make more sense but it just doesn't. You don't HAVE to shoot 3.5" shells from your 12ga. Regular 2-3/4" is relatively affordable and kills ducks just fine.

In louisiana, where lots of guys are hunting on the coast benelli SBE rules the roost. They handle the salt water well and keep on working. Beretta also works just fine. They all rust if neglected but are both extremely reliable with even a little bit of care.

I prefer 3" guns just because I don't even shoot 3" shells, I use 2-3/4 for everything and I don't see any point in a longer gun for no reason. I prefer the A300, montefeltro, M2, etc. I use an ultralight 12ga for everything which is fine, but it is definitely not a purpose built duck gun like the SBE or A400 are. Whichever one of those fits you best is the right choice and will never leave you wanting for more.

 

[Choupique]

I just read about the guys SBE shooting high. That is definitely a thing. Some people flat out can't shoot them, and if you've never shot one it might be best to stick to the beretta. Transitioning from an 870 to a benelli can be a little tough, it was for me. Now that I'm used to it I love it, but it absolutely does not work for everybody. It seems to be much more prevalent with the SBE3 than the 2. I'm not sure what changed to cause that. I know a guy also who sold his because he couldn't kill ducks with it. Went back to his rem 1100.

 

[N2TRKYS]

You are nothing if not consistent. I read another old shotgun thread where you professed your love for the 870. My 870 was my first ever gun and would be one of my last possessions I would be forced to give up.

I love ‘em. They’ve treated me right throughout the years.

 

[sconnieVLP]

I just read about the guys SBE shooting high. That is definitely a thing. Some people flat out can't shoot them, and if you've never shot one it might be best to stick to the beretta. Transitioning from an 870 to a benelli can be a little tough, it was for me. Now that I'm used to it I love it, but it absolutely does not work for everybody. It seems to be much more prevalent with the SBE3 than the 2. I'm not sure what changed to cause that. I know a guy also who sold his because he couldn't kill ducks with it. Went back to his rem 1100.

I had been lusting after a Benelli SuperSport a while back and eventually found one. It felt great but it turned out that no matter what I did to it I just couldn’t shoot that gun well.

In general my personal rule is “never get rid of a gun” but I was so sick of it that it had been sitting in the safe for the last 5 years without being touched. I broke down and traded it off on something else a few weeks ago.

When it comes to shotguns, Brownings seem to fit me best but 870s will always be special to me.

 

[FuddRucker]

In 32 years of waterfowl hunting I have shot a 3.5 inch shell twice. They really are not needed that why I won’t the affinity 3 and used the two hundred saved and bought a case of shells.

And that's okay. I'm not saying you should only shoot 3.5, but I like having the option should I want it.

 

[KurtR]

And that's okay. I'm not saying you should only shoot 3.5, but I like having the option should I want it.

With todays ammo you gain nothing if your shooting at birds that are in range. If your sky busting pass shooting maybe they serve a purpose thats what all the ditch pigs did when they first came out.

 

[FuddRucker]

With todays ammo you gain nothing if your shooting at birds that are in range. If your sky busting pass shooting maybe they serve a purpose thats what all the ditch pigs did when they first came out.

You've converted me.

 

[Choupique]

No harm in having the option. They run light loads just fine. I personally wouldn't use them - I like my shoulder too much. There's no doubt that a guy who can competently shoot those artillery shells will kill more ducks than someone who loads them and can't shoot them. The recoil is brutal, especially from lightweight inertia guns.

I hate em, but I have a big ol dumb friend who loves them and he crushes ducks.

 

[MikeDeltaFoxtrot]

I have an SBE 2 in 12 ga that I have owned for 15 years. Last year I bought an SBE 3 in 12 ga, and this year I got an SBE 3 in 20 ga. In my experience they are bullet proof, run whatever shells you stuff in them without complaint, and shoot lights out. Benelli is the Glock of shotguns.

I also got Montefeltros for my kids last Christmas, and those have been great too.

 

[Fallbeard]

I have an SBE 2 in 12 ga that I have owned for 15 years. Last year I bought an SBE 3 in 12 ga, and this year I got an SBE 3 in 20 ga. In my experience they are bullet proof, run whatever shells you stuff in them without complaint, and shoot lights out. Benelli is the Glock of shotguns.

I also got Montefeltros for my kids last Christmas, and those have been great too.

I’m curious to know why you bought the 20 gauge version when you already had the 12. Any preference? This is the crux of of my original question.