Preferred shotgun for clays, doves, pheasants, ducks, and geese

[jwo]

I'm selling my Remington 1187 12 gauge and I will be in the market for a new shotgun. I do some (but not enough) clay pigeon shooting, as well as some dove, pheasant, sharp tail, duck, and goose hunting. My brother recently bought a Franchi Affinity Elite 3.5 and it feels great. I would like to stay at that price point, but I will spend more for the SBE3 or Super Vinci if they are truly worth the additional cost.

 

[NEhunter]

Ive been shooting a Benelli Ethos for the last several years. Great shooting gun and a pleasure to carry chasing pheasants. Not sure ill ever change it out. Unless you want to run 3.5’s for geese, I’d look into that sbe3, I have an Sbe2 and it is a great gun as well but much prefer carrying the ethos for all day walks.

 

[Laramie]

Love the way the Franchi feels... Have been close to buying one a few times. That said, I shoot an old 870 so well that I just haven't been able to justify the purchase. I won 2 sporting clay comps last year and a few other trap events with the 870. I always get the strangest looks from the guys shooting 2-5k dollar guns. Guess it just boils down to what feels right for the shooter.

 

[CApighunter]

My SX3 has been flawless, cycles fast and smooth, fits me like a glove.

 

[Desk Jockey]

My m2s gobble up any ammo I feed them and I have shot them side by side with a number of guns, including the SBE and haven’t found anything I like better. I don’t do much goose hunting but 3inches has been enough shell for everything I hunt from pheasants to rabbits.

 

[eddiewiggles]

I shoot a Beretta A300 outlander and love it. No issues whatsoever. There will be plenty of people comment what their favorite is, but ensure it fits you and feels good as well. I’ve been on my fair sure of dove fields that are scattered with insanely expensive shotguns and they don’t seem to kill anymore birds than I do. Usually fewer birds than me, I just forgot to take pics


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[MLGrace]

Old school model 1100.

 

[FlyingScot]

Previously had an 1100, now shooting a Browning Maxus (both in 12 gauge) and it has been a great shotgun, although it did have to go back to Browning for the duratouch stock warranty replacement.

That said, if I were asked to replace it today, I'd probably go with a Benelli M2.

 

[JFIGHTINGFALCON]

I've got the Franchi Affinity Elite 3.5 for waterfowl and absolutely love it. Weighs nothing, points well, and has functioned absolutely flawlessly with every load I've put through it from garbage Herters light tartet loads to the heaviest goose shells in horrible conditions. Also has patterned for me quite nicely with the included extended chokes. Fully cerakoted and rather durable.They make them in 3" and even wood stocked flavors depending on your preference.

 

[Conrad101st]

Franchi, Beretta or Benelli semiauto will all put game on the table.

I have one of each b/c I didn’t want to be a bigot. Although it’s arguable anyway as apparently I’m a euro trash fan.

 

[highcj5]

I have a Franchi but it is a 20 gauge. I love that gun and use it for rabbit hunting. I have a SBE2 that I use for turkeys and used to use for crows. Bought a camouflage benelli montefeltro that only shoots up to 3 inches. I actually think when I throw the montefeltro up, it shoulders better than the sbe. I think the 20 gauge shoulders and feels better in my hands than the other guns. Best bet is to go to your local gun shop and see what feels best in your hands. You won’t be disappointed in any of them. If you were close to me I would say you could come shoot them? See what works best for you

 

[Trogon]

I'm selling my Remington 1187 12 gauge and I will be in the market for a new shotgun. I do some (but not enough) clay pigeon shooting, as well as some dove, pheasant, sharp tail, duck, and goose hunting. My brother recently bought a Franchi Affinity Elite 3.5 and it feels great. I would like to stay at that price point, but I will spend more for the SBE3 or Super Vinci if they are truly worth the additional cost.

any issues shooting target shells out of the 3.5” affinity?

 

[Pettit877]

Benelli M2 is a work horse.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I'm selling my Remington 1187 12 gauge and I will be in the market for a new shotgun. I do some (but not enough) clay pigeon shooting, as well as some dove, pheasant, sharp tail, duck, and goose hunting. My brother recently bought a Franchi Affinity Elite 3.5 and it feels great. I would like to stay at that price point, but I will spend more for the SBE3 or Super Vinci if they are truly worth the additional cost.

Stay away for from the SBE3- the stock has a design flaw that effects poi. You can google it. I have a Franchi Affinity 3.5 in the bottomland camo and I also have a Remington Versa Max with the woodtech stock. I love them both for different reasons. The Franchi is lighter, mine has the 26” barrel, but there is noticeably more recoil - not as much as my Cynergy Feather, but its there. My versamax is a tank, weighs more, has a 28” barrel, but it kicks like a 20ga with target loads. It was also nice to be able to customize the LOP with the kit that came with it (I am 6’5”).

I have had the versa max for 4 years and shot ducks geese pheasants, quail, rabbits, clay pigeons...probably a couple thousand rounds easy and never had a malfunction. I did have my smith cerakote the barrel because The factory finish on the barrel (just the barrel, not the receiver) was crap.

The Franchi was purchased a few months ago and it has already done the benelli click on me twice (eye roll) while pheasant hunting. It has maybe 200 rounds through it is all, all high velocity 4 shot. It doesnt fit me as well as my Cynergy or Versa Max because the only way to increase the LOP on it is to purchase an entire recoil pad. Even then I can only increase it 1/2”. I got a great deal on the gun, so I will keep it, but I prefer my versa max.

 

[NebraskaStickHunter]

They all have a slightly different feel and it does truly boil down to personal preference. You have gas models suggested along with inertia models so you will have some felt recoil differences between the two. I do not own it but the benelli m2 is very appealing but never tried the franchi elite. Fwiw I went from a beretta 300 to a A-5 and never looked back.

 

[Takem]

Benelli M2 is a work horse.

I've have my M2 super 90 for close to 20 years and it works like new. The simplicity of the gun has always amazed me.

 

[MO-CHSPKE]

For a gun that can handle the lightest of target loads to the heaviest of turkey and goose loads and everything in between....the VersaMax is hard to beat. I’ve thrown everything at mine and it spits everything out, including 7/8 oz 1100 FPS reloads for skeet. A buddy tried those rounds with his SBE and it was a single shot. While I don’t shoot many 3.5” they are tolerable. It goes a long time between cleanings and doesn’t seem to care.

 

[Montana Craig]

Franchi intensity 3.5 has been great, I probably have 1000 shells through it and rarely clean it. No issues cycling cheap clay ammo, duck loads, to 3.5 goose loads and turkey loads.

Just go shoulder a ton of different shotguns and see what feels right.

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[CTR]

+1 for the VersaMax but also fan of the Winchester SX4 or Berreta A300&A400. Benellis feel good to me but have hunted with too many friends with M2s and SBE 2s and seen a lot of "Benelli click" issues. Saw it numerous times pheasant hunting this year as well. Use my VersaMax for everything, but the way it feels and points for you is the most important.