What shotgun

[NEhunter]

Just got back from two gun shops. I like the way the Benelli Vinci and the Super black eagle feels as well as the Browning Silver. All 12 ga semi's. I also like the feel of the Remington Versamax, but coming off of a very poor quality rifle ( my husbands) I kind of don't want to buy a new model Remington. I want to find an Ithaca dealer and check them out to. I'd like to buy American but that option seems limited.

Out of those, assuming they all fit you, I would buy the benelli SBE.

 

[PAAnn]

Fit seems good with all mentioned brands. I'm tall, 5'10 and athletic build around 170#. I think this gives me an advantage with fitting.

 

[duchntr]

Im a benelli guy but am unbiased brand wise, and have some time on the sbe2 and original vinci and if given the choice id go with the SBE especially over the remington offerings, no firsthand experience with browning though. Some folks bash the hell out of benelli or beretta but i sorta feel its a dodge, chevy, ford comparison but regardless my preference for a gas gun is manufacturer is beretta and inertia system is benelli don't think you can go wrong with either.

 

[huntingbigsky]

I own the Benelli Super Black Eagle and love it.

 

[hobbes]

Anyone of the mentioned can be converted into Turkey guns whether an out of the box "Turkey gun" or not. A good quality choke with ammo that patterns best out of that choke and you're good. I'd start with a top quality choke then work on which ammo patterns best in a 10"circle at 40 yards. If you elect to go with a 20 ga, I'd bring that distance in some. However, some of the latestest and greatest HD ammo will throw good patterns out that far from a 20. A shorter barrel can be more maneuverable in the timber while hiking with it slung over your back and when swinging on a bird when necessary. However, I don't like a short barrel for wing shooting upland and waterfowl.

I've been shooting 870s for years and killed my share of birds with 3 1/2" and 3" Winchester Supreme 6s. My wife and youngest son both killed birds with an 870 JR (1" shorter than youth) and Youth model shooting 3" #6 Hevi-shot.

I picked up a used 3" 12 ga. 11-87 Sportsman w/28" barrel for upland and waterfowl earlier this year that Ill install a sling and turkey choke in when spring rolls around.

 

[RallySquirrel]

I've shot the SBE for a long while now. Does great with duck, turkey and field loads. I like it because it shoulders a lot like my Citori. I believe it is the better of the two over the Super Vinci. The other one that shoulders nice is the new A5. I really like the rubberized finish on it. Kind of gives it a tacky feel. All that said, I think they both kick harder than a gas gun. The Beretta would be one to look at in that price range. It is thought of as the Cadillac by most of the waterfowlers I know.

 

[mudlickman]

Ive never heard anyone complain about an sbe or sbe 2, so based on that alone I would confidently say that they are very reliable and great guns.

I had every intention of buying one for my new duck gun last year but I came across a guy selling an unshot versamax that he won in a raffle for $600. I couldn't pass it up and I'm very impressed with it. I had given up on remington after the plastic revolution but I think that they hit a home run with the VM. I love it and it has dropped several birds for me this year without one single issue.

 

[Terrapin]

I love Benelli shotguns. I use an SBE for waterfowl and a Montefeltro for everything else. My round count is in the thousands per year. For turkeys I use a beat up old 870. Dozens of birds have died from that gun. The reason I don't use a Benelli for turkeys is no matter how I carry it sooner or later I hit the button and drop a shell into the carrier, and it rattles. Secondly, if you bump the slide handle, and move the carrier, you will get the Benelli click. Lastly, when I shoot a 3.5" turkey load leaning against a tree, it hurts.

 

[Mike7]

Benelli's can be a little finicky shooting some/lighter loads it seems and seem to kick more than the gas operated semiautos (at least the couple I have tried). Pump guns without porting can recoil significantly more, unless they weigh 12 lbs, and who wants to carry that around, even if it is just over your shoulder for turkey hunting. A semi-auto isn't really needed for turkey hunting, if you make the first shot count, and semiautos are much more expensive.

If it were me and you wanted only a turkey gun, just get the aluminum actioned camo'd Mossberg 500 (you can get the set that comes with the camo ported 28" barrel for recoil reduction and with the additional 18" home protection barrel all for less than $400).

Now, it you want to spend quite a bit more and get a do everything gun which will shoot any load comfortably, not be heavy to carry, and hold great groups from the standard invector choke tubes that come with it, then I would get a Browning Gold or the Winchester semiauto mentioned above that operates on the same basic gas system as the Browning still I believe.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

The Winchester SX3 and the Browning Gold use Invector Plus choke tubes.

 

[Brendan]

Anyone have any differing opinions for a dual purpose waterfowl and turkey gun? Any opinions on the Beretta A400?

 

[mtswampfox]

Had a 12 ga bbl. french grey coated. Was indestructible. Never shot it. Guess the three and a half inch chamber scared me. Sold it on ebay. Was a good concept tho if you like encores. Would not have recommended it for water birds tho. Would have a tough built auto for that chore

 

[PNWGATOR]

After evaluating every autoloader I could get my hands on, researching the interweb and talking with several hardcover waterfowlers, I chose an A400. First, it fits. Second it's reliable and soft shooting. I'm 100% satisfied.

 

[BigDog00]

I've had a SX2 for over 15 years and it has been a great shot gun. I've shot a lot of ducks, geese, pheasants, and turkeys with it. I use 3.5" 2.5 oz turkey loads and with the gas operated semi and it still kicks pretty hard. You don't notice it while hunting but if you do any pattern work at the range you will notice every shot. A pump shot gun will only magnify the heavy turkey loads. You really can't go wrong with a Winchester, Remington, Benelli, Beretta, etc. Just make sure to get what you want and that it fits you properly.

 

[PAAnn]

Thanks for all the responses. They are certainly helpful. I want to hold the Winchester SX3, the Ithaca and a few others before making a final decision.

 

[tstowater]

Consider an M2 Benelli in a 12 gauge. Won't shoot the 3 1/2's, but shouldn't need them anyway. I have both the M2 and SBE2 and preference is generally the M2. Plenty of 3 inch shells to kill turkeys on the market.

 

[xcutter]

I don't know what your budget is. I have been using a Mossberg 935 Ultimag for years. Cheaper gun and shoots unreal with the Ultimag Kick's Gobbling Thunder Choke tube shooting Winchester 3 1/2 inch 6 shot XR's. Cheaper gun that I'm not afraid to lay in the dirt when crawling or sneaking up on a bird.

I've killed turkeys out to 65 yards. Didn't realize it was that far when I shot. I usually never try to shoot that far. I have complete confidence out to 50 or 55 yards.

 

[HookUp]

I picked up a Beretta Outlander A300 in Camo 2 seasons ago and am flat impressed. I have been a Remington guy for years but decided to try a mid-level Beretta. I really do not see switching back to big green, lots of broken parts with Remington over the years. This Beretta shoots everything I feed it and I can't remember the last time I cleaned it.

 

[PAAnn]

Well i just got back from the gun shop - (it was packed by the way) - I wanted to see if they had the Winchester SX3 and look at the Beretta's. They didn't carry Winchester but they did have Beretta's. I've got to tell you the best holding gun so far is the Beretta A400. It just felt so good and held really easy.

 

[kpk]

Well, for turkeys I would use just about anything I had access to. I've never ever shot more than once at a turkey and I've killed a bunch of them. I used to use an 870 SP super mag waterfowl for them.

My new gun is the Browning Maxus and it will probably go to the grave with me, I absolutely love that thing. Killed piles of geese this year without one single problem and hundreds of shells. It's shot everything from light 2 3/4" target loads for clays and tons of 3 1/2" BB goose loads equally well. I was dead set on a Benelli SBE2 but it just didn't feel as good as the Browning did FOR ME. The "benelli click" can also be an issue in layout blinds goose hunting which is what I do 99% of the time. The benelli click wouldn't really be an issue as long as you're aware of the chance of it happening and keep on eye on it. Benelli has a well earned reputation and I still might buy an SBE2 to play with.

After dealing with the Remington that my dad bought this year (also for goose hunting) I absolutely will never own another Remington SHOTGUN (keep in mind that I ran my 870 SP SM for over 10 years without a single problem). That thing was the absolute biggest pile of SHHH I've ever seen in my life. Customer service was helpful and got the MAJOR issues resolved....but quality like that should NEVER EVER leave the factory.

Almost any of the mid to high end goose guns will be more than capable...pick the one that fits you best.