I can't think of a better gun for waterfowl than the Gold 3 1/2". The very first Gold 3 1/2" models had some problems mostly due to the receiver. It's been long resolved. If you're buying used get the manufacture date. If you're buying new everything's fine plus you can get the the Dura-Touch coating. I've had my 3 1/2" Gold for over four years/several thousand rounds with out one jam. It cycles everything i have stuffed in the chamber thus far. It's primary use is for waterfowl here in Michigan. It gets some hard use in some very cold temps. In my group of buddies there are three Golds total. Not one has had a single malfuction. The oldest one about eight years old now. There are also 15 or so other models of semi auto's owned by this group. None have matched the Gold's in reliability over a extended period of time. If you look hard enough, any model will turn up a dud now an then. The Gold's just seem to have less of them. The Gold 3 1/2" model has more features than any other in it's class. They are worth every penny.