How about neither. Of the two I would I would take the Mossberg.

For the money of the 11-87 you can get either the Franchi 912 or Winchester SX2. Both have better quality and will cycle 1oz field loads. Both are lighter and have better balance. The SX2 is a little easier to clean and the 912 is way easier to clean than the other two. The 912 has an automatic magazine cutoff. The SX2 has a $100 rebate to the end of November. With the $100.00 rebate even the Browning Gold 3 1/2" is close in price.

For all around use a 3" model is a better choice.

I'm still not sure. A similar SX2 and Browning Gold Hunter are well over the price of the 935 and 11-87. Would the 935 fire 3" 00 buckshot well or will it jam?

I owned an 11-87 for a while and found it to be unreliable and switched to an 870 SPS-T 3 1/2". My next semi will be either a Beretta or Bennelli. They are both in a totally different league. I know guys who shoot thousands of rounds of trap with Berettas between cleaning. They just keep firing under the worst conditions. I think going cheap in a semi 12 gauge is just a problem waiting to happen. If it costs you a mallard, what the hell. If it costs you a 10 point buck then ?

coolbrze, You may be suprised on the price of the Winchester SX2 after the rebate. The Franchi 912 is about the same price. The Beretta Xtrema is designed after the 912.

Just rechecked - $975 for the 26" barrel, camo, 3.5" 12 ga. So w/ that $100 rebate, it's $875, still a little higher than I was hoping to spend, but I might just do it. Thanks for the heads up!

$975.00 sounds a little high to me. I would check around. You should beable to find better deals. Good luck.

I know from experience that the browning gold will cycle light target loads...

Most DEFINETLY the Remington 11-87 my grandfather has one and you dont have to aim just put it buy and and shoot and it drops like a bad habit

bigbulls, The statement you made about NO 3 1/2" auto firing light 2 3/4" shells reliably isn't exactly true. From the two he is looking at, I think you are exactly right because of the reason you mention, both are gas operated. I owned a 1187 super mag. and it would cycle 1 1/8 oz. loads about half the time. I now own a Benelli SBE and I have put somewhere around 13,000 rds. through it with NO problems. Of course, I did read the owners manual which states that the first four boxes (100rd.) you put through the gun need to be 1 1/4 oz. or heavier. The day I brought it home I bought 4 boxes of 2 3/4" 1 1/4 oz. #4's. I just stood outside and ran them through the gun as fast as I could. I took it in the house, cleaned it, and have never looked back. We, do alot of dove hunting and it will even cycle those God awful Winchester "Super Speed" shells which are less than an oz. Just a little food for thought for anyone looking at 3 1/2" autos.